Program of Studies Program of Studies 2018-19 | Page 29

their dead? Was Lincoln really
“The Great Emancipator” or did the
slaves actually free themselves?
Why did the Ku Klux Klan reach 4
million members in the 1920s and
parade through Saco’s Main St.?
Was the dropping of the atomic
bomb in WWII a military necessity
or political message? In tackling
these essential questions and
countless others, students in AP US
History will confront the dominant
themes of American history and
develop an understanding of
why America has become the
nation it is today. Students in this
challenging college-level course
will prepare for the required
College Board AP US History exam
by learning the critical reading,
writing and analytical skills
necessary to develop an advanced
understanding of US history
and become great historians
themselves.
ELECTIVES
Students will be able to choose
between a number of courses,
some full-year and some semester
long, representing a wider array of
the social sciences.
Civics & Personal Finance
(0.5 credit)
Grades 11 & 12
Do you want to be an informed
voter? Do you want to retire at the
age of 55? Do you want your money
to grow? In this class students will
be educated to become strong
citizens and manage their finances
effectively. We will teach “who to
ask, where to go, and how to plan
for the future.” The skills learned
in the class will be useful for the
rest of your life—guaranteed!
Through this class you will gain an
understanding of the banking and
credit system, retirement plans,
the power of investing in stocks,
mutual funds, cd’s, bonds, and real
estate. From the start we will be
researching possible investment
plans for all stages of life. You will
become familiar with the political
system and issues that are being
addressed here in America. You
will understand the process of
government and see how it is used
our everyday lives. We will become
familiar with the local government
policies and officials in the Saco
community and understand the
role, the rights and responsibilities,
of citizens at all levels of
government and in the world today.
Economics (0.5 credit)
Grades 11 and 12
How do choices end up determining
what, how, and for whom goods
and services are produced? When
do choices made in the pursuit
of self- interest also promote the
social interest? Are we on the
edge of a “fiscal cliff?” In this
class, we will study how individuals
and groups make decisions with
limited resources in order best
to satisfy their wants, needs,
and desires. This course will give
students a greater understanding
of econo mics ranging from
the viewpoint of the individual
consumer or small business
owner to the global economy. We
will study the law of supply and
demand, forms of business, labor
unions, government finances and
their influence on the economy,
money and prices, inflation and
deflation cycles. The course will
relate history and psychology to the
study of economics.
AP Macroeconomics (1 credit)
Grades 11 and 12
Students will become familiar with
the economic principles that guide
an economic system. Students will
study basic economic concepts,
measurements of a nation’s
economic performance, price-level
determination, the financial sector,
fiscal and monetary policy, and the
implications of international trade
www.thorntonacademy.org
and globalization. This course will
prepare students for the required
College Board AP Macroeconomics
exam.
AP European History (1 credit)
Grade 12
Prerequisite: Placement by
instructor
Napoleon, Bismarck and Churchill
are but three figures that have left
their mark on the course of modern
history yet are rarely addressed
in other history class. Through
an exploration of the events that
have shaped the path of Europe’s
existence, a greater understanding
of global, national and local topics
is possible. Students should expect
to be challenged not just with
voluminous readings but also in
the organization and analysis of
new data, through their writing
and verbal skills and in myriad
other ways which will challenge
their understanding of the world.
Reaching back as far as 1450
and spanning to the current age,
this course will prepare students
for the required College Board AP
European History exam.
Government (0.5 credit)
Grades 11 & 12
What is government? What does
it do? Why do we need it? How
does it affect me? Can I change
it? Whether you realize it or
not, government impacts your
life on a daily basis. American
Government is a senior elective
course that investigates the
basic principles and purposes
of government, methods of
government participation, local and
state government, and the three
branches of federal government.
Current government policies
and political issues, the delicate
relationship between individual
rights and society, and democratic
traditions are all investigated and
discussed. Reading, research, and
writing are staples of the class.
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