Social Studies

List of 13 items.

• World History

  World History is a survey course where students will be offered an overview of historical trends and events that shape our current world. Over the course of the year, students will explore a variety of units ranging from the ancient world to the present day encompassing various societies and cultures from around the world. The course stresses the development of analytical thinking and writing skills through reading the textbook and primary source documents, individual research projects, presentations, lectures, use of multimedia, and group work.
  
  Year – 10 units
  
  Prerequisites:
  Students must be freshmen or 
  sophomores.
  
   This course is UC-approved on the “a” list.

• AP® World History

  AP® World History is designed to be the equivalent of a two-semester introductory college or university world history course. Students investigate significant events, individuals, developments, and processes from 1200 C.E. to the present. They develop and use the same skills, practices, and methods employed by historians: analyzing primary and secondary sources; making historical comparisons; utilizing reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time; and developing historical arguments. The course provides five themes that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places: interaction between humans and the environment; development and interaction of cultures; state building, expansion, and conflict; creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems; and development and transformation of social structures.
  
  Year – 10 units
  
  Additional Information: The workload increases in the spring as the AP® exam approaches, and students should expect to devote more time out of class to weekly review seminars in March and April.
  
  Prerequisites: 
  Students must be at least a sophomore, and have earned “A-” or higher in World History or English 9 or a “B-” in Honors English 9. 
  
  This course is UC-approved on the “a” list. 
  

• United States History

  This survey course explores the history of the United States from the colonial period to the present day. Through the study of primary and secondary sources, students are invited to develop a nuanced understanding of the country's past in order to more fully interact with the present. Students are encouraged to practice critical thinking by questioning bias and perspective in history and in themselves. This class will have emphasis on analytical reading, writing, and research to enrich the study of traditional historical content.
  
  Prerequisites: 
  Students must be juniors.
  

• AP® United States History

  This is a college level survey course that exposes students chronologically to a wide range of the history of colonial America and the United States in preparation for the Advanced Placement® United States History Exam. Preparation for AP® exams requires additional participation in coursework outside of the regular school day, particularly during the second semester. Students will demonstrate command of a large body of factual detail acquired through assigned readings and intensive lecture sessions. They will also learn to interpret primary sources, read maps and statistical tables, interpret works of art, political commentary, and other pictorial and graphic materials, synthesize a variety of sources into a work of supported exposition, and respond meaningfully to a wide variety of essay questions through the preparation of thematic essays. Students must take the Advanced Placement® examination for United States History offered in the spring.
  
  Year – 10 units
  
  

  Additional Information:
  The workload increases in the spring as the AP® exam approaches, and students should expect to devote more time out of class in March and April. Prior to the AP® Exam, there are optional study sessions. 
  
  

  Prerequisites: 

  Students must be a juniors, have earned grades of “A-” or higher in World History, and either an “A-” in English 10 or a “B-” in H English 10 and AP® World History.

• American Government

  This course provides students with an analytical and historical perspective on American government and politics. Through assigned readings, lecture, document analysis, video presentations, and in-class discussions, this course will develop student familiarity with the underpinnings of our system of government, the various formal and informal institutions within the government, and the various groups, beliefs and ideas that constitute and influence American politics.
  
  Semester – 5 units
  
  

  Prerequisites: 

  Students must be seniors.

  
  
  

• Psychology

  This elective course is a general introduction to psychology as the science of behavior. Topics include the history of psychology, research methods, personality, life-span development, the brain and nervous system, consciousness, sensation and perception, learning, memory, social psychology, abnormal psychology, approaches to treatment and therapy, emotions, stress, and motivation.
  
  Semester - 5 units
  
  

  Prerequisites: 

  Students must be juniors or seniors.
  
  This course is UC-approved on the “g” list.

  
  
  

• Economics

  This course is designed to deepen student understanding of the economic problems and institutions of the nation and the world. Students will make reasoned decisions on economic issues as citizens, workers, consumers, business owners and managers, and members of civic groups. This course enriches student understanding of the operations and institutions of economic systems. The problem of scarcity and the choices which must be made concerning how to utilize limited resources is a primary focus. This will lead students to the concept of cost-benefit analysis as applied to the students’ roles as consumers and producers. Students will learn about comparative economic systems and the benefits and costs of each system studied. Students will examine the operation of markets and the role of supply and demand in determining pricing of goods and services. They will consider in detail the operations of the labor markets, the distribution of income in our economy, the differing costs of living across the United States, and the role of government in economic policy.
  
  Semester – 5 units
  
  

  This course is UC-approved on the “g” list. 

  
  

  Prerequisites: 

  Students must be  seniors.

  
  
  

• AP® United States Government and Politics

  This is a college-level survey course that provides students with a learning experience equivalent to that of an introductory college course in United States government and politics. It gives the students an analytical and historical perspective on government and politics in the United States, including the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific examples. Through assigned readings, lecture, document analysis, video presentations, and in-class discussions, the course will develop students' familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. politics. 
  
  Year – 10 units
  
  

  Additional Information:
  Preparation for AP® exams may require additional participation in coursework outside of the regular school day, particularly during the second semester. Students must take the Advanced Placement® Exam for Government and Politics offered in the spring.
  
  Prerequisites:
  Students must be seniors. Students must have earned an “B-” or higher in AP® United States History and their current AP® level English class or an “A-” or higher in United States History and their current college-prep English class.  
  
  This course is UC-approved on the “a” list. 

• AP® Microeconomics

  AP® Microeconomics is taken in conjunction with AP® Macroeconomics. AP® Microeconomics is an introductory college-level microeconomics course. Students cultivate their understanding of the principles that apply to the functions of individual economic decision-makers by using principles and models to describe economic situations and predict and explain outcomes with graphs, charts, and data as they explore concepts like scarcity and markets; costs, benefits, and marginal analysis; production choices and behavior; and market inefficiency and public policy. Students are required to take the AP® Microeconomics Exam in the spring semester.
  
  Fall Semester – 5 units
  
  Prerequisites: 
  Students must be  seniors, and must have earned an “A-”or higher in United States History and current college-prep math class, or “B-” or higher in AP® U.S. History and r current AP/Honors level math class.
  
  This course is UC-approved on the “g” list.
  

• AP® Macroeconomics

  AP® Macroeconomics is taken in conjunction with AP® Microeconomics. AP® Macroeconomics is an introductory college-level macroeconomics course. Students cultivate their understanding of the principles that apply to an economic system as a whole by using principles and models to describe economic situations and predict and explain outcomes with graphs, charts, and data as they explore concepts like economic measurements, markets, macroeconomic models, and macroeconomic policies. Students are required to take the AP® Macroeconomics Exam in the spring semester.
  
  Spring Semester – 5 units
  
  Prerequisites: 
  Students must be a seniors, and must have earned an “A-”or higher in United States History and current college-prep math class, or “B-” or higher in AP® U.S. History and his or her current AP/Honors level math class.
  
  This course is UC-approved on the “g” list.
  

• Ethnic Studies

  This semester-long course will explore the nature of race, multiculturalism, diversity, and identity in America today, in addition to the evolution of these ideas through American history. Students will study a variety of issues surrounding race, ethnicity, and culture in American society, attempting to understand how these factors affect the definition of what it means to be an American. Students will discuss the contributions of various racial and ethnic groups to American society, and the obstacles they face in the form of racism, bigotry, and xenophobia.
  
  Semester – 5 units
  
  Prerequisites: 
  Students must be juniors or a seniors.
  

• Sociology of Sport

  Sports have become an ever-present reflection of culture. This semester-long course draws on aspects of sociology, history, psychology and other disciplines to give you new perspectives on the games we watch and play. We will delve into sport as a social institution and the interrelations between sports and society. Topics include: class, race, gender, popular culture, politics, economy and globalization.
  
  Semester - 5 units
  
  Prerequisites: 
  Students must be at least  sophomores.
  

• Women's Studies

  This semester course will focus on the contributions of women throughout history and into the modern day. Students will study the changes in American Law in regards to women's rights. Students will analyze a variety of art and literature to analyze the changing role of women in society in addition to exploring a wide range of topics affecting modern women around the globe.
  
  Semester – 5 units
  
  

  Prerequisites: 

  Students must be  juniors or seniors