Nihe' lina — Social Studies 

Mission Statement
This philosophy is stated in the department's motto,
"Where culture is lived, not just taught"

World History/Geography
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: Freshman Level Course

This course is a survey class that introduces students to the world’s history and the earth’s geography. The class encompasses major topical units such as culture, geography, laws, economy and political systems. Students gain a sense of the world’s development through time. The course will cover material from the early humans to present day world relationships. Students will also compare and contrast the history and culture of the Diné Nation to that of cultures around the world. Integrated into the course will be the study of geography and the transformations the world has gone through due to changing environmental, religious and political conditions. <Back to Top 

United States History/Geography
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: World History/ Geography

In this course, students study significant events in both the early development of the nation as well as the historical events and geographic, social, economic, and cultural influences on national development in the late nineteenth and twentieth century and now the twenty first century. As a class, it explores and defines the meanings of culture and heritage (with an emphasis on Diné philosophy), and analyzes how these things change when one culture comes into contact with another culture. Further studies follow the development of events leading to various wars, shaping of national opinions and the placement of the United States in the world arena.

New Mexico/ Arizona History
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: Freshman/Sophomore Level Course

This course will provide students with historical perspectives of Southwest History, emphasizing in New Mexico and Arizona through engaging hands-on activities, rubric based projects, class discussions, and primary source investigations. In addition, this course is designed to cover the early southwestern indigenous inhabitants to modern day. New Mexico and Arizona history will be taught in conjunction with each other for comparative analysis. <Back to Top 

United States Government/Economics
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: World History/ Geography

This course introduces the student to the economical, historical, constitutional, analytical and operating foundations of the American political process. The course will provide the student with the ability to think critically about our representative government through comparative, classical and contemporary examples and initiate the student to become more aware of their role as a productive citizen in our global community. The integration of the Navajo Nation government will be made extensively throughout the semester. <Back to Top

Navajo Culture 
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: World History/ Geography

During this new century, the key to tribal survival will be retaining native culture and its language. This course is a unique graduation requirement at Navajo Preparatory School (Prep). Prep’s mission includes that that Navajo Language, Culture, and History is the foundation for academic achievement.

This course is guided on the four Navajo philosophies Nitsáhákees, Nahat’á, Iiná dóó Sihasin. These four components govern students’ thinking, planning, initiating his or her goals, and finally the successful outcomes. With this foundation, student will gain a respect and appreciation for oneself, family, and nation. Further, this course will take broad, well-integrated look at Navajo Philosophical thought on metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, ethics, religion, and traditional political structures. Instruction will be bilingual-Navajo and English. <Back to Top 

Navajo History/ Government
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: Senior Level Course

This course is a unique component to the school’s curriculum. It is intended to broaden the student’s tribal perspective on his/her history, government and leadership. This course studies the following topics in depth: culture areas, scientific emergence theories, early southwest cultures, White-Indian relationships (conquest), clash of cultures: Native retaliation, removal (Long Walk), assimilation v. Accommodation (boarding schools), current issues and much more. <Back to Top

Geography
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: None

The course offers students the opportunity to study both human and physical geography. Ethnic groups, world religions, demographic factors, an analysis of weather/climate patterns, landforms and human interactions with the physical earth are discussed. The class is hands-on. The class colors and creates maps. Field trips throughout the respective communities will help emphasize the student’s relationship to their land and their culture. <Back to Top 

This course approaches Native American experience from a sympathetic yet unromantic cultural perspective. It is intended to broaden your tribal perspective on its history, government, and leadership. This class focuses heavily on current Native issues and politics. We begin with analyzing Native tribes today, and end the course studying our neighboring tribes:  Pueblo, Apache, and Ute tribes. The following are topics that will be covered:  Misrepresentation of Native American tribes: Mascots, Stereotypes, Prejudice, Racism in the Media, Textbooks, Literature, etc.; Current events that deal with Native American Tribes in the North America (ongoing; Geography, Culture Areas Past and Present; Current Tribal Issues; Native American as it was; Federal Indian Policy; Navajo Prep’s neighbors: Apache, Ute and Pueblos). <Back to Top 

Principles of Leadership
1 credit, 1 semester
Prerequisite: None

The course will provide the student with the historical, theoretical and practical everyday life perspectives of leadership, as well as engaging students in fully exploring themselves and their leadership styles. This course will be practical for emerging leaders by using individual activities as well as class projects, based on a strong foundation of research methods. This course will combine knowledge and application, providing the student the opportunity to add to the understanding of leadership and to develop the ability to lead others. <Back to Top