Curriculum » Social Studies Department

Social Studies Department

This course examines the history and culture of the world, focusing on Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. The course considers how each region developed and changed, and how the interaction between regions shaped the patterns of world history. The course focuses on critical people, events, ideas, and developments during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
Prerequisite: None; a course open to freshmen. Required for graduation.
This course examines the history and culture of the world, focusing specifically on Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The material covered is similar to the World History-Geography course, but additional emphasis is placed on the interaction between world regions, and on identifying long term patterns in history across time periods.
Prerequisite: To be considered for admission, students must submit an application form, take a pre-test, and receive department approval.
This course explores New Mexico’s history from its acquisition by the United States to the present. This includes an examination of our state’s contributions to and involvement in the major political, cultural, and economic events in 20th century American history, including WWI, the Great Depression, WWII, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights Movement. Students will be required to use critical thinking skills in both class discussions and creative projects along with individual “explorations” of New Mexico.
This course takes a chronological approach to U.S. history with special emphasis on the late 19th century and the 20th century. Methods of instruction used are lectures, discussion, and simulation activities.
Prerequisite: None; a course open to juniors. Required for graduation.
A college level course designed to provide students with the analytic skill and factual knowledge necessary to deal critically with the problem and materials in U.S. History. Document analysis, historical essay writing and group discussion are skills featured in the course. ALL students MUST take the AP Examination as part of the requirements for the course. The fee for the exam is set by the St. Pius X High School AP Coordinator, which at the time of publication was $94.00.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval, application required.
This course is a required course for seniors that introduces students to the American system of government with emphasis on the Constitution and three branches of the national government. These topics are enriched through the presentation of macro- and micro-economic principles, the study of current events, role-playing activities that include mock elections, mock legislature, and mock trials. A speaker series is conducted that features presentation by political candidates and current government office holders. Active participation in citizenship is also stressed.
Prerequisite: None; a course open to seniors. Required for graduation.
In addition to the requirements for the grade level American Government course, AP United States Government and politics and grade level Economics is designed to give the student a non-partisan analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. Students are expected to be self-motivated and self-directed. A high volume of reading is required from the college level text as well as a variety of other sources. Students will also prepare for the national AP Examination in May, which ALL students MUST take to receive credit for the course. The fee for the exam is set by the St. Pius X High School AP coordinator, which at the time of publication was $100.00.
Prerequisite: Departmental approval, application required.
The AP Psychology course introduces students to the systematic and scientific study of human behavior and mental processes. While considering the psychologists and studies that have shaped the field, students explore and apply psychological theories, key concepts and phenomena associated with such topics as the biological bases of behavior, sensation, and perception, learning and cognition, motivation, developmental psychology, testing and individual differences, treatments of psychological disorders, and social psychology. Throughout the course, students employ psychological research methods, including ethical considerations, as they use the scientific method, evaluate claims, and evidence, and effectively communicate ideas. AP Psychology would provide an opportunity to students who wish to complete studies in secondary school equivalent to an introductory college course. College credit may be awarded based on the results of the AP exam.
Prerequisite: To be considered for admission, students must complete an application form and receive department approval.
This course examines the role of sports in American society. The material covered will examine how sports have impacted this country and become an integral part of American culture. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of sports in the areas of integration, gender equality, ethics and morals, and economics.
Prerequisite: An elective course open to all juniors and seniors.
8th Grade
In this course, students encounter and discuss the history of our nation from the days before its first founding until just after its re-founding following the Civil War. Students will engage with this basic story through mastering skills such as note-taking, primary source analysis, group discussion, and project learning. In addition, students will gain a mastery of American physical and political geography, the foundational documents and institutions of our government, and the relevant teachings of our Catholic faith on social and political life.