Economics is a one-semester course REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION. Students are expected to master the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for the course. A PISD district examination is administered at the end of the course to determine mastery. This exam counts 25% of the student’s grade.

This two-semester course focuses on the Principles of Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation and methods and processes by which choices are made in the satisfaction of human wants. As a social science, economics uses scientific methodologies that include quantitative and qualitative elements. Economics IB has a pronounced international approach and considers the current and future problems of less developed countries and their impact on the world economy.

AP macroeconomics is designed to replicate a college-level economics theory course. Because of the amount of material to be covered and the difficulty of the material, it is recommended that only serious students consider this enrollment. Most daily assignments will require 1-2 hours of preparation.

This course is an introduction to macroeconomics. This subdivision of economics deals with the economy as a whole: aggregate national income and output, government spending and taxation, money and banking, monetary policy and international trade. Microeconomics focuses on individual economic entities such as consumers and firms and emphasizes the allocation of resources and outputs between individual entities. Macroeconomics deals with the overall level of output, its rate of growth, and the level of prices in general.

AP macroeconomics is designed to replicate a college-level economics theory course. Because of the amount of material to be covered and the difficulty of the material, it is recommended that only serious students consider this enrollment. Most daily assignments will require 1-2 hours of preparation.

This course is an introduction to macroeconomics. This subdivision of economics deals with the economy as a whole: aggregate national income and output, government spending and taxation, money and banking, monetary policy and international trade. Microeconomics focuses on individual economic entities such as consumers and firms and emphasizes the allocation of resources and outputs between individual entities. Macroeconomics deals with the overall level of output, its rate of growth, and the level of prices in general.

World Geography is more than learning the location of places; it addresses all aspects of cultural and physical geography. Throughout the year, we will examine every region of the world, and learn about the land, people, customs, belief systems, government, economics, modern history, and current events that make that region of the world unique. After completing the course, you will better understand the diverse world in which live and understand different perspectives of various cultures.

The U.S. Government course will include basic structure of our federal government system, a citizen’s role within the democratic political process, and the study of our federal and state constitutions. To be successful in this course, please come to class prepared. Complete all assignments and required reading. Your success is a team effort. The most common reasons for students not doing well are absences. Be prepared, complete all work, participate in class discussion and ask for help if needed. We want you to be successful.

The Advanced Placement course in American Government is designed to give students a critical perspective on politics and government in the United States. This course involves both the studies of general concepts used to interpret American politics and the analysis of specific case studies. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that make up the American political reality. The student will have the opportunity to take the Advanced Placement examination at the conclusion of the course. This course may be used to fulfill the US Government requirement for graduation.

This class is designed to teach each student the thinking skills that relate directly to the process of learning and analyzing history. The course is also designed to introduce each student to the major themes in American History with a special emphasis placed on the Twentieth Century. Click here to go to the US History page.

An AP course in U.S. history provides student a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory U.S. history courses. It is designed to help the student acquire the analytical skills and factual knowledge needed to deal critically with a wide variety of historical problems. Students will also learn to assess historical materials – their relevance to a given issue, their reliability and their importance – and to weigh the evidence and interpretations presented in historical scholarship. The course will help students develop the skills necessary to arrive at conclusions on the basis of informed judgment and to present reasons and evidence clearly and persuasively in your essays.

World History Studies is a survey course focusing on an overview of the entire history of mankind from the earliest civilizations to the present. The major emphasis of the course is the study of significant people, events, and issues from the distant past to the present. The course will follow the curriculum set forth in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and Plano ISD.

The Advanced Placement program in European History is designed as a college-level freshmen course that introduces students to the rich political, cultural, social, and intellectual heritage of Europe during the time period from approximately 1450 to present. This course is designed to motivate and prepare high school students for the AP European History exam which upon passing will earn the student six (6) hours college hour credits. The primary purpose of this course is to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop a strong foundation that will transcend into successful future educational endeavors.

25700B Psychology: Grades 11/12; Half Credit

Prerequisite: None

This course will introduce the student to the science of psychology with emphasis on human behavior. Content of the course will include the study of the facts involved in learning and thinking, intelligence, human development, personality theories, defense mechanisms, abnormal behavior and treatment, and careers in psychology.

Grades 11-12; Half Credit

Prerequisite: None

Psychology AP is designed to meet the requirements of a college level course in psychology. Many of the topics explored in the regular course will be developed to a higher level. Students will be given the opportunity to take the Advanced Placement examination in May. This course requires students to take the Advanced Placement examination.

Sociology presents a comparative look at group behavior in many cultures, social classes, and communities. It introduces the student to the ways sociologists investigate, describe, and analyze social life. The process of socialization, showing how both males and females learn cultural patterns and social norms as children, adolescents, and adults, is a major focus. The topics of race, ethnicity, poverty, and the role of change are also discussed.