Social Studies Core Courses

Comparative Government and Politics is an incredibly important field of study for students in our modern, interconnected world. Globalization and other events over the past several decades have drawn the countries of the world closer together than at any other point in history. Events around the globe now directly impact our lives, and it is the job of students, our future leaders, to understand the similarities and the differences of these countries. In this course, students compare and contrast the government and politics of each of the countries studied and analyze both commonalities and differences among modern political systems throughout the world. The six countries studied are Great Britain, Iran, Russia, China, Mexico and Nigeria.

This college level course is designed to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alterations of the Earth’s surface. Students employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine socioeconomic organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their research and applications. The curriculum reflects the goals of the National Geographic Standards (2012).

Students examine the principles and processes of government, particularly of the United States government at the national, state and local levels. Topics include political heritage, the Constitution, politics, civil rights and civil liberties, the institutions of government, law and the justice system, basic economics and current domestic and foreign policy. Intended for highly motivated students, this course uses college-level materials and includes a summer reading requirement. Students complete challenging assignments involving reading, analysis, writing and speaking in preparation for the AP test.

Using a college-level text, students study the major themes, events and ideas that have shaped the history of the United States. Students probe, in depth, the dynamics of American political and diplomatic decision making, national and sectional interests and a variety of personalities and social movements related to the historical development of the nation. Emphasis is placed on themes of American history, their relationship to contemporary events, and the skills needed for the AP United States History test.

Modern is an introductory college-level modern world history course. Students cultivate their understanding of world history from c. 1200 CE to the present through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments as they explore concepts like humans and the environment, cultural developments and interactions, governance, economic systems, social interactions and organization, and technology and innovation.

This is a two-semester dual enrollment course offered through NOVA. Students who successfully complete this course earn six college credits in History. This course surveys United States history from its beginnings to the present. HIS 121 begins in the pre-Columbian period and ends with the Reconstruction period. HIS-I22 begins with the Gilded Age and ends in the present. Students use college-level texts and historical documents to study the themes, events and ideas that have shaped the history of the United States. Emphasis is placed on college-level reading and writing assignments including essays and research papers, and the skills needed for the AP United States History Exam. Students need a C or better at the end of the first semester to enroll in the second-semester course. Students who do not have a C or better will be moved to a non-college level-course.

This course will appeal to students who like demonstrate skills in debate and public speaking, and have an interest in law, public policy the U.S. Constitution and government. Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of our Constitution and political system while working towards the following goals:

1. Prepare to participate in the district and state-wide “We the People” competitions, and/or showcase.

2. Empower students to think about the world in which they live, and study specific public policy issues with an eye toward affecting change in the community. Students pick an issue they believe is in need of change. Then thoroughly research the topic to determine alternatives to the current situation, costs of the change and which public officials are responsible for decision-making, then construct an action plan designed to bring about change. Students will be inspired to contact government officials, present testimony at public hearings and lobby for proposed change.

In this course, students examine American history from exploration to the present, focusing on political, social, and economic history. Students also explore American culture through a chronological survey of major issues, movements, people and events in United States and Virginia history. Students enrolling in the course at this level should have reading and composition skills appropriate to their grade level. The course emphasizes the development of reading, writing, analytical and research skills necessary for understanding historical materials. Students encounter a variety of activities and materials including maps, college-level readings, document-based question essays, Socratic seminars, analysis of primary and secondary historical documents, free response research papers, and library sources. Students are required to complete several comprehensive writing assignments throughout the school year.

This course explores world history from the ancient time period to 1500 A.D. Through a study of world civilizations and their historical development, students gain an understanding of contemporary global issues. Students examine distinguishing characteristics of cultures through literature, art, architecture, music, religion, philosophy and geography. The Honors sections are more reading intensive and require independent thought and sustained effort. This course incorporates strategies and skills to help students prepare for AP World History: Modern and Geography II in 10th grade.

This high school Honors World History course provides students with a comprehensive, intensive study of major events and themes in world history geared toward preparing the students for the academic rigors of college, AP and Dual Enrollment courses. This course is a survey of world history starting in circa 1500 with the Renaissance through the post-Cold War of the early 21st century. Students at this level should have reading and composition skills appropriate to their grade level. The course emphasizes the development of reading, writing, analytical and research skills necessary for understanding historical materials. Students are required to complete several comprehensive writing assignments based on the 11th-grade AP History and English models.

This course examines the origins and workings of the United States and Virginia governments. Students analyze the United States and Virginia Constitutions and the structure and operation of our federal system, including policy-making, economics, foreign affairs and civil rights. Students explore the impact of the general public, political parties, interest groups and the media on policy decisions. Further, the United States’ political and economic systems are compared with the economic systems of other nations, with an emphasis on the relationship between economic and political freedoms. An economics unit covers the United States’ market system, the fundamentals of supply and demand and the role of government in the economy.

In this course, students examine American history from exploration to the present, focusing on political and economic history. Students also explore American culture through a chronological survey of major issues, movements, people and events in United States and Virginia history.

This course explores world history from the ancient time period to 1500 A.D. Through a study of world civilizations and their historical development, students gain an understanding of contemporary global issues. Students examine distinguishing characteristics of cultures through literature, art, architecture, music, religion, philosophy and geography.

This course is a survey of world history circa 1400 through the post-Cold War world of the early 21st century. The course helps students form connections between time periods and diverse areas of the world by analyzing social, cultural, political, economic, environmental, and intellectual movements. This course emphasizes the development of reading, writing, analytical, communication, and research skills.