Understanding Ourselves and Our World
The Social Studies Department develops capable citizens who are empowered with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to make informed and responsible decisions in a diverse and interdependent world.
Social Studies Department
Department Goals and Objectives
As a result of participating in the SJNA Social Studies program, students will be able to:
- Independently participate actively and effectively as an informed citizen of a democracy
- Critically appraise historical and contemporary claims, decisions, and issues
- Respect diverse cultures and honor equality and human dignity
- Apply lessons of the past in order to anticipate and prepare for the future
- Analyze the complex interactions between humans and the environment
- Apply economic principles to solve complex problems
Study Abroad in England, France, and Belgium
March 24 – April 2, 2023
Join Mr. Bennett and a group of SJNA students and faculty members as they travel across Europe for 10 days and visit some of the most iconic and historical places in Europe, France, and Belgium. Sites include Westminster Abbey, Normandy D-Day landing beaches, Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, a guided tour of the Battle of the Bulge Battlefield, and more! During this trip, students will learn about history by seeing it first-hand. One unique factor of this trip is visiting Belleau Wood, a key battle location during World War I where St. John’s Military Academy alumni Scott Johnston (namesake of Scott Johnston Hall on campus) fought and is buried. Scott Johnston served as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, commissioning in May 1917 and served honorably until his death in 1918. Johnston was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism.
Europe Trip Tour Itinerary
- Day 1: Start Tour
- Day 2: Hello London
- Meet tour director and check into hotel
- London City Walk – Thames River, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery visit, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden Leicester Square, Soho
- James Purdey & Sons Shop
- The Bomber Command Memorial visit
- Day 3: London
- London Guided Sightseeing Tour – Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace
- Cabinet War Rooms with Churchill Museum visit
- Imperial War Museum visit
- Day 4: London – Bayeux
- Travel to Portsmouth
- D-Day Museum visit
- Express Ferry to Cherbourg
- Travel to Bayeux via St. Mere Eglise
- Airborne Museum Visit
- Day 5: Bayeux
- Normandy Full-Day Excursion – Normandy D-Day landing beaches, LEAP Soldier’s Stories, Arromanches D-Day Museum visit, American Military Cemetery visit at Colleville-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc, Caen Memorial visit (Peace Museum), Brecourt Manor (time permitting)
- Day 6: Bayeux – Paris
- Travel to Paris via Versailles
- Versailles & Seize the Chateau – State Apartments, Hall of Mirrors, Gardens of Versailles, and history on French Revolution
- Eiffel Tower ascent
- Day 7: Paris
- Half Day Introduction to Paris – Arc de Triomphe, Champs Élysées, Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Notre-Dame Cathedral
- Louvre guided visit
- Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial visit
- Dinner in Montmartre Area
- Montmartre & Sacre Coeur night walking tour
- Day 8: Paris – Brussels
- Travel to Brussels via Bastogne and Reims
- Bastogne Historical Center visit
- Battle of the Bulge Battlefield guided tour
- Mardasson Memorial
- Wood of Peace
- Belleau Wood visit
- Day 9 – Brussels
- Bruges, Flanders and Passchendaele excursion – Bruges Tour Director-Led Sightseeing, Beguinage Church and Convent visit, Flanders Field visit, Passchendaele Canadian Memorial Park
Email jbennett@sjnacademies.org or click HERE for more information.
Social Studies Course Selections
Middle School
Geography
American History
Standard College Prep
World History
American Government
World Cultures & Religions
US History
Sociology
Psychology
Economics
Honors and AP
World History Honors
AP Human Geography
US History Honors
20th Century History Honors
AP European History
Dual Enrollment College Credit
History of the US: Columbian Exchange to Civil War
History of the US: From the Era of Civil War to Present
Early Modern Civilizations 1511 – 1815
Modern Civilizations: 1815 – Present
See Our Curriculum Guide for Course Descriptions
Graduation Requirements
| College Prep Diploma | Humanities Honors Diploma | STEM Honors Diploma |
| 3 Social Studies Credits | 4 Social Studies Credits (2 Credits at Honors level) | 3 Social Studies Credits |
| Required: US History | Required: US History | Required: US History |