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Social Studies Department

 

Social Studies

All students at Thomas Jefferson will take four credits of Social Studies.  All courses are taught at the honors or Advanced Placement level, and provide students with a solid foundation in historical and social science reasoning skills, reading, writing, critical thinking, and communication.  Social studies courses incorporate the study of history, politics, religion, geography, as well as several other fields from the social sciences and humanities.  Students complete three out of the four social studies courses by taking the following required courses:

1. 10th Grade:  World History and Geography II as part of Humanities I (teamed with English 10: World Literature)

2. 11th Grade: either AP United States History or Honors US/VA History as part of Humanities II (teamed with English 11: American Literature)

3. 12th Grade: AP United States Government.  AP Government may be taken as a stand-alone course or teamed with AP Literature (Senior Seminar) or teamed with AP Language (Global Studies)

All of the teamed courses emphasize connections between social studies and literature while continuing the emphasis on analytical writing, responsible research, and critical thinking. Students earn the fourth social studies credit by completing one credit of some combination of social studies electives from the following list that are offered during the school year: America and the World since 1989, Ancient and Classical Civilizations, Anthropology, Economic Theory, Ethical Leadership, History of Science, Inquiry into Ideas, Law and Society, Neuropsychology, One Question, Religious Studies, and Twentieth Century World History. Please note: World History and Geography I IS NOT a required course. 

Courses

Below are the courses offered through the Social Studies department. See the Online Course Guide for specific course descriptions.

AP European History AP Government / Global Studies AP Government / Senior Seminar AP Psychology AP US Government & Politics AP US History (HUM 2) AP Microeconomics AP Macroeconomics

20th Century World History Ancient & Classical Civilizations America & the World Since 1989 Art, Technology, and Culture Economics Theory Ethical Leadership History of Science and Ideas Inquiry in Ideas

Intro to Science & Technology Policy Law & Society Neuropsychology One Question Physical/Cultural Anthropology Religious Studies US & Virginia History (HUM 2) World History & Geography 2 (HUM 1)

Faculty
Monte Bourjaily MFBourjaily@fcps.edu	Brian Field Department Chair BJField@fcps.edu	Millie Harris MHHarris1@fcps.edu	Amanda Hurowitz ADHurowitz@fcps.edu
Malhaz Jibladze MJibladze@fcps.edu	Richard Monteverde RTMonteverde@fcps.edu	Jo-Ann Muir JMuir@fcps.edu	Josephine (Joey) Porcelli JGPorcelli@fcps.edu
Aaron Sacks AMSacks@fcps.edu	Rebecca Glatter Schgallis RJSchgallis@fcps.edu	Elizabeth Sheptyck EASheptyck@fcps.edu	John Struck JRStruck@fcps.edu
Kurt Waters KWaters@fcps.edu	Jay Wickliff JDWickliff@fcps.edu	Haywon Yi HYi@fcps.edu	David Zack DRZack@fcps.edu