AMERICAN STUDIES (COLLEGE PREP) 11
AMERICAN STUDIES (HONORS) 11

American Studies is a course that integrates American literature and history to examine the development of the American character. Students will study the beliefs, words and deeds of the American people to analyze the patterns that underlie and shape this nation.
Meets 10 periods a week.

INTRODUCTION TO ANTHROPOLOGY (COLLEGE PREP) 11-12

This course is designed to introduce students to the general concepts of physical and cultural anthropology along with their related fields. Topics for physical anthropology will include evolution, ancient life forms, modern primates, and human evolution. Cultural anthropology will focus on archaeology and case studies of various traditional peoples and the environments they inhabit.

A.P. U.S. HISTORY I - (11)

The A.P. program in United States History is designed to provide students with the analytical skills and enduring understandings necessary to deal critically with the problems and materials in United States history. The program prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to those made by full-year introductory college courses. Students should learn to assess historical materials—their relevance to a given interpretive problem, their reliability, and their importance—and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. Students are required to take the A.P. test.

ECONOMICS (COLLEGE PREP) 11-12

Economics is a study of wealth and how people manage their resources to satisfy their needs. The course is designed to involve students in the practical everyday world of making intelligent decisions in money management. It stresses the necessity for planned spending and saving to achieve and maintain personal economic stability and security. Through study and discussion, each student will have a better understanding of the economic forces which will shape his or her life today and in the future.

UNITED STATES HISTORY I (COLLEGE PREP) 11
UNITED STATES HISTORY II (HONORS) 11

United States History I and United States History II are required for high school graduation. U.S. History deals with the period from 1877 to the contemporary United States.

CRIMINAL LAW (COLLEGE PREP) 10-12

Criminal Law addresses our legally complex American society in a practical and helpful manner. Criminal Law deals with the concepts of law and society, the issues of individual rights and responsibilities, and the causes, costs, and cures of crime. Topics covered in this course throughout the semester include but are not limited to: Introduction to Criminal law, the Court System, the Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendments, Juvenile Justice, Lawyers, and Understanding Your Rights.

CIVIL AND CONSUMER LAW (COLLEGE PREP) 10-12

Civil and Consumer Law addresses our legally complex American society in a practical and helpful manner. Civil and Consumer Law includes the concepts of civil law, consumers’ rights, the role of law in the family structure, and an analysis of liability, housing, and employment. Topics covered in this course throughout the semester include but are not limited to: Introduction to Civil Law, the Court System, the Bill of Rights, the Constitutional Amendments, Small Claims Court, Torts, Consumer Law, Credit Car Buying, Family Law, Employment, and the Law.

MULTI-CULTURAL ISSUES (COLLEGE PREP) 10-12

This class will explore the relationships between the many ethnic, racial, and religious groups that make up the Danbury community. It will focus on developing solutions to the problems which accompany a multi-cultural society. Students will examine attitudes toward diversity and develop better cross cultural communication skills.

SOCIOLOGY (COLLEGE PREP) 11-12

Sociology is the scientific study of the patterns of human group life, how and why groups form and relate to each other, how they change, and the ways in which they affect their members. This course will study the development of man as a social person. Topics will include the organization of social life, social institutions, demographic trends, and selected social problems which confront the modern world. The student will also be afforded the opportunity to learn about group process by working in and assessing the quality of his participation in a variety of small group situations.


INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY (COLLEGE PREP) 11-12

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes, such as thinking, dreaming, and remembering. The course provides a general survey of the major subfields of psychology, including the biological bases of behavior, personality theories, memory, intelligence, motivation, learning theories, behavior disorders and their treatment, and developmental themes. In addition to the lecture format, teaching strategies will include the use of video tapes, demonstrations, role-playing, debates, discussions, journal writing, and other active learning exercises. Evaluations include the completion of a research experiment at the conclusion of the course. The study of psychology should give you a better understanding of yourself, why people act as they do, and perhaps more effective ways to handle, or help handle, the stresses of daily life.

A.P. PSYCHOLOGY - (11-12)

The purpose of the A.P. course in Psychology is to introduce the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Included is a consideration of the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Students also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice. Students are required to take the A.P. test.

MILITARY HISTORY (COLLEGE PREP) 10-12

This course will be an introductory course into human conflict, exploring the theory, practice, and evolution of the military history from ancient times to present times. Special emphasis will be given to the evolution of the nature of war, its impact on society, as well as to the origins of conflicts from breakdowns in diplomacy to the moral and ethical issues of conflict.

ASIAN STUDIES (FOCUS ON CHINA) (COLLEGE PREP) 11-12

This one semester course is a study of the countries of the Pacific Rim and focuses on the uniqueness of China and its neighbors, Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Korean Peninsula. Exploring the geography of the region along with the history, culture, philosophy, politics, economics, and social systems will aid students in understanding the connections and influence of these countries in modern world affairs.


CIVICS (COLLEGE PREP) 11-12
CIVICS (HONORS) 11-12

This course deals with the concept of government, the basic elements of the U.S. Constitution, the essential characteristics of limited and unlimited government, and the evolution and many roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Students will examine the civic responsibilities that are important to preserving and improving our American constitutional democracy.

WORLD STUDIES (COLLEGE PREP) 9
WORLD STUDIES (HONORS) 9

World Studies is designed to introduce students to various civilizations of the ancient past, including Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, Greece, and Rome. The eras of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Reformation through the Enlightenment Period are also examined. The course studies the contributions of these civilizations to enable the students to understand world, political, economic, religious, and social ideas, as well as values and attitudes to provide a full appreciation of their cultural heritage and diversity.

PHILOSOPHY (HONORS) 11-12

This course will introduce students to the love of wisdom: philosophy. The class will grapple with timeless ideas and new ways of perceiving and thinking. A search for the truth and the meaning of human existence will be conducted through class discussion and debate. Inquiries and propositions will be made into an examination of “the good life” as students hone their reasoning, questioning, and problem solving strategies. The masters of classical and contemporary philosophy will be investigated along with the meaning and role of ethics, logic, esthetics, and metaphysics in society.

A.P. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (11-12)

The purpose of the A.P. course in Human Geography 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 employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human social organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their science and practice. Students are required to take the A.P. test.

A.P. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS (11-12)

The A.P. Government & Politics: United States course provides an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course involves both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific case studies. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. political reality. Students are required to take the A.P. test.
Note: This course meets the Civics requirement

A.P. WORLD HISTORY (10)

The purpose of the A.P. World History course is to develop greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts, in interaction with different types of human societies. This understanding is advanced through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The course highlights the nature of changes in international frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies. The course emphasizes relevant factual knowledge deployed in conjunction with leading interpretive issues and types of historical evidence. The course builds on an understanding of cultural, institutional, and technological precedents that, along with geography, set the human stage. Periodization, explicitly discussed, forms an organizing principle for dealing with change and continuity throughout the course. Students are required to take the A.P. test.

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES (COLLEGE PREP) 10-12

This course will focus on the current events and issues that affect the United States and its interactions with other countries in the world. It will trace the historical development of relevant issues from the late 20th century and the 21st century and examine their possible impact on the future. Area of focus will include world leaders and events, the environment, economy, health issues, politics, legal issues, technology, and religion.

MODERN WORLD (COLLEGE PREP) 10

This course is a study of history and culture from the mid-18th Century to the present time. It includes a study of the major events, ideologies, and philosophies that have shaped recent development. The second half of this course will focus on major issues facing the contemporary world.

MODERN WORLD (HONORS) 10
A.P. EUROPEAN HISTORY (10-12)

The study of European history since 1450 introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which they live. Without this knowledge, we would lack the context for understanding the development of contemporary institutions, the role of continuity and change in present-day society and politics, and the evolution of current forms of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. In addition to providing a basic narrative of events and movements, the goals of the A.P. program in European History are to develop (a) an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European History, (b) an ability to analyze historical evidence and historical interpretation, and (c) an ability to express historical understanding in writing. Students are required to take the A.P. test.

A.P. MACROECONOMICS (11-12)

An A.P. course in Macroeconomics is designed to give a thorough understanding of the principles of economics that apply to nation’s economic system as a whole. The course focuses on such key economic concepts as Gross Domestic Product, the banking system and creation of money, inflation, unemployment, international trade and the international value of the dollar, the Federal Reserve, and basic supply and demand. Students are required to take the A.P. test. Thorough preparation for this national exam is a priority. However, of equal importance is the goal of providing the necessary tools to our graduates that they may make the best informed economic decisions for their country’s future.