“The tapestry of history is woven of many threads”--Jacqueline Carey. This class is an integrated introduction to World History and Geography over two years, beginning with prehistory and ending in the late modern era. World History and Geography to 1500 begins with an overview of the principles of geography and each unit utilizes the themes of geography to analyze the development of civilizations and the subsequent political, social, and economic factors that define each era. Students will study the growth of civilization from pre-history through the early Renaissance. History topics include major events and people, political and economic evolutions, religious changes and conflicts, social and cultural movements, and intellectual developments. The goal of this course is to provide a general understanding of geographic factors and human motivations, which drive cultural development. Students will develop basic research and document analysis skills, short essay writing, note taking, and study skills.

“The tapestry of history is woven of many threads”--Jacqueline Carey. This class is an integrated introduction to World History and Geography over two years, beginning with prehistory and ending in the late modern era. World History and Geography to 1500 begins with an overview of the principles of geography and each unit utilizes the themes of geography to analyze the development of civilizations and the subsequent political, social, and economic factors that define each era. Students will study the growth of civilization from pre-history through the early Renaissance. History topics include major events and people, political and economic evolutions, religious changes and conflicts, social and cultural movements, and intellectual developments. The goal of this course is to provide a general understanding of geographic factors and human motivations, which drive cultural development. The rigor and thematic content analysis of this course is at an advanced level. Additionally students learn document based query analysis, introduction to college level essay writing, and fundamentals of historical research and analysis. The unit pacing is similar to on-level, but the level of thematic analysis, primary source usage, and student products are much more advanced. Students will practice document analysis skills, advanced essay writing, and notetaking from lecture skills. This course will develop students’ reading, writing, and analytical skills in preparation for advancement to Honors level World History and Geography from 1500 in their sophomore year and provides a foundation for Advanced Placement courses in social studies.

Prerequisite: For incoming 9th graders, Academic Advisors use middle school grades, entrance test scores, teacher recommendation, admissions essay and the April Placement Exam for enrollment into this course. For Honors World History and Geography, a student must also be enrolled in Honors English I.

“History is indeed the witness of the times, the light of truth”—Cicero. This class is an integrated World History and Geography class beginning with the modern world, around 1500 CE. Students will study the development of world nations and cultures during this time, including major events, political structures, religions, cultural movements, wars, and intellectual developments. Students will also be able to analyze how geographical features and population impact history. This course prepares students with research and analytical skills, and helps them contextualize the modern world.

In AP World History students will work to develop their understanding of global history by investigating significant events, individuals, developments, and processes. The course will focus on historical events from 1500 C.E to the present. Students develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; developing historical arguments; making historical connections; and utilizing reasoning about comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time. This course helps to prepare students not only for the Advanced Placement World History exam, but for Advanced Placement U.S. History in junior year. Students will be exposed to challenging historical concepts, critical analysis of primary and secondary sources, and complex essay writing. Sitting for the AP Exam is a course requirement.

Prerequisite: To be eligible for placement into Honors World History and Geography from 1500 CE, students must meet the following requirements:

1. The final grade must average an 88 or higher in Honors World History and Geography to 1500 CE or must average a 93 or higher in World History and Geography to 1500 CE. This average includes the final grades for both semesters. courses in order to qualify for an AP Course.

“A people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture are like a tree without roots”--Marcus Garvey. Students will learn about the development of the United States as a nation, significant places and people, and the development of important legal and political concepts within the nation. In addition, students will be exposed to a variety of primary sources and use them to further their understanding of United States history. The first semester will trace the growth of America as a nation from its colonial status to the divisions caused by the Civil War. The second semester will pick up after Reconstruction and follow America’s growth as a world power to its current status in the present.

“A people without knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture are like a tree without roots” -Marcus Garvey.

Students will learn about the development of the United States as a nation, significant places and people, and the development of important legal and political concepts within the nation, as well as the effects and causes of the American economic development. The first semester will trace the growth of America as a nation from its colonial status to the divisions caused by the Civil War. The second semester will pick up after Reconstruction and follow America’s growth as a world power to its current status in the present. In addition, students will be exposed to a variety of primary sources and use them to further their understanding of United States history. The course is designed to be similar to a college-level course, and upon completion of the course, students should be sufficiently prepared to take the AP exam. Students will prepare for the exam by writing regular in-class essays using primary and secondary documents. Sitting for the AP Exam is a course requirement.

Prerequisite: To be eligible for placement into AP U.S. History, students must meet the following requirements:

1. The final grade must average an 88 or higher in Honors World History and Geography from 1500 CE or must average a 93 or higher in World History

“Economy is the method by which we prepare today to afford the improvements of tomorrow” -Calvin Coolidge

Economics is a one semester course, focusing on the study of macroeconomics. Topics include the fundamental principles of economics, economic systems, supply and demand, business and labor, and the government’s role in the economy. Students will also examine modern challenges in the American economy, such as poverty, inequality, and globalization. The class will also relate economic principles to Catholic social teaching with the understanding that the study of economics should not be separated from ethical concerns.

“Economy is the method by which we prepare today to afford the improvements of tomorrow” - Calvin Coolidge.

Honors Macroeconomics is a one semester course within the high school environment. Topics covered in this course include basic economic concepts, measurement of economic performance, national income and price determination, economic growth, and international finance. Students will be challenged by the college reading load, faster pace, and the analytical nature of the course. The class will also relate economic principles to Catholic social teaching with the understanding that the study of economics should not be separated from ethical concerns.

Prerequisite: To be eligible for placement into Honors Macroeconomics, students must meet the following requirements:

1. The final grade must average an 88 or higher in AP U.S. History or must average a 93 or higher in U.S. History. This average includes the final grades for both semesters.

“Man is by nature a political animal” -Aristotle

U.S. Government is a one semester course. It provides an overview of the ideas on which the government is based, the principles of the Constitution, the influence of media, interest groups and political parties on the democratic process, the powers and responsibilities of each of the branches of government, and the development of civil liberties and civil rights. Students will complete group and individual projects examining government issues up close.

“Man is by nature a political animal” -Aristotle.

AP US Government and Politics is a one-semester, college level class. The course will begin with an in-depth analysis of the documents and philosophies underpinning American democracy. Then students will learn about various forms of political participation, and how the media, elections, and political parties shape civil society. Students will analyze the powers and limits of the three branches of government and how they interact. Finally, students will examine the
development of civil rights and liberties in our nation, with a focus on applying the precedents of Supreme Court cases. Students will develop their critical thinking skills by applying the course content to real life scenarios and current events. Students will also practice essay writing and engage in a mock Congress. Students are required to take the AP exam in May.

Prerequisite: To be eligible for placement into AP U.S. Government and Politics students must meet the following requirements:

1. The final grade must average an 88 or higher in AP U.S. History or must average a 93 or higher in U.S. History. This average includes the final grades for both semesters.

Ancient Greek and Roman Culture will immerse students in the study of literature, art, culture during the classical period. Students will explore ancient Greek culture, literature, and history through analysis of classical text, language and mythology. Students will also explore ancient Roman culture, literature, and history through analysis of classical text, language and mythology. Emphasis will be placed on making real world connections to Ancient Greek and Roman cultures, evaluating its influence on modern society.

The course provides instruction in news reporting and editing for both on-air video broadcast and print media. Students refine their analytical reading, expository writing, and oral communication skills and are provided with experiences that may form the basis for a future college major in communications. Students prepare and present news packages and enterprise reports (original stories not from a press release). Topics covered include reporting, writing news copy, sound, and digital video editing, and presentation design. In addition, students will study the historical and contemporary practices of broadcast journalism in society, with emphasis on methods, writing, announcing and ethics. The importance of researching information and fact-finding are stressed
throughout the course. Much of the course is project-based, as students apply their knowledge producing regular news segments to be shared with the school community.

“There will never be a new order until women are a part of it” -Alice Paul

Women’s quest for participation in America didn’t end with the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920 – rather, it’s where it all began. Contemporary U.S. Women’s History is a one-semester elective that will pick up at the beginning of the 1920s and examine the growths and pitfalls that women faced in this country. Furthermore, the course will examine the separate histories of the various races and cultures that make up the female population in America, including White, African-American, Asian-American, Latina, Chicana, and Native American women. The course will be both an in-depth examination as well as a form of comparative studies that aim to reach issues of the modern-day.

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them” -Thomas Jefferson

Current Events is a one semester elective course which explores present controversies being discussed in the news. The course topics are driven by what is being debated in the papers, on social media, and online as the course proceeds. Students will also learn the necessary background information to understand the news, including information on history, governmental structures, and culture in the U.S. and the world. Media literacy and critical analysis of the news and news bias will be taught at the beginning and reinforced throughout the semester. Students will complete a culminating project focused on a current event issue that interests them.

“Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death!” This was the cry of the revolutionaries in France at the end of the 18th century, and it exhibits both the lofty aspirations of the passionate people who started it and the ultimate result of these untamed passions. This course will explore the French Revolution as both rooted in Enlightenment philosophy and sparked by a corrupt and self indulgent monarchy. Students will tackle difficult questions about democracy, equality, and the
morality of political violence. Finally, students will look beyond the short years of the revolution itself and look to the long-lasting impacts: a new Europe, a new form of government, and a new spirit of secular liberalism. The course will be seminar style, including weekly readings of primary and secondary sources and class discussions.

“People’s beliefs about their abilities have a profound effect on those abilities.”- Albert Bandura

The purpose of Psychology is to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings. In this course, students will be exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Throughout this semester-long course, students will study the core concepts and theories in psychology, define key terms and use them in everyday vocabulary, learn the basic skills of psychological research, apply concepts to their own lives, all while developing critical thinking skills.

"The function of sociology, as of every science, is to reveal that which is hidden” -Pierre Bourdieu

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. This elective course is a one semester introduction to sociology as a way to understanding the world, and will introduce students to the sociological perspective in examining our lives and social experiences, as well as many issues facing society today. Students will be introduced to different ways of seeing the world, provided with tools for understanding
their own social position, and investigate how to obtain a just, equal, more peaceful and diverse society. In this course, students will learn the basics of sociology through a variety of readings and film clips, as well as test theories and recognize the social construction we all experience.

This course will begin with the eve of World War I, when a flourishing Europe would be plummeted into bloodshed and devastation never seen before in history. Students will learn about the war, the Russian Revolution, the economic depression, and the rise of Totalitarian leaders. This was an era of “strong men” and even stronger ideologies. Finally, the class will explore the many facets of World War II, including frightening new technologies of warfare that challenged the ethics of Western civilization. Students will grapple with historiographical questions such as whether Germany caused both wars or the morality of terror bombing enacted by both sides. The course will be seminar style, including weekly readings of primary and secondary sources and class discussions.