Spring Syllabus - reading assignments

1/31-2/14     UNIT 2 continued 

CH 9  Political Parties  197-227

            MCQuestions due

CH 10  Electionsand Campaigns  230-262

            1/31   231-240

            2/1   240-253

            2/2   253-262  MC due Thursday

CH 11  Interest Groups  264-288

            2/3     265-273

            2/4     273-279

            2/7     279-288  MC due Tuesday

Ch 12  TheMedia     291-313

            2/8     292-300

            2/9     300-307

            2/10     307-313  MC due today

REVIEW – UNIT 2  CH 7-12

2/10

TEST  2/11 UNIT2

PROJECT PRESENTATIONS             2/14-15

UNIT 3     INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT 

CH 13     Congress              316-359

            2/14     317-330

            2/15     330-341

            2/16     341-350

            2/17     351-359

Ch 14     The Presidency     367-407

            2/18     368-379

            2/21     379-390

            2/22     390-407

            2/23     Catch-up day/Projects

CH 15     The Bureaucracy     409-435

            2/24     410-422

            2/25     422-435

            2/28     Catch-up/Projects

CH 16     The Judiciary     437-465

            3/1     437-451

            3/2     451-465

            3/3    Review/Projects/Catch-up

            3/4    TEST UNIT 3

PROJECT PRESENTATIONS – UNIT 3 

            3/7--11

UNIT 4  PUBLICPOLICY   CH 17-21

    CH 17  Politics of PublicPolicy     468-490

            3/14            468-475

            3/15            475-487

            3/16            487-489

    CH 18   EconomicPolicy     491-509

            3/17            491-499

            3/18     499-509

    CH 19  Social Welfare     511-527

            3/21     512-519

            3/22            519-527

            3/23              Review/Catch-up

            3/24            Review/Catch-up

    Ch 20    Foreign and Military Policy     529-557

            3/25            529-541

            3/28            542-553

            3/29            553-557

            3/30            Review

    Ch 21            EnvironmentalPolicy     559-572

            3/31            560-572

            4/1            Review

            4/4            UNIT4 TEST

4/5 to 4/8                 PUBLICPOLICY PROJECT

UNIT 5               CIVILLIBERTIES/CIVIL RIGHTS

            4/8to 4/15            CH5 and CH 6

REVIEW FOR AP EXAM – 4/15 to 5/10

5/12- 6/1     EOC REVIEW

ESSAY TOPICS FOR EXAM - I will narrow it down to four.  You will have to choose two.

O

Hi Everyone!!!  Welcome to AP Government.

If you are taking this class and have not completed the summer assignment yet, you need to do this by Monday.  It counts as two grades.   



This class will involve extensive use of the computer, writing, and discussing. YOU MUST DO YOUR DAILY HOMEWORK AND READINGS AND KEEP UP WITH CURRENT EVENTS!!! If you do not like to pay attention to the news, to read, or to have others read what you have written, do not take the class. We will do a lot of group activities and group evaluations. The Socratic Method will also be used extensively, where the students will lead each other in discussions. The class will also involve many discussions where opinions can be expressed without judgement. My job is to make you think, analyze, and defend your answers.

I am looking forward to our experience.

Adair Doran


A brief outline of the course is below, followed by daily readings.


AP GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS SYLLABUS



The Course



This course is designed to give students an understanding of government and politics in the United States (US). It will explore the political theories and practices that shape the daily operation of our government and influence our public policies. The express purpose of this class is to prepare students for the Advance Placement Exam for Government and Politics in May. The course is taught on a college level and requires a substantial amount of reading and analyzing of primary and secondary sources. Daily preparation for every class is essential.   All students need to have access to the Internet.  



The course includes equal amounts of lecture and discussion. Students are responsible for keeping up with current events on the state, national, and international level. The class will  discuss current events (public policy, international relations, election news, etc.) These will become student-assigned and student-led. The current events provide concrete connections for each lesson. I plan to have access to online quizzes, review materials, and links to supplementary materials available as soon as possible. Tests will be similar to the actual AP exam they will take in May. They will be multiple choice and short answer/essay.



Texts: 

Civics Today, Richard C. Remy, et al.  New York:  McGraw Hill/Glencoe, 2008

American Government, 10th Ed. James Q Wilson and John J. Dilulio, Jr. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co, 2006.

Student Study Guide: American Government, 10th Ed. James Q Wilson and John J. Dilulio, Jr. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co, 2006.

Fast Track To A Five: Preparing for the AP US Government and Politics Exam David G. Benson and Karen K. Waples. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co, 2006.

Classic Ideas and Current Issues in American Government. Meena Bose and John J. Dilulio, Jr. NewYork: Houghton Mifflin Co, 2007.

State and Local Government, 5th Ed. James Q Wilson and John J. Dilulio, Jr. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co, 2006.

Local, Regional, and National Newpapers

Magazines  -  Time, Newsweek, US News and World Report

Requirements

Notecards:  3 x 5  for vocabulary and 4 x 6 for news articles

Notebook  -  three-ring, loose-leaf, college-rule paper

Divisions

     A. Class notes - dated and titled

           Lectures/Powerpoint presentations

           Discussions

           Student presentations

           Cooperative Learning Activities

     B. Readings

            1. Interpretative  - State Thesis, Give supporting evidence,

                 Your reaction - based on knowledge

             2. Primary - Record key information, Discuss bias
                                   Impact of document

             3. Text - Chapter reading assignments
                            Identification terms - on notecards
                           Chapter questions, if provided
               4. Skill building activities

     C. Charts and Maps

     D. Writing Assignments
                Long
                Short

     E. Returned tests and quizzes



AP UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT and POLITICS -  Summer Assignment, 2010



1. Read Federalist Paper #10 and then re-write it in your own words.
      This needs to be typed and double-spaced.
       I DO NOT want you to just give me a copy of the document.
       This should be one page in length, minimum, and should cover the all of #10. READ IT THOROUGHLY. We will refer to it often.



2. State, in your opinion, the five (5) most important amendments
       to the US Constitution in their order of importance.

       First list the specific amendment and what it says,  be sure to                      give the  number of the amendment!!  

Then tell why it is your choice. 

Explain thoroughly. 

These assignments will count as the first two grades for APGOV.
They will be counted as 0s if you do not complete them.



Goals



Students successfully completing this course will:

**Know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to US government and politics

**Understand typical patterns of political processes and behaviors and their consequences (including components of political behavior, the principles used to explain or justify various government structures and procedures, and the political effects of these structures and procedures)

** Be able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to US government and politics


Because most students come to class with only a smattering of of knowledge about our government , its organization, and its functions, we will spend the first nine weeks developing a sound foundation of knowledge on this topic and then jump into the AP book and essays.  As a result, we will move very quickly through the high school textbook on Civics. We will do on average two chapters a week, but realize that the chapters are very easy and on a reading level that is not very demanding.  Students are expected make notecards on the list provided for each chapter and learn the words and be able to use them effectively.  each notecard is to have a separate word on it.  You may keep your notecards filed in a box or attached on a ring.  You will have a separate set of notecards for Civics (the first nine weeks) and for AP Gov (2nd and 3rd nine weeks).  We will return to Civics after the AP exam.  Everyone who completes this class should easily score a level three on the CIvics exam and most will score a level 4.  My goal is also to prepare you to score a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP exam.  THis course costs can provide you with a semester of college credit if you work hard and perform well.  

FIRST NINE WEEKS:

TEXT BOOK USED for the FIRST NINE WEEKS - CIVICS TODAY

Week 1  Ch 1 The American People and Ch 2 Roots

Week 2  Chapters 3 and 4  The Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Week 3 Ch 6  Legislative Branch

Week 4 Ch 7 Executive Branch

Week 5 Ch 8 Judicial Branch

Week 6   Ch 9 Political Parties

Week 7   Ch 10 Voting and Elections

Week 8 Ch 11 Influencing Government

Week 9 Ch 15 and 16  Legal and Civil Rights

We may move faster or slower in some chapters, but this is roughly what we will do.  Each chapter will have notecards that students must do and learn, discussions, perhaps projects and presentations, group work and quizzes and/or essays.  

There will be a big test at the end of the material from the Civics book to make sure that students are ready for 

Second Nine Weeks

I - Constitutional Underpinnings of the US Government (Ch 1, 2, 3)

A. Theories and styles of democratic governments and economies

B. Philosophical and ideological influences

C. Beginnings of American Government

D. Separation of Powers

E. Federalism

F. Readings - Bose and Dilulio Chapters 1, 2, and 3

     The Second Treatise on Government, The
     Declaration of Independence, The Articles ofConfederation,               Federalist No. 10 and 51, 39, The Anti-Federalist, Cato No.3, and
Brutus No. 2, The Declaration of Sentiments, I Have a Dream,
Constitutional Reform and Effective Government, McCulloch v.
Maryland, ?Block Grants and the Devolution Revolution?,
Democracy in America, Bowling Along: America?s Declining Social
Capital, The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life,

G. In addition, students will keep up with current events through newspaper and magazine articles

H. Evaluations - TEST - Multiple Choice Questions similar to AP Government Test questions, FRQs ? similar to those on AP Government Exams, Cartoon interpretations, short essays, etc.



UNIT 2

 (Chapter 4, 7, 8)

II. Political Beliefs and Behaviors and Economic Theories

A. Citizen beliefs about government and politics

B. Political socialization

C. Public opinion ? influences, consequences, measurements

D. Citizen voting and participation

E. Demographic influences

F. Readings: Bose and Dilulio - Chapters 4 and 5

The Phantom Public, Election Results, Rally Effects, and

Democratic Futures, Culture War? The Responsible Electorate,

The Myth of the Vanishing Voter, Engaging Youth, Where Have

All the Voters Gone?

G. In addition, students will keep up with current events through newspaper and magazine articles

H. Evaluations - TEST ? Multiple Choice Questions similar to AP Government Test questions, FRQs ? similar to those on AP Government Exams, Cartoon interpretations, short essays, etc.



UNIT 3,   JAN - FEB 14

 (Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12)

III. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media

A. Development and impact of political parties

B. Operation and evaluation of the role of elections

C. Role and effect of interest groups and PACs

D. Role of mass media

E. Readings: Bose and Dilulio ? Chapters 6, 7, and 8

The Nader Calculation, Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and

Realignment, The Social Basis of Politics, The Semisovereign People:

A Realists? View of Democracy in America,

Showdown at Gucci Gulch, Theories of Retrospective Voting, The

Setting: Valence Politics in Modern Elections, Reforming the

Campaign System, Spin Cycle: How the White House and the Media

Manipulate, President?s Criticism of Media Resonates ?, The Liberal

Media



F. In addition, students will keep up with current events through newspaper and magazine articles

G. Evaluations - TEST ? Multiple Choice Questions similar to AP Government Test questions, FRQs ? similar to those on AP Government Exams, Cartoon interpretations, short essays, etc.





Feb 14- March 11 (Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16)



IV. Institutions of National Government

A. The Congress

B. The Presidency

C. The Bureaucracy

D. The Judiciary

E. Readings: Bose and Dilulio ? Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12

The Federalist No. 57, The Federalist No. 63, Congress: The Electoral Connection, Home Style, House Members in their Districts,

Policymaking in Congress, The Federalist No. 70, Presidential Power

and the Modern Presidents, The Presidential Difference, The Two

Presidencies, Improving Government Performance, The 9/11

Commission Report, Government by Proxy, Bureaucracy: What

Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It, The Federalist No. 87,

Marbury v Madison, A Matter of Interpretation, Active Liberty:

Interpreting our Democratic Constitution,

F. In addition, students will keep up with current events through newspaper and magazine articles

G. Evaluations - TEST ? Multiple Choice Questions similar to AP Government Test questions, FRQs ? similar to those on AP Government Exams, Cartoon interpretations, short essays, etc.


PUBLIC POLICY  CH 17-21   MARCH 14- APRIL 8

CHAPTERS 17-21

VI. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (Chapters 5, 6)

A. Identify rights and liberties

B. Trace the development of civil liberties and civil rights through legislation

C. Trace the development of civil liberties and civil rights through judicial interpretation

D. Apply and evaluate the impact of the 14th Amendment

E. Readings: Bose and Dilulio Ch 13

Brandenb urg v Ohio, Sante Fe Independent School District v Doe,

Brown v Board of Education, Gideon v Wainwright, Grutter v

Bollinger

F. In addition, students will keep up with current events through newspaper and magazine articles

G. Evaluations - TEST ? Multiple Choice Questions similar to AP Government Test questions, FRQs ? similar to those on AP Government Exams, Cartoon interpretations, short essays, etc.



AP REVIEW APRIL 15- MAY10


MAY 10, 2011 - AP Government and Politics Exam 8:00



May 13 - June 2 Civics/Economics Review



Daily reading assignments will be on the whiteboard at school and on the Edgate AP Government website. You can access this when you go to the SHS school website, find your class, click on my name, and then click on AP Government.

Or, you can go directly to:

http://www.schoolnotes.com/28144/adairdoranapgov.html