Mascenic High School Social Studies Department

Mr. Ian McGregor imcgregor@mascenic.org

Ms. Cassie Peterson cpeterson@mascenic.org

Ms. Michelle Sousa msousa@mascenic.org

* Core Courses *

World History I

Ancient World History is a study of our global ancient community's past, emphasizing the people and events that changed past societies and how these changes impacted future generations. Students will develop and use historical thinking skills and geographical analysis, while studying the following topics: prehistoric man, early river civilizations in Mesopotamia, India, and China, Ancient Greece and Rome, the rise and development of major world religions, societies of the Middle Ages, civilizations of the Americas, the regional civilizations of Islam, Africa, and how cultural and technological developments spread throughout the world.

U.S. History - CP (10-12)

This course will focus on U.S. History from Westward Expansion to the present day. There will be analyses of the political, economic, and social factors that made the U.S. the nation it is today. In addition, students will learn to develop historical thinking skills including document analysis, hypothesis formation, and historical argument writing using historical sources. This course will meet the graduation requirement for US History.

U.S. History - H (10-12)

This course will provide an overview of the political, social, economic, and cultural development of the United States from 1865 to the present. A wide range of topics will be explored including post-Civil War, Westward Expansion, Industrialization, the emergence of the United States as a world power, the Progressive Movement, the First World War, the Depression, World War II, the Cold War Era, the expansion of civil rights, and recent trends. In addition, this course will introduce students to a variety of essential skills such as discerning frame of reference in primary and secondary sources, hypothesis formation using the historical method of inquiry, writing persuasive essays, and documenting sources. Students may opt to take this class as a Running Start course, for college credit through Nashua Community College (see page 7 for more information on Running Start courses).

Civics & Economics - CP

This course is divided into two parts. The government portion will examine the structure, process, particulars, and political machinations of federal, state and local governments and how they affect freedom and American life. The economics portion will look at market forces, supply and demand, economic systems, the business cycle and measures of economic performance, factors of production, business organizations, scale and monetary policy, world trade, and select aspects of personal finance. Current societal issues and events will also be evaluated in light of their connection to elements of government and economics.

Civics & Economics - H

This course is divided into two parts. The government portion will examine the structure, process, particulars, and political machinations of federal, state and local governments and how they affect freedom and American life. The economics portion will look at market forces, supply and demand, economic systems, the business cycle and measures of economic performance, factors of production, business organizations, social and monetary policy, world trade, and select aspects of personal finance. Current societal issues and events will also be evaluated in light of their connection to elements of government and economics. As an Honors section, students are expected to dig deeper into the subject matter through supplementary reading and writing assignments which amplify the core curriculum. In addition, students will be expected to research, examine, and explain the extent/scale of an American societal issue or problem and potential solutions to the issue or problem.

* Electives *

World Revolutions

This is a project-based course that allows students to learn about different major revolutions throughout history. Possible topics may include the American, French, Iranian, and Russian revolutions. Students will also learn about lesser-known revolutions in places such as Ireland, South Africa, Cuba, and Haiti.

Sociology

This course provides the student with an understanding of the development of sociological thought and the theories and methods used to study social structure and interaction. It emphasizes the influence of culture on human behavior and social relationships. Students will learn how people’s location in society and its institutions shapes their experiences and life chances, and how individuals and groups can influence this process.

Criminal Justice

This course will introduce and examine many topics that fall under the umbrella of America’s Criminal Justice System. These include citizen and suspect rights, application of criminal laws and legal procedure, causes of crime, crime data, history and aspects of policing, the court system, stages of a criminal trial, and the corrections system. Current societal issues and events will also be evaluated in light of their connection to elements of the criminal justice system.

19th and 20th Century Military History

This course will cover warfare in the 19th and 20th centuries. Students will look at the causes of war, the weaponry it was fought with, and the strategies and tactics military and political leaders used to both gain support for and win wars. The course will begin with the Napoleonic Wars, continue through the Civil War and the Franco-Prussian wars, and look at both World Wars, with particular focus on the Pacic Theater of WWII. Students will also explore how the outcomes of the wars impacted future conflicts and explore the long-term effects on participating nations. Information will be explored through a variety of methods including film, primary and secondary sources, simulations, and debates.

Nazi Germany and the Holocaust

This course will examine the rise of Nazism in post-World War I Germany, along with the mass murder and genocide committed by the Nazi regime from 1939-1945. Through the use of lectures, group activities, class discussions, research, literature and film, students will not only explore the historical content of this catastrophic event in modern history, but also develop an understanding of the rami cations of prejudice and stereotyping in any society. Students will explore additional instances of genocide throughout history and discuss their own ethical responsibility in responding to prejudice and hatred.

Sports and Society

Sports and Society covers such topics as Title IX, NCAA, the Olympics, Air Jordans, and other historical and current sports events. In this course, students will examine the development of sports through historical and sociological perspectives. There will be an emphasis on sport as a form of social interaction that rejects, reinforces, and helps create basic societal norms, values, attitudes, and beliefs. The impact of sport on the social institutions of family, church, school, government, and economics in the United States and the world. Students will examine the historical context and the significance of gender, race, ethnicity, and social class in sports.

History through Film

This course will use film as a tool for exploring many aspects of history. Students will examine the purpose, audience perception, historical accuracy, and cultural context of historical films. We will study these concepts by watching and analyzing films that fall under these categories: Triumph vs. Trial, Heroes vs. Villains, Racism in America, Why War, Raise Your Voice, Prejudice Turned Genocide, Sports in History, Law and Society, and Music and Media.