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Social Studies

Welcome to the Social Studies Department at Mt Ararat High School. Creating an informed citizenry capable of fully participating in a democratic society is one of the most important goals of education and Social Studies serves as an essential discipline in this process. Through exposure to the events, forces, and people that have shaped the world, students learn about human society, its history, the role of governments, different economic models and the important themes and patterns found in an expansive study of the human experience. Additionally, our courses are designed to improve student skills in argumentation, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and research. Democracies require citizens capable of analyzing issues, understanding the historical influences that shape the world, developing reasoned opinions and solutions and communicating their opinions and beliefs across a variety of media in effective ways.

Our courses seek to fulfill the obligation to create informed and capable citizens by engaging students in an integrated approach involving multiple disciplines within Social Studies. Currently, all students are required to take the three-year sequence of Social Studies courses listed below:

9th Grade: Introduction to World Religions (fall), World Governments (spring)
10th Grade: Economic Principles (fall), International Relations (spring)
11th Grade: US History I (fall), US History II (spring)

Exceptions to this sequence of required courses are made for students that screen into AP Human Geography (10th grade) and/or AP US History (11th grade).

In addition to the required courses, students may take any number of Social Studies electives as 11th or 12th graders. Elective offerings are dependent on student sign-ups and staffing numbers and include:

AP Government (both fall and spring semesters)
AP Psychology (both fall and spring semesters)
Art & Society, Part I (fall semester only)
Art & Society, Part II (spring semester only)
Music & Society, Part I (fall semester only)
Music & Society, Part II (spring semester only)
Psychology (both fall or spring)
Sociology (both fall or spring)

At the moment, the Social Studies Department anticipates offering courses with dual enrollment
(college credit) for the following courses:

AP Government (elective)
AP Psychology (elective)
AP US History (11th Grade)
Art & Society, Part I and Part II (elective)

If you have any questions about the curriculum and/or instruction of Social Studies at Mt Ararat High School, please contact the Social Studies Department Head.