Social Science

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Courses in Social Science are critical to the balanced development of high school students. History, economics, psychology, sociology, geography and political science each provide a unique window to a deeper understanding of oneself and the world. Through these experiences, students prepare themselves more fully to become educated and active citizens in a democratic society. Social Science courses also sharpen skills necessary for success in school and in life. Through the study of challenging content, students develop their ability to think, read, write and speak in more effective and complex ways.

 

PROGRAM GOALS 

WORLD HISTORY Students will:

  • Understand forces, events and people that shaped the world we live in today.

  • Develop the analytic reading, writing, thinking, and speaking skills necessary for both an educated citizenry in a democracy and for historians.

  • Understand the history of countries and cultures around the world so to more fully appreciate the human experience.

  • Understand the significance of interaction among civilizations throughout history.

  • Develop historical empathy.

  • Develop geographic literacy.

 

U.S. HISTORY Students will:

  • Understand the narrative of U.S. History and how studying history helps explain the world we live in today.

  • Understand that the U.S. has always been a diverse society and that the struggle for equal rights was and continues to be central to the American story.

  • Gain a wider perspective on what it has meant and what it means to be an American and to be a human being.

  • Develop critical-thinking skills necessary for historians and for citizens in a democracy.

  • Develop proficiency in reading for primary and secondary sources and identify points of view.

  • Improve the ability to create a thesis and support the thesis with evidence from primary and secondary sources.

  • Develop historical empathy.

  • Develop geographic literacy.

  

ECONOMICS Students will:

  • Interpret the effect of the price system on the production and consumption of goods and services and the allocation of resources.

  • Make well-informed choices as an educated consumer in our market economy.

  • Describe the vital role that government plays in the interaction of the international sector, businesses and households.

  • Apply economic reasoning to their daily lives as citizens.

  • Utilize analytical tools as responsible participants in the political process in order to anticipate effects of major policy changes.

 

GOVERNMENT Students will:

  • Understand the basis and foundation of the U.S. Constitution.

  • Be able to describe the various branches of government and the role they play in the checks and balance system of the U.S. government.

  • Differentiate between civil rights and civil liberties and understand the rights and liberties granted to people under the Constitution and important Supreme Court cases.

  • Describe the benefits of participating in various levels of government.

Department Staff

Department Chair:
Sharonda Kimbrough, 708-335-5655

 

Department Secretary:
 Lisa Martin, 708-335-5335

 

Faculty