SOCIAL STUDIES
The Social Studies Department is dedicated to the goal of creating an environment in which serious conversation and careful thought become a habit, a daily rhythm and a way of life for students as they study individuals and societies. Our courses present students with a variety of intellectual activities including writing thesis-oriented essays, creating collages and other artistic projects and presentations, engaging in debates, simulations and student-centered discussions, and conducting oral history projects . Central to all of these activities is careful thought. Students are asked to be imaginative, empathetic and honest, to be aware of their own biases and the biases of the people they study, to consider all the information at their disposal, to raise and consider obvious antithetical ideas, to avoid unsupported claims, and to develop a complex view of the meaning and implications of the key terms they use to structure their work. They are repeatedly asked to let detail lead them to honest and logical conclusions and to be specific, concise, precise and profound in their written and oral conversation.
Our courses are centered on Story, Ideas, and Introspection, and by raising deep, universal human concerns, they give students repeated opportunities to activate their own sense of morality and their own respect for life. Paperback histories, historical essays, philosophical essays, old and current newspapers and periodicals, poems, plays, novels, movies, guest speakers and autobiographical works are all used to present students with stories and ideas to study .
While our curriculum encourages students to think at a high level, it is designed to include all of our students. Thus we offer a variety of courses in order to ensure that students are asked to engage in activities and complete tasks which are appropriate to their own needs and abilities.
Factual knowledge is fundamental to any study of human life and an integral part of the units we teach, but the amount of historical information is far too vast for any person to master. True learning comes with meaningful experiences repeated over a period of years and is best developed when students have a passion to understand. Thus we offer a variety of social science electives, and we build all of our courses around in-depth units rather than broad surveys. It is through these units that we offer students the opportunity to develop the desire, the habit and the skills necessary to investigate the human past and present for themselves.
To meet graduation requirements for Social Studies each student must earn a passing grade in Social Studies I, United States History, and at least one full credit of Social Studies electives (two .5 -credit electives or one full-credit elective) .
RECOMMENDED SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE SEQUENCES
The Social Studies department strongly suggests that each student select from the elective courses available those appropriate for his/her future academic plans.
Definitely College Bound Possible College Bound Non-College Bound
Modern European History Berkshire History Berkshire History
Politics Current Issues Discovering Current Issues
Psychology II, III Life and Death Discovering Psychology
Sociology Politics Civics and Economics
U.S. History Psychology I History of Warfare
American Culture Studies Global Village
Fact and Fiction Civics and Economics
Philosophy History of Warfare
REQUIRED COURSES — FULL YEAR
SOCIAL STUDIES I Credit: 1
Grade 9 Prerequisite: None
Honors
College Prep
Standard
This course examines individuals in a variety of fictional and actual situations and explores the personal, psychological, societal and economic influencers that shape their perception and behavior. Topics studied in this course include Renaissance and Reformation, Twentieth Century Russia, World War I, the Rise of Hitler and the Holocaust, Gandhi and India’s Struggle for Independence, and “Brave New World.”
During the course, each student will discuss or write about the following concepts: Ethics, Status, Role and Norms, Rationalization, Prejudice and Racism, Feudalism, Capitalism and Imperialism, Democracy, Revolution, Fascism, Communism and Totalitarianism, Faith and Freedom.
U.S. HISTORY Credit: 1
Grade 10 Prerequisite: None
Honors College
Prep Standard
This course examines individuals in a variety of fictional and actual situations from the American past and explores the personal, psychological, societal, economic and political influences that shaped their perception and behavior. The majority of units in the course focus on United States History after 1865, although attention is given to essential aspects of the American Revolution, the Constitution and the Civil War.
Fact and Fiction: The History and Literature of America
Grade 10 Credits:
Honors 1 English, 1 Social Studies
Prerequisite: None
Limited to 25 students
Fact and Fiction is a team-taught, double-period course staffed by one English teacher and one Social Studies teacher. It offers an integrated approach to the study of American history and literature from the colonial period up through contemporary times—focusing primarily on the study of historical texts, essays, short stories, novels, poems, and plays, and including film, the fine arts, music, television, emerging media, and the performing arts. The topics are organized chronologically, beginning with the colonial experience, followed by a study of the revolutionary era, antebellum America, the Civil War and Reconstruction period, the modernization of America that took place in the late 19th century, and ending with a comprehensive examination of 20th century American history, society, and culture. The particular materials, texts, and approaches will be distributed in a balanced manner so that the students are able to examine and explore the American experience and condition from a wide variety of perspectives.
SOCIAL STUDIES ELECTIVES
POLITICS Credit: .5
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
This course deals with political decision making in the context of economic, legal and ethical pressures. Problems regarding war, religion, race and economic disparity will be presented in a political context. Materials will include novels, films and current news stories. Students will be evaluated based on discussion, student journals and essays.
SOCIOLOGY Credit: .5
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
This course focuses on the study of human social behavior: how individuals and groups of individuals behave in relation to one another, what sociological forces influence their behavior, and why those forces have such strong influence on our individual and collective ways of being. The course opens with a unit on sociology as social science, followed by a unit on sociology as social theory, and closes with a unit on sociology as social criticism. The first unit focuses on a variety of sociological studies on the central institutions and forces that shape our social behavior; the second examines a number of theoretical texts by thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Karl Marx, William Graham Sumner, Sigmund Freud, and Erich Fromm; and the third includes various works of fiction, including Notes From Underground, The Stranger, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Students can take the class for either an honors or a college preparatory credit. All students are expected to complete the reading assignments, write a number of analytical essays, and be prepared to participate in class discussions. Students seeking honors credit will be expected to write essays that meet more demanding criteria, and to write a final paper at the end of the semester.
PSYCHOLOGY I Credit: .5
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
This course deals with a variety of psychological subjects that hopefully will increase the student’s self-awareness. Included among the major areas of discussion will be theories of personality, conditioning, motivation and behavior, emotions and feelings, stress and subsequent coping techniques, sleep, dreaming and other altered states of consciousness, experimental psychology, as well as other relevant areas of interest .
DISCOVERING PSYCHOLOGY Credit: .5
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
This course gives students an understanding of the fundamental ideas associated with human behavior. Included among the major areas of discussion will be theories of personality, conditioning, motivation, stress, dreams, child development and abnormal behavior. Sources will be film, paperbacks, notes and class discussion.
PSYCHOLOGY II Credit: .5
Grades 11-12 Prerequisite: A grade of 80 in Psychology I or
permission of the teacher.
Also open to sophomores with the permission of the instructor.
Included among the topics of discussion will be well-known theories of psychosexual, cognitive, moral, and psychosocial development. Students will learn about behavior modification, and create personal projects. The history of abnormality will be discussed, and a plethora of abnormal behaviors researched. Gestalt psychology and patterns of communication will also be studied. Students are expected to participate in the teaching.
CURRENT ISSUES Credit: .5 or 1. May be taken one or two semesters.
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
The focus is on recent events occurring in the world and the issues that they represent. The Boston Globe or some other suitable sources will be used as a basic text, supplemented by various media articles. This course is intended for the student who wishes to learn about events and how to analyze their significance.
DISCOVERING CURRENT ISSUES Credit: .5 or 1
Grades 10-12 (may be taken one or two semesters.
Prerequisite: None
The course will study various national, state, and local issues by reading a daily newspaper of the instructor’s choice. The goal of the course is to make the student more informed about what and why it is occurring as it is.
LIFE and DEATH Credit: .5
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
The major premise of the course is that in dealing with death and dying, an individual can better understand and appreciate his/her own life . Three major units are covered: life and its value, problems of life and death, and death and dying. Topics may include individual values, life philosophies, biomedical ethics, assisted suicide as well as various areas of death and dying which focus upon individual and social perspectives.
BERKSHIRE HISTORY Credit: .5
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
This course will focus on Berkshire County, past and present, particularly its people and its many “claims to fame.” Students will learn how to use as “tools” not only books but also interviews, old records, newspapers, cemeteries and buildings.
The goal is to develop the ability to understand and evaluate the economic, geographic, and historical background of Berkshire County.
Units will be covered pertaining to Native Americans, the Shakers, early settlers, Monument Mills, and the development of the South Berkshire area.
AMERICAN CULTURE STUDIES Credits: 1
Grades 11 – 12 Prerequisite: Successful completion of
Honors US History
This intensive course will examine American culture (history, philosophy, literature, art, architecture, music, etc.) from the Puritan era to the late 20th century. The objective of this course is for students to make connections between historical events, cultural trends, and changes in philosophy and other ideas. Students who take this course should have an interest in U.S. History and /or culture. Students who wish to take the AP exam in U.S. History will have the opportunity to prepare for that test by meeting independently with the teacher. American Culture Studies will replace Advanced U.S. History in 2011 – 2012.
MODERN EUROPEAN HISTORY Credit: 1
Grades 11-12 Prerequisite: 88 or higher average in Honors U.S. History or Fact and Fiction
“Modern Euro” deals with Philosophy and Revolution in Modern Europe. It is an intensive course designed for people who are interested in great ideas and great revolutions. Students will explore the ideas of major philosophers including Descartes, Rousseau, Hegel, and Sartre, great authors including Dostoyevsky and Camus, and major revolutionary leaders such as Danton, Robespierre, and Lenin. The final unit in the course will focus on World War II.
PHILOSOPHY Credit: .5
Grades 10-12 Prerequisite: None
Honors, College Prep
This course will serve as an introduction to the study of philosophy. Philosophy is the study of commonly asked questions about our experience as human beings, questions about the nature of existence, the boundaries of knowledge, the origin of values, the limits of freedom of the will, and the bases of moral responsibility. Those who practice philosophy are simply attempting to put into words that which they intuitively sense are the best answers to those questions—and to then test the accuracy and trustworthiness of those answers through collective critical discourse and rational thought. The course will offer students the opportunity to engage in such work, to explore the ideas of leading ancient, modern, and contemporary philosophers, and to assess their answers to these common and fundamental questions about the human condition. Students can take the class for either an honors or a college preparatory credit. All students will be expected to complete the reading assignments, write a number of analytical essays, and be prepared to participate in class discussions. Students seeking honors credit will be expected to write essays that meet more demanding criteria, and to write a final paper at the end of the semester.
GLOBAL VILLAGE Credit: .5
Grades 11-12 Prerequisite: None
Our world is a global village, where easy access to information has shrunk our borders and allows us to connect almost instantaneously to places thousands of miles away. However, there is a need for an understanding of these places. What are human and physical components of these countries? This course will examine the links and barriers between our country and countries from the developed and developing world. It will look at basic geographic concepts of where things are located and how that location impacts culture. The course will hopefully raise students’ awareness of their own role as global citizens and highlight the troubles facing the world’s peoples. Course materials will include maps, atlases, culture-based novels, short stories, and the use of the Internet, especially the CIA website: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook.
Students will be expected to work with and know several maps, read all materials and novels, complete essays, participate in various group activities, and be part of the model UN meetings as the country of their choice.
HISTORY OF Warfare Credit: .5
Grades 11 – 12 Prerequisite: Successful completion of
Standard US History
This is a semester course, taught at the Standard Level. It will focus on the features of ancient civilizations with particular emphasis on military and warfare – the clashes between ancient people, how they happened and what was the outcome. The course will begin with a brief survey of several early civilizations (Mesopotamia, Africa, Asia, and Central America) in order to understand the common features of all civilizations and how each adapted to its own environment. The majority of the course will focus on Greece and Rome. Particular attention will be paid to Spartan military culture, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, the spread of the Roman Empire and Barbarian invasions. The objective of this course will be to understand the characteristics of human civilization and the features of land and territorial warfare.
Civics and Economics Credit: .5
Grades 10 – 12 Prerequisite: None
Standard
This course will pilot an innovative and collaborative instructional methodology that uses technology to empower students of all learning levels to express a civic viewpoint. Students will not only understand the importance of civic issues, but also recognize their own abilities to analyze, evaluate and establish a position on issues, participate in a dialogue concerning them and affect change. The course will culminate in the production of an 8-12 minute documentary film on an issue, chosen by students and presented to peers, teachers, the community, and public officials.
PSYCH III
Grades 11 & 12 Credit: .5
Level: Advanced Prerequisite: Successful completion of Psych I and II & recommendation by the teacher.
The objectives of the course are to continue the study of psychology beyond topics taught in Psych I and II, to allow students to pursue psychology topics of their choice, and to challenge students to think as teachers as well as learners. The course will begin with the study of a recently published psychology text, such as The Righteous Mind, by Jonathan Haidt, combined with a study of Bloom’s taxonomy and theories about teaching and learning. After this unit, students will choose their own topics for study and presentation, with pairs of students teaching and assessing the class. Past topics have included lie detection, forensic psychology, psychopathy, sports psychology, and language acquisition.