Social Studies

This is the first course in a two-course sequence. This course is designed to meet the expectations of the College Board. According to the College Board, “The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.” This course covers the following units: History and Approaches, Research Methods, Biological Bases of Behavior, Sensation and Perception, State of Consciousness, Learning, and Cognition. Students will learn how to approach both the multiple-choice questions and the free-response questions on the AP Exam. In addition, students will engage in class discussions and apply concepts learned to aspects of the real world. In order to maintain the integrity of AP standards, all AP course midterm and final exams must be proctored.

This is the second course in a two-course sequence. This course is designed to meet the expectations of the College Board. According to the College Board, “The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.” This course covers the following units: Motivation and Emotion, Developmental Psychology, Personality, Testing and Individual Differences, Abnormal Behavior, Treatment of Abnormal Behavior, and Social Psychology. Students will learn how to approach both the multiple-choice questions and the free-response questions on the AP Exam. In addition, students will engage in class discussions and apply concepts learned to aspects of the real world. In order to maintain the integrity of AP standards, all AP course midterm and final exams must be proctored.

This is the first course in a two-course sequence. AP Modern World History is a college-level survey course that covers the major global trends, events, changes, and systems from 1200 to the present day. This course consists of seven distinct units that unfold specific topics in specific regions and time within the scope of the following six themes identified by the College Board. The goal of this course is for students to understand the significant factors that have shaped our world today and why/how global societies developed in the manner that they did. Students will be assigned to read varied reading materials, including textbook chapters, and watch instructional videos, and have discussions with their classmates. Throughout the course, students will be challenged to write short and long argumentative essays, analyze sources, compare historical events, make historical connections, and provide historically valid evidence.

This is the second course in a two-course sequence. AP Modern World History is a college-level survey course that covers the major global trends, events, changes, and systems from 1200 to the present day. This course consists of seven distinct units that unfold specific topics in specific regions and time within the scope of the following six themes identified by the College Board. The goal of this course is for students to understand the significant factors that have shaped our world today and why/how global societies developed in the manner that they did. Students will be assigned to read varied reading materials, including textbook chapters, and watch instructional videos, and have discussions with their classmates. Throughout the course, students will be challenged to write short and long argumentative essays, analyze sources, compare historical events, make historical connections, and provide historically valid evidence.

This one-semester course prepares students for informed and responsible participation as citizens in the American representative system. Students deepen their awareness of the values expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and other foundational documents of the United States. Students learn the purposes and structures of government within the American federal system. Students gain a deeper understanding of the role of the United States in its relations with other nations. Students also learn how citizens exert influence on public affairs and decisions. By participating in this course, students are better prepared to exercise the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship.

Criminology isn’t about solving cases and catching perpetrators. Criminologists work to understand why crime happens in the first place. They also focus on how to prevent and address crime. As you go through this course, you’ll be given a series of challenging situations that need the mindset of a criminologist to navigate successfully. The course will encourage you to analyze a range of criminal acts, from shoplifting to hate crimes. By the end, you’ll have an opportunity to envision alternative strategies for dealing with crime in our society and in your own school environment in particular.

This course is designed to provide an overview of the ways that economics affects the lives of individuals and how individuals, through their economic choices, can shape their world. This one-semester course provides an overview of the basic principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics, including: a) economic theory; b) supply, demand and price; c) economic systems; d) business cycles; e) investments; f) the role of government, g) international trade; and h) consumer choices. Students will also apply the principles of this course to issues related to personal finance.

Economics of Personal Finance examines micro-economic principles pertaining to personal finance and teaches students how to apply real-life mathematics concepts and processes to their personal finances through a personal economics perspective (i.e., a particular strand of Michigan social studies standards). For instance, students will learn how to manage their money.

This course provides an introduction to Native American history in North America and the Caribbean. Students will consider the varied societies Native peoples built before Europeans arrived and the challenges that the arrival of Europeans posed to them. Students will especially focus on the relationship between the United States and Native Americans, particularly as it has been understood by Native Americans themselves in their struggles for land, sovereignty, and identity.

This introduction to Psychology course aims to answer the question: Why do people act the way they do? In studying human and animal behavior, students will examine topics such as life span development, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, personality theories, biological and environmental influences on behavior, societal influences, stress and its effects, psychological disorders and treatment, and others. This course is designed to introduce students to the science that is psychology and help students better understand themselves and those around them.

This course provides an overview of sociological theories, methods, and concepts such as culture and socialization, introducing the student to the ways that their lives are affected by the people and social institutions around them.

This is the second course in a 2-course series. While Sociology provided an overview of many sociological concepts, Sociology II provides students with a more in-depth look at sociological approaches and how they are applied to social problems. The majority of the units will highlight inequality as a way to focus the student’s attention on a particular issue and its potential solutions.

This is the first course of a two-course sequence. The purpose of U.S. history instruction is to foster civic-mindedness, global awareness, and social responsibility. Historical knowledge can empower the development of American citizenship values, active participation, and informed decision-making based on critical inquiry and analysis.. Assignments include short-form free response essays, primary document analysis, and investigative projects. Students will develop social studies-specific skills, including chronological reasoning, historical interpretation of perspective, inquiry, causal thinking, and argumentation.

This is the second course of a two-course sequence. The purpose of U.S. history instruction is to foster civic-mindedness, global awareness, and social responsibility. Historical knowledge can empower the development of American citizenship values, active participation, and informed decision-making based on critical inquiry and analysis. Assignments include short-form free response essays, primary document analysis, and investigative projects. Students will develop social studies-specific skills, including chronological reasoning, historical interpretation of perspective, inquiry, causal thinking, and argumentation.

This course is the first course of a two-course sequence offering a comparative study of how and why economic, social, political and intellectual factors shaped and defined the history of Western and non-Western civilizations in the ancient, medieval, and early modern eras. This course also incorporates a geographical perspective to help students visualize, comprehend, and ask questions about why the human and physical systems occur in particular patterns and combinations, where they are on Earth’s surface, why they are there, and the consequences for people and the environment. This course has been designed to align with the principles of the State of Michigan’s High School Social Studies Content Standards and Expectations.

This course is the second course of a two-course sequence offering a comparative study of how and why selected economic, social, political, and intellectual revolutions of the modern world have transformed and shaped contemporary European and non-Western cultures. This course also incorporates a geographical perspective to help students visualize, comprehend, and ask questions about why the human and physical systems occur in particular patterns and combinations, where they are on Earth’s surface, why they are there, and the consequences for people and the environment. This course has been designed to align with the principles of the State of Michigan’s High School Social Studies Content Standards and Expectations and the Common Core State Standards.