AP U.S. Government and Politics provides a nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, and roles, that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions and processes. They will also engage in disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. In addition, they will complete a political science research or applied civics project. Note: Students in this course must contract to take the Advanced Placement Examination. Prerequisite: Recommendation of teacher of United States or World History.

This course will provide students a foundation in civic education and global citizenship. The course begins with an exploration of Lasallian philosophy and an understanding of community responsibility through the lens of our Lasallian roots. Additional themes include political philosophy, American democracy, and civic participation. The course will prepare our students to become more responsible and enlightened citizens while providing a solid basis for both World and US History. Students will produce an in-class comprehensive civics project/portfolio utilizing social scientific methodology.

This course introduces students to a wide variety of topics affecting the development of modern global cultures and societies. Students will gain new insight and perspective into the factors that shape our world.

This course is designed to help students understand philosophical concepts and perspectives that have evolved throughout history.  Centered around building student agency and fostering a community of learners and thinkers, Philosophy is an elective course designed to help young people develop critical thinking and metacognitive skills through collaborative, experiential learning projects which require academic research, deep and long-term analysis, and creative problem-solving. Students will come into contact with texts and ideas focused on philosophical problems, issues, ideas, and arguments about reality, freedom, justice, truth, knowledge and being in the world.  Using these concepts, an individual’s capacity to expand their lens, broaden their inquiry, and to grow as a philosophical thinker will be exhibited, reflected upon and assessed through diverse mediums of portfolio contributions.

This course is designed to help students understand philosophical concepts and perspectives that have evolved throughout history.  Centered around building student agency and fostering a community of learners and thinkers, Philosophy is an elective course designed to help young people develop critical thinking and metacognitive skills through collaborative, experiential learning projects which require academic research, deep and long-term analysis, and creative problem-solving. Students will come into contact with texts and ideas focused on philosophical problems, issues, ideas, and arguments about reality, freedom, justice, truth, knowledge and being in the world.  Using these concepts, an individual’s capacity to expand their lens, broaden their inquiry, and to grow as a philosophical thinker will be exhibited, reflected upon and assessed through diverse mediums of portfolio contributions.

This course will examine American politics and international relations with a primary focus on the issues of the 20th and 21st century. Topics include the Cold War, terrorism, cybersecurity, misinformation and propaganda, data rights, and human rights. The course will use a variety of teaching methodologies including lectures, discussions, debate, film analysis, and problem-based learning.

This course will examine American politics and international relations with a primary focus on the issues of the 20th and 21st century. Topics include the Cold War, terrorism, cybersecurity, misinformation and propaganda, data rights, and human rights. The course will use a variety of teaching methodologies including lectures, discussions, debate, film analysis, and problem-based learning.

This course is designed to help students understand philosophical concepts and perspectives that have evolved throughout history. Focus will be placed on the synthesis of the Judeo-Christian and Ancient Greek thought constructs which have so influenced Western civilization. Through the man of Socrates, students will learn the art of dialoguing and questioning. They will come into contact with texts and ideas that will encourage discussion of issues involving freedom, life, death, immortality, reason and faith, as well as the importance of searching for truth and wisdom. This course seeks to offer students a chance to step back and reflect upon their lives, their education, the world and being through the thoughts and writings of others throughout history as well as through the thoughts of their peers.

Students will examine sociology as a social science and become familiar with sociological theory and methodology as well as develop their own analytic thinking skills. The course will emphasize culture and forces within our society that shape us. Throughout the course students will examine society from many different perspectives. Topics to be addressed include subcultures, racism, deviant and criminal behavior, gender inequality, social and economic stratification, global and domestic poverty, and social movements. Special emphasis will be placed on the concept of globalization.

This is a basic survey of the nation’s history from colonial times to the present. A chronological approach is used, but particular stress is placed on those topics that provide meaningful insight into understanding the United States today. Among the topics developed will be the nation’s political life, stressing the concept that the Constitution is a living document whose significance today is a product of historical forces; the nation’s foreign policy, stressing the changing role of policy from small nation to superpower; the people of the United States, stressing the contributions of different ethnic and racial groups; and economic life, stressing the role of the free-enterprise system and the changing role of government in our economy.

The major purpose of this course is to make available to students a survey of the social and political history of the world that will help them understand their own times. The course offers a broad spectrum of World History from the establishment of early civilizations to exploring the roots of contemporary global social issues. The course strives to provide students with the tools and knowledge needed for the study of history including geography, critical thinking, research and analysis, understand- ing of cause and effect, and interpretation of social scientific data.