SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

 

 

 The following courses cover the Pennsylvania academic standards associated with Social Studies:  History, Civics and Government, Economics, and Government.   In all required Social Studies courses, students undertake primary source analysis, independent research, and data interpretation activities to build the skills required by the Pennsylvania Standards associated with Social Studies. 

American History I                                               9th grade                                                             Adv American History I                                        9th grade                                                     American History II                                              10th grade                                                            Adv American History II                                 10th grade                                                       

World History and Geography                            11th grade

Government & Economics                      12th grade

Psychology                                                         11th, 12th grades 

 ADVANCED AMERICAN HISTORY I:   To challenge the academically advanced student, an accelerated section of US History I will also be available to qualified students.  Though this course will generally cover the basics of American History from pre-historic times to the Civil War, the main thrust will be devoted to foreign relations and diplomatic implications of United States dealings with other nations.  Naturally greater demands and expectations will have to be met and fulfilled by students in this course. The majority of chapter tests will be all essays.  Research papers investigating historical events will be required each marking period. 

AMERICAN HISTORY I:  This course as provided in Susquehanna Community High School attempts to examine the full sweep of American History in a manner meaningful to today's students.  The approach is interdisciplinary, involving Anthropology, Sociology, Geography, and other Social Sciences.  The focus is on the people of America and the values that shaped the nation, past and present.  Upon completion of this course students should have acquired an understanding and appreciation of the value and responsibilities necessary to cope with the complexities of life in a 20th century democracy.

 

 

 

ADVANCED AMERICAN HISTORY II: This course is designed for the academically inclined student and contains many of the same areas of study that are covered in the regular course.  However, this course differs in emphasis, American History will be covered on an in depth basis from 1869 to the present. The expectations for this course are as follows:  Chapter tests with essays will be emphasized, four research based projects, one every quarter and one major term paper will be due at the end of the third quarter. 

AMERICAN HISTORY II:  This course of study covers the period of time immediately following the Civil War to the present with emphasis in four major areas; (1) Industrial Revolution, (2) World War I, (3) World War II, (4) United States since 1945.  Upon completion of this course, students will be aware of the events and achievements that have shaped our lives and understand the reasons for the United States exercising an ever increasing influence in world affairs. There will be one research based project assigned in this course. 

GOVERNMENT AND ECONOMICS: This course will consist of two one-semester courses:  one on government and one on economics.  The order in which they will be taught will be at the discretion of the teacher.  The government course will include the following:  foundations of American government, political behavior and election law, the three branches of government, law and the constitution, and comparative political and economic systems.  The economics course will cover the fundamental principles of economics and how they relate to our life. The course will help students to make economic decisions that they will have to make for the rest of their lives. Areas of study will include the following:  economic systems, our role as a consumer, credit and debt, savings and investing, supply and demand, marketing, money and banking and world trade.   

PSYCHOLOGY:  The role of Psychology is to introduce the student to the study of the mind and brain, the most important parts of all of us.  Psychology deals with several concepts:  History of Psychology as a Science, Developmental Psychology, the Brain and its Physical Processes, Sensation and Perception, Learning and Forgetting, Language and Communication, Emotions, Personality, Personality Disorders, Personality Therapies, Social Psychology. The course is designed for college bound students.  There will be one major term paper assigned during the third quarter.  Exams will be chapter based and will include multiple choice, short answer and essay. 

WORLD HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY:   This course will cover the time period from the Renaissance to the Franco-Prussian War of 1871 in depth and coordinate with American History II for the time period 1871 to present.  The history of Western Civilization and its geography will be emphasized.