Social Sciences
2026-2027
Cary Academy introduces students to several of the social studies disciplines: history, political science,
and economics as avenues for understanding human nature, society, and civilizations.
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Sort Order | Course Name | Grade Levels | Description | Prereqs/Coreqs | Term | # of Days/week | Credits | ADV designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | 1 | WH: Historical Thinking & Analysis S1 | 9 | This required first semester 9th grade course will be the foundation for the rest of the student's study of social science at Cary Academy. The course will focus on the development of four foundational historical thinking skills and writing like historians, which will then be further developed and reinforced over the next three semesters. Students will consider how historians evaluate original source material, work with incomplete records, and consider multiple perspectives. Students will practice formulating arguments and weighing evidence in short, formal pieces of writing. Appropriate and effective use of technological tools to research, write, present, and collaborate will also be a component of this class. | None | S1 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 2 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | 2 | WH: The Cold War & Sports S1 | 10 | Some of history's most compelling moments were not fought on battlefields, in palaces, or in royal courts--they were on football (soccer) fields, ice rinks, and basketball courts. This course will explore the intersection of the political events of the Cold War Era with international sports, including how sports served as tools of diplomacy, propaganda, national identity, and cultural exchange. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the Cold War and its cultural ramifications through contemporary and academic readings, film, and guided research. | None | S1 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 3 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | 3 | WH: Human Origins S1 | 10 | Why did humans start walking upright? What caused the extinction of woolly mammoths and giant ground sloths? How did our ancestors develop language, art, and religion? This course tackles the biggest mysteries of early human history—from 200,000 years ago through the transition to farming—using the detective work of anthropology, archaeology, and evolutionary biology. This course offers a chance to study human evolution and prehistory in depth while developing critical analysis skills applicable across disciplines. We will explore human migration out of Africa, the development of technology and symbolic thinking, interactions between different hominid species like Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, and how hunter-gatherer societies cooperated and formed unique cultures. Students will evaluate films, break down archaeological sites, and create their own representations of significant sites to investigate how archaeology developed as a professional discipline, examine open-ended archaeological discoveries, and learn to think like anthropologists solving riddles. | None | S1 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 4 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | 4 | WH: Terrorism and Violent Extremism S1 | 10 | This course focuses on providing a basic level of understanding of the conditions and issues surrounding terrorism and extremism in the world today. Students will grapple with defining what terrorism is and is not. They will also discuss the types of terrorists and terrorism that exist today, both domestic and foreign, as well as how terrorists operate. The challenge of appropriate responses for a democratic society to respond to threats will also be examined. Finally, the class will look at potential future threats and practices. | None | S1 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 5 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:09 PM | 5 | WH: Genocide S2 | 9, 10 | After the Holocaust there was a sense in the world that we must not ever let another event like this happen again. Despite that sentiment, genocides have continued to occur. This course will examine the concept of genocide and investigate when and where genocide has happened both prior to and since the Holocaust. The course will begin by attempting to reach consensus on a definition of genocide, then examine various case studies. The course will also investigate what role, if any, the United States should play in preventing future genocides. | None | S2 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 6 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:14 PM | 6 | WH: Global Democracies S2 | 9, 10 | In 1992, the distinguished political theorist Frances Fukuyama declared that the spread of Western liberal democracy was the “end point of mankind's ideological evolution.” History had ended; democracy would be humanity’s universally accepted final form of government. However, the 21st Century has seen as many challenges to democratic institutions as innovations that strengthen and enable civic participation. In this course, students will explore the range of problems and possibilities that today’s diverse democracies face. Students will engage in independent research and seminars with a special focus on collaborative exploration and problem solving. | None | S2 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 7 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:14 PM | 7 | WH: Modern East Asia S2 | 9, 10 | This course focuses on East Asia from the nineteenth century until modern day. It examines the struggles of the nations in this region to preserve or regain their independence and establish their national identities in a rapidly emerging and often challenging modern world order. While each of these countries has its own distinctive identity, their overlapping histories and hurdles give the region a coherent identity. | None | S2 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 8 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:15 PM | 8 | WH: Rise and Fall of Empires S2 | 9, 10 | What does it take to build an empire? What determines whether an empire lives or dies? What leads to the collapse of an empire? In this course, we will try to answer these questions and more as we examine various empires from around the world and across time. This course will offer a broad view while also giving students opportunities to research and compare empires of the past and present. | None | S2 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 9 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:15 PM | 9 | WH: World Religions S2 | 9, 10 | This course explores the dynamic nature of world religions. Through an extensive use of case studies, we will analyze the internal diversity of religious traditions, examine how religions evolve over time, and explore their influence on and integration into culture. Students will actively contribute to selecting topics covered in the course, such as violence and peace, climate change and the environment, gender roles, technology, and more. By delving into these case studies, the course aims to foster an introductory understanding of the history and diversity of religious and philosophical beliefs globally. | None | S2 | 2.50 | 0.50 | N/A |
| 10 | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:00 PM | donna_eason | 11/02/2026 04:16 PM | 10 | TA: Historical Thinking & Analysis | 10, Flex, 11, 12 | This World History teaching assistant position is designed to give motivated upper-class students the opportunity to take an active role in supporting 9th graders in the WH: Historical Thinking & Analysis course. Teaching assistants will be expected to attend, on average, one class per week of the course they are assisting with and will coordinate with the teacher regarding specific daily duties. At the discretion of the teacher, teaching assistants may serve as a resource for group and individual work and coach students outside of their history class. Students who serve as teaching assistants should have passion for helping other students and genuine interest in history and be willing to work collaboratively with other TAs and teachers to enhance the experience of 9th graders in this PATH course. Prerequisites: An average of A- or above in 10th grade PATH courses. Completed applications will be reviewed for approval by the department chair. | Prerequisites: WH HTA, recommendation from HTA teacher, and permission of the department chair. | S1 | 1.00 | 0.25 | N/A |
| Sort Order | Course Name | Grade Levels | Description | Prereqs/Coreqs | Term | # of Days/week | Credits | ADV designation |
