Social Studies Recommended Course Sequence
| Grade 9 | Grade 10 | Grade 11 | Grade 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honors US History US History | AP World History AP Comparative Government AP African American Studies Honors Global Studies Global Studies | AP US Government Honors American Government & Economics American Government & Economics | Other Social Studies Electives |
HONORS UNITED STATES HISTORY 2 (SS1000) 1.0 credit
Prerequisites: See Honors Program Recommendations
Honors US History 2 includes a study of U. S. History from the Reconstruction Era to the end of the 20th Century. Students will be required to do extensive reading in both texts and supplementary sources. Research and analytical writing assignments, as well as individual and group projects, will be included. Notes: The grade for this course is weighted. This course is strongly recommended for those students who may consider Advanced Placement courses.
UNITED STATES HISTORY 2 (SS1002) 1.0 credit
US History 2 includes the study of United States History from the Reconstruction Era to the end of the 20th Century. The development of reading, writing, and geographical analytical skills will be emphasized. Current events will be integrated throughout the course.
AP WORLD HISTORY (SS5010) 1.0 credit
Prerequisite: See Honors Program Recommendations
AP World History is designed to be the equivalent of a college course that develops a greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts in different types of human societies. The course highlights the nature of changes in global frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. It emphasizes relevant factual knowledge, leading interpretive issues, and skills in analyzing types of historical evidence. Notes: The grade for this course is weighted. Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP College Board exam in May.
AP COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (SS5020) 1.0 credit
Prerequisite: See Honors Program Recommendations
AP Comparative Government and Politics is designed to be the equivalent of a college course that introduces students to fundamental concepts used by political scientists to study the processes and outcomes of politics in a variety of country settings. The course aims to illustrate the rich diversity of political life, to show available institutional alternatives, to explain differences in processes and policy outcomes, and to communicate to students the importance of global political and economic changes. Six countries form the core of the AP Comparative Government and Politics course. Notes: The grade for this course is weighted. Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP College Board exam in May.
AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES (SS5060) 1.0 Credit
AP African American Studies is an interdisciplinary course that examines the diversity of African American experiences through direct encounters with authentic and varied sources. Students explore key topics that extend from African Kingdoms to the ongoing challenges and achievement of the contemporary moment. Given the interdisciplinary character of African American studies, students in the course will develop skills across multiple fields, with an emphasis on developing historical, literary, visual, and data analysis skills. This course foregrounds a study of the diversity of Black communities in the United States within the broader context of Africa and African diaspora. Notes: The grade for this course is weighted. Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP College Board exam in May.
HONORS GLOBAL STUDIES (SS3000) 1.0 credit
Prerequisite: See Honors Program Recommendations
Honors Global Studies examines how continuity and change have impacted the world today. The course will specifically focus on how the interactions of history, politics, economics, belief systems, and geography have helped to shape the world’s history. Students will also examine the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development of our world’s history. Notes: The grade for this course is weighted. This course is strongly recommended for those students who may consider Advanced Placement courses.
GLOBAL STUDIES (SS3002) 1.0 credit
Global Studies examines how continuity and change have impacted the world today. The course will specifically focus on how the interactions of history, politics, economics, belief systems, and geography have helped to shape the world’s history. Students will also examine the role groups and individuals played in the social, political, cultural, and economic development throughout world history.
AP US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS (SS5030) 1.0 credit
Prerequisites: See Honors Program Recommendations
AP United States Government and Politics is designed to be the equivalent of a college course that gives students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. The course involves extensive reading, independent study, document analysis, research, essay writing, and classroom discussion. Notes: The grade for this course is weighted. Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP College Board exam in May.
HONORS US GOVERNMENT & ECONOMICS (SS4000) 1.0 credit
Prerequisites: See Honors Program Recommendations
Honors US Government & Economics is a comprehensive and government education program dedicated to developing economically and politically literate students. Emphasis is placed upon the application of knowledge to various themes; e.g. Law and Order, Economic Stability, etc., which will be developed throughout the course. The course involves extensive readings, essay writing, analysis of problems and classroom discussion. Note: The grade for this course is weighted.
US GOVERNMENT & ECONOMICS (SS4001) 1.0 credit
US Government & Economics is a survey course examining the organization and operation of the U.S. government and economic systems. National, state, and local governments as well as macroeconomic and microeconomic issues will be studied. Current events and contemporary themes are emphasized. Requirements include reading, writing, research and analysis of contemporary political and economic issues.
SOCIAL STUDIES ELECTIVES
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY (SS5000) 1.0 credit
Prerequisite: See Honors Program Recommendations
AP U.S. History is designed to be the equivalent of a college course that includes a study of U.S. History from 1898 to the present. Students will be required to do extensive reading in both texts and supplementary sources. Research and analytical writing assignments, as well as individual and group projects, will be included. Notes: The grade for this course is weighted. Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP College Board exam in May.
AP MACROECONOMICS (SS5040) 1.0 credit
Prerequisites: See Honors Program Recommendations
AP Macroeconomics is designed to be the equivalent of a college course that gives students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole. Such a course places particular emphasis on the study of national income and price-level determination and also develops students’ familiarity with economic performance measures, the financial sector, stabilization policies, economic growth and international economics. Note: The grade for this course is weighted. Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP College Board exam in May.
AP PSYCHOLOGY (SS5050) 1.0 credit
AP Psychology introduces the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Included is a consideration of the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Students also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.
INTRODUCTION TO LAW (SS9169) 0.5 credit
Introduction to Law explores multiple legal disciplines including attorneys, clerks, paralegals, bailiffs, probation officers, etc. Students will learn about the skills and tasks most required of multiple legal professions (debates, group tasks, research, and role-play exercises), in order to assess whether they themselves would be suited to such careers in the future. The Introduction to Law course will incorporate the school’s Mock Trial team.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: CRIME AND POLICE SCIENCE (SS9189) 0.5 credit
This course is designed to be a second course in the Law Pathway in the BASD. This class will explore what constitutes crime and criminal behavior in our society and the measures taken, by law enforcement, to prevent these behaviors. Students will study Criminology: Types of crimes, Theories of criminal behavior, Victimization (Lifestyle Theory), Principles of Criminal law, Basic elements of a crime, Responsibilities of criminal acts (defenses) and Procedural Criminal law (Due Process rights). Students will also study American Law Enforcement with a brief history of policing, emphasizing the 4 eras of American Policing and Federalism.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: AMERICAN LEGAL SYSTEM (SS9199) 0.5 credit
American Legal System will open with an overview of the American Judicial System. It will emphasize the Sources of law, Concept of Federalism, the Constitution, the Organization of the American Court system and the Supreme Court and the many landmark decisions that impact our society.
SOCIAL JUSTICE (1.0 credit)
This course is designed to be the third course in the Law Pathway in the BASD. This class will explore the interaction of law and law enforcement with social policy, media, identity, and social mobilization. Students will explore criminal justice institutions and practices in social context with a specific anti-racism lens. Students will answer, “How should culture influence law and law enforcement and vice versa?” Topics covered in this course include: Youth, Justice, and Culture; Punishment, Culture, and Society; Human Rights and Technology; Anti-Racism, Psychology of Diversity, & the Law.
CAPSTONE: COMMUNITY ACTIVISM 1.0 credit
This course is designed to be the capstone course of the Law Pathway. This course seeks to help students become more involved citizens in their local, state, and national communities through both classroom experiences and direct community involvement. The course will focus on the investigation of current events/issues with a heavy emphasis on community experiences. Students will be encouraged to plan, develop, and lead a project to affect real change in their communities.
PSYCHOLOGY (SS9149) 0.5 credit
This course involves a survey of selected themes in psychology. It is an academic course with a variety of assessments as well as homework. The class will familiarize students with general psychological terms and ideas in preparation for college or work force expectations. The following topics will be covered: introduction to psychology, altered states of consciousness, infancy and adulthood, adolescence, adulthood, old age, stress and health, abnormal behavior, and therapy and change.
SOCIOLOGY (SS9139) 0.5 credit
This course will familiarize students with general sociological terms and ideas in preparation for college or work force expectations. The primary objective of this course is to study the process of human interaction and the social dynamics present in this behavior. The following topics will be covered: introduction to sociology, the socialization process, sex and gender, crime, the American family, gerontology, and sociology-present and future. This course involves an in depth investigation of a variety of subfields of sociology. This investigation will be undertaken in one or more of several types of project-based activities chosen jointly by the instructor and student. The course will also include in-depth seminar discussions of sociology topics.
PHILOSOPHY: A STUDY OF SKEPTICISM and LOGIC (SS9259) 1.0 credit
Philosophy: A Study of Skepticism and Logic is a course designed to develop students’ critical thinking and analytical skills by tackling life’s greatest questions. In this course, students will confront widely held conventional, non-conventional, and even supernatural beliefs. Students will read scientific Journals by Karl Sagen, Stephen Jay Gould, and Michael Shermer, alongside treatises by Plato, Nietzsche, and Aquinas. This course will help students critique their own beliefs and the world around them using the scientific and Socratic methods; they will apply cognitive analysis and logical reasoning on interesting topics such as morality and conspiracy theories. In doing so, students will be better equipped to lead an engaged and fulfilling public life.
THE ENVIRONMENT IN POLITICS (SS9039) 1.0 credit
The Environment in Politics examines environmental problems from a policy perspective. The course will focus on both domestic and global policy issues with an emphasis on US and local policy. Students are introduced to the political, organizational, scientific, and economic drivers that shape past and current environmental policy debates. Students will examine social approaches to resolving environmental problems, including ideas such as sustainability, market-based environmental policies, legal reform and social movements.
SPORTS HISTORY (SS9119) 0.5 credit
Sports History offers students a history of sports from the pre-Olympic time period into modern times. This course will enable the students to examine how sports reflect the culture, politics, social relationships, and entertainment of respective eras in history. This course will allow students to examine how sports evolved from the early games in ancient Greek and Roman life to the multi-billion dollar industry it has become in the 21st century. The course is designed to offer instruction and knowledge in sports media, law, and ethics for a multitude of sports-related careers where professionals working in the sports industry have a grasp on applicable laws and ethical considerations.
WARS AND REVOLUTIONS (SS9159) 1.0 credit
Wars and Revolutions explores and examines how conflicts have impacted and shaped human society and culture. Students to explore the history of the most pivotal wars and revolutions and to trace both origins and results.
HISTORY THROUGH FILM 1 (SS9099) 1.0 credit
One way to learn about the past is to study movies, Broadway shows, TV shows, and music with historical themes. In this course, we will examine historical events by watching, listening, discussing, and writing about movies, shows, and music. These popular forms of entertainment can provide some factual information about a historical figure, event, or time period; they can also distort the past. A major part of the course will be a discussion of how the different forms of entertainment accurately and inaccurately portray history and how that history, in turn, shaped the world we live in today.
WHO WE ARE: CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (SS9239) 1.0 credit
This course is designed to enhance student understanding of the many different cultures around the world. It offers tools for making sense of the experience of people whose lives are different from our own, as well as giving us new perspectives on our familiar world. The course introduces key concepts that concern anthropologists such as culture, social structure, race and ethnicity, religion, family and marriage (kinship), gender, consumption, community, and identity. This course has practical applications in business, education, law, and many other fields.
EVOLUTION OF HIP HOP (SS9249) 0.5credit
What began as a safe haven for black and Latino youth in the west Bronx, has become a global outlet that has had a significant impact on the cultural, political, and economic realities of youth worldwide. This course pays homage to Harlem and New Orleans’s influence while focusing mainly on the evolution of hip-hop which started in the 1970s. This course will analyze the social and cultural impact and the key innovators and current artists today that influence people of all ages, races, and genders. This is an engaging elective that highlights our youth’s love of music and creates a better understanding of how we got from the Bronx in the 1970s to today!
BETHLEHEM, PAST AND PRESENT (SS9269) 0.5credit
Students will explore the city of Bethlehem, both past and present, by applying both a historical and spatial analysis. The course will specifically focus on the topics of population and migration, culture, political systems, and industrialization and economic development, and urbanization. Students will engage in classroom seminars, local field visits and community walks, and complete an individual inquiry project that explains a local, contemporary issue.