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SOCIAL STUDIES
Course 510 WORLD HISTORY I (Level 2) This course presents highlights in the development of Western Europe from ancient Greece and Rome to the mid 20th century. The goal of the course is to develop in the student a sense of the historical and cultural heritage we possess as citizens of the western world. The major areas studied are: the Classical Era; the Middle Ages; the Renaissance and reformations; the Age of Nationalism; the Age of the Democratic Revolution; the Rise of Industrialism and the causes of World War I and World War II.
Course 521 HONORS WORLD HISTORY II/HONORS AMERICAN Requirements: Open to sophomores who have obtained at least an A- average in World History I (Course 510). In the first semester students will study in depth the evolution of Russia, China and the Middle East. Areas of focus will include the social, political, constitutional, cultural, economic and diplomatic forces that shape each of these world areas in the 20th century. In the second semester students will begin the first of a three-semester course in American History. Honors American History I will be a preliminary to the Advanced Placement American History course offered in junior year. Students will focus in depth on the colonial experience, the rise of the American Revolution and the age of the Constitution, the Federalist Era, the Age of Jackson, the causes of the Mexican War and the factors that lead to disunion and Civil War. Critical thinking and the ability to write cogent historical essays will be major factors in student assessment in this course.
Course 522 WORLD HISTORY II /AMERICAN HISTORY I (Level 2) In the first semester students will learn about the evolution of Russia, China and the Middle East. Areas of focus will include the social, political, cultural, diplomatic and economic factors that shape each of these world areas in the 20th century. In the second semester students will begin the first of a three-semester course in American History. American History I will examine the rise of the American colonial system, the origins of the American Revolution and Constitution, the Federalist Era, the Age of Jackson and the coming of the Mexican War.
Course 530 ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY (Level A.P.) Requirements: Open to Juniors who have received a grade of B- or better in the Honors World History II/Honors American History (Course 521) program. A summer assignment is required and is due the first day of class. This two-semester course is designed to provide students with analytical skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problems of American History. In the first semester, students will study the coming of the Civil War, the era of Reconstruction and the forces that produced twentieth century America. Students will probe the Age of Reform and the America's involvement in WWI.. In the second semester, students will examine the Roaring Twenties, the onset of the Great Depression, the New Deal, the challenges of the Second World War, the emergence of the Cold War, the divisive era of civil rights, the war in Vietnam, and the forces behind the politics and policies of our time since 1975. The course aims to develop the skills necessary to present ideas clearly in essay form and to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examination. Course 532 AMERICAN HISTORY (Level 2) The junior year American History course is a survey of highlights in American History from the Civil War era to modern times. It features the Civil War and Reconstruction periods, industrialization and urbanization of the late 19th century. Progressivism, the building of an American foreign empire, the World Wars, the Cold War era, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and the move to conservatism of the Nixon to Reagan years is examined in this course.
Course 540 ADVANCED PLACEMENT US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS (Level A.P.) Requirements: Students applying for entrance into Advanced Placement us Government & Politics must have a B+ or better average in previous Level II social studies courses or a B- or better average in AP United States History. This year-long course studies in detail the origins of the Constitution, the three branches of American Government (the executive, legislative, and judicial), the Cabinet, special interest groups, foreign policy and the role of the citizen in the political process. This course prepares students to take the Advanced Placement American Government exam.
Course 541 Honors WID (THE WORD, THE IMAGE AND THE DEED: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE AMERICAN PAST) (Level 1) Requirements: Open to seniors, this two semester course is for students who have a C or better in AP United States History or a B- or better in American History. Students must retain their American History text for this course. This honors course examines the American experience thematically through the perspectives of history, literature and film. Students will be responsible for tracing specific ideas as they impact the country at various points in the past and assess these themes as they are reflected throughout movies, novels and short stories. Students will be assessed by their performance on written exams as well as on short papers.
Course 542 PSYCHOLOGY (Level 2) Open to seniors, this two-semester course in Psychology, the study of human behavior, investigates the methods associated with psychological research and testing, and goes on to explore the brain, sensation and perception, sleep, dreams, rhythms and human development. Students will also examine the areas of learning and conditioning, thinking, memory and intelligence. Psychological disorders and approaches to treatment will be viewed in light of current research. Students will study the major theories of personality and explore how individuals and the societies in which they live influence each other's behavior.Course 543 AMERICAN GOVERNMENT (Level 2) Requirements: Open to seniors, this one semester course must be taken in conjunction with State and Local Government (Course 544). In American Government students gain a broader understanding of the process of American government principally through a study of three key institutions: the Presidency, the Congress and the Supreme Court. The Constitution and its relation to local state government is also discussed.
Course 544 STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Level 2) Requirements: Open to seniors, this one semester course must be taken in conjunction with course American Government (Course 543). Students will examine the political structures of the state and local governments in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Special focus will be on current event topics in state and local governments, taxation, petitions and referenda.Course 547 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSIC (Level 2) Open to seniors this two semester course is an examination of the history, evolution and meaning of American popular and topical music. Students will examine the authors and performers of popular and topical songs. The musical genres included in this study are: Native American music, Slave spirituals, Abolitionist songs, Jazz and Blues musicians, folk singers, and soul singers. The course will end with a study of Rock and Roll, Heavy Metal and Hip Hop. All music compositions will be examined within the historical, social and political context in which they were written. Students in this course will be expected to write four comprehensive essays as well as read and comprehend many handouts which will be provided throughout the course.
Course 549 ADVANCED PLACEMENT PSYCHOLOGY (Level A.P.) Requirements: Students applying for entrance into Advanced Placement Psychology must have a B+ or better average in previous Level II social studies courses or a B- or better average in AP United States History. Students with an aptitude in both science and social studies are encouraged to apply. Advanced Placement Psychology introduces students to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes of humans and other animals. The first semester focuses on scientific methodology, anatomy and physiology, sensation and perception and other biological processes as they pertain to human behavior. There will also be a focus on psychological theories, principles and phenomena associated with the major sub-fields within psychology. Content also includes the history of psychology, schools of psychological thought and major theorists. This course prepares student to take the Advanced Placement exam in Psychology.
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