U.S. History traces the nation’s history from the pre-colonial period to the present. Students learn about the Native American, European, and African people who lived in America before it became the United States. They examine the beliefs and philosophies that informed the American Revolution and the subsequent formation of the government and political system. Students investigate the economic, cultural, and social motives for the nation’s expansion, as well as the conflicting notions of liberty that eventually resulted in civil war. The course describes the emergence of the United States as an industrial nation and then focuses on its role in modern world affairs.

Moving into the 20th and 21st centuries, students probe the economic and diplomatic interactions between the United States and other world players while investigating how the world wars, the Cold War, and the “information revolution” affected the lives of ordinary Americans. Woven through this chronological sequence is a strong focus on the changing conditions of women, African Americans, and other minority groups.

The course emphasizes the development of historical analysis skills such as comparing and contrasting, differentiating between facts and interpretations, considering multiple perspectives, and analyzing cause-and-effect relationships. These skills are applied to text interpretation and in written assignments that guide learners step-by-step through problem-solving activities.

This course is built to state standards and informed by the National Council for History Education, the National Center for History in the Schools, and the National Council for Social Studies.

2 semesters, 1 credit

Multicultural Studies is a one-semester elective history and sociology course that examines the United States as a multicultural nation. The course emphasizes the perspectives of minority groups while allowing students from all backgrounds to better understand and appreciate how race, culture and ethnicity, and identity contribute to their experiences.

Major topics in the course include identity, immigration, assimilation and distinctiveness, power and oppression, struggles for rights, regionalism, culture and the media, and the formation of new cultures.

In online Discussions and Polls, students reflect critically on their own experiences as well as those of others. Interactive multimedia activities include personal and historical accounts to which students can respond using methods of inquiry from history, sociology, and psychology. Written assignments and Journals provide opportunities for students to practice and develop skills for thinking and communicating about race, culture, ethnicity, and identity.

This course is built to state standards and informed by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies as well as the National Standards for History published by the National Center for History in Schools (NCHS).

1 semester, 0.50 credit

Geography and World Cultures offers a tightly focused and scaffolded curriculum that enables students to explore how geographic features, human relationships, political and social structures, economics, science and technology, and the arts have developed and influenced life in countries around the world. Along the way, students are given rigorous instruction on how to read maps, charts, and graphs, and how to create them.

Geography and World Cultures is built to state standards and informed by standards from the National Council for History Education, the National Center for History in the Schools, and the National Council for Social Studies.

Geography and World Cultures is designed as the first course in the social studies sequence. It develops note-taking skills, teaches the basic elements of analytic writing, and introduces students to the close examination of primary documents.

1 semester, 0.5 credit

This course traces the nation’s history from the end of the Civil War to the present. It describes the emergence of the United States as an industrial nation, highlighting social policy as well as its role in modern world affairs.

Students evaluate the attempts to bind the nation together during Reconstruction while also exploring the growth of an industrial economy. Moving into the 20th and 21st centuries, students probe the economic and diplomatic interactions between the United States and other world players while investigating how the world wars, the Cold War, and the “information revolution” affected the lives of ordinary Americans. Woven through this chronological sequence is a strong focus on the changing conditions of women, African Americans, and other minority groups.

The course emphasizes the development of historical analysis skills such as comparing and contrasting, differentiating between facts and interpretations, considering multiple perspectives, and analyzing cause-and-effect relationships. These skills are applied to text interpretation and in written assignments that guide learners step-by-step through problem-solving activities.

This course is built to state standards and informed by the National Council for History Education, the National Center for History in the Schools, and the National Council for Social Studies.

2 semesters, 1 credit

Middle School U.S. History delivers instruction, practice, and review designed to build middle school students’ knowledge of U.S. history, from the peopling of North America through the era of Reconstruction. Students engage with the subject matter in an interactive, feedback-rich environment as they progress through standards-aligned content. By constantly honing their ability to analyze history, students build the depth of knowledge and higher-order thinking skills required to demonstrate their mastery when put to the test.

The two-semester course is arranged in themed units, each with three to five lessons. In each unit, activities make complex ideas about U.S. history accessible through focused content, guided analysis, multi-modal representations, and personalized feedback. Each lesson includes a variety of activities such as direct instruction, application of skills, performance tasks, and formative and summative assessments. Students engage with the subject matter in an interactive, feedback-rich environment as they progress through standards-aligned content and demonstrate their learning through computer- and teacher-scored assignments.

Middle School U.S. History is built to state standards and informed by the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards.