Civics and Economics

This course focuses on the structure and functions of government institutions at the national, state and local levels; the role of the citizen in the American political and economic systems; and the basic principles, structure and operation of the American economy.

Honors courses are offered in Social Studies at each level in middle school. The Honors Social Studies curriculum follows the prescribed Virginia Social Studies SOL while providing instruction in advanced content at an accelerated pace. Students engage in higher-level thinking and develop advanced reasoning and problem-solving strategies to enable them to analyze their own thinking and the thinking of others. Through the use of primary source documents, simulations of real-world events and above grade-level nonfiction materials (excerpts and books), students analyze historical, geographical and economic events to become informed citizens, motivated to participate in civic and community affairs. Students enrolled in Honors courses write extensively on a variety of topics in several formats, including responses to Document Based Questions (DBQs), a skill that is essential to their success in Advanced Placement or Honors courses at the high school level.