Menu
To navigate the website, click on any menu heading above or the subheadings listed beneath each one.
To navigate the website, click on any menu heading above or the subheadings listed beneath each one.
Was America justified in dropping the atomic bomb on Japan? Why is illegal immigration such an issue in our country and what does New Mexico have to do with it? What makes a good leader? The Story of New Mexico is an oldie (the oldest in the nation) but a goodie. In this discussion based course, students will learn to develop and share their opinions on current events here in NM in addition to applying their historical thinking skills to collaborative projects that solve problems from the past, present, and future.
In this thematically structured course, students will learn to think like historians. They will learn to source, corroborate and contextualize their research in order to answer semester-long essential questions: How have philosophies from throughout World History been used to justify an “Us vs. Them” mentality that has led to issues around human rights? and Why haven’t we as a global society been able to solve issues around human rights? In what ways can we as a global society be upstanders for human rights issues? As historians, students will deep dive into various global perspectives to understand the many philosophies of thought and cultural perspectives that originated in the past and how those philosophies and perspectives continue to impact modern society.
What does it mean to be an American and who gets to decide what type of person counts as an American and what type doesn’t? George Washington? Joseph McCarthy? Betty Friedan? In this course, students will analyze how Americans and American History are portrayed in 21st century pop culture. Through close readings of modern day historiography, students will gain an understanding of how America and its citizens are being defined. By the end of the year, students themselves will be able to define what it means to be an American.
This class goes beyond terms and concepts to blend analysis of American politics and history, comparative government, civic virtues, and contemporary issues. The topics in the course are tied thematically to the idea of selfgovernance, as its pursuit has been so central to the creation, growth, and current state of American government and political identity. While examining this process, students will gain a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the origins of the United States government, the roles of the three branches of government and historical decisions made by them, the concept of checks and balances, individual rights, duties and responsibilities, and current global events. Students will take on a number of high-level thinking exercises that challenge their critical thinking and analytic skills. The course is an opportunity for students to develop and express their political and philosophical views and create an environment of diverse thinking and respect.
This course gives seniors a thorough introduction into the different fields of economics, from macroeconomics and microeconomics to personal finance and environmental sustainability. Students will engage in interactive lectures, Socratic seminars, fun exercises, hands-on projects, and individual guided research to gain a conceptual and skills-based grasp of the various topics in economics. Topics include factors of production, economic indicators, governmental economic policy and institutions, positive and negative incentives, externalities, sustainability, renewable energy, entrepreneurship, marketing, economic theories and systems, the inner workings of banks and the stock market, as well as personal finance enrichment topics like borrowing, saving, investing, retirement, building/repairing credit, making yourself marketable in a competitive economy, and more. All in all, the course will help students become more money-savvy, more competitive in the workplace, as well as better researchers and writers as they examine the many layers of our economic and financial world.
