The Discovery School

Prerequisite: None

Length: 1 semester

Credit: .5 per semester

Students in World History 9 will examine the origins of beliefs systems such as: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students will also study world history by investigating the theme of Global Expansion and Encounter (Approximately 1400-1750). Studies will use a variety of social studies skills including: examining data and facts and drawing conclusions from the data, separating fact from opinion, explaining ideas, writing essays, comparing and contrasting, recognizing cause and effect, and working collaboratively. This course is combined with English 9, Digital Communications and Geometry to form The Discovery School's unique freshman cohort block.

World History 10 (SOC201/202)

Prerequisite: World History 9

Length: 2 semesters/year long

Credit: .5 per semester

Students in World History 10 will examine world history, geography, and concepts in economics from 1750 to the present. Content in the course includes topics such as: The Age of Revolution, the Causes and Consequences of International Conflicts, Challenges to Human Rights, and the Emergence of New Nations . Studies will use a variety of social studies skills including: examining data and facts and drawing conclusions from the data, separating fact from opinion, explaining ideas, writing essays, comparing and contrasting, recognizing cause and effect, and working collaboratively.

U.S. History (SOC301/302)

Prerequisite: World History 10

Length: 2 semesters/year long

Credit: .5 per semester

U.S. History will explore the ideas of industrialism and the emergence of the U.S. as a world power (1877-1919); reform, prosperity, and depression (1918-1938); World War II, the Cold War, international relations, and the rise of globalization (1939-present); and post WWII domestic, political, social, and economic issues (1945-present). Students will study causes of conflict, analyze primary source documents such as The Constitution and Bill of Rights .

Senior History (SOC401/402)

Prerequisite: U.S. History

Length: 2 semesters/year long

Credit: 1.0

This two semester (1.0 cr) course will cover Civics (Government); Economics; and Contemporary World Problems. Specifically the course will focus on the structure of the US, state, and local government, our legal system, the workings of representative democracy and the role of the American citizen; the study of how people and governments choose to utilize scarce resources and will cover key concepts such as scarcity, opportunity cost, supply, demand and markets; and finally study problems facing the world today by learning about resources, international disputes, world trade, cultural conflict, overpopulation and nationalism. Senior project completion will be anchored within this class.

Learning will be demonstrated through written assignments/essays, oral presentations, individual projects, quizzes/tests, journals, simulations, and debates. In addition students may be designing their own Web page.

Psychology: Mysterious Minds (YSS302)

Prerequisite: 10-12 grade

Length: Semester

Credit: .5

Psychology is the study of why people behave the way they do. Content ranges from the study of the brain to mental illnesses, from sleep and dreams to consciousness, just to name a few. The course material is taught through the use of activities, current research, landmark experiments, and hands on lessons. Come and learn about why we do what we do.Learning will be demonstrated through the following activities: Create a 3-D brain, research a mental illness, watch video clips of landmark experiments, and discuss reasons for people's behavior.

Intro to Philosophy (YSS000)

Prerequisite: 11-12 grade

Length: Semester

Credit: .5

This course will explore the foundations of knowledge, questions of existence, the status of moral claims, and the essence of thought. We sill discuss issues ranging from the nature of reality to the nature of morality, while always keeping in mind two broad philosophical concerns: What is knowledge? and What is the mind? Examples of more specific questions to be discussed include: Does the world really exist? Is it all in my head? Is my mind a physical part of the material world? Or is it perhaps an immaterial something? I know that I can think, but how do I know that you can think? Could a machine ever think?