This eighth grade course encourages students to critically examine a selective history of the world.  Through collaborative and individual efforts, students will encounter some of the most interesting and problematic episodes of our shared history.  Beginning with queries designed to help students see the value of historical scholarship, the course moves through the Ancient World to examine questions such as “What is Civilization?,” “What is the impact of technology on civilization?,” and “What does it mean to govern?”  As we move through various epochs, including the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, students will continually be required to place the many personalities and events of World History into a larger context. Throughout the entire course, students will practice the skills and attitudes that will prepare them for further success in many disciplines as their Xaverian careers continue.

SOCIAL STUDIES 8 ADVANCED
Grade 8
#FX682

The advanced eighth grade course encourages students to critically examine a selective history of the world.  Students in the advanced level will be expected to demonstrate exceptional handling of content, superior writing skills, as well as in - depth research efforts.  Specifically, students will be required to complete more expansive reading assignments, articulate arguments based on historical evidence gathered from research, as well as complete more analytical writing assignments. Through both collaborative and individual efforts, students will encounter some of the most interesting and problematic episodes of our shared history.  As we move through various historical epochs, beginning with the Ancient Civilizations and journeying through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, students will continually be required to place the many personalities and events of World History into a larger context.  As they build this understanding throughout the year, the advanced level students will be required to demonstrate an appropriate mastery of content and skills. Students who excel in this level will be well prepared to meet the challenges of the higher level courses in grade 9.

Prerequisites: Placement is based on entrance exam scores and middle/junior high grades.

Description: The purpose of the human geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface.  Students will be introduced to the geographic concepts of location, scale, pattern, regionalization, and globalization.  Major topics covered in the course include population, cultural patterns and processes, the political organization of space, agriculture and rural land use, industrialization and economic development, and cities and urban land use. This course will help students understand the ways in which current world trends will impact their lives.

Prerequisites: Placement is based on entrance exam scores and middle/junior high grades.

Description: The purpose of the human geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface.  Students will be introduced to the geographic concepts of location, scale, pattern, regionalization, and globalization.  Major topics covered in the course include population, cultural patterns and processes, the political organization of space, agriculture and rural land use, industrialization and economic development, and cities and urban land use. This course will help students understand the ways in which current world trends will impact their lives.

Prerequisites: Placement is based on entrance exam scores and middle/junior high grades.

Description: The purpose of the human geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface.  Students will be introduced to the geographic concepts of location, scale, pattern, regionalization, and globalization.  Major topics covered in the course include population, cultural patterns and processes, the political organization of space, agriculture and rural land use, industrialization and economic development, and cities and urban land use. This course will help students understand the ways in which current world trends will impact their lives. Students in the honors level are expected to possess the study skills and writing skills necessary to succeed on more challenging long-term assignments such as research papers and class presentations.

Prerequisites: Placement is based on entrance exam scores and middle/junior high grades.

Description: The purpose of the human geography course is to introduce students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface. Students will be introduced to the geographic concepts of place, region, scale, space, and connection. Major topics covered in the course include population, cultural patterns and processes, the political organization of space, agriculture and rural land use, industrialization and economic development, and cities and urban land use. In the era of globalization, a course such as this will provide students with a profound understanding of important topics that will help them understand the world’s current trends as well as their place in it. All students will take the AP Human Geography exam in May.

 

The Advanced Placement Human Geography is a more challenging version of the core course.  Students should be highly motivated and “should possess fundamental skills in both composition and research. In short-answer (i.e. one - paragraph) and multiparagraph essay formats, they should be able to clearly articulate their summaries, analyses, interpretations, and evaluations of information.”  --AP Human Geography (College Board)

Prerequisite: Completion of World History - Accelerated or World History - College Prep

Description: This course is a survey of United States history from the Colonial Period to the Modern Era. Emphasizing a thematic approach, the United States History curriculum will challenge students to think critically and apply a variety of academic skills.  In addition to the text, there will be additional readings, several major essays, as well as a research paper. 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of World History - Honors or minimum grade of a A- in Accelerated and department approval.

Description: This course is a survey of United States history from the Colonial Period to the Modern Era. Emphasizing a thematic approach, the United States History curriculum will challenge students to think critically and apply a variety of academic skills.  In addition to the text, there will be additional readings, several major essays, as well as a research paper. 

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of AP World History or an A- in World History-Honors and departmental approval.

Description: Advanced Placement United States History is a college-level introductory course that examines the nation's political, diplomatic, intellectual, cultural, social, and economic history from 1491 to the present.  A variety of instructional approaches are utilized along with a college level textbook supplemented by primary and additional secondary sources. This course requires students to work consistently in an independent and self-motivated fashion.  The nature and volume of the content require an aggressive pace of coverage requiring significant nightly reading and note-taking. Students will be required to read several books, write several major essays, and complete a major research paper. Students will be required to take the AP Exam in United States History in May.

"The AP history courses seek to apprentice students to the practice of history by explicitly stressing the development of historical thinking skills while learning historical content. Students best develop historical thinking skills by investigating the past in ways that reflect the discipline of history, most particularly through the exploration and interpretation of a rich array of primary sources and secondary texts and through the regular development of historical argumentation in writing"--AP United States History (College Board)

Prerequisites: Department approval is required to enroll in this course. Factors which the department considers in its approval include grades (minimum B in AP US History or a B+ in US History Honors), and concurrent enrollment in a minimum of a Pre-Calculus mathematics course.

Description:Microeconomics will give students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to the functions of individual decision makers, both consumers and producers, within the economic system.  It places primary emphasis on the nature and functions of product markets, and includes the study of factor markets and of the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy.  Topics include basic economic concepts, product markets, resource markets, government roles in microeconomics and politics and International Economics.

Macroeconomics will give students a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to an economic system as a whole.  The course places a particular emphasis on the study of national income and price determination, and also develops student's familiarity with economic performance measures, economic growth, and international economics.  This course includes a thorough study of processes and effects of fiscal and monetary policies.  Students with an interest in economics and government may be interested in this course.

All students who enroll in this course will be required to take both the AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics exam in the spring.

 

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of AP Human Geography or an A- in Human Geography-Honors and departmental approval.

 

Description: Beginning in the 13th and 14th Centuries, World History would consist of an examination of the great events, important trends in political, cultural, social, and economic history, the major personalities, as well as the social interactions and organizations that have helped to shape the modern world. Using skills developed in previous social studies courses, students will engage with these topics as they deepen their historical understanding. Long-term projects, extensive essay writing, as well as shared group activities will challenge students to think critically about how the world we live in came to be. 

 

Prerequisite: Completion of Human Geography - Accelerated

 

Description: Beginning in the 13th and 14th Centuries, World History would consist of an examination of the great events, important trends in political, cultural, social, and economic history, the major personalities, as well as the social interactions and organizations that have helped to shape the modern world. Using skills developed in previous social studies courses, students will engage with these topics as they deepen their historical understanding. Long-term projects, extensive essay writing, as well as shared group activities will challenge students to think critically about how the world we live in came to be.

 

Prerequisite: Completion of Human Geography - College Prep

 

Description: Beginning in the 13th and 14th Centuries, World History would consist of an examination of the great events, important trends in political, cultural, social, and economic history, the major personalities, as well as the social interactions and organizations that have helped to shape the modern world. Using skills developed in previous social studies courses, students will engage with these topics as they deepen their historical understanding. Long-term projects, extensive essay writing, as well as shared group activities will challenge students to think critically about how the world we live in came to be.

 

Prerequisite: Successful completion of Human Geography - Honors or minimum grade of an A- in Accelerated and department approval.