Social Studies Curriculum
In our core courses and electives, students are constantly exposed to essential questions that permeate time and place. The issues, centering on the human experience, are grounded in a thorough study of the facts by means of analysis and interpretation. Research is also a central component to the four years of social studies courses that all students are required to satisfactorily complete for graduation.
Any student seeking to transition into Honors or AP is required to complete a writing sample. The Honors and Advanced Placement sections are the most demanding sections. They require the heaviest reading and writing commitments. The Regents sections on all four grade levels focus on a high level of understanding of the subject matter and a demanding work load. Such expectations fully prepare the students for the New York State Regents Exams in Social Studies, required in Global History in grade 10 and US History in grade Eleven.
Regents Sequence
GLOBAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY I REGENTS (1 Year -1 Credit) 5 per. weekly. This is the first of a two-year course of study which will culminate in the Global History Regents exam at the end of the tenth grade. The ninth grade syllabus focuses on Global History eras from ancient times to 1750 A.D. Some of the themes and concepts which are discussed include belief systems, change, culture and intellectual life, economic systems, environment, geography, movement of people and goods, and interdependence. Document analysis is central to the course. Students take a cumulative mid-term and final.
GLOBAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY II REGENTS (1 Year- 1 Credit) 5 per. weekly Prerequisite: Successful completion of Grade 9 Global History. This is the second half of the course which began in ninth grade. This half of the course covers Global History from 1750 until the present. The 10th grade course focuses on modern historical eras, and primary source documents. Students will be required to take the Global History Regents which mandates: thematic writing, constructed responses, and document based historical questions. A cumulative midterm is administered in January. The mandated Regents exam required at the end of the course will be used as the final for the course.
GLOBAL HISTORY ESL (2 Years - 2 Credits) 5 per. weekly. Global History ESL is a two-year sequence in Global History, which culminates with the Regents in Global History and Geography. The first year focuses on ancient civilizations and medieval history and early modern times. The second year focuses on modern times, and involves extensive review for the Regents in Global History and Geography. At the end of the second year, students will be given the opportunity to take the Global History Regents Exam. If the student passes the exam and the course, he or she will have completed this two-year course. If the students does not pass one or both, he or she will repeat the course and/or exam as required for graduation.
UNITED STATES HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT REGENTS (1 Year -1 Credit) 5 per. weekly Prerequisite: Successful completion of 10th grade Global History This is a survey course in the history of the United States. The emphasis will be on the government of the U.S. and the Constitutional foundations. Further emphasis will be on the United States as a developing industrial and post-industrial nation. Constitutional and legal issues will be explored in depth, as will be the problems of our industrial society in an increasingly complex and technology-oriented world. The essential question: “What is the American Dream and have we fulfilled it as a nation?” is central to the course and allows for interdisciplinary connections with the curriculum in English 11. The United States History and Government Regents will be the final exam in the course. Committed students can apply in the fall for HHS’ annual rural-suburban exchange as an extension of this program. Mutual visits with a high school in New England are part of this extension program.
PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT Regents Level (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grade 12 Only Fall and Spring Semesters This course focuses on the formation of effective public policy. Students are taught skills of decision making and problem solving in the context of evaluating real issues confronting the communities in which the students live. Central to this course is the manner in which decisions are arrived through involvement of individuals as participating citizens.Another area studied is how citizen influence can be used in policy making at various levels of government. Emphasis will be on real-world issues that are in line with content standards and course assessments. Students are required to participate in government on the local level by attending and summarizing local government meetings. This course satisfies the 1/2 credit senior mandated requirement in Participation in Government.
Honors Sequence
GLOBAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY I HONORS (1 Year -1 Credit) 5 per. weekly This is the first course in social studies which prepares students for an Advancement Placement level of study in History. The course stresses critical thinking skills, presentation skills, and debating skills. It is intended for students with exceptional ability and interest in history. Successful completion of Social Studies 8 with a minimum grade of 90 and recommendation of the eighth grade Social Studies teacher are required. Grades on Social Studies 8 essays should be 90 or higher on a consistent basis. A writing sample will also be administered in grade 8 as part of the entrance criteria. Students should be willing to give a significant amount of outside study time to meet the demands of this course. A summer reading assignment is strongly encouraged. A National History Day research project is also an essential part of the 1st semester of this course. A cumulative midterm and final are administered.
GLOBAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY II HONORS (1 Year -1 Credit) 5 per. weekly Prerequisite: Successful completion of Global History I Honors with a grade of 85 and teacher recommendation; OR successful completion of Global History and Geography I Regents with a grade of 90 or higher, a teacher recommendation, and a consistent writing level of 90 or higher in Global History I Regents. This is the second course in social studies which prepares students for an Advanced Placement level of study in history. This course stresses: critical thinking skills, presentation skills, and debating skills. It is intended for students with exceptional ability and interest in history. Students should be willing to give a significant amount of outside study time to meet the demands of the course. A summer reading assignment is strongly encouraged. A cumulative midterm is administered in this course and the Global Regents exam serves as the final.
Senior Level
12TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES: Students must take a 1/2 credit of Economics and a 1/2 credit of Participation in Government, both are required for graduation .
ECONOMICS (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to Grade 12 Only Fall and Spring Semesters. This course will introduce the basic concepts of economic theory to all students. Areas of study include: Introduction to Economics and Economic Systems; elements of the Economy (Microeconomics); understanding the natural economy (Macroeconomics); and issues in the US and World Economies. A final exam and several “real-world” projects are part of this course. This course satisfies the 1/2 credits senior mandated requirement in Economics.
Advanced Placement
ADVANCED PLACEMENT WORLD HISTORY (1 Year -1 Credit) 5 per. weekly Recommended for: Students of exceptional ability in the Social Studies who are motivated to be involved in a rigorous and demanding investigation of World History. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Global History and Geography I Honors with a grade of 90 or better and teacher recommendation. The Advanced Placement course in World History is designed to give interested and able students the opportunity to study history in depth. A college textbook is used to provide the background necessary for the student. In addition, the student is required to examine primary and secondary source documents, and explore trends over time and place, as well as conflicting interpretations of history. A full length, AP-style midterm is administered in January. The course will prepare the student to take the Advanced Placement Examination which affords the opportunity to receive college credit with a qualifying mark. Students will also be required to take the Global History and Geography Regents as their final exam in the course. A summer reading assignment is strongly encouraged.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT AMERICAN HISTORY (1 Year -1 Credit) 5 per. weekly Recommended for: Students of exceptional ability in the Social Studies who are motivated to be involved in a rigorous and demanding investigation of US History. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Global History and Geography II Honors with a grade of 85 or better and teacher recommendation; OR successful completion of AP World History; OR successful completion of Global History and Geography II Regents level with a grade of 90 or higher in the course, a teacher recommendation and a consistent writing level of 90 or higher in Global History II. The Advanced Placement course in American History is designed to give interested and able students the opportunity to study American history in depth. A college textbook is used to provide the background necessary for the student. In addition, the student is required to examine primary and secondary documents, as well as conflicting interpretations of history. A full length, AP-style midterm is administered in January. The course will prepare the student to take the Advanced Placement Examination which affords the opportunity to receive college credit with a qualifying mark. Students will also be required to take the United States History and Government Regents as their final exam in the course. A summer reading assignment is Strongly encouraged.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT MICROECONOMICS (1 Year -1/2 Credit) Alternating Days Offered to: Grade 12 only Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and a grade of 85 or higher in U.S. History AP or a grade of 90 in the U.S. History Regents course. This course includes an introduction to Economic Theory, and the course studies Business Structure and economics at the individual and societal level. It is for all college- bound seniors with special interest in Business, Accounting, Finance, Banking and PreLaw. Students who enroll in this course must also meet one semester requirement in Participation in Government and must also take the Advanced Placement Exam in Microeconomics in the Spring of that school year. It is highly recommended that a student be proficient in mathematical computations to understand the underlying economic principles that are inherit in this course. This course satisfies the 1/2 credits senior mandated requirement in Economics.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT GOVERNMENT & POLITICS (1 Year -1/2 Credit) Alternating Days Offered to: Grade 12 Only Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation and a grade of 85 or higher in U.S. History AP or a 90 or higher in the U.S. History Regents course. AP Government and Politics examines the following six major areas of study: Constitutional influences on the U.S. Government, political beliefs and behavior; the functioning of political parties, the rules of the three branches of the U.S. Government, public policy, and civil liberties and civil rights. This course offers students an opportunity to achieve college credit and study politics on a more challenging level. The AP Exam on Government and Politics is to be taken in the Spring of that school year. This course does not exempt a student from taking the N.Y.S. mandated course in Economics.
Electives
CRIMINAL JUSTICE (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grades 11 & 12 Fall and Spring semesters Prerequisite: Successful completion of 10th grade Social Studies course. The aim of the Criminal Justice course is to give students a thorough understanding of the Criminal Justice system as it operates on the local level. Key units include:felonies and misdemeanors, the principals of criminal law, the role of the police and District Attorney, the role of the judge, the role of the defense attorney and the nature of the criminal court procedure. Activities in the course include field trips, expert speakers and mock trials, all designed to enhance the students’ appreciation for the adversarial nature of criminal litigation.
HOLOCAUST & HISTORICAL GENOCIDE (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grades 11 & 12 Fall and Spring Semesters A study of the Holocaust as it relates to genocide, racism and prejudice, this half year course will examine the causes and effects of this historic tragedy. Students will be able to comprehend the ramifications of this event. An evaluation of human relations, from an historical perspective is central to the course.
HONORS/AP RESEARCH AND WRITING IN SOCIAL STUDIES (1/2 Year - 1/4 Credit) Alternating Days Offered to: Grades 9 -12 Fall Semester This course is an introduction to historical research and writing in Social Studies. Four styles of writing will be addressed: objective, persuasive, analytic and judgmental. Within this course, students will also compete for local Social Science Awards, National History Day Competition, and other writing contests. Students transitioning from Regents level to Honors or AP are required to take this course.
INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grades 11 & 12. This course is an introduction to philosophy. The course will explore areas of Metaphysics, Epistemology and Ethics in the western tradition. Readings will be taken from Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, and Kant. This course hopes to prepare Huntington High students for a life of self-reflection and critical appraisal of their own environment and life.
LONG ISLAND HISTORY (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grades 11 &12 in 07-08 This course will focus on the history and development of Long Island from its geological formation to the present day, with a focus on the last 100 years. The goal of this course is to introduce students to the unique history of the place in which they live as well as the issues that will shape and effect its ongoing development. The history of Huntington will also be a component of this course.
PSYCHOLOGY (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grades 11 & 12 Fall and Spring Semesters Prerequisite: Successful completion of 10th grade Social Studies course with grade of 80 or higher. This introductory course will deal with six basic units: learning and conditioning; memory and motivation; the human brain; perception and parapsychology; stages of human development; deviant behavior and therapy techniques. The course will include lectures, experiments, guest speakers, and audio-visual materials. A final exam is given in this course.
URBAN STUDIES: THE NEW YORK EXPERIENCE (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grades 11 &12 in 08-09 Prerequisite: Successful completion of 10th grade Social Studies course. The goal of this course is to study the American urban society by using New York City as a framework. This course includes in-depth discussions of urban problems such as: crime, transportation, education, city government, ghetto areas, city planning, problems in world cities, and the wealth of multi-cultural activities available within an urban area such as New York City. The course will also include two field trips into New York City and a variety of projects.
WOMEN’S STUDIES (1/2 Year -1/2 Credit) 5 per. weekly Offered to: Grades 11 & 12. This course will focus on the social history of American women from the time of the first women’s movement to the present with particular emphasis on the last sixty years. The goal of the course is to introduce students to the main historical arguments about American women’s lives, and to also undertake research in primary sources, both documentary and in person, regarding women. This course will include guest speakers and a variety of projects and activities.
Middle School
Finley’s social studies program is based on these goals and guided by New York State’s two year sequence of study for Grades 7 and 8 Social Studies. In the two grades, teachers develop and explore with students twelve units of study, focused on a chronologically organized exploration of United States history. It traces the experience of Americans from pre-Columbian times to the present and ties together political, social and economic trends.
Social Studies 7 (40 Weeks) This course is required of all seventh grade students. The major units of study include: The Global Heritage of the American People Prior to 1500; European Exploration and Colonization of the Americas; Creating a New Nation; Experiments in Government; Manifest Destiny: Life in the New Nation; The Civil War and Reunion. Students can opt to delve into greater detail by researching a specific American history topic tied to the annual National History Day theme. The theme for 2007-08 is The Individual in History. Instructors also provide rich project-based lessons which allow for a full social studies approach which ties together historical, geographic, economic and social inquiries.
Social Studies 8 (40 Weeks) This course is required of all eighth grade students. The units of study continue from the previous year and include a review of the Constitution and Civil War. New material includes the following units: An Industrial Society; The United States as an Independent Nation in an Interdependent World (1900-1940); The United States Between the Wars; The United States Assumes Worldwide Responsibilities; and an ongoing study of Citizenship in Today’s World. Students can opt to delve into greater detail by researching a specific American history topic tied to the annual National History Day theme. The theme for 2007-08 is The Individual In History. Instructors also provide rich project-based lessons which allow for a full social studies approach which ties together historical, geographic, economic and social inquiries. In June, all eight graders will take the New York State Assessment in Social Studies which evaluates students’ learning of the content of the sequence in grades 7-8. Please note: All eligible students for our 9th grade Honors Social Studies programs will be recommended by a committee. In determining the best placement for the student, reading level, research skills and performance on exams will be reviewed. Students should maintain an “A” average throughout 8th grade and score in the 90’s on the 8th grade assessment in June to indicate appropriate placement in 9th grade honors.
ESL Social Studies (40 Weeks) This course was created to meet the needs of ESL students who require assistance in reading, writing and speaking English. The ESL Social Studies course is the same as the other classes, however, the instruction is modified and individualized to meet the needs of the students. Students are placed in ESL Social Studies as a result of a language evaluation and recommendation of the ESL teacher and director.