In World Cultures, students will learn the six essentials of geography: spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and uses of geography. After a broad survey of Earth’s structure, hydrosphere and climates, the focus of each Unit narrows to a particular region of the world.

By examining the physical geography of each region, including water resources, climate, vegetation, and natural resources, students will understand the influence of geography on economic activities, human culture, and history. In addition, students will investigate the impact of human activity on the environment, including pollution and development, and consider the implications. Students will complete one research project (with multiple parts) each semester.

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In Honors World Cultures, students will learn the six essentials of geography: spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and uses of geography. After a broad survey of Earth’s structure, hydrosphere and climates, the focus of each Unit narrows to a particular region of the world. By examining the physical geography of each region, including water resources, climate, vegetation, and natural resources, students will understand the influence of geography on economic activities, human culture, and history.

In addition, students will investigate the impact of human activity on the environment, including pollution and development, and consider the implications. Students will complete one research project (with multiple parts) each unit. Honors level analysis, critical thinking, and writing assignments are added to the basics of this course utilizing a well-documented historical demonstration of the complex connection of varied civilizations.

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World History is a survey of the development of civilizations from prehistoric times to the present. The journey begins with ancient civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China, and the foundations of western civilization: ancient Greece and Rome. Students will analyze developments in Africa, Asia, and Europe during the Middle Ages, including the Crusades. Students will understand how the Renaissance and Reformation provided a springboard for the Age of Reason and the Scientific Revolution.

An inquiry into events such as the American War of Independence and French Revolution will prepare students to consider the great advances and social upheaval sparked by the Industrial Revolution. Students will probe the causes, events, and consequences of the two world wars and the rise and fall of Communism. The course concludes with a look at developments shaping current events. Students will complete several essays and one research paper per semester.

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In Honors World History, students will study individual stories from specific societies to demonstrate how worlds that were separated by time and space converged, eventually resulting in today’s globalized world. Worlds apart, in other words, became worlds together. Societies with their own internal momentums were deeply influenced by other societies, states, and economies with which they interacted.

This course will help students to impose order on the ways in which social, political, economic, environmental, cultural, and technological developments caused worlds apart to become worlds together, from c. 9000 BCE to the present.

Honors • UC Honors Approved Social Science • NCAA Approved Social Science

American History covers the discovery, development, and growth of the United States. Major topics include American Indian cultures, European colonization of the Americas, and the causes and effects of the American Revolution. Geographical, economic, and political factors are explored as the key factors in the growth of the United States of America. Part A is a survey of the struggle to build the United States of America from the colonial period to the beginning of the twentieth century.

By means of reading, analyzing, and applying historical data, students come to appreciate the forces that shaped our history and character as an American people. Not only are the topics of American history discussed, but students also explore research methods and determine accurate sources of data from the past. Knowing the facts and dates of history are just the beginning: each student must understand how history affects him or her. Part B begins with a study of American life before the 1929 Stock Market crash and how the Roaring Twenties influenced society in the late 19th through early 20th centuries. Students will examine the causes and consequences of the Great Depression and move on into a detailed study of World War II with an emphasis on America’s role in the conflict.

The course continues with an analysis of the Cold War struggle and America’s rise as a superpower. The Civil Rights and Women’s rights movements, pollution and the environment, and American domestic and foreign policy will be examined. The course wraps up with a summary of current events and issues, including a study of the Middle East. Part B begins with an assessment of life in the United States pre‐World War I and ends with the conflicts of the new millennium. Students look at the nation in terms of economic, social, and political trends. The experiences of the last century are summarized, including a look into the civil rights issues that have embroiled the nation in conflict. The development of the United States of America into a superpower is explored within a global context.

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Honors American History is the study of the events, people, and culture of the United States over time. In Part A, you will learn about the history of the “New World” and review the events and principles behind the founding of the United States. Once founded, you will look at the initial growth and expansion of the United States up through the Civil War (The War of the Union) and the United States’ reconstruction after the war.

In Part B, you will learn about the railroads and industry after the war (focusing on the south and the west). That brings us to the twentieth century and all the exciting events that occurred including both World Wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, and the Korean War. Civil rights movements are also explored.

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U.S. Government commences its examination of American democracy with a general overview of the purpose, types, origin, and formation of governments. Students will explore how colonial self-rule, English law, and weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation influenced the formation of the U.S. Constitution. Students will investigate the principles of the Constitution and the federal system. The purpose, powers, and relationships among the American institutions of self-government—Congress, Presidency, and the Judiciary—will be examined as well as federal, state, and local governments.

Students will become aware of their civic responsibility to vote and participate in the governmental process as they gain understanding of the functions and organization of political parties, the evolution of the two-party system, and the influence of public opinion and political ideology on government decisions.

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Honors U.S. Government commences its examination of the grand American experiment in democracy with a general overview of the purpose, types, origin, and formation of governments. Students will explore how colonial self-rule, English law, and weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation influenced the formation of the U.S. Constitution.

Students will investigate the principles of the Constitution and the federal system. The purpose, powers, and relationships among the American institutions of self-government—Congress, Presidency, and the Judiciary—will be examined as well as federal, state, and local governments. Students will become aware of their civic responsibility to vote and participate in the governmental process as they gain understanding of the functions and organization of political parties, the evolution of the two-party system, and the influence of public opinion and political ideology on government decisions. Students will complete several essays and contribute to a wiki during this course. Honors Projects are incorporated into every unit in the course.

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The Economics course begins with a survey of the basic principles concerning production, consumption, and distribution of goods and services within the free enterprise system. Students will examine the rights and responsibilities of consumers and businesses, analyze the interaction of supply, demand, and price, and study the role of financial institutions. Types of business ownership, market structures, and basic concepts of consumer economics will be surveyed.

The impact of a variety of factors including geography, government intervention, economic philosophies, historic documents, societal values, scientific discoveries, and technological innovations on the national economy, and economic policy will be an integral part of the course. Students will apply critical-thinking skills to create economic models and to evaluate economic activity patterns. Students will also examine the knowledge and skills necessary as self-supporting adults to make critical decisions relating to personal financial matters such as seeking college financial aid, using credit wisely, and balancing financial accounts. Students will complete a research project as part of their course.

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The main goal of this course is to provide students with the tools needed to be able to make assessments about the economy. Topics include both macroeconomics and microeconomics. Students will be able to assess the news reports and make an individual analysis based on data and reports. It also covers topics on a larger scale such as market structures and international trade

Honors • UC Honors Approved Elective • NCAA Approved Social Science

How have African Americans shaped the culture of the United States throughout history? Tracing the accomplishments and obstacles of African Americans from the slave trade through emancipation, and to the modern African diaspora, you will learn about the political, economic, social, religious, and cultural factors that have influenced African American life. In African American History, you’ll come face to face with individuals who changed the course of history and learn more about slavery, racism, and the Civil Rights Movement. You will also explore how the history of African Americans influences current events today.

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Holocaust education requires a comprehensive study of not only times, dates, and places, but also the motivation and ideology that allowed these events. In this course, students will study the history of anti-Semitism; the rise of the Nazi party; and the Holocaust, from its beginnings through liberation and the aftermath of the tragedy. The study of the Holocaust is a multi-disciplinary one, integrating world history, geography, American history, and civics. Through this in-depth, semester-long study of the Holocaust, high school students will gain an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice and indifference, the potential for government-supported terror, and they will get glimpses of kindness and humanity in the worst of times.

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Philosophy and Ethics provides students an introduction to the field of philosophy and ethics and its great, timeless questions. This course will help students (1) see why ethics matters to society and to themselves, (2) understand core concepts (theories, principles, values, virtues, and the like), (3) be familiar with the background (scientific, legal, and otherwise) of contemporary moral problems, and (4) know how to apply critical reasoning to those problems—to assess moral judgements and principles, construct and evaluate moral arguments, and apply and critique moral theories

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This Social Studies course provides students an introduction to the field of philosophy and ethics and its great, timeless questions. This course will help students (1) see why ethics matters to society and to themselves, (2) understand core concepts (theories, principles, values, virtues, and the like), (3) be familiar with the background (scientific, legal, and otherwise) of contemporary moral problems, and (4) know how to apply critical reasoning to those problems—to assess moral judgments and principles, construct and evaluate moral arguments, and apply and critique moral theories.

Honors • UC Honors Approved Elective • NCAA Additional Core Approved

Psychology is everywhere, affecting every second of life. Learning about psychology can positively affect life in three main ways. First, while studying psychology, the course will provide a solid foundation for success in later psychology courses. Second, this course can influence your personal life. The concepts discussed here will help you know yourself better; understand your family members, friends, and people you encounter; and improve your relationships. Third, taking this course will help you develop academic skills. Many topics in psychology directly translate into skills that you can use to improve your studying. Students will learn how psychologists develop and validate theories and will examine how hereditary, social, and cultural factors help form an individual’s behavior and attitudes. Students will also evaluate the effectiveness of different types of psychological counseling and therapy. Highly interactive content includes online discussions that help develop critical thinking skills.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Biology

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The Sociology course takes a fresh and accessible theoretical approach appropriate to our contemporary world. While the course emphasizes the interactionist perspective, students learn a range of theoretical thought, including postmodernism. Students will put into practice what they are learning through innovative methodological exercises in each chapter. Material is presented that is familiar and relevant to the students in a way that allows them to make profound analytic connections between their individual lives and the structure of their society.

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