The Coatesville Area High School Social Studies Department is committed to delivering a vibrant social studies program that provides students with the requisite skills to become active citizens. Within this program, students will study the social, political, economic, and geographic implications of the past and how those implications influence our present and the future. Students will also develop a deep understanding and appreciation of United States and world history. We are pleased to offer a variety of courses and subjects to our student body.

History and Social Studies Course Selections

NOTE: Student placement in Social Studies courses will be based upon the high school leveling rubric!

8241 PSYCHOLOGY 1.0 Credit Grade 10

9241 PSYCHOLOGY 1.0 Credit Grade 11-12

This course is an introduction to the basic fundamentals of human behavior and mental processing. This course will cover such areas as: history of psychology, biological basis of behavior, research methods, sensation, perception, learning, cognition, memory and personality.

9240 AP PSYCHOLOGY 1.0 Credit Grades 10-12 (prerequisites: at least 85% in previous Honors Social Studies class and teacher recommendation)

AP Psychology provides an opportunity for highly motivated students to prepare for taking the AP Psychology test. Success on this test could result in obtaining college credit in an introductory Psychology course. The course will cover all the major areas of Psychology.

8252 HONORS EUROPEAN HISTORY 1.0 Credit 
8254 ACADEMIC EUROPEAN HISTORY 1.0 Credit 

This course is a survey of the political, social, economic, and cultural developments of European nations and their influential impact on cultures worldwide. Through examining the themes of democratic ideals, science and technology, cultural interaction, power and authority, economic development, and the impact of individuals and groups, empire building, and revolution, students will better understand the historical development of  Western civilization and its influence around the world.

9222 HONORS AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE  1.0 Credit 

This course provides a reorientation of perspectives on African American experience in the U.S. It is designed to provide the student with comprehensive knowledge about the heinous institution of slavery and its offspring racial discrimination in America. This course will highlight obstacles African Americans have faced in their quest for freedom and then equality. Their story from Africa to America including their struggles, victories, and major contributions to this country and world civilization in sciences, the arts, etc, will also be explored. This course will help students understand the historical events and persons that have shaped the African American experience. Through use of videos, reading materials, and discussions, students will gain a new perspective on this large and diverse community of Americans. 

9220 AP WORLD HISTORY 1.0 Credit 

AP World History is an introductory college-level history course. This course will look at history in a global context, from the first primitive societies to our complex modern-day world. Students will use historical evidence, chronological reasoning, comparison and contextualization, and historical interpretation and synthesis to help to attain a global understanding of historical events. Unlike many history courses, this course examines all geographic areas throughout time, and includes a history of both Eastern and Western worlds.

9230 AP EUROPEAN HISTORY 1.0 Credit 

AP European History is a challenging course that is meant to be the equivalent of a freshman college course and can earn students college credit. It is a two-semester survey of European history from 1300 to the present. Solid reading and writing skills, along with a willingness to devote considerable time to homework and study, are paramount to success. Emphasis is placed on critical and evaluative thinking skills, essay writing, interpretation of original documents, and verbal communication. A short research paper linking European literature and history is required per marking period.

9242 HONORS AMERICAN GOVERNMENT 1.0 Credit Grades 11-12
9244 ACADEMIC AMERICAN GOVERNMENT 1.0 Credit Grades 11-12

The American Government course will focus primarily on the institutions of the U.S. government, the Bill of Rights, and related topics. This course will also include an Economics component.

9250 AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS 1.0 Credit Grade 12 (prerequisite: AP, Honors, or Academic Modern American History and teacher recommendation)

This course prepares students to take the national AP Exam which may lead to earning college credits. The course covers issues of constitutional development, institutions of government, the political process, and public policy.

9260 AP UNITED STATES HISTORY 1.0 Credit Grade 11 (prerequisites: at least 87% in previous English and History courses taken and teacher recommendation)

This course is an extremely demanding and intense study of American history from colonial times to the present. This course is taught at a college level. Due to the rigorous writing demands of this course, the prerequisites shown above must be adhered to.

9262 HONORS MODERN AMERICAN HISTORY *1.0 Credit Grades 11-12

This is a Dual Credit course offered in cooperation with Montgomery County Community College. This course is a study in American history from Reconstruction to the present. Topics include, but are not limited to: Imperialism, WWI, the Twenties, the Great Depression, WWII, the Cold War, the Civil Rights struggle, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the Kennedy assassination. *9262 can be taken for dual credit (pending approval). 

 
9264 ACADEMIC MODERN AMERICAN HISTORY 1.0 Credit Grades 11-12

Modern American History is a study of American history beginning with events leading to World War I. Topics include, but are not limited to: Imperialism, WWI, the Twenties, the Great Depression, WWII, the Cold War, the Civil Rights struggle, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the Kennedy assassination. 

 
9270 AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 1.0 Credit Grades 10-12 (prerequisites: At least 85% in previous Honors Social Studies course and teacher  recommendation)

AP Human Geography is the study of the distribution of people and their actions on the surface of the earth. This course is a combination of two social sciences: geography and sociology. This course will challenge students to make connections between humans and their global environment, while enhancing the study of all social sciences.

9283 Honors Historical Research & Preservation I                     1 Credit       

Students will become familiar with local historic districts and ordinances, National Registry criteria, National Landmark criteria, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, Garden types, preservation planning, tax incentives and section 106. Students will choose a research topic, look through libraries, archives, museums, conduct oral history interviews, and visit historic sites.  Collins Writing activities will be utilized daily in class. They will analyze and interpret the sources, and draw conclusions about the significance of their topic.  Student will present their work in one of five ways:  as a paper, an exhibit, a performance, a documentary, or a web site.  In the spring students’ may enter their work in the Chester/Delaware Counties contest where it will be judged by professional educators and historians.  If the work is chosen as one of the best, they will move on to the Pennsylvania National History Day (NHD) contest.  If a student wins the state NHD contest, he/she will be eligible to attend the Kenneth R. Behring National History Day Contest at the University of Maryland at College Park in the summer.  This is where the bests NHD projects from across the United States, American Samoa, Guam, International Schools and Department of Defense Schools in Europe all meet and compete.

9284 Honors Historical Research & Preservation II                      1 Credit       (Prerequisite: Completion of the level I course)

Students develop understanding of the evolution of the national and local historic preservation movements; communication of the need of, and benefits of, historic preservation at the local, state, and federal levels; an understanding of the legal basis for historic preservation, as well as its theory and philosophy; and the establishment of connections between the responsible stewardship of our historical, cultural, social, and economic well-being.  Via the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) mini-lessons students will be guided through the correct way to research, document, and submit historical properties for recognition/preservation. Students use the lessons to develop heritage history based assembly programs for students and or parents in the Coatesville Area School District elementary schools in order to show the students and perhaps wider community where Coatesville fits in the wider scope American History. Covers architectural styles and terms, interiors, interior terms, historic landscapes, archeology, and terms, and design issues common to various types of preservation projects as well as new development.

9285 Honors Historical Research & Preservation III                      1 Credit       (Prerequisite: Completion of the level I and II course)

This is year three of a four-year program designed to be taught in conjunction with the traditional history courses already offered by the Coatesville Area School District. This part of the program focuses on building materials, conservation, and building preservation technology.  Students will meet either by visiting or via virtual instruction with preservation experts.  This is a career technical education program that requires field trips and field experiences outside the traditional school trip model. A field trip in this program might include a trip to an art museum not to view the exhibits, but rather to meet with curators and conservators to tour the back rooms where cleaning, preservation and storage are managed. Field experience might include photography, creation of plot plans, and detailed descriptions of design, architecture, and site management. In year four of the program, students will be expected to undertake some form of internship related to a preservation field and perform at least 10+ hours of unpaid service.

9286 Honors Historical Research & Preservation IV                      1 Credit       (Prerequisite: Completion of the level I, II, and III course)

The Chester County Historic Preservation Network has graciously offered to form an ongoing association with the students in the program and offer them the opportunity to work with individuals who are preserving various properties across Chester County. The students are invited to engage on a monthly basis with these individuals through an existing CCHPN program that features a different property each month and culminating in the opportunity for our students to write produce and present a 20 minute video on the Gardner Beale House. Through this association students will be able to engage in authentic preservation activities. They will be able to ask questions about the choices made by the property owners regarding craftsmanship, funding, and the various legalities related to preserving properties. The students can use the stories and experiences of these individuals and groups to inform the choices that they recommend to the school district for the Gardner Beal House. Year 4 is meant to be characterized by a series of actions related to the Gardner Beale House. The students can use their access to preservationists and property owners to help them develop their plan and presentation on the Gardner Beale House.

9290 AP MACRO-ECONOMICS                                                           1 Credit                               

Advanced Placement Economics is designed to provide students with the conceptual tools necessary to develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of micro and macroeconomics. This course will examine the market system, and the forces that shape economic change, and public policy, all of which ultimately influence personal economic behaviors including loss aversion, and consumption. The microeconomics component is an examination of basic economic concepts, the function of product markets, factor markets, reasons for market failure and the role of government. The macroeconomic component of the course outlines the basic differences between micro and macro concepts. There is an emphasis on the role of finance and trade. The students will be introduced to the methods used in the measurement of economic performance. The course also defines financial sectors and encourages students to use economic reasoning to determine the causes of inflation, unemployment, productivity and economic change. This is an academically rigorous course that is taught at a collegiate level. All students will have the opportunity to take the Advanced Placement Test for this course and earn college credit.