Electives

The African American Studies course in the Howard County Public School System is designed to develop an understanding of the causes, character, and consequences of the African American experience and its influence on the world, the United States, and the African American community. Beginning with a historical, geographical, social, political, economic, and cultural understanding of the African continent, the course will provide a descriptive and corrective overview which will introduce the student to the study of the African and African American experiences.

  Political Science Concepts
  The Evolution of American Rights and Civil Liberties
  International Politics and Current Political Issues

This course presents a survey of the human experience in the "Old World" from 1000 B.C.E to C.E. The course focuses on civilizations and religions that developed in Africa, the Middle East, China, and Europe. The emphasis is on the major intellectual, social, political, historical, economic, and geographic themes and trends that occur during this time period. 

  Unit 1: Classical Civilizations and Religions

  Unit 2: Expanding Trade and Cultures

  Unit 3: The Medieval Era

This course provides a survey across the discipline of Anthropology. It is divided into three sections: Introduction to Anthropology and Methods of Inquiry, Cultural Anthropology (Socio/Cultural, Linguistic), and Archaeology. The course concludes with a performance based project that allows for the application of student understandings: The Schoolyard Dig.

Anthropology is the study of human beings, past and present, in societies around the world. To understand the full sweep and complexity of cultures across all of human history, anthropology draws and builds upon knowledge from the social, natural, and physical sciences as well as the humanities. Anthropology is a comparative discipline; it assumes basic human continuities over time and place, but also recognizes that every society is the product of its own particular history, and that within every society one finds variation as well as commonalities. Anthropologists are centrally concerned with applying their research findings to the solution of human problems.

  Unit 1: Anthropology and Methods of Inquiry
  Unit 2: The Cultural Perspective: Sociocultural and Linguistic Anthropology
  Unit 3: Archaeology

This interdisciplinary course is divided into three units, one that focuses on the history, literature, philosophy, art, and religions of China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, and India. The second unit is focused on the experiences of people AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) descent in the United States. Unit 3 incorporates the knowledge from both of the previous units to evaluate events of the late 20th and early 21st century.

  Unit I:  The Regional History and Geography of Asia:  This unit focuses on the regional, history, and geography of Asia from ancient civilizations to increased global interactions including imperialism and war. 
  Unit II:  AAPI History in the United States:  This unit centers the experiences of Asians and Asian Americans in the United States from the earliest periods of immigration to the expansion of AAPI civil rights. 
  Unit III:  Global and Domestic Contemporary Issues:  This unit highlights contemporary issues in both Asia and for Asian Americans in the United States. 

Economics is a semester long course introducing basic economic principles and current economic issues with a focus on the American economy. Students will examine components of the American economy such as price, competition, business and banking institutions. We will also examine issues related to the economy as a whole through employment and labor issues, the role of the government in the economy and selected topics on global economics.

  Unit I:  Economic Decision Making

  Unit II:  Exchanges and Markets

  Unit III:  National Economy

  Unit IV:  Global Economy

This course provides an opportunity for students to apply guidelines and principles of ethics, cultural proficiency, and civil discourse to contemporary topics. Students will learn to utilize effective communication skills, empathy, and civility to explore a variety of topics in a culturally diverse society.

  Unit 1: Establishing Ethical Discourse 
  Unit 2: Principles of Ethics 
  Unit 3: Application of Ethical Principles 

Latin American Studies focuses on the historic influences that have led to the evolution of modern Latin America. This course identifies the geographic regions of Latin America and traces the social, political, economic, and international factors that have contributed to the development of this racially, ethnically, politically and economically diverse part of the Western Hemisphere.  Additionally, this course focuses on the historic and contemporary contributions to and experiences of Latin Americans in the United States.  Students will explore these topics through research, analysis, discussion, writing and collaboration.  

  Unit 1 • History and Culture of the Region:  This unit focuses on defining Latin American Studies, the region and geography, indigenous society and culture, colonialism, independence, and nation building.

  Unit 2 • Building Latina/o/x America:  This unit focuses on the relationship among Latin American nations and people with the United States.  Topics include imperialism, immigration, cultural assimilation and survivance, and civil rights.

  Unit 3 • Contemporary Issues:  This unit focuses on contemporary issues facing modern Latin America within the region and in the United States.

This course is designed to allow students to develop an understanding of the American legal system. Students will learn about the origins of modern law and its essential elements, constitutional law, criminal law, and civil law. Schools may include this course as a companion course for American Government, as a preparatory course for Mock Trial, as a requirement for the Government, Law, and Public Administration Academy, or as a general elective.

  Unit One: Introduction to Law
  Unit Two: Constitutional Law
  Unit Three: Criminal Law
  Unit Four: Torts
  Unit Five: Juvenile Law
  Unit Six: Family Law

This semester course emphasizes the acquisition of leadership skills while engaging in a student service learning experience that meets MSDE requirements for graduation. Topics include organizational structure and operational techniques, application of interpersonal skills, collaborative problem solving, and decision-making. Participation in a student service learning project is required for all students 

  Unit 1: What is Leadership?
  Unit 2: Building Leadership Capacity
  Unit 3: Student Service Learning

This course introduces students to the social science discipline of LGBT Studies through three units of study. The first unit focuses on key themes in LGBT Studies including: defining LGBT and Queer Studies, Gender and Sexual Identity, and Community. It also asks students to determine how presentism impacts LGBT Studies from a variety of perspectives. Unit two focuses on the history of LGBT people in the United States from the colonial era to the present. Unit three shifts to a contemporary and global focus asking students to research and analyze issues and questions that continue to shape LGBT Studies today.

  Unit I:  Course Norms, Themes, and Pre-History of LGBT Community

  Unit II:  Queer History of the United States

  Unit III:  Researching Contemporary Issues in the LGBT Community

In this course students study and compare a variety of Native American cultures. They investigate various aspects of these societies such individual and identity, groups and institutions, power and governance, etc. Finally they research a particular culture they find intriguing through the lenses of cultural persistence, creative adaptation, and renewal and resistance.

  Unit I: Comparative History of Native American Nations and Cultures:  This unit introduces students to the four themes of Native American Studies that are woven throughout the course: Sovereignty, Survivance, Settler Colonialism, and Federal Policy. It is followed by geographic inquiries on the regional tribes and nations in the United Stated.

  Unit II: The Four Themes in History:  The Pendulum and Periodization:  In this unit students will learn about the history of Native American experiences from the Proclamation of 1763 through the 1970’s and apply the four themes of Native American Studies to events and periods. 

  Unit III: Shared and Contemporary Issues:  In this unit students will recognize the shared experiences of Native cultures that have shaped them over time, and analyze contemporary issues in order to better understand Native perspectives. 

All political thought thrives on debate. Modern political issues are rarely one-sided and the examination of multiple viewpoints enhances understanding and critical thinking. The incorporation of the history surrounding current political issues also promotes deeper understanding of the reasons why people hold particular views. An understanding of the American political system, with emphasis on the origins and evolution of rights and civil liberties, will help enhance our participatory democracy by empowering students with the knowledge of how the system works and how it can be changed.   Gaining a better understanding of the U.S. in the global context is another goal of this political science elective course.

  Political Science Concepts

  The Evolution of American Rights and Civil Liberties

  International Politics and Current Political Issues

Psychology is the systematic study of individual human behavior and experience. The purpose of this course is to introduce the student to the content, terminology, methodology, and application of the discipline. This survey course contains an introduction followed by four units based on the physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains of psychology. This elective course stresses the application of academic content to the student’s life.

  Unit 1: Introduction to Psychology and the Scientific Inquiry Domain
  Unit 2: The Biopsychology Domain
  Unit 3: The Cognition Domain
  Unit 4: The Development and Learning Domain and the Sociocultural Context Domain
  Unit 5: The Individual Variations Domain and the Applications of Psychology Domain

Sociology is the scientific study of human interactions, social behavior, groups, and institutions. In this course, students will learn to view human society with an objective lens, and beyond their personal experiences and cultural biases. Students will study theories of sociology, culture and social structure, the role of the individual in society, inequality and power, social institutions, and the problems of society.

  Unit 1: The Study of Sociology
  Unit 2: Culture and Social Structure
  Unit 3: The Individual and Society
  Unit 4: Inequality and Power
  Unit 5: Social Institutions
  Unit 6: Collective Behavior & Social Movements
  Unit 7: Selected Social Problems

This course provides an opportunity for students to explore the women’s movements in the United States through an interdisciplinary lens. Students will consider the foundation and history of the women’s movement. Specific topics include socialization and gender stereotypes, sexuality, beauty ideals and media representation, the impact of political and economic systems, the international women’s movement, and intersectionality.

  Unit 1  - Course Introduction, Disciplinary Concepts, and First Wave Feminism to World War II.

  Unit 2 - Second Wave Feminism and Introduction of Summative Assessment Project

  Unit 3 - Third and Fourth Wave Feminsim, Contemporary Issues, Summative Assessment