Social Studies

The Social Studies Department offers a broad, comprehensive, selection of courses in the social sciences. It is our goal to develop skilled, knowledgeable, and concerned citizens of the community, nation, and world. We want our students to ask questions, gain content understanding, conduct research, and take action. Our curriculum provides students with the knowledge, skills and understanding to become a better student, a better leader and a better citizen. The courses offered and the course sequence allow and encourage students to explore multiple areas within social studies with the hope that they will uncover areas of interest and aptitude.

The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.

United States History is a semester course that will study the eras of Reconstruction following the Civil War to the present–focusing on political, economic, and social events related to industrialization and urbanization, major wars, effects of the Great Depression, domestic and foreign policies of the Cold War and post-Cold War eras, and reform movements (including the progressive and Civil rights movements).  Students will develop critical thinking skills to interpret historical methods, points of view, and place events in historical context.  This course is a requirement for graduating.

American Government is a year-long course designed to introduce students to the different types of government systems around the world with a focus on how the United States government functions Throughout the school year students will be exposed to the structure of governments, how government impacts us both here domestically and in foreign lands, basic rights, and what the influences on government are.  At the completion of this course students will have a better understanding of how government impacts them as individuals and the society around them.  They should have a real world understanding of how they can influence that process and the importance of their involvement in our democracy.  American Government will involve the reading of various text based resources, in-class activities, homework, projects, and assessments. This course is a requirement for graduating and is a MCAP tested content area.  That means students will required to pass the Government MCAP exam as part of their graduation requirements.

Modern World History is a semester-long required course with the Maryland High School curriculum and satisfies one of the graduation requirements for Social Studies.  In an effort to expand boundaries of history analysis, this course does not focus solely on specific countries, regions, themes, or periods but rather survey history on a larger scale.  The goal is not to learn the entire history of the world, but to focus on broad themes and look at cross cultural connections that relate to our world today.

AP World History is a year-long course designed to provide a college-level experience and preparation for the Advanced Placement (AP) examination in World History. Students investigate transformative world events, individuals, developments, and processes from approximately 1200 C.E. to the present. Students perform key historical work by analyzing sources, comparing historical events, people, and places, using reasoning about contextualization, causation, and continuity and change over time; and developing historical arguments.  There is no cost to the student to take the AP exam.

Elective Courses: Afro-American Studies I/II, Constitutional Law, Current Affairs, Economics, Introduction to Law, Sociology, and World Geography.

Special Activities:  teachers within the Social Studies Department advise or coach a number of extracurricular activities for students to participate in.  These include–

The Carver Speech and Debate Team was founded in 2001 and is one of the oldest, continuously run competitive teams in Baltimore City.  They compete in the Baltimore Catholic Forensic League as well as the Chesapeake District of the National Speech & Debate Association.  Carver debaters have featured in city, state, and national championships as well as international competitions.

The Stock Market Game provides student teams an opportunity to create an investment portfolio, track performance and compare to other student teams in MD and across the country.

The Carver Student Council represents the Carver student body as well as participating in the Associated Student Councils of Baltimore City (ASCBC) and the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC).

Maryland History Day

Black History Month

Betsy Eschtruth:  I am currently teaching US History and American Government. I received my Bachelors of Science in History Education from Central Michigan University. I also earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology also from Central Michigan University. I have taught in Baltimore City for 14 years. My hobbies include reading, traveling, walking/hiking and being outdoors.

Ashley Fuller:  I currently teach US History.  I am a graduate of Morgan State University, with a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Political Science.  I am currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Education Teacher Leadership.  I have been in education for 14 years and have been a teacher with Baltimore City Public Schools for 4 years. I have experience being an IEP aide and an instructional assistant. I enjoy reading and my favorite music artist of all time is Michael Jackson. My hope is that if a student takes nothing else from my class, I hope that they take away life lessons and that I have somehow inspired them to be a better person.

Stephen Hoffman:  I teach American Government and Constitutional Law.  I attended Penn State University where I played soccer and graduated with a Sociology degree in 2003.  After that I went on to receive a graduate degree in Social Studies Education from Marymount University in VA in 2005.  I taught for one year in northern VA before coming to Baltimore City Public Schools where I have taught at Carver for 15 years and have been an assistant coach of the Carver Debate team for 13 years.  My hobbies include weather, soccer, hiking and politics.

Jason Rose:  I currently teach Modern World History, AP World History, and American Government. I received my Bachelors of Science in History Education from Coppin State University. I also earned a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction also from Coppin State University. I received a Masters in European History from American Public University and a Masters in Legal Studies from University of Baltimore. I have taught in Baltimore City for 15 years. My hobbies include reading, hiking, and watching sci-fi movies and television.

Steven Sprouse:  I currently co-teach Digital Citizenship.  I earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.  During my time there, I also studied abroad at Oxford University:  Keble College and The Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.  Most recently I earned my Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University.  I am in my 21^st year with Baltimore City Public Schools–all but a few months of that at Carver Vocational-Technical HS—and serve as the Social Studies Content Lead.  My interests include soccer (Arsenal FC!), reading (historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy), music (80’s alternative), and consider myself a life-long Trekkie.  I also spend entirely too much time on social media.

​​​​​​​Michael Weber:  I currently teach American Government and Afro-American History.  I have a Master’s in Secondary Education from Wilmington University. I am in my 7th year teaching in Baltimore City, with this being my 6th at Carver. In my personal life, I love to travel and hike. I am also a big fan of the Lakers, Orioles, and the Washington Football Team.