GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF THE WORLD
(GEO-HST WLD)
Geography and History of the Worldis designed to enable students to use geographical skills and historical concepts to deepen their understanding of major global themes including the origin and spread of world religions; exploration; conquest, and imperialism; urbanization; and innovations and revolutions.
Geographical and historical skills include forming research questions, acquiring information by investigating a variety of primary and secondary sources, organizing information by creating graphic representations, analyzing information to determine and explain patterns and trends, and presenting and documenting findings orally and/or in writing. The historical geography concepts used to explore the global themes include change over time, origin, diffusion, physical systems, cultural landscapes, and spatial distribution and interaction.
Using these skills, concepts and the processes associated with them, students are able to analyze, evaluate, and make predictions about major global developments. This course is designed to nurture perceptive, responsible citizenship, encourage and support the development of critical thinking skills and lifelong learning, and to help prepare Indiana students for the 21stCentury.
· Recommended Grade Level: None
· Recommended Prerequisites: None
· Credits: 2 semester course, 1 credit per semester
· Fulfills a Social Studies requirement for the General, Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors and Core 40 with Technical Honors diplomas or counts as an Elective for any diploma
· A Career Academic Sequence or Flex Credit course
World History and Civilization
(WLD HST/CVL)
World Historyemphasizes events and developments in the past that greatly affected large numbers of people across broad areas and that significantly influenced peoples and places in subsequent eras. Key events related to people and places as well as transcultural interaction and exchanges are examined in this course. Students are expected to compare and contrast events and developments involving diverse peoples and civilizations in different regions of the world. They will examine examples of continuity and change, universality and particularity, and unity and diversity among various peoples and cultures from the past to the present. Students are also expected to practice skills and process of historical thinking and research and apply content knowledge to the practice of thinking and inquiry skills and processes. There will be continuous and pervasive interactions of processes and content, skills and substance, in the teaching and learning of history.
· Recommended Grade Level: None
· Recommended Prerequisites: None
· Credits: 2 semester course, 1 credit per semester
· Fulfills a Social Studies requirement for the General, Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors and Core 40 with Technical Honors diplomas or counts as an Elective for any diploma
· A Career Academic Sequence or Flex Credit course
Psychology
(PSYCH)
Psychologyis the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. The course is divided into six content areas and uses the scientific methods to explore research methods and ethical consideration. Developmental psychology takes a life span approach to physical, cognitive, language, emotional, social, and moral development. Cognitive aspects of the course focus on learning, memory, information processing, and language. Personality, Assessment, and Mental Health topics include psychological disorders, treatment, personality, and assessment. Socio-cultural dimensions of behavior deal with topics such as conformity, obedience, perceptions, attitudes, and influence of the group on the individual. The Biological Basis focuses on the way the brain and nervous system function, including sensation, perception, motivation, and emotion.
· Recommended Grade Level: 11-12
· Recommended Prerequisites: None
· Credits: 1 semester, 1 credit
· Counts as an Elective for the General, Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors and Core 40 with Technical Honors diplomas
· A Career Academic Sequence or Flex Credit course
Sociology
(SOCIOLOGY)
Sociologyallows students to study human social behavior from a group perspective. The sociological perspective is a method of studying recurring patterns in people’s attitudes and actions and how these patterns vary across time, cultures, and in social settings and groups. Students will describe the development of sociology as a social science and identify methods of research. Through research methods such as scientific inquiry students will examine society, group behavior, and social structures. The influence of culture on group behavior is addressed through institutions such as the family, religion, education, economics, community organizations, government, and political and social groups. The impact of social groups and institutions on group and individual behavior and the changing nature of society will be examined. Influences on group behavior and social problems are included in the course. Students will also analyze the role of individuals in the community and social problems in today’s world.
· Recommended Grade Level: Grades 11 or 12
· Recommended Prerequisites: None
· Credits: 1 semester, 1 credit
· Counts as an Elective for the General, Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors and Core 40 with Technical Honors diplomas
· A Career Academic Sequence or Flex Credit course
United StatesHistory
(US HIST)
United States Historybuilds upon concepts developed in previous studies of U.S. History. Students are expected to identify and review significant events, persons, and movements in the early development of the nation. The course then gives major emphasis to the interaction of key events, people, and political, economic, social, and cultural influences in national developments from the late nineteenth century through the present. Students are expected to trace and analyze chronological periods and examine the significant themes and concepts in U,S. History. They will develop historical thinking and research skills and use primary and secondary sources to explore topical issues and to understand the cause for changes in the nation over time.
· Recommended Grade Level: 11
· Recommended Prerequisites: None
· Credits: 2 semester course, 1 credit each semester
· Fulfills the US History requirement of the General, Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors, and Core 40 with Technical Honors diplomas
· A Career Academic Sequence or Flex Credit course
United StatesGovernment
( US GOVT)
United States Governmentprovides a framework for understanding the purposes, principles, and practices of constitutional representative democracy in the United States . Responsible and effective participation of citizens is stressed. Students will understand the nature of citizenship, politics, and governments and understand the rights and responsibilities of citizens and how these are part of local, state, and national government. Students will examine how the United States Constitution protects rights and provides the structure and functions of various levels of government. How the United States interacts with other nations and the government’s role in world affairs will be examined. Using primary and secondary resources, students will articulate, evaluate, and defend positions on political issues. As a result, they will be able to explain the role of individuals and groups in government, politic, and civic activities and the need for civic and political engagement of citizens in the United States .
· Recommended Grade Level: Grades 12
· Recommended Prerequisites: None
· Credits: 1 semester, 1 credit
· Fulfills the Government requirement for the General, Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors, and Core 40 with Technical Honors diplomas or counts as an Elective for any diploma
· A Career Academic Sequence or Flex Credit course
Economics
(ECON)
Economicsexamines the allocation of resources and their uses for satisfying human needs and wants. The course analyzes economic reasoning used by consumers, producers, savers, investors, workers, voters, and government in making decisions. Key elements of the course include study of scarcity and economic reasoning, supply and demand, market structures, role of government, national income determination, the role of financial institutions, economic stabilization, and trade. Students will explain that because resources are limited, people must make choices and understand the role that supply, demand, prices, and profits play in a market economy. The functions of government in a market economy and market structures will be examined. Students will understand economic performance, money, stabilization policies, and trade of the United States . The behavior of people, societies and institutions and economic thinking is integral to this course.
· Recommended Grade Level: Grades 12
· Recommended Prerequisites: None
· Credits: 1 semester course, 1 credit
· Fulfills the Economics requirement for the Core 40, Core 40 with Academic Honors, Core 40 with Technical Honors and International Baccalaureate diplomas, a Social Studies requirement for the General Diploma, or counts as an Elective for any diploma
· A Career Academic Sequence or Flex Credit course