Social Studies
 

Advanced WORLD HISTORY I

Course #306
Level:
2
Credit:
1
Required of:
Freshmen

This full-year course will focus on significant events in history from ancient times through the Renaissance and analyze how these events helped to shape the modern world. Students will study the geography, belief systems, commerce, and socio-political ideas that shaped civilizations around the world; they will explore important themes and movements, identify historical trends, and analyze patterns of behavior through time.  Critical thinking as well as  vital study and note-taking skills will be explained and practiced throughout the course.  

This course is aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to value and respect the ideas, rights, and dignity of all people. This class guides students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls.

View Syllabus

WORLD HISTORY I HONORS

Course #305
Level:
1
Credit:
1
Open to:
Selected Freshmen
Prerequisite:
Previous grade school record and testing results

This challenging full-year course will educate students on significant topics in history from ancient times through the Renaissance.  The course encourages students to develop a global perspective, investigating how geography, culture, socio-political ideas, and innovations shaped civilizations.  Students will also analyze how the western world transitioned from medieval  to modern ideas, including the innovations of the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment. Throughout the course, students will be asked to recognize historical themes, movements,  and patterns and connect them to the events of the modern world.  Critical thinking as well as vital study and note-taking skills are taught and expected throughout the course. Students will be responsible for extensive reading and the analysis of  details to infer cause and effect and draw conclusions.

This course is aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to value and respect the ideas, rights, and dignity of all people. This class guides students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls.

View Syllabus

Advanced WORLD HISTORY II 

Course #326
Level:
2
Credit:
1
Required of:
Selected Sophomores

In Advanced World History II, students study the significant events that have shaped the world over the past three hundred years. They are asked to trace the evolution and impacts of socio-political ideas, cultural practices and value systems, and innovations from the Age of Revolution to the Cold War Era. This class requires students to determine the importance of historical events, make connections across time and place, and analyze cause and effect relationships. To access information and learn multiple perspectives, students read informative and narrative secondary sources and relevant primary sources. Critical thinking skills are taught and reinforced throughout the course. This syllabus addresses both CPA and Honors course levels. Text and assessment complexity as well as the level of independence required for learning activities will vary based on the level of the course.

This course is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Through the study of history, students observe the impacts of injustice and oppression versus justice and freedom, and they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people. This class encourages students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls.

View Syllabus

WORLD HISTORY II HONORS

Course #325
Level:
1
Credit:
1
Open to:
Selected Sophomores
Prerequisite:
80% average in World History I Honors; 92% average in Advanced World History I; recommendation of World History teacher

In World History II, students study the significant events that have shaped the world over the past three hundred years. They are asked to trace the evolution and impacts of socio-political ideas, cultural practices and value systems, and innovations from the Age of Revolution to the Cold War Era. This class requires students to determine the importance of historical events, make connections across time and place, and analyze cause and effect relationships. To access information and learn multiple perspectives, students read informative and narrative secondary sources and relevant primary sources. Critical thinking skills are taught and reinforced throughout the course. This syllabus addresses both CPA and Honors course levels. Text and assessment complexity as well as the level of independence required for learning activities will vary based on the level of the course.

This course is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Through the study of history, students observe the impacts of injustice and oppression versus justice and freedom, and they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people. This class encourages students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls.

View Syllabus

AP WORLD HISTORY: MODERN  

Course #340
Level:
AP
Credit:
1
Open to:
Selected Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors with recommendation of a current Social Studies teacher.
Prerequisite:
92% average in World History I Honors, 92% average in World History II Honors or 92% average in US History Honors

AP World History: Modern is a college-level history course that focuses on world history from c.1200 C.E. to present. Students study significant world events, people, developments, and processes while learning and demonstrating historical thinking and reasoning skills. Throughout the course, students analyze world history through specific themes: humans and their environment, cultural developments and interactions, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation, and they seek to make connections, recognize patterns, draw and defend conclusions.

This course is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Through the study of history, students observe the impacts of injustice and oppression versus justice and freedom, and they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people. This  class encourages students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls.

View Syllabus 

Advanced U.S. HISTORY 

Course #332
Level:
2
Credit:
1
Required of:
Juniors

Through this course, students will study the ideas, significant figures, and milestone events that shaped the United States of America from its beginnings through its rise to world power.  Emphasis will be placed on the time period beginning with 1865 and extending to modern day. Students will study the ideas, ideals, and significant events that brought America into the 20th century and continue to impact its development as a nation and its interactions with other nations. Students will be expected to apply the concepts and skills learned in World History I and II and to practice and improve their study, note-taking, and research skills as well as positive classroom -centered learning habits.

This course is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Through the study of history, students observe the impacts of injustice and oppression versus justice and freedom, and they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people. This class encourages students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls who respect the diverse people of these United States.

View Syllabus

U.S. HISTORY HONORS

Course #331
Level:
1
Credit:
1
Open to:
Juniors who meet listed requirements
Prerequisite:
80% average in World History II Honors; 92% average in Advanced World History II; recommendation of Social Studies teacher

Through this course, students study the ideals, significant figures, and milestone events that shaped the United States of America from its beginnings through its rise to world power. This class requires students to analyze the causes and long-term effects of important historical events, including the formation of our system of government, and to connect these events to the American systems that affect their lives today. Students are encouraged to think critically about how America functions as a nation and how it relates to and influences other nations. Throughout the course, students read and view primary and secondary sources to learn multiple perspectives. Text and assessment complexity as well as the level of independence required for learning activities will vary based on the level of the course.

This course is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Through the study of history, students observe the impacts of injustice and oppression versus justice and freedom, and they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people. This class encourages students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls who respect the diverse people of these United States.

View Syllabus

AP U.S. HISTORY

Course #341
Level:
AP
Credit: 1

Open to: Selected Juniors & Seniors with a recommendation of a current Social Studies Teacher.
Prerequisite:
92% average in World History II Honors or 92% average in U.S. History Honors

AP U.S. History is a college-level course which examines the nations' history from the Pre-Columbian Period (1490s) to the present. The course is divided into nine curriculum units that correspond to nine historical periods. In each, students study the significant events, people, and developments of the period and examine these events through thematic lenses that guide them to make connections and recognize trends over time. Throughout the course, students analyze primary sources, examine content and causation, make historical comparisons, and develop sound historical arguments. Students are required to read independently and adhere to deadlines in order to be prepared for classroom discourse, assessments, and the AP Exam.

This course is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Students observe the impacts of injustice and oppression versus justice and freedom, and they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people. 

View Syllabus 

AP EUROPEAN HISTORY

Course #342
Level:
AP
Credit:
1
Open to:
Selected Seniors with recommendation of a current Social Studies Teacher
Prerequisite:
92% average in U.S. History Honors or 85% average in AP U.S. History

AP European History is a challenging course designed as the equivalent to a freshmen college level history course.  This course will be a survey of European history from the Renaissance to the present.  Emphasis is placed on close reading, interpretation of primary source documents and historiography, critical analysis and evaluation, and essay writing. The course requires extensive and often independent readings, frequent writing assignments, and a willingness to engage productively in class discussion, debates, and seminars. The syllabus of the College Board AP program will be followed, preparing the students for the AP Exam in May.

Political Science 

Course #343 
Level:
Credit: 1
Open to: Juniors and Seniors
Prerequisite: Recommendation of current Social Studies teacher

IThis course will introduce students to the basic principles of Political Science and offer them the opportunity to examine political ideas and theories from different places and time periods. Students will study the effects of political events on their own lives and the lives of others, and they will develop an understanding of how political systems impact the world around them. Through critical examination of existing political systems and situations, students will sharpen their thinking skills and develop educated opinions about the global community in which they live. 

Political Science is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Throughout  the course, students are  encouraged to develop an understanding of and appreciation for the duties of a faithful citizen, how to engage in political discourse honorably, and the importance of studying and understanding various political systems. Students are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people and develop an awareness of the social issues that all nations face.

View Syllabus 

INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Course #375
Level:
2
Credit:
1
Open to:
Juniors and Seniors
Prerequisite:
Recommendation of U.S. History teacher

The criminal justice system in America is designed to enforce laws, ensure public safety, and deliver justice to those who have committed crimes. In this course, students study the foundations and components of the criminal justice system, including criminal law, the police, the courts, and corrections. They learn the criminal justice process and analyze the interactions among the various institutions of the criminal justice system. Students also examine current issues involving criminal justice, including the balance between crime control and due process, and contemporary conflicts that arise between the criminal justice system and the community. Students are encouraged to consider multiple perspectives and incorporate information from varied sources, including social science, when conducting analyses and making evaluations about crime and the criminal justice process.

This course is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Through the study of criminal justice, students observe the impacts of injustice and oppression versus justice and freedom, and they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people. This class encourages students to be inspired learners, faithful citizens, and honorable souls who respect diversity.

View Syllabus

AMERICAN STUDIES 

Course #383 Fall
Level:
2
Credit:
1
Open to:
Seniors 
Prerequisite:
Recommendation of U.S. History teacher

American Studies is a class designed to introduce students to the origins, concepts, organizations, and policies of the United States government and political system. To increase understanding, students read relevant primary and secondary source documents and incorporate new knowledge and ideas into the foundational lessons of the course. Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government established by the Constitution, including an in-depth study of the Bill of Rights and other amendments. After learning these concepts, students determine how the Constitution reflects a balance between republican philosophies and the rights of the individual, and they evaluate the principles of the Constitution, including checks and balances, separation of powers, minority vs. minority rights, equality of rights, and the rule of law.

American Studies is directly aligned with the traits defined in the Portrait of the Crusader. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to develop an understanding of and appreciation for civil liberties, first amendment rights, and the importance of protecting freedoms; they are encouraged to value and respect the rights and dignity of all people and develop an awareness of the socially just directions that guide their country.

View Syllabus