Academics

IB GROUP 3: INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES COURSES

(History & Anthropology)

A central goal of the Verde Valley School mission is to imbue students with a respect for other cultures. What we mean by "respect" involves at least some knowledge and understanding of other cultures and an ability to look at one's own cultural assumptions from the perspective of those who don't share them. Students are expected to develop the ability to detach themselves, to some degree, from their own values and cultural assumptions and look at themselves from an outside perspective.

The Individuals and Societies curriculum also offers a sequence in which students are asked to closely examine the past through historical analysis combined with an anthropological perspective. Through a careful examination of places, people, events, and developments, we expect our students to develop the intellectual tools and ethical predisposition to question the status quo as it relates to matters that affect the dignity of humankind and in so doing support this institution's commitment to its mission as a private school with a public purpose.

2008-2009 IB GROUP 3: INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES COURSES

(History & Anthropology)

9TH & 10TH GRADE COURSES

WORLD HISTORY I – Full-year course, 9th grade requirement
WORLD HISTORY II - Full-year course, 10th grade requirement
These courses teach students the elements of basic historical inquiry. History I covers subject matter from prehistory to the Renaissance. History II covers from the Renaissance to contemporary times. In addition to this content, the courses help students develop the independent research skills essential for success.

11TH AND 12TH GRADE IB GROUP 3:

STANDARD LEVEL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY – Two year sequence
In this course students study how anthropologists view cultures and seek to understand human nature by comparing and contrasting many peoples in many times. Our examination includes an overview of anthropology’s main fields – physical anthropology (the study of humans as organisms), archaeology, linguistics, and ethnology – but concentrates especially on ethnology, the study of culture. Students come to understand the extremely wide range of adaptations people have made to their environments, and by doing so, they gain a greater perspective on their own society and why they do the things they do. Most importantly, students will learn to view others and themselves without the kind of judgment that interferes with true understanding.  

The course illuminates the anthropological perspective through a careful study of cultural relativism; its European antecedents; its development in the late 19th century; and its application in today’s world. The careful exploration of bias (even by anthropologists) reveals the inner workings of culture and its pervasive influence on the minds and behaviors of all peoples. By studying ethnocentrism in this way, students come to understand their own biases and the tools which anthropology offers to foster intercultural understanding.

STANDARD LEVEL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAS – Two year sequence
The History of the Americas is intended for motivated students seeking a rigorous experience studying the histories of Canada, Latin America, and the United States.  The course develops and expands the students’ understanding of the various histories from colonialism to the present by examining a variety of perspectives from several historical events.  As a result, students gain a greater understanding of the present through the past. The students look at not only the major events that have shaped the region’s history, but the peoples of the Americas and their struggles to achieve such goals as freedom, equality, and economic opportunity.  Topics include: wars of independence and revolution; the battle for equal citizenship and full political participation; domestic and foreign policy; shifting paradigms and demographic shifts; sports, music, and popular culture; and the revolutions in industry, transportation, and communications.

 

HIGHER LEVEL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAS – Two year sequence
HL History of the Americas covers the core curriculum of the SL, but in more depth, with the addition of a Regional Option (the Cold War, 1960-1979) and one historical investigation. It requires one additional class meeting each week.