.AP United States Government and Politics

Syllabus

This AP Government course is taught three days a week, (44 minutes on Mondays, 93 minutes on Wednesdays, and 93 minutes on Fridays), from September until June. This AP government class is equivalent to an introductory one-semester college course in American government. Students are all expected to take the AP exam in May.

Course Description

This course serves as an introduction to the US national government. It is taught with the conviction that students want to know not only who governs but also what difference it makes who governs. As citizens we all deal with the consequences of federal, state and local laws and regulations. For example, what age we are allowed to drive, serve on a jury, and drink legally are all determined by some type of government. As a student in high school, your rights of privacy (freedom from searches, freedom of speech and expression, etc) are all subject to, and often determined by the power of the government. Explaining both who governs and to what end cannot be done without investigating the politics of policymaking. You will examine the government institutions which make these type of policies and the impact they have on people throughout the US.

This course is designed to enable students to develop a critical perspective towards government and politics in the United States. The 2000 election should have served as a useful lesson for why being an involved citizen is so important in our political process. We will study that election in the larger context of American politics and the political system we live in every day.

Students will examine general political concepts as well as specific case studies. It is important that every student in this class try and stay abreast of recent political events in order to be able to intelligently and logically discuss current events in the context of what we are learning in class.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to demonstrate:

1. Knowledge of the principles, institutions and processes of the national, state and local levels of government in the United States.
2. The ability to engage in analysis, synthesis, and effective communication in writing and in oral presentations.
3. Understanding with the organization and power of the Congress, the Presidency, the Judiciary, and the Bureaucracy. This includes the formal and informal powers of these institutions as well as the ways in which they relate to each other.
4. Familiarity with the complexities of the US Constitution and development of federalism.
5. An awareness of his or her “role” as a citizen, and how and why his participation is important to the continued success of our governmental system.
6. Knowledge of the historical evolution of the United States party system, the functions and structures of political parties and the effects they have on the political process. Included in this area is an understanding of the various kinds of interest groups.
7. Understanding of the court system and evolution of public policy concerning civil liberties and civil rights.
8. The ability to pass and excel on the AP exam given in May.

Methodology

Assessments will include exams and quizzes based on student reading; essays that call for analysis and synthesis of course content, and simulations and projects that will give the students the opportunity to develop along the lines of the course objectives.  Lectures will be given in order to develop the course curriculum and make clear any themes or objectives not understood by the students.  Group discussions and presentations as well Socratic discussions based on primary and secondary readings will be used in class.

Assessments

Homework, exams, quizzes, debates, projects, and current events

• Usually reading every night- an average of 5-7 pages in the text, with occasional handouts and other supplemental reading. Students are encouraged to bring their textbook to class everyday. Students are also encouraged to have a 3-ring binder that they must bring to class.
• Participation in class discussion is mandatory.  Everyone should be able to contribute to class discussion at least once per class session.
• There will be pop quizzes that will include paragraph-style writing, multiple choice timed quizzes on reading homework, lecture and homework assignments.
• Students will also be expected to frequently write free response questions (FRQs), in-group work, as homework, or on exams. All FRQ’s will be based on the format presented by the AP Government exam.
• Exams will follow each unit.  Each exam will consist of multiple-choice and FRQs.  Exams will cover material from the textbook, homework, and class discussion.
• Knowledge of contemporary political events is essential. It is highly recommended that students expose themselves to as many the following sources as possible: major newspaper (i.e., Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Christian Science Monitor); major news magazines; television news programs (i.e. “ News Hour with Jim Lehrer,” “Nightline,” even the Daily Show) C-SPAN; major network evening news programs; and public radio-NPR

Reading material

Text: Schmidt, Shelley, and Bardes, American Government and Politics Today, Thomson Wadsworth 2007.

Various handouts: news articles, primary source documents, and data resources for each unit selected by the teacher

Grading policy

This course grade will be determined by total point performance achieved by the student on class projects, tests, quizzes, handouts, oral participation, debates, etc.  The percentage for determining a student’s grade are as follows: A=90–100%, B=89-80%, C=79-70%, D=69%-60%.

Grade Breakdown:

Homework/class work/Quizzes………...……40%

Exams………...………….…...………………..50%

Final exam…………………………………….10%

• Homework and classwork will lose 5% per day late up to a maximum penalty of 50%.
• Each Unit has discussion questions. The students need to be prepared for discussion daily for their participation grade.

General course outline and reading

I . Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government - September 6 to October 18

A . Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution

        B . Separation of powers

        C . Checks and balances

D . Federalism

E . Theories of democratic government

Readings: Chapter 1, Chapter 2

II . Political Beliefs and Behaviors - October 21 to October 25

A . Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders

B . Processes by which citizens learn about politics

C . The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion (including analyzing polling data)

D . The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life

E . Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors

Reading: Chapter 6

III . Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media - October 28 to December 20

A . Political parties and elections

1. Functions
2. Organization
3. Development
4. Effects on the political process (including analyzing voting data)
5. Electoral laws and systems

B . Interest groups, including political action committees (PACs)

1. The range of interests represented
2. The activities of interest groups
3. The effects of interest groups on the political process
4. The unique characteristics and roles of PACs in the political process

C . The mass media

1. The functions and structures of the news media
2. The impacts of the news media on politics
3. The news media industry and its consequences

Reading: Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9

IV . Institutions: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts - January 6 to March 21

A . The major formal and informal institutional arrangements of power

B . Relationships among these four institutions and varying balances of power

C . Linkages between institutions and the following:

1. Public opinion and voters
2. Interest groups
3. Political parties
4. The media
5. State and local governments

Readings: Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 14

V . Public Policy - March 31 to April 4

A . Domestic and foreign policymaking in a federal system

B . The formation of domestic and foreign policy agendas

C . The role of institutions (Congress and the president) in the enactment of domestic and foreign policy

D . The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation

E . Linkages between domestic and foreign policy processes and the following:

1. Political institutions and federalism
2. Political parties
3. Interest groups
4. Public opinion
5. Elections
6. Policy networks

Readings: Chapter 15

VI . Civil Rights and Civil Liberties - April 7 to April 23

A . The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation

B . Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties

C . The impact of the Fourteenth Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and liberties

Readings: Chapters 4, Chapter 5

Review - April 25 to May 7

Final exam - Friday, May 9

AP Government exam - Tuesday, May 13