HistoryCourseDescriptions


 * __ HONORS AMERICAN HISTORY 8 __** Honors American History is a course designed for students with strong reading, writing and critical thinking skills. The course is intended to better prepare those students looking to take Honors Geography, Honors World History and Advanced Placement American History at the high school level. Students in the Honors American History course will examine the forces and events from Pre-Columbian times through the Civil War that have shaped current day America by drawing upon historical, economic, social and political events. Although the breadth of content is similar to Academic American History, the content depth, process and product is different. There is a greater emphasis on analyzing primary source material and the utilization of critical thinking skills. Instructional technology will be infused throughout this course, including tools such as back-channeling chats, satellite-imaging applications, Wikis, educational alternate reality games, brain-based presentations, online animations, Discovery Education™ assessments, mobile applications, and streaming video.  **__ ACADEMIC AMERICAN HISTORY 8 __**  Academic American History is designed to enhance the student’s awareness of the many forces that have shaped the patterns of American history from Pre-Columbian times through the Civil War. The program draws upon the disciplines of geography, economics, sociology and political science to emphasize the themes of history and the underlying concepts that unify historical events. It is organized on a chronological basis to help give the students a sense of time and continuity. Content reading, writing and map skills are an integral part of the curriculum. Instructional technology will be infused throughout this course, including tools such as back-channeling chats, satellite-imaging applications, Wikis, educational alternate reality games, brain-based presentations, online animations, Discovery Education™ assessments, mobile applications, and streaming video.