Social Studies

Social Studies Department

Name
Amanda Johnson
Brady Gilbert
Bridget Marshall
Danielle W alsh
Dennis Arden
P aul Grinups
Jonathon Day
Katie Izykowski
Kelci Atkins (Dept. Co-Chair)
Matt Lindell (Dept. Co-Chair)
Matthew Oliver
Shane Jensen
Stephen (Scott) Smith
Susan Bassett
Jessica Castro Sandoval

Social Studies Courses

Geography

Grade 9
Required 0.5 Credit
Levels: CP, Honors

Geography is a 1/2 credit, 9th-grade course focusing on the diverse ways of life found around the world. Through the study of major geographic themes, students will recognize and evaluate the relationships between people, places, regions, and environments. Students will develop a global perspective and further explore how physical environments affect human events. The major focus is the Delaware Geography Standards: maps, environments, places, and regions with a supporting focus on related concepts found in the state’s Civics, Economics, and History standards.

Civics

Grade 9
Required 0.5 Credit
Levels: CP, Honors

This course will study the democratic foundations of our federal government. Emphasis will be placed on the structures of government as established in the Constitution and citizen responsibilities and involvement. Students will be expected to do research projects, work in cooperative groups, present orally, participate in simulations, and maintain a class notebook. All units are aligned to the Delaware State Social Studies Standards.

Enhanced Economics

Grade 10
Required 1 Credit
Levels: CP, Honors

This course will cover micro-macro economic concepts and how they apply to our free enterprise system and the world. Applications of knowledge learned to present-day situations will be required. Students will be expected to do research projects, work in cooperative groups, present orally, participate in simulations and adapt concepts to personal economics and maintain a class notebook. All units are aligned to the Delaware State Social Studies Standards.

American History

Grade 11
Required 1 Credit
Levels: CP, Honors

This is a survey course in American History taught to eleventh-grade students who study America’s past to learn about their nation’s history and to appreciate their responsibilities as free individuals faced with the challenge of shaping the future of their society. Students will study the political, cultural, social, economic, and religious developments in the U.S. from 1865 to the present. This course utilizes instructional techniques and learning methods that will help students acquire an in-depth knowledge of our history. Research papers, presentations, oral and written reports, and class participation along with higher-order thinking will be required. This course is aligned with the Delaware State Social Studies Standards and is required for graduation.

World History

Grade 12
Levels: Honors, CP
Prerequisites: Civics, World Geography, Economics, American History

World History is a course designed for those students planning to attend a four-year college/university. The course offers students the opportunity to develop historical knowledge by studying major historical world events from around 1400 CE to the present. The course will focus on major world events and movements that took place during that time period. Determining the cause and effect relationship of those events will further expand the student’s understanding of the ways in which individuals and societies have changed over time. Development of chronological concepts and historical knowledge, as well as analyzing historical phenomena by gathering and interpreting historical dates, are all an integral part of this course.

Psychology

Grades 10-12
0.5 Credit Elective Course

This course will introduce students to the social science of Psychology. Throughout the semester, the students will discuss the history of the study of the mind, learning principles, memory, motivation, emotion, and the evolution of the mind through the life span. Students will be expected to complete writing activities and engage in classroom discussion. This course is aligned with the Delaware Social Studies Standards and the National Standards for high school psychology curricula.

Sociology

Grades 10-12
0.5 Credit Elective Course

This course is a study of the fundamental concepts and methods used in the scientific study of group behavior looking at social interactions and processes. This is an introductory level course into essential sociological theories, research, concepts, and everyday realities. Background information on social psychology, socialization, personal development, culture, and personality will also be presented. This course is aligned with the Delaware Social Studies Standards and the National Standards for high school sociology curricula.

Personal Finance

Grades 11-12
0.5 Credit Elective Course

Personal Finance is a year-long high school course designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed financial decisions throughout their lives. Students will explore practical, real-world topics including budgeting, saving, banking, credit and debt, investing, taxes, insurance, and financial planning. Emphasis is placed on responsible money management, goal setting, and understanding the long-term impact of financial choices.

The Holocaust

Grades 10-12
0.5 Credit Elective Course

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a background and history of the Holocaust in order to encourage a determination never to repeat the past. Students will study anti-Semitism, the rise of Nazi Germany, the annihilation of millions of Europeans, and the aftermath. In studying the Holocaust, the victims, perpetrators, bystanders, rescuers, resistance groups, the world response, and the roles of neutral nations will be covered. Various perspectives of each of these groups will be studied and interpreted. The course goal is to teach an understanding of individual differences universally and to learn tolerance for others. Students are required to do research projects, presentations, and victim posters, participate in simulations and maintain a notebook. The course’s resources include films, diaries, photographs, witness videos, and other primary and secondary sources. All units are aligned to the Delaware State Social Studies Standards.

African American History

Grades 10-12
0.5 Credit Elective Course

This course explores the rich and complex history of African Americans from precolonial Africa to the present day. Students will examine the transatlantic slave trade, slavery in the United States, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the civil rights movement, and the ongoing struggle for equality and justice. Through primary sources, literature, art, and discussion, students will gain a deeper understanding of African American culture, contributions, and resilience. The course emphasizes critical thinking and fosters an appreciation of the diverse experiences that have shaped American history.

AP Social Studies Courses

AP U.S. History

Grade 11
Levels: Advanced Placement - May take the place of 11th grade American History

This is a college-level course offered to highly motivated high school students. The class is a one-credit social studies course designed to challenge high school students while meeting the requirements for graduation. Through reading, lecture, research, discussion, and critical written and oral analysis, students will examine the breadth and depth of the history of the United States from colonization to the present. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam in the spring. Summer reading and assignments are required.

AP European History

Grade 12
Levels: Advanced Placement

This course covers European history from the 1400s to the present. This is an accelerated course that examines the in-depth political, social, economic, and cultural history of Europe from the formation of national monarchies/nation-states to the late 20th century. The course concentrates on the events and movements that have shaped European history. In the spring, students who have completed the course will have the opportunity to take the national Advanced Placement European History exam. Passing this exam may earn the student college credit when they are admitted to college.

AP U.S. Government and Politics

Grades 9-12
Levels: Advanced Placement

This AP course in United States Government and Politics will give students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. government and politics and the analysis of specific examples. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. government and politics. Students should become acquainted with the variety of theoretical perspectives and explanations for various behaviors and outcomes.

AP Human Geography

Grades 9-12
Levels: Advanced Placement

This is a college-level course offered to highly motivated high school students. The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of the earth’s surface. Students will use special concepts and landscape analysis to examine societies and their environmental impact. They will learn about the methods and tools geographers use. Students will learn to: use maps and data, understand and interpret the impact of associations in places, recognize and interpret the relationships among patterns and processes worldwide, define regions and evaluate the regionalization, characterize and analyze changing interconnections among people, and places. The goal of this course is to prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam in the spring.

AP Macroeconomics

Grade 10-12
Levels: Advanced Placement, may take the place of 10th grade Enhanced Economics

The Advanced Placement Macroeconomics course is designed to provide students with an introductory college level education in the field of Macroeconomics. By the end of the course students should be able to understand how the economy as a whole functions and the factors that affect the flow and operation of the economy. Students will be assessed using a blend of online and paper/pencil assessments both at home and in the classroom consisting of multiple choice and free response questions. Students enrolled in this course will prepare for the Advanced Placement Macroeconomics Exam. In addition, after the AP Exam students will learn about personal finance and how to plan for their financial future.

Dual Enrollment Social Studies Courses

CRJ 101: Survey of Criminal Justice

Wilmington University
Grades 11-12
Prerequisite: 2.7 GPA or higher

This course is a survey of agencies and processes involved in the administration of criminal justice. The survey reviews the functions of the legislature, police, prosecutor, courts, and the correctional system. Problems of law enforcement in a democratic society are discussed. This course ties together all components of criminal justice and includes issues of both the juvenile and adult offender.

In This Section

Social Studies

Social Studies Department

Social Studies Courses

Geography

Civics

Enhanced Economics

American History

World History

Psychology

Sociology

Personal Finance

The Holocaust

African American History

AP Social Studies Courses

AP U.S. History

AP European History

AP U.S. Government and Politics

AP Human Geography

AP Macroeconomics

Dual Enrollment Social Studies Courses

CRJ 101: Survey of Criminal Justice

CRJ 205: Principles of Criminology

PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology

SC 101: Introduction to Sociology