East High School Course Catalog - All Courses

SOC1220

AP African American Studies is designed as an evidence-based introduction to African American studies that prepares students for the intellectual challenge of studying African American historical and cultural influences at the college level. The interdisciplinary course reaches into a variety of fields—literature, the arts and humanities, political science, geography, science—to explore the vital contributions and experiences of African Americans. The course will take students beyond the popular aspects of African American history to highlight the resistance movements and cultural traditions that influence modern history.Topics will include the reign of Queen Nzinga Mbande in northern Angola, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Black Panthers. It will also include lesser-known activists like Valerie L. Thomas, the African American scientist who invented the Illusion transmitter at NASA. Context will be included to provide students an opportunity for a deeper examination of the Black Experience in America.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC1220
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Alternative to Modern US History

SOC2090

This is a year-long, sequential course. Students will not be permitted to enroll in the second semester without successful completion of the first semester. This class helps prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement test in European history in May.

The study of European history since 1450 (High Renaissance to the present) introduces students to cultural, economic, political, and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which they live. Without this knowledge, we would lack the context for understanding the development of contemporary institutions, the role of continuity and change in present-day society and politics, and the evolution of current forms of artistic expression and intellectual discourse. In addition to providing the narrative of events and movements, the goals of AP European History are to develop (a) an understanding of some of the principal themes in modern European history, (b) an ability to analyze historical evidence and historical perception, and (c) an ability to express historical understanding in writing. Units of study include: Renaissance and Reformation, Age of the Absolutist State, Age of Enlightenment, French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, Unification with Germany, Age of Imperialism, Global Wars, and Postwar Europe.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC2090
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Successful completion of World History, strong GPA, determination and persistence to succeed.

SOC3025

This class helps prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement test in macroeconomics in May.

This is a fast-paced, intensive course designed to help the student see how and why public policy is made in economic terms. Students will learn about the trade-offs between inflation and unemployment, how fiscal policy is conducted, the structure of the Federal Reserve, how monetary policy is conducted, and how the American economy interacts with the rest of the world. Units of study include: basic economic principles, measurement of economic performance, aggregate supply and economic growth, aggregate demand and inflation, macroeconomic policies, and the global economy. This course is offered every other school year in odd numbered years; for example, AP Macro will be offered next in the 2024-2025 school year.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC3025
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Sequence Map: Social Science
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: C or better grade in Algebra; B or better in English. Successful completion of U.S. History and World History.

SOC3035

This is a fast-paced, intensive course designed to help the student see how and why decisions are made to produce and sell goods. Students will learn about the different types of businesses operating today in the U.S., what determines whether a firm stays in business, the interaction between labor and the owners of production, the effects of business practices on public policy (e.g. pollution’s effect on an economy), and how to evaluate the performance of a firm. Units of study include: basic economic concepts; demand and supply; production, cost, and the perfect competition model; imperfect competition; factor markets; and market failure and the role of government. This course is offered every other school year in even numbered years; for example, AP Micro will be offered next in the 2025-2026 school year.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC3035
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: C or better grade in Algebra; B or better in English. Successful completion of U.S. History and World History.

SOC4050

This class helps prepare students to pass the Advanced Placement test in psychology in May.

This college-level introductory survey course is designed to take the highly motivated psychology student further into the systematic and scientific study of behavioral and mental processes. Students will learn the major core concepts and theories of psychology while examining research methods and ethical standards. Detailed discussion, debate, formal and informal writing, quizzes and tests will be used to assess student progress.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC4050
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Grade of “B” or better in Human Social Behavior. Successful completion of U.S. History and World History.

SOC5050

AP U.S. Government and Politics provides a college-level, nonpartisan introduction to key political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the constitutional system and political culture of the United States. Students will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions among political institutions, processes and behaviors. You will also engage in disciplinary practices that require you to read and interpret data, make comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments. In addition, you will complete a political science research or applied civics project.

• Recommended Grades: 10-12
• Course Number: SOC5050
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Successful completion of U.S. History and World History. Consent of instructor required for sophomores.

SOC6015

This area studies course provides a culturally relevant and uniquely authentic learning experience by examining of study including: African music, movies, sports, geography, politics and history. Students should be prepared to participate in class discussions, interact with guest speakers and complete two research projects over the course of the semester.

• Recommended Grades: 10-12
• Course Number: SOC6015
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Successful completion of World History.

SOC6025

This area studies course examines the history of modern Latin America. We will look at the legacies of the conquest, slave trade, and European colonization. We will also examine the regional and global significance of the Haitian and Cuban revolutions as examples of independence struggles that resonated far beyond their borders. Other topics of study include: “neo-colonization” and debt as post-colonial mechanisms of control in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Cold War and military regimes in Latin America, “Liberation Theology” and the Catholic Church, the role of the United States in the region since the Spanish American War, the emerging power of Brazil, Mexico since the Mexican Revolution, migration and immigration, and the rich cultural contributions of Latin America to the US in music, film, and spoken work.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC6025
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History and World History.

SOC2065

Chicanx/Latinx Studies is a multidisciplinary program designed to teach students the historical, cultural, social, and political experience of Chicanx and Latinx, with an emphasis on the development of culture of the Chicanx/Latinx communities in California and the West, as well as on both historical and contemporary effects of global issues on Chicanx/Latinx communities. By drawing upon courses in American studies and by emphasizing comparative as well as interdisciplinary study, this program offers training in the analytic tools and methods of interpretation appropriate for studying the Chicanx/Latinx experience in its particularity and ethnic cultural study in general. The program is particularly appropriate for students interested in integrating studies in the humanities and social sciences, and for students preparing to work and interact with diverse communities and cultures in the United States and abroad in such fields as education, human services, business, journalism and public administration. This course will focus on the 20th century to the present Chicanx movement.

• Recommended Grades: 10-12
• Course Number: SOC2060
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History and World History

SOC3015

This course is an introduction to the field of economics. Students will address and master the principles of economics and various issues such as financial literacy, personal finance, the laws of demand and supply, public policy decisions, labor and management relations, and global trade, and environmental economics. The student who selects this class should feel comfortable using graphs, performing basic math, and reading on a daily basis. Students who pass this course will not only satisfy most of the state Economics standards, but will also be highly prepared to take Advanced Placement Economics or a college economics course. Students who pass will also meet the graduation requirement for financial literacy. Units of study include: basic economics principles, financial literacy, elements of microeconomics, banking and finance, elements of macroeconomics, and issues in global economics, and topics in environmental economics.

• Recommended Grades: 10-12
• Course Number: SOC3015
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Sequence Map: Finance/Social Science
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History or U.S. History – Honors. Completed Algebra. Completed English 1.

SOC6095

This course examines ethnicity and identity in modern-day America, exploring topics of power, prejudice, intersectionality, and organizing for positive change. Students will explore these issues from a historical perspective (how have historical ideas about ethnicity and difference shaped our identities?), a sociological perspective (how do our differences and similarities shape how we act and interact?), a civic perspective (how does identity connect to a sense of belonging and access to power?), and a cultural perspective (how do we express our identities through art?). Students will engage in a variety of research methods, including interviews, close reading of challenging texts, field observations, and art analysis. Students will produce a variety of texts including an ethnographic study, a formal research paper, and an oral history podcast presentation. This course is offered in Spanish as part of the Dual Language Immersion Social Studies track (recommended for DLI 11th graders).

• Recommended Grades: 11
• Course Number: SOC6095
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2

SOC7035

Foundations of Leadership is a course designed to support and challenge students to examine their own identities and express their own leadership style and ability. This is an interdisciplinary class which draws on literature, history, social issues, current events, art, speech, etc. to explore the identities of leaders who are often left out of the mainstream curriculum specifically leaders of color, women, and GLBTQ+ people. This class affirms the identities, contributions and leadership styles of traditionally marginalized groups. We will analyze our society and how our students can be transformative agents of change through their exploration of leadership. The academic skills emphasized in this class are reading, writing, critical thinking, discussion, collaboration, leadership, public speaking, research, and service learning. Students will be empowered by this course to both develop and demonstrate their leadership as they explore the role of their voice within their education as they choose the topics and projects that inspire them. Students will leave this class with the skills and tools to investigate, propose solutions, and organize for leadership within their communities, our country, and our world.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC7035
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2

SOC4065

Human Social Behavior examines the basics of psychology, looking at its historical roots, its different approaches, and its varying methods. Class will further explore adolescent development, self-concept, prejudice, and social influence. Questions explored include: Why do we act the way we do around others? What makes someone normal? What is normal? Psychological thinking underlies all human behavior, so knowledge of psychology can be helpful to all individuals regardless of career path. While not a necessary prerequisite, it is recommended that this class be taken as a foundation to AP Psychology in order to build the unique psychological thinking, reading, and writing skills needed to get the most out of your AP Psychology experience.

• Recommended Grades: 10-12
• Course Number: SOC4065
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History or U.S. History – Honors. Consent of instructor required for sophomores.

SOC2085

Known as Arts & Ideas, this course is an advanced look at the cultural and intellectual history of the thought, architecture, philosophy, drama, painting, sculpture, literature, and music of Europe & the Western World from ancient to modern time focusing particularly on how the arts, thought and culture reflect one another. Students should be open-minded, and ready for mature and in-depth discussion of and reflection upon often controversial works and points of view.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC2085
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Successful completion of World History.

SOC7015

This course is designed for students enrolled in the district’s dual language immersion and developmental bilingual programs. Other interested students should consult with a guidance counselor prior to registering. The course covers pre-Columbian Indigenous societies, the period of Spanish conquest and rule, the struggle for independence, and the current efforts to modernize and stabilize the wide variety of Latin American nations. The course will be taught entirely in Spanish and will include primary source and current event analysis, formal research and academic writing, guest speakers, and in-class discussion.

• Recommended Grades: 12
• Course Number: SOC7015
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Participation in DLI program or meets minimum Spanish proficiency level for course

SOC1045

This course covers social, political, and economic history from the 1950s to the present. There are various writing and research projects required in this course. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, read, and complete homework and research projects outside of class. Units of study include: role of the U.S. in post-World War II era, Modern Civil Rights movement, the culture of the 1960s, the Vietnam War, and the Watergate scandal.

• Recommended Grades: 11
• Course Number: SOC1045
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History, and World History, or related, alternative elective.

SOC1075

This course parallels Modern U.S. History and focuses on how African Americans viewed and engaged with key points and events from World War II through the present. Analysis and ongoing discussions of foreign and domestic issues will lead students to reflect critically on African American struggles within, and contributions to, the society we live in today.

• Recommended Grades: 11
• Course Number: SOC1075
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History, and World History, or related, alternative elective.

SOC1055

This course provides a study of the political, economic, and social history of the United States from the end of WWII to the present. Students will be required to be self-motivated and exhibit a compelling interest in contemporary U.S. history. This section will emphasize U.S. foreign policy and reaction to Communism, as well as focusing on issues on social justice and injustice in U.S. history. Other areas of focus will include ideological conflicts and the rise and fall of the super power era. Students should be prepared for self-guided readings (primary and secondary), document-based questions, mini-projects within each unit, debate topics that are relevant to the units with evidence to support their arguments, scholarly presentations, and finally, essay exams. Units of study include: the Politics of Power and National Identity; Competing Ideologies in the Post-WWII Era; and the Transition from the Super Power Era to a Globalized World.

• Recommended Grades: 11
• Course Number: SOC1055
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Successfully completed U.S. History or U.S. History – Honors, and World History or World History – Honors.

SOC4095

In this class you will learn about society and how it shapes our lives and the world around us. We will explore issues of culture, social structure, social inequality, social institutions, and social change from the group level. This class will help students view the world through a different lens and will help them navigate their increasingly complex and diverse community. Units of study will include: the sociological perspective, culture, socialization, social organization, social inequality, deviance and conformity, and social institutions. Students will also create a research project and complete a paper based on their findings.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC4095
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History and World History.

SOC5015

This course examines a variety of global issues and the impact and influence of the United States in the modern world. We will explore the inter-relationship of politics and economics, decolonization, terrorism, regional conflicts, public health, and the process of “globalization.” The objective is essentially to provide students with an understanding of the root causes, dynamics, and effects of U.S. foreign policy since World War Two.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC5015
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History and World History.

SOC4075

This course is designed to understand and learn about the many diverse groups in the United States. Students will be studying five different units: one on White Privilege and then units which focus on the modern day issues facing Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans. The course content will be presented through readings, files and other media. Students are expected to engage in group discussions, work in small groups for projects and be ready to present information before the class. Many activities in the course ask students to be self-directed and allow them to choose topics they want to learn about. The course will also require students to think deeply about the issues being talked about in class, often asking students to journal on their reactions to articles and movies and share them with other students in class. This course is also designed to help you examine your own views and beliefs about ethnicity.

• Recommended Grades: 10-12
• Course Number: SOC4075
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History or U.S. History – Honors.

SOC5025

Students enrolled in U.S. Government will learn how to think carefully and critically about how they fit into the U.S. political system. The main focus of the course will be about how students can become active and engaged members of their community, state, and nation and explore ways in which they can work to solve problems in their community. Areas of emphasis will include voting and political participation, elections, the Bill of Rights, and institutions of government. We will also explore the American political process by looking at issues through current events.

• Recommended Grades: 10-12
• Course Number: SOC5025
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2

SOC1011/1012

U.S. History is a comprehensive course that provides students with a survey of the history of the United States, examining time periods from Reconstruction through the World War II era. Students will explore the following questions: What influences policy? How does change happen? How is power gained and maintained? How do race, class, and gender shape the American experience? And, what is my role in society? Within each unit, students will build their historical thinking, reading, and writing skills.

In this course, students have the opportunity to earn honors credit when they demonstrate honors-level mastery of specific identified critical academic skills and content on performance assessments throughout the course.

• Recommended Grades: 9
• Course Number: SOC1011/1012
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2

SOC1010SB

U.S. History is a comprehensive course that provides students with a survey of the history of the United States, examining time periods from Reconstruction through the World War II era. Students will explore the following questions: What influences policy? How does change happen? How is power gained and maintained? How do race, class, and gender shape the American experience? And, what is my role in society? Within each unit, students will build their historical thinking, reading, and writing skills.

This is an Earned Honors course where all students will be exposed to rigorous and engaging learning. In this course, students have the opportunity to earn honors credit when they demonstrate honors-level mastery of specific identified critical academic skills and content on performance assessments throughout the course.

• Recommended Grades: 9
• Course Number: SOC1010SB
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2

SOC6071/6072

This course is taught in Spanish and is designed for bilingual learners. The course emphasizes active and critical exploration of history covering the period from the Civil War through WWII. Analysis of primary sources will introduce students to the voices of people who make history. Through classroom discussion, experiential activities and individualized research, students explore patterns of change, the continuity of ideas and defining turning points in US History. Students use the central concepts of capitalism, democracy, equality and justice as a backdrop in their investigation of the following topics: the rise of industrialization, organized labor’s response, the immigrant experience, the struggle for racial equality, and the emergence of the U.S. as a world power following the Great Depression and the two world wars. An additional focus of this course is to improve students’ writing, reading and discussion skills in Spanish and in alignment with the Common Core State Standards. . This course is designed for students enrolled in the district’s dual language immersion and developmental bilingual programs. Other interested students should consult with a guidance counselor prior to registering for this course.

In this course, students have the opportunity to earn honors credit when they demonstrate honors-level mastery of specific identified critical academic skills and content on performance assessments throughout the course.

• Recommended Grades: 9
• Course Number: SOC6071/6072
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2

SOC2125

This course will encourage students to develop a greater understanding of, and participate in, the communities in which they live. Units of study include: history of Wisconsin from the glacial period to the present; First Nation cultures from the Paleolithic period through the present, including treaty rights and the reservation system; European settlement from the fur trade through statehood; and past to present immigration. Wisconsin will be a microcosm for studying the country at large in regards to present and past social, political, economic and racial issues.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC2125
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History and World History.

SOC2010

Students will become aware of the rich heritage and contributions of the entire world and its historic interdependence. The focus will be on the diversity, the history and the culture of the world’s people. Students will examine the rise and fall of nations and empires as well as the diffusion of ideas. Various semester projects and research papers are required in this course. Students are expected to participate in class discussions, read, complete homework and research projects outside of class. Units of study include: Africa, Asia, Europe, Indian Subcontinent, the Americas, and the Middle East.

In this course, students have the opportunity to earn honors credit when they demonstrate honors-level mastery of specific identified critical academic skills and content on performance assessments throughout the course.

• Recommended Grades: 10
• Course Number: SOC2010
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Completed U.S. History or U.S. History – Honors.

SOC2020

World History – Overview Honors is a study of the rich heritage and interdependence of various regions of the world. Topics will include social, political, intellectual, and religious history. The Honors section of World History is designed for self-motivated students who have demonstrated high academic achievement, creativity, disciplined study habits, and who exhibit a compelling interest in World History beyond the classroom. This class will use teaching strategies that emphasize the development of individual intellectual thought, writing and discussion skills, will incorporate large group and small group discussion, more difficult primary and secondary readings, document based questions, journal writing, and research based projects. Units of study include: Africa, Asia, Europe, Indian Subcontinent, the Americas, and the Middle East. Students that sign up for World History Honors should be self- motivated, independent learners, be willing and able to read assignments that are at a college reading level, be willing to take intellectual risks, and will actively participate in classroom discussions. World History Honors students should also have a genuine compelling interest in History and the Social Studies, be interested in and follow current events, and be willing to read and write more, think more deeply and put in more out of class time to further enhance their learning experience.

• Recommended Grades: 10
• Course Number: SOC2020
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Successfully completed U.S. History or U.S. History – Honors.

SOC6080

This course is taught in Spanish and is designed for bilingual learners. The course challenges students to explore the historical events, geographical change, intellectual revolutions and cultural traditions that shaped the modern world. As students examine the changing political, social and economic institutions in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas over time, they will discuss international issues and explore solutions to world problems. While developing an understanding and appreciation for the world’s diversity, students will become critical thinkers by developing inquiry and discussion skills. This course is designed for students enrolled in the district’s dual language immersion and developmental bilingual programs. Other interested students should consult with a guidance counselor prior to registering for this course.

This is an Earned Honors course where all students will be exposed to rigorous and engaging learning. In this course, students have the opportunity to earn honors credit when they demonstrate honors-level mastery of specific identified critical academic skills and content on performance assessments throughout the course.

• Recommended Grades: 10
• Course Number: SOC6080
• Credits: 1 credit
• Note: Semester 1 and 2

SOC4125

Students should have an interest in examining the experiences of women over time and how gender roles and stereotypes influenced and continue to influence politics, media, societal structures, law, etc. Some of the topics discussed in this class are: gender and gender stereotypes, gender and the media, gender and violence, political activism, feminism, sexual violence, gender based discrimination, etc. The course is organized thematically by integrating historical and modern day women’s and gender issues through an intersectional lens. The course emphasizes the analysis of source materials, reading, writing, and discussion. Reflection and research papers are required. Students will work both individually and collaboratively in class and group work will be expected. All students who are interested in analyzing the role of gender in society, nationally and internationally, are encouraged to take the class. This course is open to all genders.

• Recommended Grades: 11-12
• Course Number: SOC4125
• Credits: 1/2 credit
• Note: Semester 1 or 2
• Prerequisite Recommendation: Successful completion of U.S. History and World History.