Hopewell High School- (980) 343-5988
James Bello-
AP United States Government and Politics
2006-2007
Welcome!
Welcome to AP US Government and Politics. This year we will be learning about American government and politics. My role will be of a facilitator who will ask you hard questions, prompt your own questions, and point you towards answers. It’s going to be great fun collaborating as we learn more about the world of politics.
Facilitator
Hi! I’m Bo Bello. I’ve been teaching for 8 years, mostly in middle school. Most recently I taught and coached football at Sedgefield Middle School in Charlotte. I am very excited about teaching AP Government and Politics.
The Course
Politics occurs all the time. This could be in a relationship, a family, a nation. We all have our ideals, our vision, our utopia. Some people would like to be the almighty emperor and others want to be told what to do. Which are you? Politics happens all the time, and people are deciding who gets what, why not be a part of the debate? If we sit to the side of the action and abdicate our power to enter into the discussion, we are likely to wake up in someone else’s perfect world, which may not be so perfect to us. This fall we are not going to just learn about politics, we are going to do politics. So sit back, relax, and get political. It’s not just a class, it’s reality.
Questions
We are going to learn about politics by asking BIG questions. We won’t answer all of them, but I know that our discussions will be informative, enlightening and fun. Here's some examples:
· How democratic is the US?
· How much liberty do we really have?
· Which is more important, liberty or equality?
· Will Carolina become national champs????
· Is the US an empire?
· Are the framers of the republic spinning in their graves?
· How can I become more involved in government and politics?
Goals
I want you to leave this class with a keen insight into how politics really works. I also want you to learn how to turn your knowledge into action. My greatest hope is that this course will empower you to think about your political beliefs, and act on them to make this a better world.
State Competency Goals
COMPETENCY GOAL 1: The learner will examine the constitutional underpinnings of United States government.
Objectives
COMPETENCY GOAL 2: The learner will examine and critique political beliefs and behaviors.
Objectives
COMPETENCY GOAL 3: The learner will analyze political parties, elections, interest groups, and mass media.
COMPETENCY GOAL 4: The learner will examine and understand the institutions of national government: the Congress.
COMPETENCY GOAL 5: The learner will examine and understand the institutions of national government: the Presidency.
COMPETENCY GOAL 6: The learner will examine and understand the institutions of national government: the Bureaucracy.
COMPETENCY GOAL 7: The learner will examine and understand the institutions of national government: the Federal Courts.
COMPETENCY GOAL 8: The learner will examine and understand the development and implementation of public policy in the federal system.
COMPETENCY GOAL 9: The learner will examine and understand the development of civil rights and civil liberties and their impact on citizens.
Skills
After you’ve completed this course I’d like you to be able to:
· Carry on a cogent conversation about current political events
· Understand important political trends
· Read and comprehend the media
· Know how to contact your elected officials with clear policy concerns
· Understand the political process in the US
Know your legal rights and responsibilities
Assignment Type / Point ValueIndividual Tests / Usually 100 or more
Quizzes / Between 25-50
Journal Reviews / 10-20 points each
Classwork / Varies (between 25-100)
Projects/Presentations / Usually 100 or more
Individual Tests
You will have individual unit tests approximately each month. Your tests will be setup very similar to the AP exam, with both multiple choice and free response questions. There will also be charts, graphs, political cartoons, etc.
Quizzes
You will have quizzes every week or two. Quizzes can be announced or unannounced. Usually quizzes will be either multiple choice or free response/writing.
Journal Reviews
At the beginning of each week, you will write a journal review connecting class topics to current events. I will give you the due date and other ideas (online journals) at the beginning of each week. I will give you more detail about the format of the journal reviews when I assign the first one.
Classwork
Classwork will be done daily. Although I may not grade everything, I will grade most of your classwork. This includes discussions! Classwork may be independent, small group, or large group. I prefer group work. I expect you to participate in classroom discussions.
Projects/Presentations
During the school year, we will do a lot of projects. Some of the projects will involve you giving a presentation. The projects and presentations will almost always be collaborative group work but I may give an option to complete them independently.
*There will also be some outside reading assignments. These assignments will announced in class.
Absences/Make-Up Work
When you are absent, it is your responsibility to get any make-up work. You have five class periods to make-up any work that you miss.
Grading Scale
Numerical Grade / Letter Grade100-93 / A
92-85 / B
84-77 / C
76-70 / D
69-0 / F