COURSE TITLE:  United States Government and Politics, Advanced Placement

 

TEACHER:  Mr. T.J. Bohler

 

ROOM:  B1.20

 

E-MAIL:    Tom_Bohler@eu.odedodea.edu

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  

AP US Government and Politics is a one-year course designed to prepare the student to take the Advanced Placement Examination administered by the College Board and the Educational Testing Service. For students who achieve a score of 3, 4, or 5 on this examination, most colleges and universities in the U.S., as well as colleges and universities in 21 other countries, have an AP policy granting incoming students credit, placement, or both on the basis of their AP Exam grades. The course is taught at the college level and designed for the highly motivated student.

The major purpose of the course is to help students gain an understanding of United States politics and the governmental processes that shape the complex matrix of our polity. Beginning with the Ancients’ conception of the good life to the mass industrial politics of the Postmodern Age, a broad trajectory in political thought is examined through rigorous readings of primary and secondary texts, the writing of term papers, and the participation in focused class discussions. Students learn not only about the structure and design of our government and the political behavior it informs, but about the ideas of a broad array of political thinkers concerning the nature of political behavior and what constitutes the best form of government. Particular attention will be focused on the American Founding and the continuing tension between the Federalist and Anti-Federalist positions on American governance. Except for functional definitions, this course provides no answers, only questions for further reflection.

 

 

COURSE GOALS/OBJECTIVES/STANDARDS:

The standards for twelfth grade cover the study of United States government. The standards focus on knowledge of the United States Constitution, branches of government, foreign affairs, social problems, governmental policies, and democratic values.  Students evaluate the effect of monetary policies on economic well-being, analyze the role of government in the economy, and design fiscal policies. Students develop the skills needed to be informed citizens in a democracy and identify fundamental American principles contained in the United Stated Constitution. Students participate in activities based upon evaluation of options for citizen action. The standards encourage students to apply the ideas and theories from political science to examine social problems and issues.  Students will be required to take the Advanced Placement Exam in the spring.

 

 

SKILLS

·          Detect bias in data presented in various forms.

·          Select an appropriate strategy to solve a problem and determine a rational course of action.

·          Use a variety of primary and secondary resources to express and defend personal convictions.

·          Participate in persuading, compromising, debating, and negotiating in the resolution of conflicts

and differences.

·          Use primary sources (biographies, journals, interviews, letters).

·          Correlate and cross-reference social studies materials (indices, appendices, glossaries).

·          Assemble findings based on spreadsheets, database software, and statistical packages.

·          Access and use complex electronic databases and communication networks of al types, including,

but not limited to, the Internet.

·          Create and design PowerPoint presentations using text, color, and importing graphics, sound, special

effects, and/or animation.

 

SSI Citizenship:  Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic, so that the learner can:

  1. Evaluate the degree to which public policy and citizen behaviors exemplify the stated ideals of democratic government.
  2. Identify, analyze, and propose solutions to local, state, and national issues.
  3. Define and demonstrate the attributes, rights, and responsibilities of a democratic citizen to include voting procedures and the election process.

 

SS2 Culture:  Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity, so that the learner can:

  1. Analyze and explain how groups, societies, and culture address human needs and concerns.
  2. Show how cultural expression is reflected in political ideologies, movements, or events in history.
  3. Analyze the concept of cultural diversity and its impact on United States government.

 

SS3 Time, continuity, and change:  Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the way human beings view themselves in and over time, so that the learner can:

  1. Describe how governments and their institutions change.
  2. Evaluate Supreme Court decisions within their historical contexts.
  3. Trace the development of political parties in the United States.
  4. Analyze reoccurring themes and issues in United States government (e.g., universal suffrage and health care).

 

SS4 Space and place:  Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of space and place, so that the learner can:

  1. Use geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret political data.
  2. Describe the relationship between a nation’s economic and historical development and its geographical features.

 

SS5 Individual development and identity:  Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity, so that the learner can:

  1. Explain how political beliefs are influenced by family, ethnicity, gender, group, and culture.
  2. Identify how individual behaviors are sanctioned and rewarded in society.
  3. Describe the influences of various historical and contemporary cultures on an individual’s life.

 

SS6 Individuals, groups, and institutions:  Social studies programs should provide for the study of the interaction among individuals, groups, and institutions so that the learner can:

  1. Analyze the evolution of social and political institutions (e.g., political parties, expansion of federal regulatory groups).
  2. Explain how groups and institutions perpetuate values, beliefs, and attitudes.
  3. Analyze examples of tensions between expressions of individuality and efforts used to promote social conformity.
  4. Evaluate ways in which technological, political, economic, and environmental changes affect the social system.

 

SS7 Production, distribution, and consumption:  Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, so that the learner can:

  1. Investigate and explain how abundance and scarcity of goods and services require economic system intervention.
  2. Explain the major economic functions of government.
  3. Define the principles and analyze the development of fiscal and monetary policy in the United States (e.g., Federal Reserve, Nation Bank, debt).
  4. Recognize and analyze the inherent conflict between environmental and developmental interests.

 

SS8 Power, authority, and governance:  Social studies programs should include the experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance, so that the learner can:

  1. Compare and contrast governments at all levels (e.g., Constitutional development, checks and balances, political parties).
  2. Analyze the development and role of international and multinational organizations and agencies.
  3. Investigate the concept and development of basic human rights (e.g., universal human rights, civil rights, basic US rights as outlined in the Bill of Rights).
  4. Assess the roles and responsibilities of elected officials.
  5. Develop and maintain an awareness and understanding of national and international political issues.

 

SS9 Science, technology, and society:  Social studies programs should include the experiences that provide for the study of the relationships among science, technology, and society, so that the learner can:

  1. Evaluate the impact of technology (e.g., media) on government institutions.
  2. Examine how laws and policies affect scientific and technological applications.
  3. Analyze how science and technology influence core values, beliefs, and attitudes of society.

 

SS10 Global connections:  Social studies programs should include the experiences that provide for the study of global connections and interdependence, so that the leaner can:

  1. Analyze policies that address current concerns and issues related to human rights, environmental quality, and territorial disputes.
  2. Discuss the concept of national sovereignty in relation to political developments.
  3. Analyze formal and informal means of interaction with governments of other nations.

 

CSP GOAL

AFNORTH International Middle/High School’s CSP (Continuous School Progress) goal reads: “All students will improve their written communication skills across the curriculum.” The 6 + 1 trait is the model selected to improve school-wide writing in all subject areas. The 6+1 Trait writing framework is a powerful way to learn and use a common language to refer to characteristics of writing as well as establish a common vision of what “strong” writing looks like. Teachers and students will use the 6+1 Trait model to identify areas of strength and weakness as they continue to strive towards continued writing improvement. Success of all students requires that the 6 + 1 Trait become a consistent and integral component of each course taught at AFNORTH International Middle/High School.

In this course, the 6 + 1 method will be taught and employed.  Students will have the opportunity to practice the different traits through a variety of experiences, including (but not limited to) journals, homework assignments, quizzes, etc. The 6 + 1 rubric will be used to formally assess student writing on major exams and projects.

 

SCOPE & SEQUENCE:

                The course is divided into a number of different units, which are complementary and generally holistic. Therefore, simply because a unit has been tested or a project has been finished does not mean that the topics and ideas are no longer relevant.

 

                Unit One:  The Constitutional Underpinnings

I.  Preamble/Articles

II.  Amendments

       A. Procedures

        B.  The Bill of Rights

III.  Separation of Powers

                                A. Three Branches of Government

                                       1.  Legislative Branch: House of Representatives and Senate

                                       2.  Executive Branch: President, Vice President, and Cabinet

                                       3.  Judicial Branch: Supreme Court and Court System

                                B. Federalism

                       IV.  Theories

                                A. Democratic Theory

                                B. Republican Government

                                C. Pluralism

                                D. Elitism

 

                Unit Two:  Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

                        I.  Role of the Supreme Court

                                A.  Judicial Review and Interpretation

                                B.  Conflicting cases and precedent

                                C.  Strengths and Weaknesses

                        II. Bill of Rights and other Amendments

                        III.  Discrimination and Segregation

 

                Unit Three:  Influences on Political Culture

                        I.  Beliefs

        II.  Societal Roles and Influences

                A.  Family

                B.  School

                C.  Media

                        III.  Political Participation

A. Voting

B.  Civic Action

 

                Unit Four:  Citizen Voices

                        I.  Political Parties

                                A.  Democrats

                                B.  Republicans

                                C.  Independents

                        II.  Elections

                                A.  Direct Democracy

                                B.  Electoral College

                                C.  Types of elections

                                D.  Campaign, reform, and finance

                        III.  PACs and Interest Groups

                                A.  Types of interest groups

                                B.  Representation

                                C.  Influences on Public Policy

                         IV.  Media

                                A.  Bias

                                B.  Effect/Role within public opinion

                                C.  Marketing

    1. Symbiosis and Love-Hate Relationships

 

               

                Unit Five:  Public Policy

                         I.  Policy agendas

                         II.  Bureaucracy

                         III.  Adoption, Enforcement, Implications

                         IV.  Sub-governments

 

                Overarching Philosophical Questions:

·         Liberty versus Equality

·         Egalitarianism and the Free Market

·         Civic Virtue: Does it Still Apply?

·         Communitarianism versus Individualism

·         Jefferson versus Hamilton

·         Centrifugal Tendencies: The Federal Bureaucracy and Personal Freedom

·         The Nature of Federalism

·         Morality and the State

·         Public Order versus Private Conscience

·         Is toleration in a pluralistic society contingent on conformity?

·         Globalization and Democratization: Natural Synthesis or Dangerous Dialectic?

·         Patriotism: The Last Refuge of the Scoundrel?

                               

                Each unit will have at least one project and/or paper of some kind, and each will also be tested at the end.  Participation, small quizzes, and homework assignments will also be an important part of the grade.  Outside reading and supplementary resources will be used in addition to the textbooks.

 

 

COURSE GRADING/ASSESSMENT

                Each semester grade is a combination of the two quarter grades, with each quarter worth 40% of the semester grade and a semester exam, worth 20% of the semester grade. The quarter grades are figured as follows:

Tests/Projects/Papers:        50%

Quizzes/Surprises:               20%

Homework/Classwork:        20%

Class Participation:              10%

                The final course grade is derived from the average of the two semester grades.

Generally, tests will focus on the most recent unit, but up to 30% of the questions may come from previous units.

During the first semester, students will write a 1,500-word research paper worth one test grade. A 3,000-word research paper will be produced during the second semester that counts for two test grades.

 

               

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS/CONSEQUENCES:

                This class is designed for motivated, hard-working twelfth grade students. Students are expected to be responsible for themselves, their behavior, and their work.  Much of this class relies upon discussion, debate, and the sharing of opinions and beliefs; for this reason, respect for others is essential, and any put-downs, harshness, or lack of respect will not be tolerated. 

                Students who have missed a class are responsible for arranging time with me before or after school or during seminar time to make up their work.

 

 

TEXTBOOKS:

                Andrews, Bruce and Nicole Fermon. Princeton Readings in Political Thought. Princeton: Princeton UP, 1996.             

 

Wilson, James and John DiIulio. American Government: Institutions and Policie, 9th Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004.

 

                Hofstadter, Richard. The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It. New York: Vintage, 1989.

 

               

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL:

Students will be expected to access articles and opinion pieces from various on-line sources including: www.platostandford.edu, www.library.ubc.ca/poli/theory.html,  www.guardian.co.uk, www.nytimes.com (registration required), and www.drudgereport.com.

 

Students will also be expected to research Supreme Court Decisions and read articles from various political journals.

 

 

SUPPLIES (REQUIRED/RECOMMENDED):

                Students must have a writing utensil, paper, and a 3-ring binder in class every day.

                I highly recommend that students purchase Joseph Gibaldi’s excellent MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th Edition. New York: MLA, 2003. This book will be a handy reference during the course and invaluable at university.

 

 

HOMEWORK POLICY:

                Because this is an AP, college level class, students should expect some form of work each night. Homework is designed to reinforce concepts and ideas that students have been studying as well as to aid them in developing skills to become independent learners.

Homework is due at the beginning of class. Late work rendered without documentation justifying absence will not be graded.

 

               

MAKE-UP WORK POLICY: 

                For unexpected absences, students may have one class period to make up any missing work for full credit. Thereafter, late work will not be accepted for credit. It is recommended that the student come see me during the seminar following their return to discuss what was missed and make a plan for turning in the work.

                Long-term projects and papers are still due on time.  If a student is absent on the day of the project, he or she must turn it in on the day he or she returns to school.  If a student is absent the day of the test, they must make it up during the following seminar, or see me for other arrangements. If a student is absent the day before a test, he or she can see me to make arrangements for an alternative time to take the test, rather than coming back and facing it right after the absence.

 

 

VARIOUS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:

Format of Essays. Written assignments should be typed. They should have one-inch margins and be double-spaced. Use a standard 12-point font.

 

Citation. ALL written work must include appropriate citations. You may use either MLA parenthetical citations or Chicago/Turabian footnote citations (as long as you are consistent throughout a given assignment). Remember that websites must be cited!

For more on MLA citations see: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/citation/mlastyle.pdf

For more on Chicago citations see: http://www.lib.jmu.edu/citation/chicagostyle.pdf

 

Plagiarism. Plagiarism is a form of cheating and academic dishonesty. It entails copying the words and thought of another and passing it off as your own. Copying even a single sentence fragment without proper citation is plagiarism. Plagiarism will result in receiving no credit for the assignment and administrative referral. Be forewarned: I use an on-line program to detect plagiarism. In my experience, plagiarism is born from procrastination. Start work early and you will finish on time.