Social Studies Department
Graduation Goals
Students will be able to:
Social Studies Courses
610 Honors Foundations of Civilization (9) ½ credit
Through a review of the Foundations of Civilization and world geography, this course will introduce students to the skills and methods of understanding history and historical thought, including the recognition of causality and patterns in history and the analysis of points of view in primary and secondary historical texts and articles. Through study of physical, human, and political geography, students will develop an understanding of the ways societies have interacted with the earth, and how the earth has defined how humans interact with one another. Students will read a variety of texts and develop their own historical curiosity by engaging those texts independently.
Note: Departmental approval required.
620 Honors World History (10) 1 credit
This course surveys world history from ancient times to the rise of the Atlantic world in the 1600s. Students will study historical events, emphasizing ideas and theories which influenced the progress of humankind. Students will engage in independent reading that will enhance their understanding of influences on human history. Students will engage in reading and research tasks that will further develop content understanding and analytical skills.
Note: Departmental approval required.
621 World History (10) 1 credit
This course surveys world history from ancient times to the rise of the Atlantic world in the 1600s. Students will study historical events, emphasizing ideas and theories which influenced the progress of humankind. Students will engage in independent reading that will enhance their understanding of the influences on human history
631 United States and the World to 1900 (11) 1 credit
Students will analyze the causes, changes, and decisions behind historical actions and choices in U.S. and World history from the 16th Century to 1900. Students will investigate historical patterns and analyze different perspectives of historical actors. Major historical themes will include the Age of Discovery, the Atlantic World, colonization, trade, and political and industrial revolutions.
625 Honors United States Government (10, 11) ½ credit
This course will familiarize students with the three branches of government as they function on the federal, state/District and local levels. It will also empower students to be good citizens on all three levels. As in most honors social studies courses, reading, writing and analysis expectations are greater than those in the non-honors course.
Note: Departmental approval required.
642 United States Government (11) ½ credit
This course will familiarize students with the three branches of government as they function on the federal, state/District and local levels. It will also empower students to be good citizens on all three levels.
636 The United States and the World in the Twentieth Century (12) 1 credit
From the 19th and 20th centuries to today, students will evaluate the causes, changes, and decisions behind historical actions and choices in modern U.S. and World history, and their impact on the present day. Students will evaluate the different perspectives of both historical actors and historians and apply that investigation towards their own historical understanding. Major historical themes will include industrialism, decolonization, nationalism, the Cold War, globalism, and 20th century social upheaval. Completion of a major research project is an essential component of this course.
680 I.B. History 11 HL (12) 1 credit
In keeping with the I.B. History Higher Level curriculum, students in this course will engage in an in-depth study of several topics in the History of the Americas from Independence movements to the present. It is presented chronologically, and while the topic may focus either on the United States or one of its neighbors each topic will examine the international connections among the nations in this region.
Note: Departmental approval required. This course is required for is for I.B. Diploma Candidates.
682 I.B. History 12 HL (12) 1 credit
The I.B. History curriculum provides students a two-part focus in their senior year: examination of a single topic in-depth, as professional historians do, and a thorough examination of Twentieth Century history. Carroll I.B. seniors will study the Cold War as their proscribed topic and explore the interconnectedness of the Americas with the global processes changing the world in the 20th Century.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of I.B. History 11. This course is required for is for I.B. Diploma Candidates.
639 Civil Rights and Other Issues in American Politics (11, 12, elective) ½ credit
In this course, students will explore a variety of issues in American politics. Students will study the actions and tactics utilized in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s and their relevance today, the location and use of power in America. Students will explore what is happening in current political campaigns and elections and why candidates and officials act as they do and the challenges faced by nations and their leaders as they work to meet their own citizens' needs and thrive in a world where other nations may not share the same values.
645 Psychology (11, 12, elective) ½ credit
This course focuses on the study of human development from infancy to adulthood, with special references to learning, perception, memory, language, thinking, emotions, and individual differences in intelligence, aptitude, and personality. Emphasis will be on leading researchers in the field and how they have impacted our daily living. Projects include writing essays, participating in class discussion, and research.
672 DC History (11, 12, elective) ½ credit
This course offers the student an opportunity to explore and share the many and varied historical interpretations of the development of the District of Columbia from the Pre-colonial period to the present. Other objectives will be to introduce students to historical literature about the District of Columbia; students will have the chance to read and respond to that literature in a careful and critical manner. Students will also engage in research-based projects.
Debate (9, 10, 11, 12, elective) ½ credit
This course strives to prepare students to engage in Lincoln-Douglas value debate. Because of the nature of this course, students will leave this class with a substantial grasp of the nature of value debate and important Western philosophical ideas. This course requires students to travel to debate tournaments to compete in Lincoln-Douglas value debate against other debate teams. Communication is very important in the social sciences and is essential in debate, so there will be many reading, essay, and presentation assignments.