Prerequisite: American Studies I
American Studies II, a blended learning course on Canvas, integrates Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) for Virginia and United States Government and English 12. Students will learn about principles that enable citizens to participate effectively in civic and economic life. Students will apply social science skills as a foundation to examine fundamental constitutional principles, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, the political culture, the policy-making process at each level of government, and the characteristics of the United States economy. In doing this, students will use these skills, along with technology and understanding of media to create, organize, and display knowledge in ways others can access, view, and use. Students will expand general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, and reading. Students will analyze literature of varied cultures, recognizing major literary forms and their elements and comparing texts to the founding documents which built the United States government, as well as the evolution of the modern political environment. Using nonfiction texts, students will analyze and synthesize information to solve fundamental problems and make policy recommendations. Writing will include the production of informational, expository, and persuasive/argumentative papers, logically organized demonstrating knowledgeable judgments, and effective conclusions. Additionally, students will explore the duties and responsibilities that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in the civic life of an increasingly diverse, multicultural, pluralistic, and democratic society.
