Social Studies

SST115 GEOGRAPHY, CIVICS, and GOVERNMENT
Full Year Course Grade 9 5.00 Credits

This year-long required course introduces students to an interdisciplinary view of the world through the study of geography, culture, and government. Based on the “Eighteen National
Geography Standards” (http://www.ncge.org/publications/tutorial/standards/) students will study the significance of: Location - the absolute and relative position of a place on Earth’s surface; Place - how physical and human characteristics define and distinguish a place; Human-Environment Interactions - how humans modify and adapt to natural settings; Movement - how people, ideas and materials move between and among locations; and Regions - how an area displays unity in terms of physical and human characteristics.

SST199 WORLD HISTORY
Full Year Course Grade 10 5.00 Credits

World History is a required 10th grade course.
This year long 10th grade course begins with the development of world civilizations after the fall of the Roman Empire and goes through World War I and the Russian Revolution. Students study the history of major empires and political entities: the Ottoman Empire, the Moghul Empire, the Chinese Dynasties, the Byzantine Empire, and the major pre-Columbian civilizations that existed in Central and South America. Students examine the important political,
economic, and religious developments including the development of Christianity and Islam, the conflicts between them in different parts of the world, and the beginnings of European influence on
the Western Hemisphere. The development of democratic, scientific, and secular thought in the major events and developments of European history are significant aspects to this course as well as the rise of the nation state in Europe, age of exploration, imperialism, the American and French Revolutions,
the economic and political roots of the modern world, the origins and consequences of the early Industrial Revolution.

SST208 ADV. WORLD HISTORY
Full Year Course Grade 10 5.00 Credits

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Advanced Geography, Culture, and Government and teacher recommendation.
A significant amount of reading, writing, and research will be conducted during the course of the year. Students electing this course should be able to work independently as well as cooperatively. Students electing this course will be required to do summer reading and writing before the beginning of this course.

SST315 UNITED STATES HISTORY
Full Year Course Grade 11 5.00 Credits

U.S. History is a required 11th grade course. This course combines U.S. History I and II as described by the Massachusetts History Frameworks. Students examine the historical and intellectual
origins of the United States during the Revolutionary and Constitutional eras. They learn about the important political and economic factors that contributed to the outbreak of the Revolution as well as the consequences of the Revolution, including the writing and key ideas of the U.S. Constitution.Students also study the basic framework of American democracy and the basic concepts of America government such as popular sovereignty, federalism, separation of powers, and individual rights. Students study America’s westward expansion, the establishment of political parties, and economic and social change, the growth of sectional conflict, how sectional conflict led to the Civil War, and the consequences of the Civil War, including Reconstruction. Students will analyze the causes and consequences of the Industrial Revolution and America’s growing role in diplomatic relations. Students will study the goals and accomplishments of the Progressive movement and the New Deal. Students will also learn about the various factors that led to America’s entry into World
War II as well as the consequences of World War II on American life. Finally, students will study the causes and course of the Cold War, important economic and political changes during the Cold War, including the Civil Rights movement, and recent events and trends that have shaped modern-day America.

SST508 AP U.S. HISTORY
Full Year Course Grade 11 5.00 Credits

Prerequisites: Summer Reading, successful completion of Advanced World History SST207 and Permission of the Social Studies Department.
Advanced Placement U.S. History is an intensive survey course in which students study American history from the colonial era to the present. The course outline is based on the College Board AP course description. Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative thinking skills, essay writing, and interpretation of original documents. Throughout the year students will be exposed to DBQs (document-based questions) given in former AP U.S. History tests, conduct research, and develop analytical skills necessary for the interpretation of historical materials. Taking the AP exam is mandatory.

ENSS02 ADVANCED AMERICAN STUDIES
Full Year Course Grade 11 5.00 Credits

Students who elect this course satisfy both requirements for Social Studies and English.
American Studies is an honors- level, interdisciplinary, team taught course focusing on the major themes and ideas in American history and literature. Through the study of literature, history, art, music, and film, students will explore American life, values, culture, and politics.
As this course is fluid in design, the structure, assignments, and readings may vary from year to year. The core values and themes, however, remain the same. Throughout the course students will
see many themes associated with the idea of "Americanism." Ideas that were relevant in Puritan New England, for example, resurface throughout our history and literature and, indeed, continue to be relevant today. Religious freedom, personal identity, community, individual rights, political balance and separation of power, regionalism, the idea of struggle, civil liberties, justice, and the understanding that maintaining a democracy is never simple are central themes discussed throughout. This course requires a significant amount of reading, and research projects. The final
exam project is a public exhibit based on a theme or themes decided on during the course of the year.

SST725 SOCIOLOGY/PSYCHOLOGY
Semester Course Grades 11-12 2.50 Credits

This class will explore who you are and why. Sociology is the study of people, how they act, react, and interact in both their everyday lives and under extraordinary circumstances. As students learn about others, they will also learn how they fit into social contexts such as groups, neighborhoods, cities or whole societies.
Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. Students will study a wide range of psychological topics.

SST731 THE WORLD AT WAR
Semester Course Grades 9-12 2.50 Credits

In this course, we will study in-depth the causes and effects of World War 1 and World War II. Some of the topics covered will be colonialism, balance of power, alliance systems, and impact of
the industrial revolution on warfare, Militarism, Nationalism and Fascism/Nazism. We will bring the course to a close by looking at the beginning stages of the Cold War.

SST740 GHS BROADCAST NEWS
Semester Course Grades 10-12 2.50 Credits

This course is designed to familiarize students with the techniques of developing a news program that is broadcast on WAVE-TV here at the high school. Students will learn news reporting, good speech, pronunciation, the use of body language, and other techniques that help to get the attention of the audience. Students will be required to prepare a daily newscast on WAVE-TV. Since many assignments take place outside the school building, it is also encouraged that students have a driver’s license that is in good standing. As a result, upper class students will be given top priority.

SST734 LAW
Semester Course Grades 11-12 2.50 Credits

This course is designed to introduce students to the legal system in the United States. An emphasis would be placed on knowing your rights. Area courts would be visited which might include field trips to District, Superior, and Housing Court. Law officials would be guest speakers (lawyers, judges, police, etc.). The course would cover the history of law in America, the constitution, the legislative process, judicial system and the penal system. Students would be
introduced to civil and criminal law. The course is designed to provide knowledge and practical application. The entire foundation
of American society is built upon the legal system and this course would provide knowledge about the law from misdemeanors to felonies, from District Court to the Supreme Court.

SST735 FEMALE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Semester Course Grades 10-12 2.50 Credits

This course covers milestones in women’s history, their roles as history-shapers, the challenges they have faced, and the progress they have achieved. It highlights the lives and work of an extremely diverse group of local women whom students will interview, in class, throughout the semester. We will also participate in an outdoor skills day run by GCC’s Outdoor Leadership Program.