Social Sciences Tutoring in Atlanta

The social sciences are concerned with society and the relationship among individuals within a society. In high school this usually means the various social studies classes and macro/micro economics, but can include subjects as diverse as psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

Social Studies / History

The Learning Island offers tutoring in all the major history classes offered during high school. Courses typically compress a broad segment of history into a single semester. Many students need help coping with the sheer amount of material covered. We break down historical concepts in ways that students easily understand and offer strategies to more effectively read and study historical information. For students taking AP versions of these classes, we cover not just the material that will be on the AP exam, but the critical analysis of primary and secondary historical documents and sources necessary to answer FRQs (free response questions) and DBQs (document based questions).

Popular History Courses

US History

United States History covers the economic, political, and social transformation of the United States from 1491 to the present, with a focus on early (1491 to 1607) and modern (post-1980) history. Students are taught to think of the history of the United States in terms of eras, while keeping in mind that such distinctions are imperfect and that events in previous eras necessarily influence and shape subsequent ones. Topics covered include Colonization through the Constitution, New Republic to Reconstruction, Industrialization, Reform and Imperialism, Establishment as a World Power; and the Modern Era.

Students spend a considerable amount of time reading primary and secondary sources. They must learn how to examine and interpret these historical documents and a must be able to explain how they fit into the broader context of American history. The AP version of United States History places special emphasis on these skills, pushing students to truly think like historians.

World History

World History is a broad survey class covering developments from the prehistoric to modern eras. Events are covered both in chronological order and within the content of major geographical regions. The pre-modern histories of Europe, Asian, and South America are broken down into a series of empires, comparing and contrasting their differences and similarities. Developments in religion, philosophy, the arts, science and technology, and political history are also covered within the context of various civilizations. The relative isolation of early civilizations necessitates covering a broad range of developments over many regions and years, with the histories of the various disparate regions becoming increasingly interconnected from the Age of Exploration onward.

Human Geography

Human Geography introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth’s surface. Students learn to employ spatial concepts and landscape analysis to examine human socioeconomic organization and its environmental consequences. They also learn about the methods and tools geographers use in their research and applications.

US Government and Politics

American Government and Politics introduces and examines key political ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors that characterize the political culture of the United States. Beginning with the Constitutional underpinnings of the United States, this course leads students through sections covering political beliefs and behaviors, political parties, interest groups and mass media, institutions of national government, public policy, and civil rights and liberties. Through these concepts students learn to assess the causes and consequences of political events. Students must also learn to analyze data and interpret documents such as the Federalist Papers to development evidence-based political arguments.

Economics

Economics is the study of the processes governing production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Introductory economics classes seek to familiar students with fundamental economic concepts such as macroeconomics (the system as a whole), microeconomics (individual decision makers with the economic system), international economics, and personal finance. Students learn to interpret economic data and describe economics concepts. The AP Program offers separate courses that focus in depth on macroeconomics and microeconomics, bringing a greater level of scrutiny to each than is possible in a general economic survey class.