CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE U. S.

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11, 12                                                                                     Course Length:  Term

 Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 This course provides interested students the opportunity for in-depth study of the role different groups have played throughout the history of the United States.  While this course will not replace coverage of the role of minority groups in the regular history courses; it will afford those interested the chance to explore those roles in greater detail.  Students will examine the customs, beliefs, heritage, etc., of different cultural groups and the impact these groups have had, the reaction others have had to them (prejudice, discrimination), and the role they play today.  The groups to be studied include, but are not limited to the following:  Native American, African American, Asian Americans, and women.

 *ECONOMICS

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11, 12                                                                                     Course Length:  Term

 Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 Economics is the study of the choices and decisions people make about how to use the world’s resources.  Understanding economics will help you make informed decisions for yourself and assess the decisions made by others.  This course is designed to help you understand key economic principles such as; how markets work, business and labor, money, banking, finance, and more.  Students will explore and debate current economic issues, participate in simulations, and learn how economic concepts apply to everyday life.

 *EUROPEAN HISTORY A. P.

Credit:  l

Grade:  11, 12                                                                                           Course Length:  Term

Prerequisite:  World Civilization; teacher recommendation. 

Students in this course will study European history from the Renaissance to the modern era.  Students will be evaluated through essay examinations and document-based questions.  This challenging course will require a number of outside readings from historical texts and will help prepare the student for the A. P. examination.  It is an excellent college preparation class.

 GEOGRAPHY

Credit:  l

Grade:  9, 10, 11, 12                                                                                  Course Length:  Term

Prerequisite:  Social Studies I. 

Geography is the study of the earth’s surface, human activities on the earth and the interrelationship of humans and their environment.  The first units focus on an intensive study of map reading skills, land and water features of the earth and climates of the world.  The remaining units include regional studies of North America, Latin America, Europe, Soviet Union, South Asia, East Asia and Africa.  As each region is studied, attention is given to the following geographic themes:   location, place, human environment interaction, movement, and regions. 

*GLOBAL ISSUES

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11, 12                                                                                     Course Length:  Term

Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 Global Issues focuses on the current political and social issues in our present world.  A general review of world situations and how they relate to the United States.  Special emphasis will be given to human rights movement and for independence (ex. The Civil Rights movement in the U. S. and the was in Vietnam.  This course examines media, cause-and-effect relationships among nations and peoples, historical background, and current personalities in the global news arena. 

**KENTUCKY STUDIES

Credit:  l

Grade:  9, 10, 11, 12                                                                                  Course Length:  Term

Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 Kentucky Studies is a course designed to help students gain a greater knowledge of the Commonwealth, it's past, physical state, government, people, culture.  The themes covered will include history, geography, politics, law, economy and literature. 

**LAW AND JUSTICE

Credit:  l

Grade:  11, 12                                                                                           Course Length:  Term

 Prerequisite:  Social Studies I. 

Law and Justice is a study of the legal and justice systems.  Students will examine the need for rules and regulation; civil, criminal, and constitutional law; Supreme Court decisions; individual rights laws; and family and consumer laws.  There will be mock trials, guest speakers, field trips and debates in the course.

**MILITARY HISTORY

Credit:  l

Grade:  11, 12                                                                                           Course Length:  Term

Prerequisite:      Social  Studies  I. 

This course will examine the cause and effect of human conflict.  It will look at how technology influenced warfare and in turn how warfare influenced the geo-political affairs of the world—past and present.

 POLITICAL SCIENCE

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11 12                                                                                      Course Length:  Term

Prerequisite:  Social Studies I. 

This course will be an overview of politics in relation to our everyday lives.  Topics of study will include:  democracy in practice, political ideologies (liberal, moderate, conservative), political culture, public opinion, politics and the media, interest groups, political parties, political systems, voting, public policy, violence and revolutions, and international relations.  This course is one in which the students will take a proactive role in learning about politics in a “real-world” context.

 PSYCHOLOGY

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11, 12                                                                                     Course Length:  Term 

Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 Psychology is the study of human behavior with emphasis on identity and personality, human learning and remembering, relating to others, the life cycle, emotions, the brain, mental health and mental illness, psychological disorders and psychotherapy.

 PSYCHOLOGY A. P.

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11, 12                                                                                     Course Length:  Term

 Prerequisite:  Social Studies I; social studies teacher recommendation.

 The purpose of the Advanced Placement course in psychology is 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 and principles and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology.  They also learn about the methods psychologists use in their science and practice.

SOCIAL STUDIES I

Credit:  l

Grade:  9                                                                                                  Course Length:  Term

 The goal of this course is to provide students with a knowledge base to prepare them for World Civilization and U. S. History, and skills to help them to become active participants in the community at-large.  Students will keep a notebook and will be expected to actively participate in a variety of activities designed to simulate our political, social, and economic systems.  The major areas of focus are:  economics, geography, and government.

SOCIOLOGY

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11, 12                                                                                     Course Length:  Term 

Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 Sociology is designed for the student who is serious about looking at the world in which we live.  It is constructed to help the student consider the effect of the group on the individual and the individual on the group.  Students will study human group behavior using a number of different methods including:   experimentation, simulations, case studies, surveys and other social scientific procedures.  Emphasis will be placed on the study of modern social problems as well as learning basic sociological concepts.

 U. S. HISTORY/American Studies

Credit:  l

Grade:  11, 12                                                                                           Course Length:  Term 

Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 This course is a general survey of U. S. History from Revolution to modern times.  Special emphasis is placed on U. S. History after the Civil War.  Included are major movements (Women, African-Americans, etc.), documents (Declaration of Independence, Constitutions, etc.), wars (Vietnam, WWI, WWII, etc.), and other historical developments.  U. S. History is concerned with examining people from all levels of society and from all cultural backgrounds.  U. S. History will be taught thematically with the following themes:

                  1.       Civil Ideals – Constitutional questions and movements.

2.       Show me the Money! – Economic Issues.

3.       Sense of Place – World War I, Native Americans, etc.

4.       Diversity – Civil Rights, etc.

  U. S. HISTORY A. P.

Credit:  l

Grade:  11, 12                                                                                           Course Length:  Term

 Prerequisite:  Social Studies teacher recommendation.

 This course is an in-depth study of United States history from the first European explorations of the Americas to the present.  Topics to be covered include:  political institutions and behavior, public policy, social and economic change, diplomacy and international relations, and cultural and intellectual developments.  Students who have earned a credit in U. S. History may also receive credit in A. P. as an elective. 

WORLD CIVILIZATION

Credit:  l

Grade:  10, 11, 12                                                                                     Course Length:  Term

 Prerequisite:  Social Studies I.

 This course is a general survey in world history beginning with the Renaissance and continuing until the present day.  Students are encouraged to determine the connections between decisions made in the past, and how we live out lives today, and use this information to hypothesize “is history doomed to repeat itself?”  Other areas of emphasis include world geography, the evolution of governmental and economic systems, and an in-depth study of world conflicts and solutions. 

The following courses will be offered every other year:

           *These courses are scheduled to be offered for the 2001-2002 school year: 

           Economics

          European History AP

          Global Issues

           **These courses are scheduled to be offered for the 2002-2003 school year: 

           Kentucky Studies

          Law and Justice

          Military History