Branham High School
SOCIAL SCIENCE
Course Description
Recommended Course Sequence
th
9 GRADE OPEN FOR
CLASS
ELECTIVE
(p) World History or
(p) World History Honors
(p)AP World History*
(p) US History
or
AP US History*
(p)
(p) American Gov or
(p) AP US Gov*
and
(p) Economics
P = College Prep * = Weighted CUHSD/CSU/UC
Courses
World History The primary goals of this course are to foster a
global view of the modern world, to examine the relationship
between current issues and crises and their historical,
geographic, political, economic, and cultural context and to
provide extensive practice in the development of participation
skills, critical thinking skills, and basic study skills.
World History, Honors This course links the past to the
present by examining major events which have shaped the
modern world over time. The class is designed to help students
make connections between timeless global issues and their
lives today. A global perspective is provided by presenting a
variety of opinions from different world regions. Included in
the course are hands-on investigations that encourage students
to formulate and support personal opinions and to develop
problem solving, analysis, and interpretation skills.
United States History In this course, students examine major
turning points in twentieth century American history. The
following themes are emphasized: the continuing tension
between the individual and the state and between minority
rights and majority power; the emergence of a modern
corporate economy; the impact of technology on American
society and culture; the change in the ethnic composition of
American society; the movements toward equal rights for racial
minorities and women; and the role of the United States as a
major world power. In each unit, students examine American
culture, including literature, art, drama, education, and the mass
media. Students also examine American character and
social/political institutions.
United States History, Advanced Placement The AP U.S.
History course is designed to provide students with the analytic
skills and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with
the problems and materials in U.S. 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, reliability, and
importance—and to weigh the evidence and
interpretations presented in historical
scholarship. An AP U.S. History course
should thus develop the skills necessary to
arrive at conclusions on the basis of an
informed judgment and to present reasons
and evidence clearly and persuasively in
essay format.
Economics This one-semester, California standardsbased course gives students an understanding of how
the American economic system operates. Students are
encouraged to examine their own role in that system.
The course content provides opportunities for
students to study the concepts of scarcity, supply and
demand; to compare our economic system to those of
other countries; and to learn to make reasoned
judgments about economic issues
Bruin College Notebook:
American Government This one-semester
course involves the study of American
politics, government operations, civil rights,
and responsibilities. Students explore the
democratic values that form the foundation of
the American political system, investigate
ideas that underlie its legal system, and study
key documents which have shaped the
government of this nation. Students analyze
issues that confront the United States and the
global community.
United States Government and Politics,
Advanced Placement This one-semester
introductory college course in United States
government and politics or in comparative
government and politics. In both subject areas
there is considerable variety among the
courses offered by colleges. In terms of
content, there is no specific college course
curriculum that an AP course in United States
Government and Politics or in Comparative
Government and Politics must follow.
Therefore, the aim of an AP course should be
to provide the student with a learning
experience equivalent to that obtained in most
college introductory U.S. or comparative
government and politics courses.
.
To be eligible for the CSU and UC systems, students must:
1)
2)
Earn a C or higher in both semesters of World History.
Earn a C or higher in both semesters of U.S. History.
OR
Students must earn a C or higher in one semester of U.S. History and
one semester of American Government.