AP American Government & Politics provides an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course involves both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific case studies. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. political reality. Students are required to take the Advanced Placement Government & Politics exam upon completion of this course.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to both the theory and practice of American government. It begins by outlining the broad logic underlying the formation of governments as a solution to collective action problems and then move to a specific focus on the formation and development of American democracy. It then examines the founding principles and texts from both historical and contemporary perspectives. The emphasis is then placed on the formal institutions of American government with the aim of understanding the complex web of relationships among these institutions. During the second half of the course, attention shifts from the formal institutions to the avenues for public influence on policy.

The American Government Honors course is an intensive study of the beginnings, structure, and function of the United States Government. This course focuses on the study of political, religious, philosophical and sociological foundations of government. This course instructs but is not limited to democracy, federalism, history, international studies and present day law and interpretation. It focuses on how American political theories and governmental institutions compare with those of other nations. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of a variety of primary and secondary sources. Students are encouraged to become active citizens and members of their political community.

The course seeks to illustrate the rich diversity of political life, to show political alternatives, to explain differences in processes and policies, and to communicate the critical importance of global political and economic changes. Six countries and the EU form the core of the course: China, the United Kingdom, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, and the Russian Federation. By looking at the similarities and differences of a cross section of the worldäó»s countries, students will be able to develop an understanding of the underlying causes that shape political realities. Students are required to take the Advanced Placement exam upon completion of this course.

This course consists of the following content strands: world history, American history, geography, and humanities. The primary content emphasis for this course is the study of the worldäó»s earliest civilizations to the ancient and classical civilizations of Africa, Asia and Europe. Content includes, but is not limited to, the birth of world civilizations, including the origins of Mesopotamia, Africa, China and India; the perspective of cultural geography, growth, dissemination, and decline of the classic civilizations of India, China, Greece and Rome; the role of isolation and interaction in the development of the Byzantine Empire and African civilizations, India, China, and Europe; and the emergence of social, political, economic, and religious institutions and ideas.

This course consists of the following content strands: world history, American history, geography, and humanities. The primary content emphasis for this course is the study of the worldäó»s earliest civilizations to the ancient and classical civilizations of Africa, Asia and Europe. Content includes, but is not limited to, the birth of world civilizations, including the origins of Mesopotamia, Africa, China and India; the perspective of cultural geography, growth, dissemination, and decline of the classic civilizations of India, China, Greece and Rome; the role of isolation and interaction in the development of the Byzantine Empire and African civilizations, India, China, and Europe; and the emergence of social, political, economic, and religious institutions and ideas.

Economics provides students the opportunity to acquire an understanding of the way in which society organizes its limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants. Discussion includes the major characteristics of the mixed economic system in the United States and how the basic economic questions are answered. Emphasis is on learning forces of the marketplace by examining the effects on the system of students' roles as producers, consumers, savers, investors, resource owners, voters and taxpayers. Included in this course is a comparison of the capitalist and various socialist economic systems.

Economics provides students the opportunity to acquire an understanding of the way in which society organizes its limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants. Discussion includes the major characteristics of the mixed economic system in the United States and how the basic economic questions are answered. Emphasis is on learning forces of the marketplace by examining the effects on the system of students' roles as producers, consumers, savers, investors, resource owners, voters and taxpayers. Included in this course is a comparison of the capitalist and various socialist economic systems.

Economics provides students the opportunity to acquire an understanding of the way in which society organizes its limited resources to satisfy unlimited wants. Discussion includes the major characteristics of the mixed economic system in the United States and how economic questions are answered. Emphasis is on learning forces of the marketplace by examining the effects on the system of students' roles as producers, consumers, savers, investors, resource owners, voters and taxpayers. Included in this course is a comparison of the capitalist system to other economic systems. The Honors-level class engages concepts at a deeper level, pushing students to stretch their intellectual limits, and achieve higher standards and expectations.

The AP European History course focuses on developing studentsäó» understanding of European history from approximately 1450 to the present. Students investigate the content of European history for significant events, individuals, developments, and processes in four historical periods, and develop and use the same thinking skills and methods (analyzing primary and secondary sources, making historical comparisons, chronological reasoning, and argumentation) employed by historians when they study the past. The course also provides five themes (interaction of Europe and the world; poverty and prosperity; objective knowledge and subjective visions; states and other institutions of power; and individual and society) that students explore throughout the course in order to make connections among historical developments in different times and places.

In this course students examine the development and organization of human societies and the impact of geographic location on these developments. The aim is to broaden the students' horizons and give them a greater understanding of the world as a whole. This course focuses primarily on the analysis of population dynamics, levels of economic development, political organization and culture. In addition, students examine the interconnections and interdependence of societies on a global scale. Key global issues and the challenges of finding adequate solutions are discussed.

This course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts, and phenomena associated with such topics as the biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning and cognition, motivation, developmental psychology, testing and individual differences, treatment of abnormal behavior, and social psychology. Throughout the course, students employ psychological research methods, including ethical considerations, as they use the scientific method, analyze bias, evaluate claims and evidence, and effectively communicate ideas.

The AP U.S. History course focuses on the development of historical thinking skills (chronological reasoning, comparing and contextualizing, crafting historical arguments using historical evidence, and interpreting and synthesizing historical narrative) and the development of students äó» abilities to think conceptually about U.S. history from approximately 1491 to the present. Seven themes are of equal importance: American national identity; migration and settlement; politics and power; work, exchange, and technology; America in the world; geography and the environment; and culture and society. They provide areas of historical inquiry for investigation throughout the course. These themes require students to reason historically about continuity and change over time and make comparisons among various historical developments in different times and places.

This course provides students with the opportunity to acquire a basic understanding of the contemporary United States through an overview of those significant events which have affected the growth and development of the nation. Appropriate concepts and skills are developed in connection with content. The history of the United States is covered from the beginning of the Colonial Period to the present. The course is designed as a basic preparation for the exercise of citizenship in a democracy. Current events are stressed.

This course provides students with the opportunity to acquire an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the development of the American people. Students examine the political, economic, social, religious, military, scientific and cultural events that have affected the nation. They gain an in-depth understanding of the historical method, the inquiry process, historical reasoning and interpretation and the issues of external and internal validity. Appropriate historical and research concepts and skills are developed. Current events are stressed.

This course develops four historical thinking skills: crafting historical arguments from historical thinking, chronological thinking, comparison and contextualization, historical interpretation and synthesis. While covering tens of thousands of years from pre-recorded history (through archaeological evidence) to the present day, five themes are emphasized: the interaction between humans and the environment; development and interaction of cultures; state-building, expansion, and conflict; creation, expansion, and interaction of economic systems; and the development and transformation of social structures. Specifically, the following periods are studied: period 1: technological and environmental transformation, to c. 600 B.C.E.; period 2: organization and reorganization of human societies, c. 600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.; period 3: regional and trans-regional interactions, c. 600 C.E. to c. 1450; period 4: global interactions, c. 1450 to c. 1750; period 5: industrialization and global interaction c. 1750 to c. 1900; period 6: accelerating global change and re-alignments, c. 1900 to present.

In this course we will be investigating the most important world events during the modern era 1450 - Present. On this journey we not only learn the facts of history, but learn to think and write like historians and critically observe our world. Be prepared to open your mind to a new way of understanding the past and the world in which we live.

In this course we will be investigating the most important world events during the modern era 1450 - Present. On this journey we not only learn the facts of history, but learn to think and write like historians and critically observe our world. Be prepared to open your mind to a new way of understanding the past and the world in which we live.