Francis Scott Key High – Issues in American Society 

Apr 2026 · 2nd Semester

This course is designed to make students aware, concerned, and active in the pursuit of solutions to issues and problems which confront Americans today. Students will learn how to evaluate online information for news and media literacy, apply civil discourse practices to discuss societal issues, and apply a systematic approach, the social investigation model, to research societal issues. These issues are crime, socioeconomics, censorship, immigration, healthcare, politics, and the environment. Students will be required to examine issues from multiple perspectives through a wide variety of resources, group and class discussions. Students will conduct a comprehensive investigation throughout the course to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by their community through a Community Action Project. Course 101501 (Basic) ½ credit This course is designed to make the student aware, concerned, and active in the pursuit of solutions to issues and problems which confront Americans today. Students will learn and apply a systematic approach, the social investigation model, to examine and evaluate course issues. These issues are crime, poverty, censorship, aging, and death. Many views are presented to help students examine issues from different perspectives. A wide variety of resources are used to familiarize students with the issues analyzed. Students are expected to engage in class and group discussions. This course does not cover the breadth and depth of the Issues in American Society class and DOES NOT meet the state graduation requirements. This course is designed to facilitate learning outcomes appropriate to the student's instructional needs as documented in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP).