High School
History
Welcome to the Ribét Academy High School History Department! We offer a wide range of studies that are focused on World, and U.S. History. Our upper level classes include Advanced Placement (AP) European History, AP World History, AP U.S. History, and AP Government. AP classes are taught from the perspective of a college level class. The major difference between a college level class and a regular high school history class is the expanded amount of reading and depth of focus. The AP curriculum demands higher-order thinking skills combined with a rigorous academic context. Students will frequently be required to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate primary and secondary historical sources, in addition to comprehending, memorizing, and applying facts; documentary material, maps, statistical tables, works of art, and pictorial and graphic materials will also be used to expand the students’ knowledge of the content.
In the AP European history class students will be exposed to the cultural, political, social, and economic changes that have taken place in Europe from the time of the Renaissance all the way up to the Cold War and beyond. AP World History is an all-encompassing seminar class dealing with events that range from the Stone Age all the way to the Nuclear Age. This class is the most comprehensive study of history offered here at Ribét. In AP U.S. History students will learn about the origins of the American colonies through to the end of the twentieth century. This is also a seminar style course that covers the major themes of U.S. history. Students will be guided in instruction that is aimed at a more complete understanding of why things happened, instead of when they happened. In AP Government students are introduced to the major forces at work within the American political system. Instruction will deal with the concepts of Constitutional law, the legislative process and the ideology of our system of federalism and democracy.
Regular high school history classes from ninth to twelfth grade will focus on many of the same areas of study that the AP courses cover but will not contain the same level of concentration and study of the AP classes. In keeping with the multi-cultural atmosphere here at Ribét all history classes no matter what the grade level will expose students to the perspectives of all cultures and civilizations. All classes will focus on the political, social, cultural, and economic changes that have shaped the world as we know it. In addition, an inquiry approach will be used to look at the past and evaluate its impact on the world today. We also study and celebrate the contributions of women and minorities. The overriding purpose of our department is to bring history alive to all our students, to enable them to become tolerant of others, and to help them become lifelong learners.
Learning Objectives for AP History students
Students will be able to:
- Use time management and develop organizational study skills
- Develop critical reading of primary and secondary sources
- Evaluate historical interpretations
- Develop essay writing and oral communication
- Evaluate cause and effect relationships
- Make comparative analysis of historical documents
- Make historical analogies
- Use inductive and deductive reasoning
Methodology
- We teach our history courses through lecture/discussion, simulations, debates, skits, oral reports, written reports, and cooperative work.