POLITICAL SCIENCE 101
AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
FALL 2010/SPRING 2011
3 CREDIT HOURS
Semester/year: 2010-2011
Instructor: TERRY WAITLEY Office location: JHS
Office Hours: M-F 7:30-8:10 AM
E-Mail Address: ,
Office Phone: (208) 324-8137 ext. 4131
The CSI Mission Statement
The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides educational, social and cultural opportunities for the diverse population of South Central Idaho. In this rapidly changing world, CSI encourages our students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives.
General Education Criteria: This course satisfies all eight criteria for general education. It is designed to:
1. provide a broad-based survey of a discipline and show the interconnectedness of knowledge.
2. develop a discerning individual.
3. practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
4. promote awareness of social and cultural diversity in order to appreciate the commonality of mankind.
5. foster the balance between individual needs and the demands of society.
6. reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and/or quantitative skills.
7. encourage and inspire life-long learning.
8. encourage creativity.
Social Science Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Social Science Department is to provide educational, social, and cultural opportunities which encourage enriched, productive and responsible lives primarily by instructing students to understand, interpret, and apply Social Science discipline coursework.
Social Science Department Goals: This course addresses the following Social Science Department goals:
1. help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.
2. help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.
3. help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
4. teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.
5. teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences to make better-informed decisions
6. help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.
7. prepare students to transfer to a university.
Social Studies Department Mission Statement
Preparing citizens for participating in public life is essential for the health of our democratic system. The social studies program at Jerome High School will help prepare students to identify, understand, and work in our increasingly diverse nation and interdependent world organization.
Course goals and standards: The student will:
1. Define government and understand how it functions
2. Define the difference between democracy and other forms of government in the world.
3. Understand effective citizenship roles and responsibilities.
4. Demonstrate and understanding of the three branches of government their powers and differences.
5. Become well prepared to understand the differences and similarities between local, state, and the federal government, and explain their relationships.
Catalog Course Description
This course will help students to gain an understanding of the foundations and principles of the American political system, the relationship between civic life, politics, government, and the organization and formation of the United States Government. Students will also gain an understanding of the significance of American foreign policy and current governmental and political issues.
Course Outcomes (CO) Aligned with GE Criteria (GE), and Social Science (SS) and Program Goals (Program):
Students will… / GE / SS / ProgramCO1. demonstrate understanding of… / 1, 4, 6, 7 / 1, 4, 6, 7 / 1, 2, 4, 6
CO2. demonstrate understanding of… / 2, 3, 7, 8 / 2, 3, 4, 7 / 2, 3, 4, 5
CO3. demonstrate understanding of… / 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 / 2, 3, 6
CO4. demonstrate the ability to… / 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 / 2, 3, 6
CO5. demonstrate the ability to… / 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 / 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 / 2, 3, 5, 6
Assessment Methods: Alignment of Course Outcomes (CO) with course assessment methods, such as:
Multiple Choice Exams / Essay Questions / Paper / Attendance PointsCO1 / ü / ü / ü / ü
CO2 / ü / ü
CO3 / ü / ü / ü
CO4 / ü
CO5 / ü / ü
Policies and Procedures:
1. The attendance policy at Jerome High School will be followed and enforced according to the student handbook.
2. The class will require out of class reading and studying as well as approximately 3-5 hours of lecture a week.
3. There will be major class projects that will be completed.
a. Creation of a political party with website.
b. Examination of current political debates and topics
c. Creation of an election portfolio.
4. Students will have 2 days to make up late work as worked out with the instructor.
5. Plagiarism is not allowed and will result in a failing grade.
Grading Practices:
Students will be assessed using formative and summative assessments. The formative assessments will be checked for satisfactory achievement. If found unsatisfactory the students will be assigned to redo the work until a satisfactory level has been achieved. The summative assessments will be held to a 70% achievement level or will be reassigned until this level is achieved. If either of these is not achieved the student will receive and (I) incomplete grade for the class until such time as the assignments have been redone or the student has been awarded a (F) failing grade for the class.
Grading Scale:
Will be based on total points possible for the entire class.
100-90% = A
89-80% = B
79-70% = C
69-0% = I
Topical Outline for the Course:
1st Trimester Government A:
Weeks 1-4:
Constitutional underpinnings of the United States Government:
Reading:
Chapters 1,2,3 in Approaching Democracy text.
Federalism 51
United States Constitution
Weeks 5-9
Institutions of National Government
Reading:
Chapter 4 Approaching Democracy text
10 Things I wished political Scientists Would Teach about Congress by Lee Hamilton.
Article 1 United States Constitution
Ken Burns video Congress
Weeks 10-12
Political Beliefs and Behaviors
Reading:
Chapter 8 in Approaching Democracy text
Bill writing exercise and project
2nd Trimester Government B:
Weeks 1-4
Political parties, interest groups, and Mass media
Reading:
Chapters 9,10,11,12 in Approaching Democracy text
Frontline News war parts II and III
Weeks 5-9
Institutions of National Government/Public Policy
Reading:
Chapter 5,7,15,16 in Approaching Democracy text
Promises, Promises by Carl Cannon
Federalist 69 and 70
Inside the Secret Service DVD
Weeks 10-12
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Reading:
Chapter 6,13,14 in Approaching Democracy text
Selected readings from The Courage of their Convictions: Sixteen Americans who
fought their way to the Supreme Court
CSI E-mail: E-mail is the primary source of written communication with all CSI students. Students automatically get a CSI e-mail account when they register for courses. Messages from instructors and various offices such as Admission and Records, Advising, Financial Aid, Scholarships, etc. will be sent to the students’ CSI accounts (NOT their personal email accounts). It is the students’ responsibility to check their CSI e-mail accounts regularly. Failing to do so will result in missing important messages and deadlines. Students can check their CSI e-mail online at http://students.csi.edu. Student e-mail addresses have the following format: . At the beginning of each semester free training sessions will be offered to students who need help using their CSI e-mail accounts.
On-line course evaluation statement: Students are strongly encouraged to complete evaluations at the end of the course. Evaluations are very important to assist the teaching staff to continually improve the course. Evaluations are available online at: http://evaluation.csi.edu. Evaluations open up two weeks prior to the end of the course. The last day to complete an evaluation is the last day of the course. During the time the evaluations are open, students can complete the course evaluations at their convenience from any computer with Internet access, including in the open lab in the Library and in the SUB. When students log in they should see the evaluations for the courses in which they are enrolled. Evaluations are anonymous. Filling out the evaluation should only take a few minutes. Your honest feedback is greatly appreciated!
Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related accommodations. To determine eligibility and secure services, students should contact the coordinator of Disability Services at their home high school..
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