Renaissance High School – Ethnic Studies: African American Studies

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

1 credits / Full year course / In Ethnic Studies: African American Studies, an elective course, students learn about the history and cultural contributions of African Americans. This course is designed to assist students in understanding issues and events from multiple perspectives. This course develops an understanding of the historical roots of African American culture, especially as it pertains to social, economic, and political interactions within the broader context of United States history. It requires an analysis of important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions. Knowledge of past achievements provides citizens of the 21st century with a broader context within which to address the many issues facing the United States. Ethnic Studies. 0.5 credits / 1 Semester / Grades: 11, 12 In Ethnic Studies: AP African American Studies, an elective course, students learn about the history and cultural contributions of African Americans through literature, the arts and humanities political science, geography, and science. This course is designed to assist students in understanding the contributions and experiences of African American. 0.5 credits / 1 Semester / Grades: 11, 12 In Ethnic Studies: AP African American Studies, an elective course, students learn about the history and cultural contributions of African Americans through literature, the arts and humanities political science, geography, and science. This course is designed to assist students in understanding the contributions and experiences of African American. The goal of this course is to provide a narrative of events and movements in Europe from 1450 to the present. This will include the period from the High Renaissance to the recent past. In addition, students in this course will develop an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European history, an ability to analyze historical evidence, and an ability to express that understanding and analysis in writing. This course prepares students for the AP exam in May. This challenging course provides students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the history of genocide through the modern times. This course incorporates history, sociology, psychology, international law, current events, debate, and critical thinking. Students will gain insight and use tools necessary to identify the conditions leading to and the stages of genocide. This course will help students develop sympathy and empathy for the victims of genocide while highlighting and understanding history and the role of the international community, as well as possibilities for individuals to affect positive change. 0.5 credits / 1 Semester / Grades: 11, 12 This challenging course provides students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the history of genocide through the modern times. This course incorporates history, sociology, psychology, international law, current events, debate, and critical thinking. Students will gain insight and use tools necessary to identify the conditions leading to and the stages of genocide. This course will help students develop sympathy and empathy for the victims of genocide while highlighting and understanding history and the role of the international community, as well as possibilities for individuals to affect positive change. American History Through Film explores United States History through the lens of Hollywoodproduced films. In this course students will engage in critical thinking practices to examine the point of view, bias, accuracy and historiography of the events depicted in film. They will examine the effect artistic choices of film producers, writers, and editor have on the interpretation of the past. Students will examine the effects of storylines, selected facts, appropriate sources and arrangement of this information to critically view the Hollywood approach to History. This course provides students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the forces that shape their lives and the world in which they live, while using social science knowledge and skills to engage in the analysis of complex problems. $^ \* \\mathrm { A }$ student can take up to 4 semesters of STSS with different content in each semester. This course provides students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the forces and individuals that caused the Holocaust and the effects that the Holocaust had on the world. Students will engage in critical thinking about the history, government and psychology that brought about the genocide of Jews and other oppressed groups in Nazi Germany. while using social science knowledge and skills to engage in the analysis of complex problems. This course provides students with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the forces that shape their lives and the world in which they live, while using social science knowledge and skills to engage in the analysis of complex problems. 0.5 credits / 1 Semester / Grades: 11, 12, 10 This course is a corequisite for AP Psychology. It is highly recommended that all students who take this course in the fall will proceed into AP Psychology in the Spring. This course will begin the research process and methodology for AP Psychology studies in human behavior, theories, and philosophies of psychology. Students will complete research projects and read extensively. The focus of this course is preparation for successful completion of the AP exam in May. Grades: 11, 12, 10 In this elective course, students study the science of behavior and mental processes. Students examine the full scope of the science of psychology such as the historical framework, methodologies, human development, motivation, emotion, sensation, perception, personality development, cognition, learning, intelligence, biological foundations, mental health, and social psychology