Social Studies Curriculum

Course Descriptions:

9th grade
World History and Geography I
Pre-IB World History and Geography

10th grade
World History and Geography II
Pre-IB/AP US Government

11th grade
USVa History
IB History of the Americas HL

12th grade
USVa Government
IB World Topics
Electives:
Psychology
Sociology
IB Geography

9th Grade

World History and Geography I:
World History and Geography I is a study in the history of the world pre-1500. We will study how the earliest humans lived and the development of advanced civilizations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. In addition to history, geography skills, such as reading and interpreting maps, will be emphasized.

The objective of this course is for you to be able to understand how humans developed throughout history and how these developments are connected to the world we live in today. You will often be asked to make these connections between the past and present throughout our studies.

Pre-IB World History and Geography
This is the first step on a fun, challenging journey into the International Baccalaureate History program at J.E.B. Stuart High School. In the 9th grade you will be exposed to world history from ancient times to the modern era. Pre-IB World History and Geography will give you a sound base in knowledge and skills so that you may move on to Pre-IB/AP Government in the 10th grade. In order to be ready for Pre-IB World History in the Fall, you will need to work on a Pre-IB History Assignment during the Summer—It is due the first day of class.

In-class topics include everything from the World at 1500 to the Cold War and the Contemporary World. Get ready for a challenge on the road to becoming International Scholars of History! (Top of Page)

10th Grade

World History and Geography II
This is the second in a two-year chronologically organized study of world history. This year we will be studying the world from 1500 to modern times. This class is required for graduation and students will take the Virginia Standards of Learning Test in the spring.

The objective of this course is for students to become better world citizens by understanding the events that shaped our society as we know it today. By studying the triumphs and tragedies that have occurred from 1500 to the present, we better understand who we are as a world community.

Pre-IB/AP Government
Want to meet the President, Congressmen and other cool government people? Want to vent your opinions on the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty, reforming Social Security, gay marriage rights, those standardized tests required by the No Child Left Behind Act? Did you ever wonder what exactly is meant by freedom of speech or freedom of religion? Well, AP Government is the place for you. In this “advanced” government class, students address a wide-variety of topics – from the history of our government and Constitution to the modern-day issues affecting our society. As an advanced class, expectations are when it comes to reading and writing, but these are the skills that prepare students for the IB program and competitive colleges. And the more you read and write, the more you know, and the more you know, the more topics we can debate in this exciting government class.(Top of Page)

11th Grade

USVa History
This course focuses on the history of the United States from discovery to present day. We will examine history from political, economic, and social perspectives. We also will explore the distinct history of the great Commonwealth of Virginia, land of presidents and statesmen, to see how our home has influenced the growth and change of this Nation.
Some of the highlights of this class include simulations, great review games (March Madness!) and dedicated teachers who like to make learning history fun.

IB History of the Americas HL
History of the Americas is the first year of a two-year course sequence, preparing students to sit for the IB History of the Americas Higher Level exam, as well as Virginia’s United States History SOL test. HOA covers the history of the United States and selected topics and countries of Latin America from the revolutionary period through the 1980’s. The course is not concerned primarily with narrative history; rather it explores the meanings of history and the different perspectives of each era. The premise of the course is that there are many histories, not a correct one. (Top of Page)

12th Grade

USVa Government
What is democracy? US Va Government is the last in a series of required social studies courses for a standard diploma at J.E.B. Stuart H.S. We’ve finally made it! Now that we know all of this history, let’s try to put it to work to make our world a better place. Easy, right? In US Va Government we learn the tools we need to be effective residents of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia. We learn what the nature of democracy is, how to use it, and how to keep it. By learning the structure of government, our civil rights, and state and local statutes we learn how to use government. By discussing current events in domestic and foreign policy (including death and taxes) we try to figure out together, how to keep democracy. This course helps you find the answer to the basic question: “We’re adults, what do we do now?”

IB World Topics
Students will undertake an in-depth study of Twentieth Century World History topics such as war and the Cold War.

We will study in depth-
20th Century Wars-
• World War I
• World War II
• Korean War
• Vietnam War

Cold War-
• Origins of the Cold War- Yalta and Potsdam
• Early Cold War disagreements
• Cold War Crises- Berlin- Cuban Missile Crisis
• Détente and disarmament
• End of the Cold War
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Electives:

Psychology
Available for juniors and seniors only, psychology is a semester course which mirrors a college psychology 101 course. Students study research methods, biopsychology, cognitive psychology, human development, and abnormal psychology. There are fun experiments, insights into the treatment of psychological disorders, and lots of class discussions about everything from drugs and the brain to the insanity defense.

Sociology
Also available for juniors and seniors only, sociology is the second semester extension of psychology. We take the study of the individual to a broader social dimension, exploring the fundamental social issues facing the world today. From learning about the basics of culture and society, to exploring the topics of race, gender, terrorism, and technology—we learn why human groups interact the way they do and we try to figure out together how to make the world a better place.

IB Geography
A class open only to juniors and seniors, IB Geography is a rigorous, in depth look at the study of place. Through geography we seek to understand difference of place by looking at patterns of human distribution, interrelationships between human society and physical environment, people’s use of the Earth in time and space, and how these differences are related to people’s cultures and economies. IB Geography can earn you an elective credit for a standard or IB diploma, or it can count as your senior social studies credit for a standard diploma candidate who has already taken the required government course. See your counselor for more information. (Top of Page)