Social Studies

In this rapidly changing world, it is imperative that the 21st century learner be well-versed in the foundations of the contemporary global setting. Suffield students will have a well-rounded understanding of how the events of the 20th century have provided the background of the 21st century world. Throughout the course of the academic year, students will explore the causes and ramifications of Industrialization, Global Imperialism, World War I, World War II, the Cold War, and Modern Global Issues. The course will be structured in a fashion to allow students to engage with and develop connections between the past and the contemporary world as well as strengthen their global perspective as they attempt to understand their place in this rapidly changing planet. 

Modern World History (A)

The honors level of this course, while studying the same concepts and skills as the academic class, challenges students to work at a deeper level and at a faster pace.  

Modern World History (H)

The success of a democracy depends on the effectiveness of a politically active and informed citizenry. This course is designed to provide students with a theoretical, foundational, and working knowledge of the American governmental system. The purpose of the Civics course is for students to examine the U.S. Constitution, its origins, and how it has evolved over time; providing students with the knowledge, motivation, and capability to become active citizens. Special emphasis will be placed on the concept of “service learning” where students actively research, plan, and potentially act on an issue of particular importance. Students will be provided a framework and develop an understanding of how the political system functions at the local, state, and federal levels as well as develop a sense of their role, the role of the individual citizen, within this system.

American Government and Civics (A)

The honors level of this course, while studying the same concepts and skills as the academic class, challenges students to work at a deeper level and at a faster pace. 

American Government and Civics (H)

Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics offers students an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course includes a study of important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to our national governmental system for those interested in a more rigorous examination of politics, government, history, or legal studies at the collegiate level. Throughout the course, students examine the foundations of American democracy, interactions among the branches of government, civil rights and civil liberties, public opinion and political ideology, and linkage institutions including political parties, campaigns and elections, interest groups, and the mass media. Students who take this college-level course will be prepared and required to take the Advanced Placement examination for which they may receive credits or advanced standing at the college level. 

AP U.S. Government & Politics

Geography is an intensive year-long course that focuses on the distribution, processes, and effects of human populations on the Earth. Unit topics that will be covered include population, migration, culture, language, religion, gender, ethnicity, political geography, economic development, industry, agriculture, and urbanization. The purpose of this course is for students to gain an understanding of the concepts, themes, skills, and perspectives of the academic discipline of Human Geography while developing higher order thinking, writing, and participation skills at a collegial level.

AP Human Geography

American History provides a chrono-thematic overview of the United States from 1865 to the present. Cultural, political, economic, and societal developments are studied as students build upon the foundational knowledge gained in their 8th grade early U.S. History and 10th grade American Government and Civics courses to develop new understandings on how the modern United States emerged. Some featured topics include Innovation and Growth, Civil Rights, America in the 20th Century, and Foreign Policy. Students will progress through the content of American History with particular emphasis placed on historical thinking skills including: chronological thinking, historical comprehension, analysis and interpretation, research skills and decision making, while examining pivotal ideals, events, organizations, and people who shaped our contemporary nation.

American History (A)

The honors level of this course, while studying the same concepts and skills as the academic class, challenges students to work at a deeper level and at a faster pace. 

American History (H)

The course content for AP U.S. History is organized in chronological sequence. These units comprise the content and conceptual understandings that colleges and universities typically expect students to master to qualify for college credit and/or placement. 

The AP historical thinking skills describe what students should be able to do while exploring course concepts. The units embed and spiral these skills throughout the course. 

AP United States History

Psychology is the study of human behavior and mental processes. How do we think? How do we learn? Why do we behave in the manner we do? What does an I.Q. score mean? This course seeks to provide students with answers to these questions and many more regarding the function and operation of the human brain. Through the examination of case studies, students will learn of varying psychological abnormalities and therapies, which include methods of diagnosing potential cognitive, emotional, or intellectual issues as well as methods of treatment. Topics such as Psychological Approaches to Behavior, States of Consciousness, Psychological Disorders, Types of Therapies, Intelligence, Memory, Personality, Social Psychology, Motivation, and Emotion will be covered. 

Introduction to Psychology

Applied Psychology focuses on the members of the class as individual behaviors and personality development are studied. In a sense, the class members are the content of the course. The main component of study is the Transactional Analysis Model which stresses behavior analysis and behavior modification. This model requires students to study individual behaviors and group interactions (of self and others) through the lens of the three ego states that are present in transactional analysis. The other components of the course are stress management theories and strategies, and practice in group dynamics - both processing techniques and activities. How and why do we do the things we do? How can people modify their own behavior over time?

Applied Psychology

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. Students who take this college-level course will be prepared and required to take the Advanced Placement examination for which they may receive credits or advanced standing at the college level.

AP Psychology

The African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino Studies course is a year-long elective in which students will study the scope of African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino contributions to U.S. history, society, economy, and culture. It utilizes Connecticut’s Social Studies Framework themes and inquiry-based approach already familiar to social studies teachers to deliver a content-rich and personalized learning experience.

The course is an opportunity for students to explore accomplishments, struggles, intersections, perspectives, and collaborations of African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino people in the U.S. Students will examine how historical movements, legislation, and wars affected the citizenship rights of these groups and how they, both separately and together, worked to build U.S. cultural and economic wealth and create more just societies in local, national, and international contexts.

Why do we exist? Are we really free, or are we predestined? Is there a god? What is reality? What is good? These are questions philosophers have dealt with since antiquity, and these same questions still intrigue people today. Through active class discussions, students will investigate possible answers to these and other questions in this course, while raising issues involving the application of philosophy into everyday life. Through application techniques of logic, students will be encouraged to be actively involved in the process of constructing a personal philosophy.

Philosophy (H)

In a rapidly changing world, it is imperative that the 21st century learner be well-versed in contemporary global history. This course seeks to build on what students have learned in Modern World History to create both informed and active global citizens. This class focuses on the following topics: Globalization and its impact on economics, resource scarcity, and human migration patterns; international conflicts, threats to both international and national security and strategic responses; international trade and finance, disparities in wealth and power on the international stage; and contemporary strategies for both economic and environmental development and sustainability. Lastly, students will seek to understand America’s changing roles within the international community by evaluating contemporary foreign policy options on a variety of economic, military, environmental, and geopolitical issues. 

International Relations is an elective course. As a semesterized course, students are given the opportunity to vote on which Units of Study they find most compelling. Four of the following Seven Units are covered based on student interest and choice.

International Relations (H)

The purpose of the Introduction to Sociology course is to provide students with a greater understanding of human relationships and behavior within large and small groups of society. What is society? What role does society play in making you, you? How does culture impact people’s behavior? What determines “normal” vs. “weird” behavior? Why do people commit crimes? This course seeks to provide students with answers to many of these types of questions regarding human behavior and society. Topics of study include: Sociological Foundations, Cultural Diversity, Social Structures, Socialization, and Deviance.

Introduction to Sociology

UConn Early College Experience (ECE) provides academically-motivated students the opportunity to take UConn Sociology 1001 while still in high school. 

In sociology, students are encouraged to examine how the world works and their place in it. This course provides a systematic overview of the contemporary social institutions that influence everyday life, providing students with a greater appreciation of the forces that shape their social world. Topics of study include: modern society and its social organization, institutions, communities, groups, and social roles, the socialization of individuals, family, gender, race and ethnicity, religion, social class, crime and deviance, population, cities, political economy, and social change.

Students in this course will earn two separate grades: a high school grade based on SHS grading policies, and a separate grade for the college course based on UConn course requirements. Students in UConn Sociology 1001 are expected to complete several hours of academic work outside of class each week. 

UConn ECE Sociology 1001