The student will read, interpret, analyze, and evaluate a variety of nonfiction texts including employment documents and technical writing.

1. Apply information from texts to clarify understanding of concepts.
2. Read and correctly interpret an application for employment, workplace documents, or an application for college admission.
3. Analyze technical writing for clarity.
4. Paraphrase and synthesize ideas within and between texts.
5. Draw conclusions and make inferences on explicit and implied information using textual support.
6. Analyze multiple texts addressing the same topic to determine how authors reach similar or different conclusions.
7. Analyze false premises, claims, counterclaims, and other evidence in persuasive writing.
8. Recognize and analyze use of ambiguity, contradiction, paradox, irony, sarcasm, overstatement, and understatement in text.
9. Generate and respond logically to literal, inferential, evaluative, synthesizing, and critical thinking questions about the text(s).

The student will apply social science skills to understand the concepts of democracy by

1. recognizing the fundamental worth and dignity of the individual;
2. recognizing the equality of all citizens under the law;
3. recognizing what defines a citizen and how noncitizens can become citizens;
4. recognizing majority rule and minority rights;
5. recognizing the necessity of compromise; and
6. recognizing the freedom of the individual.

The student will apply social science skills to understand the process by which public policy is made by

1. defining public policy and determining how to differentiate public and private action;
   
2. examining different perspectives on the role of government;
   
3. describing how the national government influences the public agenda and shapes public policy by examining examples such as the Equal Rights Amendment, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965;
   
4. describing how the state and local governments influence the public agenda and shape public policy;
   
5. investigating and evaluating the process by which policy is implemented by the bureaucracy at each level;
   
6. analyzing how the incentives of individuals, interest groups, and the media influence public policy; and
   
7. devising a course of action to address local and/or state issues.