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Humanities Options

Questions

• Why do 9th graders not take a social studies course?
• What are the humanities options for rising 12th graders?

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Answers

Why do 9th graders not take a social studies course?

Students at Thomas Jefferson do not take a required history course in their freshman year, since they are required to take a technology course as part of IBET in the slot usually reserved for social studies. As a result, students have the opportunity to choose two semester electives over the course of their TJ education to complete their fourth required social studies credit. Students fare better in these courses after they have some exposure to the skills and rigor required for a high school-level survey social studies course. Therefore, students begin taking these courses either concurrently with World History and Geography 2 in sophomore year, or once that course has been completed.

 

What are the humanities options for rising 12th graders?

All seniors will take AP US Government and either AP Literature and Composition or AP Language and Composition. Here are the four ways that can happen:

1. .Stand-alone AP Lit and stand-alone AP Government. No integration.
2. Stand‐along AP Lang and stand-alone AP Government. No integration.
3. AP Lit + APGovernment = Senior Seminar (teamed)
4. AP Lang + APGovernment = Global Studies (teamed)

In all four options, in English, you will read and you will write; you will work on college essays; you will develop your analytical skills; you will be prepared for a college-level English course. In all four options, in Government, you will learn about campaigns, elections, interest groups, the presidency, and the branches of government, and you will be prepared for a college-level history course.