• Participation in Government & Economics 12

    In the beginning third of the course (its first 10 weeks), all 12th grade students will create civics-oriented projects in which they will apply civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions to engage with the process of creating social and political change in their communities. This civic action project will require the examination of local, state, and national issues and will be followed by the selection of a specific topic of student interest. Students will embark on a process of developing a theory of action, and then taking action to specifically address an issue aimed to impact a system in place. Students / student groups that reflect on and showcase to an authentic audience after taking civic action will be eligible for the NYS Seal of Civic Readiness. The Civics portion of this class will count as 40% of a student’s final grade in both Participation in Government and Economics 12.

    In either the first or second marking periods, students will undertake Participation in Government, a mandatory one quarter “hands on” course focusing on New York State Social Studies Learning Standard #5 — Civics, Citizenship, and Government offered through the North Salem Social Studies Department. Participation in Government is the civics capstone of the K–12 social studies experience, designed to engage students in the political process and in an analysis of public policies and relevant issues facing our society today. Students will leave grade twelve with a deeper understanding of the institutions of American government, increased awareness of public policy and the knowledge needed for effective citizenship. This class is a requirement for graduation from high school. The Participation in Government portion of this class will count as 40% of a student’s final grade in Participation in Government.

    In either the second or third marking periods, students will undertake the study of Economics 12. The course will cover issues in Economics, the Enterprise System, and Finance by examining the principles of the United States free market economy in a global context. Students will analyze the role of incentives, basic economic concepts such as supply & demand in determining the prices individuals and businesses face in the product and factor markets, and the global nature of modern economic markets. Students will study changes to the workforce in the United States, the role of entrepreneurs in our economy, and the effects of globalization. The class will conclude with students exploring the challenges facing the United States free market economy in a global environment and various policy-making opportunities available to the government to address these challenges. The Economics 12 portion of this class will count as 40% of a student's final grade.