Social Studies
The Social Studies Department at Desert Oasis High School is committed to preparing students to become informed, engaged, and responsible citizens who embody the core values of leadership, compassion, justice, and courage. Through the study of history, geography, government, economics, and civic engagement, students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world.
To meet Nevada’s three-credit social studies graduation requirement, Diamondbacks follow a structured pathway that includes World History in 10th grade, U.S. History in 11th grade, and U.S. Government in 12th grade. Along this journey, students are challenged to think critically, analyze multiple perspectives, advocate for equity and justice, and demonstrate ethical leadership in their communities.
By offering diverse learning pathways—including standard, Advanced Placement (AP), Dual Credit, and specialized IEP-adapted courses—the department ensures that rigorous, standards-aligned social studies instruction is accessible to all learners. Through these experiences, students graduate enrollable in postsecondary education, enlistable for military service, and employable in an increasingly complex workforce, equipped with the civic understanding, critical thinking skills, and character needed to lead with purpose and make meaningful contributions to society.
Core Courses Offered
- World History
- World History H
- AP World History
- U.S. History
- U.S. History H
- AP U.S. History
- American Government
- American Government H
- Economics and Financial Literacy
- AP U.S. Government/Politics & NV Economics
World History
This one-year course examines World History from approximately the 1300s to modern day. This includes the study of geography, history, and culture in global regions, with an emphasis on historical inquiry. Students analyze significant events, individuals, developments and process across the world within this time frame. This content area should be taught from multiple and varied perspectives for a vivid and complex picture of history. The emphasis is global in nature with a multicultural approach, rather than a Eurocentric approach. Effective instruction in social studies incorporates both the disciplinary skills and the content themes, requires historical thinking, robust academic discussions, and engaging writing instruction. This course fulfills the World History/Geography credits required for high school graduation. This course fulfills the World History/Geography credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
World History H
This one-year course examines World History from approximately the 1300s to modern day. This includes the study of geography, history, and culture in global regions, with an emphasis on historical inquiry. Students analyze significant events, individuals, developments and process across the world within this timeframe. This content area should be taught from multiple and varied perspectives for a vivid and complex picture of history. The emphasis is global in nature with a multicultural approach, rather than a Eurocentric approach. Effective instruction in social studies incorporates both the disciplinary skills and the content themes, requires historical thinking, robust academic discussions, and engaging writing instruction. This course fulfills the World History/Geography credits required for high school graduation. This course fulfills the World History/Geography credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
AP World History
This one-year course is designed for the college-bound student, with an emphasis on meeting the requirements of the College Board Advanced Placement World History examination. This understanding is advanced through a combination of selective factual knowledge and appropriate analytical skills. The course highlights the nature of changes in global frameworks and their causes and consequences, as well as comparisons among major societies from their historical, geographical, political, economic, and cultural contexts. It emphasizes relevant factual knowledge, leading interpretive issues, and skills in analyzing types of historical evidence, covering the scope of human history from 1200 AD to the present. This course fulfills the World History/Geography credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
U.S. History
This one-year course is a study of American history with an emphasis on the Modern World from 1900 to the present day. Students explore and evaluate the significant historical events and the consequences. This course provides an examination of historical themes to analyze how new events continue to shape our nation and society today. Instructional practices incorporate integration of diversity awareness including appreciation of all cultures and their important contributions to society. Effective instruction in social studies incorporates both the disciplinary skills and the content themes, requires historical thinking, robust academic discussions, and engaging writing instruction. This course fulfills the U.S. History credit required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: None
U.S. History H
This one-year course is a study of American history with an emphasis on the Modern World from 1900 to the present day. Students explore and evaluate the significant historical events and the consequences. This course provides an examination of historical themes to analyze how new events continue to shape our nation and society today. Instructional practices incorporate integration of diversity awareness including appreciation of all cultures and their important contributions to society. Effective instruction in social studies incorporates both the disciplinary skills and the content themes, requires historical thinking, robust academic discussions, and engaging writing instruction. This course is designated as honors level by the accelerated instructional pacing and depth of content. This course fulfills the U.S. History credit required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: None
AP U.S. History
This one-year course is designed with an emphasis on meeting the requirements of the College
Board Advanced Placement United States History examination. This college-level curriculum
provides an in-depth examination, synthesis, and evaluation of the historical themes from 1492 to
present day. A careful balance of historiography, analytical skills, and factual knowledge is used
throughout the course. This course fulfills the U.S. History credit required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: None
American Government
This one-semester course is a study of United States federal, state, local, and tribal governments.
Students apply constitutional principles to assess the growth and development of the United
States government and political system. Instructional practices incorporate integration of diversity
awareness including appreciation of all cultures and their important contributions to society.
Effective instruction in social studies incorporates both the disciplinary skills and the content
themes and requires historical thinking, robust academic discussions and engaging writing
instruction. This course fulfills the one-half American Government credit required for high school
graduation.
Course Fee: None
American Government H
This one-semester course is a study of United States federal, state, local, and tribal governments.
Students apply constitutional principles to assess the growth and development of the United
States government and political system. This course is designated as honors level by the
accelerated instructional pacing and depth of content. Instructional practices incorporate
integration of diversity awareness including appreciation of all cultures and their important
contributions to society. This course fulfills the one-half American Government credit required for
high school graduation.
Course Fee: None
Economics and Financial Literacy
This one-semester course is designed to provide students with an understanding of economic
ideas essential in today’s world. Students will evaluate financial decision making, investigate how
market systems work, and examine globalization. This course fulfills the one-half economics credit
required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: None
AP U.S. Government/Politics & NV Economics
This is a one-year course with an emphasis on meeting the requirements of the College Board Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics examination. This course gives students an analytical perspective of government and politics in the United States. It includes both the study of general concepts used to interpret United States politics and the analysis of specific examples. This course fulfills the one-half American Government credit for the first semester and the one-half economics credit for the second semester required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: None
Elective Courses Offered
- Advanced Study Social Studies - AP Social Studies Study Lab
- African American Experience
- AP African American Studies
- AP Human Geography
- AP Psychology
- Civil Rights and Liberties
- Contemporary Problems
- Crime and Justice
- Culture & Humanities: Women’s Studies
- Culture & Humanities: Polynesian Studies
- The History of Popular Music
- Latin American History
- Principles of Leadership
- Psychology I
- Sociology I
- Global Diplomacy UN I H
- Global Diplomacy UN II H
- Public Speaking Argument
- Speech Debate I
- Speech Debate II
- Speech Debate III
Advanced Study Social Studies - AP Social Studies Study Lab
African American Experience
This one-year course provides students with an in-depth examination of the African-American
experience in the United States. Students explore the contributions of African-American literature,
art, drama, architecture, music, dance, history, and philosophy. This course fulfills one of the
Arts/Humanities/CTE credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the
College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
AP African American Studies
This one-year course is designed with an emphasis on meeting the requirements of the College
Board Advanced Placement AP African American Studies examination. This college-level
curriculum focuses on four thematic units that move across the course chronologically, providing
students opportunities to delve into key topics that extend from medieval kingdoms of West Africa
to the ongoing challenges and achievements in the contemporary moment. Emphasis is placed
on the diversity of Black communities in the United Stated within the broader context of Africa and
African Diaspora in the past and present. This course fulfills one of the Arts/Humanities/CTE credits
required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex
Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
AP Human Geography
AP Psychology
This one-year course is designed with an emphasis on meeting the requirements of the College
Board Advanced Placement Psychology examination. Topics examined in greater depth include
research techniques and statistics, history of psychology, the neurobiological basis of behavior,
sensation and perception, states of consciousness, learning and memory, thinking and language,
intelligence and psychological tests, motivation and emotion, stress and health psychology,
human development, psychological disorders and therapies, personality, and social psychology.
This course fulfills one of the elective credits required for high school graduation and may count
towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Civil Rights and Liberties
This one-year course is a study of the civil rights and liberties of Americans, including a practical
application of civil and criminal law within the United States. This course places emphasis on the
historical and contemporary relevance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, while exploring the
specific rights of criminal, civil, and juvenile clients. This course fulfills one of the elective credits
required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex
Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma
Course Fee: None
Contemporary Problems
This one-year course examines the political, social, and economic issues and implications
developed during the current year. Students evaluate current events from a variety of
perspectives and analyze effects on society. This course fulfills one of the elective credits required
for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit
requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Crime and Justice
This one-year course is a study of crime and justice with special attention on local, state, and federal
law enforcement agencies as they affect individuals within the legal system. Students analyze the
historical development of law, theories of deviance, definitions of crime, as well as the criminal
justice system and its processes. A special emphasis is placed on contemporary issues and
dilemmas facing the current system. This course fulfills one of the elective credits required for high
school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements
for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Culture & Humanities: Women’s Studies
This one-year course is an exploration of the arts and humanities of the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries. Students are exposed to the following disciplines of the humanities: visual arts, philosophy, literature, religion, dance, music, drama, fashion, and architecture. Students analyze examples of these cultural areas of modern civilization through an interdisciplinary approach. Instructional practices incorporate integration of diversity awareness including appreciation of all cultures and their important contributions to society. This course fulfills one of the elective credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Culture & Humanities: Polynesian Studies
The History of Popular Music
This one-year course is an extensive study of history’s most successful recording artists and bands.
Emphasis is placed on the study and appreciation of music, including student research on the
sociological events of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Students analyze video, music, and literature and evaluate the impact on Western culture. This course fulfills one of the Arts/Humanities/CTE credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Latin American History
This one-year course examines the social, economic, and political developments in Latin America
from conquest and colonization through modern times. Students explore the historical changes in
government and society with particular emphasis on the second half of the 20th century.
Instructional practices incorporate integration of diversity awareness including appreciation of all
cultures and their important contributions to society. This course fulfills one of the elective credits
required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex
Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Principles of Leadership
Psychology I
This one-year course introduces basic concepts used by psychologists in understanding human
behavior. Topics include psychology as a science, human development, and biological bases of
behavior, motivation, and learning, thinking and intelligence, normal and abnormal behavior,
therapies, testing, and the effects of group membership on behavior. Instructional practices
incorporate integration of diversity awareness including appreciation of all cultures and their
important contributions to society. This course fulfills one of the Arts/Humanities/CTE credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit
requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Sociology I
This one-year course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the study of social
groups, institutions, and functions. Emphasis is on the relationship to the society between the
individual and groups. This course fulfills one of the arts and humanities credits required for high
school graduation and may count towards the College and Career Ready Flex Credit requirements
for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Global Diplomacy UN I H
This one-year course examines the primary functions of the United Nations and its diplomatic role
with respect to the political, economic, and cultural concerns of a globalized world and is a
continuation of Global Diplomacy and the United Nations I. This course is designated as honors
level by the accelerated instructional pacing and depth of content. Through research and
debate, students investigate the problems of the world. Students learn a variety of
communication and critical-thinking skills. Students continue to develop skills in public speaking,
research and writing, negotiation, and interpersonal communication. This course fulfills one of the
elective credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and
Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Global Diplomacy UN II H
This one-year course examines the primary functions of the United Nations and its diplomatic role
with respect to the political, economic, and cultural concerns of a globalized world. This course is
designated as honors level by the accelerated instructional pacing and depth of content.
Through research and debate, students investigate the problems of the world. Students learn a
variety of communication and critical-thinking skills. Students develop skills in public speaking,
research and writing, negotiation, and interpersonal communication. This course fulfills one of the
elective credits required for high school graduation and may count towards the College and
Career Ready Flex Credit requirements for the Standard Diploma.
Course Fee: None
Public Speaking Argument
This one-year course provides an opportunity to study speech techniques and to apply these
techniques to formal debate and individual speaking situations. Students are encouraged to apply
debate principles and speech techniques at the tournament level. This course fulfills one of the
elective credits required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: None
Speech Debate I
This one-year course provides an opportunity to study speech techniques and to apply these
techniques to formal debate and individual speaking situations. Students are encouraged to apply
debate principles and speech techniques at the tournament level. This course fulfills one of the
elective credits required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: $30 plus tournament fees
Speech Debate II
This one-year course is a continuation of Speech and Debate I and provides an opportunity to
study advanced speech techniques and to apply these techniques to formal debate and
individual speaking situations. Students apply debate principles and speech techniques at the
tournament level. This course fulfills one of the elective credits required for high school graduation.
Course Fee: $30 plus tournament fees
Speech Debate III
This one-year course is a continuation of Speech and Debate II and provides an opportunity to
study advanced speech techniques and to apply these techniques to formal debate and
individual speaking situations. Students apply debate principles and speech techniques at the
tournament level. This course fulfills one of the elective credits required for high school graduation
and may be repeated.
Course Fee: $30 plus tournament fees
