Social Studies Curriculum
To meet New Jersey and district graduation requirements, students must successfully complete two years of United States History and the World History & Cultures course. Electives may be chosen in the senior year. Students may choose electives in their junior year in addition to the required World History & Cultures course.
Students, particularly those interested in pursuing studies in the humanities, are strongly encouraged to elect an additional year of social studies. Courses that permit in-depth investigation of the traditions of our own and various other world cultures, as well as those that provide an introduction to human behavior, add a valuable dimension to any student's education.
Required Courses and Sequence
9th grade- US History I
10th grade- US History II or AP US History
11th grade- World History and Cultures or AP World History
Course Descriptions
2009-2010
UNITED STATES HISTORY I
Grade: 9 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisite: None
This required course traces the history of the United States from the arrival of the first Americans through the end of the 19th Century. It introduces the themes of balance between unity and diversity, the shaping of democracy, the search for opportunity, and the influence of geographical factors. It also examines European, Native American, and African interaction in Colonial America, the Revolution, the New Nation, the Constitution, the War of 1812, the development of democracy, the West, slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Industrialization.
UNITED STATES HISTORY II
Grade: 10 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisite: U.S. History I
This required course continues coverage of the themes of U.S. History into the 21st Century, including units on U. S. Imperialism, the First World War, the 1920s, the Great Depression, the New Deal, World War II, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement, and American political and social events up to the present time.
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY
Grades: 10-12 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisites: B+ average in social studies courses and/or recommendation by prior social studies teachers.
This demanding course is divided into nine units of study of American history from the Colonial period to the present. Students are expected to complete regular reading assignments in a college-level text, a book of primary source documents, and a collection of American biographical essays. Homework will average one hour per night. Students are evaluated by means of quizzes, unit tests, essays modeled on the Advanced Placement exam format, and projects. Princeton High School expects that all students enrolled in an AP course will take the AP exam.
WORLD HISTORY AND CULTURES
Grade: 11 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisites: U.S. History I and U.S. History II or AP U.S. History.
This required course asks students to examine major civilizations, with the emphasis on the era from 1450 A.D. to the present. The course devotes particular attention to key political, economic, and cultural traditions and ideas, including the interactions between different civilizations.
AP WORLD HISTORY AND CULTURES
Grade: 11 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisites: B+ average in social studies courses and/or recommendation by prior social studies teachers.
Students in the Advanced Placement World History course will study the evolution of human societies as they interact and change over time. Student understanding will be advanced through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The course will focus primarily on the last 1,000 years of the global experience, but it will include a foundations section that identifies more long-standing influences on world history. Themes of the course will include the impact of interaction among major societies, the relationship between change and continuity, the effects of technology and demography, comparisons of social and political structures and gender structures, and the effects of cultural and intellectual developments. The course will be global in its focus, with no particular emphasis on
one part of the world over another. The course extends to the present. This course fulfills the state requirement for one year of World History. Princeton High School expects that all students enrolled in an AP course will take the AP exam.
U.S. GOVERNMENT AND LAW
Grades: 11-12 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisite: None
This course examines in depth the American legislative, executive, and judicial systems with a special emphasis on the basic freedoms provided by the Bill of Rights and how these rights function in the context of our modern society. Activities include frequent discussion, role-playing sessions, debate, and mock trials. This course also reviews the historical background to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 as preparation for a careful, step-by-step study of the United States Constitution and the operation of the three branches of the government, including basic principles such as federalism, separation of powers,the system of checks and balances, and judicial review. Student evaluations are based on political writings, participation in activities, and unit tests. This course does not satisfy the U.S. History
requirement.
AP GOVERNMENT AND LAW
Grades: 11-12 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisites: B+ average in social studies courses and/or recommendation by prior social studies teachers.
This demanding course consists of an in depth study of the workings of the American political system followed by a comparative analysis with the political systems of five other nations. Two college-level texts are used, and students should expect to complete regular, focused reading assignments. Additionally, the course will require long-term assignments and discussion of relevant contemporary events. Evaluation will be based on projects, marking period tests, and essays modeled on the Advanced Placement examination format. This course does not satisfy the United States History II requirement. Princeton High School expects that all students enrolled in an AP course will take the AP exam.
AP EUROPEAN HISTORY
Grades: 11-12 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisite: B+ average in social studies courses and/or recommendation by prior social studies teachers.
This demanding course consists of a broad study of European History beginning with the Renaissance and extending to the present. College level texts are used, and the student should expect to complete regular, focused reading assignments. Additionally, the course requires the writing of expository essays and research reports. Evaluation is based on tests, essays modeled on the Advanced Placement examination format, and projects/presentations. This course does not satisfy the World History/Cultures requirement. Princeton High School expects that all students enrolled in an AP course will take the AP exam.
AFRICA
Grades: 11-12 2.5 Credits Sem1
Prerequisite: None
In this course, students study the vast, diverse continent of Africa - its regions, nations, and people. Students address issues related to political change, economic development, cultural diversity and national unity, and international relations. Particular attention is paid to the influence of history and geography.
LATIN AMERICA
Grades: 11-12 2.5 Credits Sem1
Prerequisite: None
This course provides for study of Latin America and the Caribbean from a variety of perspectives. Special emphasis is placed on geography, literature, economics, and lifestyles. Four countries are singled out for in-depth study. Students are required to do a major term paper on the country of their choice.
MIDDLE EAST
Grades: 11-12 2.5 Credits Sem2
Prerequisite: None
The focus of this class is review of the Middle East, with specific attention to the Arab-Israeli conflict and to U.S. foreign policy. Emphasis is placed on the historic and religious backgrounds of Muslims and Jews, the role of the West, the influence of oil, and the cultural diversity of the region.
RUSSIA & THE FORMER SOVIET UNION
Grades: 11-12 2.5 Credits Sem2
Prerequisite: None
In this course, the causes and implications of recent changes in the lands of the former Soviet Union are investigated. By the time students complete this course, they are able to identify and explain key events and issues in the modern history of these fifteen nations and discuss reasonable scenarios for the future.
THE OTHER WALL:
UNDERSTANDING AND MOVING BEYOND
RACIAL AND ETHNIC CONFLICT
Grades: 11-12 2.5 Credits Sem
Prerequisite: None
This course is a semester elective course in which students will study the historical underpinnings of racial and ethnic identity and conflict throughout the world - past and present. Students will further explore contemporary issues and current methods of conflict resolution. The course will draw upon materials from a variety of sources and perspectives. Case studies will be utilized to demonstrate the global aspect of the challenges posed by racial and ethnic diversity. Students will be expected to prepare for class on a daily basis through assigned readings, writings, and discussion. Possible areas of coverage include conflict in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, the Middle East, Sudan, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Haiti, and the United States.
HUMAN BEHAVIOR
Grades: 11-12 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisite: None
Human Behavior, as an elective course open to juniors and seniors, is an introduction to key concepts, theories, and figures in the fields of psychology and sociology. The course is designed as an exploration of the self and the human condition. Through case studies, conversation and debate, research, and written work students explore topics ranging from human development theories to recent research findings on the brain, to group dynamics, multiculturalism, and social stratification. Quarterly and group projects bring the opportunity to refine research skills and synthesize what has been learned.
ACCELERATED SOCIOLOGY
Grades: 11-12 5.0 Credits Year
Prerequisites: B+ average in social studies courses and/or recommendation of prior social studies teachers.
Sociology focuses on the systematic understanding of social interaction, social organization, social institutions, and social change. Major themes in sociological thinking include the interplay between the individual and society, how society is both stable and changing, the causes and consequences of social inequality, and the social construction of human life. Understanding sociology helps students discover and explain social patterns and see how such patterns change over time and in different settings. By making vivid the social basis of everyday life, sociology also develops critical thinking by revealing the social structures and processes that shape diverse forms of human life.
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