AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus

2015-2016

Mr. Johnson

“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” – Thomas Jefferson

This course is designed to simulate a college-level, introduction to political science. The goal of this course is to engage students and help them see the numerous connections between the academic courses they are enrolled in and their everyday lives! Students need to know that the political world affects their lives, and the political world is truly global in scope. By the end of the year students who have worked hardwill have a better grasp of political events and appreciate how American and world history have shaped current political beliefs, political parties, national institutions, policies, and laws.

The AP Exam
The AP Examinations are administered each year in May and represent the culmination of college-level work in a given discipline in a secondary school setting. Rigorously developed by committees of college and AP high school faculty, the AP Exams test students' ability to perform at a college level..
The AP U.S. Government and Politics exam is made up of two parts. The objective (multiple choice) question section consists of 60 questions, is 45 minutes long, and has a weight of one-half. The free response section consists of four questions, is 100 minutes long, and has a weight of one-half. According to College Board, “it is suggested that you spend approximately one-fourth of your time (25 minutes) on each question. In your response, use substantive examples where appropriate.”

Site Base Policy- Students enrolled in an Advanced Placement Course will be encouraged but not required to take the Advanced Placement Exam for that subject. All exam fees will be the responsibility of the individual student. Any student not electing to take the AP Exam will be required to take a final exam for the course. The final exam will carry the same weight as all other final exams for BarrenCountyHigh School (20% of final grade).

AP Exams cost $89.00 each. College Board has historically granted reduced fee waivers for those who qualify for free/reduced lunch. Such reductions will be determined before payments are due. Please see your counselor, or Trina Rickard, AP Coordinator.

If you choose to take the final exam for this course, it will be like an AP Exam including both multiple choice and free response questions. This exam will be scored according to the College Board’s scoring rubric.

5 = 100

4 = 93

3 = 86

2 = 79

1 = 69

Course Policies

Every day when you enter my classroom, I will be ready to teach you interesting and engaging lessons. If you approach this class with a positive attitude, respect for your classmates, and a sense of responsibility, you will be successful! My expectations for you are listed below. Make sure you review these expectations carefully and know that I will hold you to these standards of behavior.

Respect:Every person in this class will be given an equal opportunity to express himself or herself in class discussions, group work, writings, etc. Individuals may dress differently, have different beliefs, or communicate in different ways, but I expect you to treat each classmate with respect. In a discussion, a variety of opinions often surface. While you will not be asked to change your way of thinking, you will be expected to listen to others with respect and to express your personal opinions in a respectful manner. If you disagree with someone’s viewpoint, you are free to challenge them. However, please take time to consider your classmates’ opinions. The ability to weigh different perspectives and a willingness to change one’s ideas based on the presentation of new evidence are essential skills in today’s information age.

Behavior:I expect all students to:

  • Be in class on time.
  • Come prepared for class with required materials.
  • Respect your teacher and classmates.
  • Limit unnecessary trips out of the classroom.
  • Turn off and do not use cell phones and electronic devices during class.
  • Turn work in on time.
  • Be a benefit to a group, not a hindrance.
  • Actively participate in class discussions.
  • Accept an academic challenge.

Consequences:

1)Verbal Warning

2)Teacher /Student Conferences

3)Parent Contact

4)Office Referral

Leaving Class: Students are required to have a hall pass in order to leave class. Students will not be allowed to leave without it under any circumstances. Disciplinary action will be taken as required by school policy. I do have the right to limit passes due to habitual use. In addition, 4th block students will not be allowed to leave the classroom during the last 20 minutes of the day for any reason, unless escorted by a principal, per school policy.

Absences:If you have a planned absence from school, please notify me in advance and I will give you the upcoming assignments. It’s always best to make up your work before you leave. If you have an unplanned absence from school, please see me immediately upon your return to class to obtain any make-up work (see below). You may also e-mail me to find out assignment details. When possible, I will e-mail attachments to you. Regardless of the situation, please talk to me personally when you return.

Make Up Work:Make-up work/tests shall be permitted for excused absences only. Students having excused absences will be allowed the same number of days to complete make-up work/tests as they were absent. (i.e. student missed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday then they have 3 days to make-up work/tests). Again, it is the student’s responsibility to contact me regarding make-up assignments and schedule a time before, during, or after school.

School Policies:Any rule stated in the Student Handbook is, of course, a rule in this classroom as well. Please be very familiar with all school rules and policies.

Grading

Your grade will be based on daily work, conduct, class participation, homework, exams, quizzes, and assigned projects.

Daily Work- Consists of any work that we complete in class. Examples of daily work are: bell ringers, vocabulary, notes, research activities, etc.

Class Participation- Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions and activities. It is imperative that each student have their voice heard!

Homework- Consists of any work assigned outside of class. Examples of homework are: annotated notes to go along with readings, guided reading notes, article research, etc.

Exams/Quizzes- Exams and quizzes will consist of identification, multiple choice, short answer, and/or essay questions. Exams will be announced, but quizzes may be unannounced. If you miss an exam or quiz please refer to the make-up work policy listed above.

Semester Project- The semester project will account for 100 points, or the equivalent of a test grade. This project will include a variety of activities that you will complete throughout the semester. It is important that you do NOT put this off until the end of the semester. The purpose of the project is to be an active citizen in the local community.

Plagiarism / Academic Dishonesty Policy

I begin the year with complete trust in each of you. Please do not abuse that trust by being dishonest. Plagiarism and academic dishonesty are serious offenses. The academic work of a student is expected to be his/her own effort. Students must give the author(s) credit for any source material used. To represent ideas or interpretations taken from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage after having changed a few words, even if the source is cited, is also plagiarism. Students who commit any act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade in that portion of the course work. Acts of academic dishonesty will be reported to the administration.

Questions and Help:If you have questions regarding your schoolwork or need extra help, you can see me after class, by appointment before or after school, and/or you may e-mail me.

Texts

Ginsberg, Benjamin, Theodore J. Lowi, Margaret Weir. We the People: An Introduction to American Politics, 9th edition. W.W. Norton, 2013.

[Listed on the “AP United States Government & Politics: Examples Textbook List”

Serow, Ann G. and Everett C. Ladd. Lanahan Reading in American Polity, 5th ed., 2011. [CR3, SC11]

Stinebrickner, Bruce. Annual Editions: American Government 14/15, 44th ed., 2014.

Other readings and materials will be used throughout the course from these as well as other sources, such as the New York Ttimes, The Economist, BBC News, The Wall Street Journal, etc. [CR3, SC12]

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS (Curriculum Outline)

* Please note that there will be a test, consisting of multiple choice and/or at least one free response question, at the conclusion of each chapter/topic.

  1. Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government
  1. Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution
  2. Separation of Powers
  3. Federalism
  4. Theories of democratic government
  1. Political Beliefs and Behaviors
  1. Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders
  2. Processes by which citizens learn about politics
  3. The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion
  4. The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life
  5. Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors
  1. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media
  1. Political parties and elections
  1. Functions
  2. Organization
  3. Development
  4. Effects on the political process
  5. Electoral laws and systems
  1. 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
  1. The mass media
  1. The functions and structures of the media
  2. The impact of media on politics
  1. Institutions of National Government: The Congress, The Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts
  1. The major formal and informal institutional arrangements of power
  2. Relationships among these four institutions and varying balances of power
  3. Linkages between institutions and the following:
  1. Public opinion and voters
  2. Interest groups
  3. Political Parties
  4. The media
  5. Subnational governments
  1. Public Policy
  1. Policymaking in a federal system
  2. The formation of policy agendas
  3. The role of institutions in the enactment of policy
  4. The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation
  5. Linkages between policy processes and the following:
  1. Political institutions and federalism
  2. Political parties
  3. Interest groups
  4. Public opinion
  5. Elections
  6. Policy networks
  1. Civil Rights and Liberties
  1. The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation
  2. Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties
  3. The impact of the Fourteenth Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and liberties

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SCHEDULE OF TOPICS (Curriculum Outline)

* The following is a very basic outline of the topics that we will cover throughout the course. We will try and follow it, but unanticipated interruptions may force us to deviate from the schedule. It is crucial that you get the specific reading assignments for each class. In addition to textbook chapters that are listed, you will be given handouts that will supplement the material in the text.

* Please note that there will be a test, consisting of multiple choice and/or at least one free response question, at the conclusion of each chapter/topic.

Introduction

* Class Expectations

* The AP Exam- Strategies for Success:

- “Strategies to Approach Multiple Choice Questions in the Classroom and on the Exam,” Shirley Council, AP Central: 2007.

- “Using and Understanding Tables, Charts, and Graphs,” Jean Robinson, AP Central: 2005.

American Political Culture (Ch.1)

Lectures and discussion will be based on the following goals:

  • Explore how Americans see their government.
  • Describe the role of the citizen in politics.
  • Define government and forms of government.
  • Show how the American people have changed over time.
  • Analyze whether the system of government upholds American political values.

Readings, Assignments, and Projects

Readings: Chapter 1 in We the People

Fein, Bruce. “The Stain of Watergate.” The World and I, December 1994.

Schudson, Michael. “What if Civic Life Didn’t Die?” American Prospect. March-April 1996.

Wilson, James Q. “Democracy for All?” Commentary, March 2000.

Barbash, Fred. “What They Don't Know” CQ Weekly, June 13, 2011[AE #6]

Stokes, Bruce. “What Makes a Country Great?”National Journal, June 4, 2011 [AE #5]

Buckley, F.H. “Legacy Nation”The American Spectator, March 2012

American Political Culture Vocabulary Quiz

Interactive Politics Simulation: American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution (Ch.2)

Lectures and discussion based on the following questions:

  • What features of the US Constitution have enabled it to endure for over two centuries?
  • What are its strengths and weaknesses?
  • What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
  • What historical events surrounded the writing of the US Constitution?
  • Why did Madison fear factions?
  • How did the Federalist papers influence the passage of the US Constitution
  • What are the three main branches of government and what are their major powers?
  • In what ways does each branch of government check and balance the other branches?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of separation of powers?
  • What are the differences between formal and informal powers?
  • What are the processes for proposing amendments and getting them passed?
  • What were the major views of the federalists and anti-federalists?
  • Why did some people feel there was no need for a bill of rights and others feel it was an absolute necessity?
  • What major provisions are found in each of the 27 amendments?
  • How do different theories (i.e., pluralism, power elite, democratic, republican, communist) address the nature of government?

Readings, Assignments, and Projects

We the People, CH.2

The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, 1776 [AE #1]

The History of the Constitution of the United States, 1787[AE #2]

Federalist No. 10, James Madison, The Federalist Papers, 1787 [AE #3]

Federalist No. 51, James Madison, The Federalist Papers, 1787 [AE #4]

It Is Time to Repair the Constitution's Flaws,Sanford Levinson, October 13, 2006 [AE #12]

Constitutional Trivial Pursuit: Explore various details of the Constitution

Amendments Quiz

Declaration of Independence

United States Constitution

Washington’s Farewell Address

The Founding and the Constitution Vocabulary Quiz

Video

John Adams (Selected Scenes)

Federalism (Ch.3)

Lectures and discussion based on the following questions:

  • What is federalism?
  • What are the differences and similarities between federalist, confederalist and unitary systems of government?
  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of each system?
  • What are federal, state and local powers (shared/concurrent and exclusive/delegated) under federalism?
  • What are express, implied, and inherent powers?
  • What is fiscal federalism?
  • What are federal mandates?
  • Why was there a need for the passage of an unfunded mandates law and why is it sometimes ignored?
  • What are the differences and similarities between categorical grants, block grants, project grants, and revenue sharing?
  • Why do states prefer block grants and why does the federal government prefer categorical grants?
  • What are the major aspects the Welfare Reform Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act and how do they exemplify the strengths and weaknesses of federalism?

Readings, Assignments, and Projects

We the People, Ch.3

The Federalist 39 and 46, James Madison p.119-123 (Lanahan)

American Federalism, Daniel Elazar p. 124-128 (Lanahan)

Is Federalism the Reason for Policy Failure in Hurricane Katrina? Thomas Birkland/Sarah Winterman p. 130-136 (Lanahan)

Federalism Vocabulary Quiz

Interactive Politics Simulation: Federalism

Video

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, HBO (Selected Scenes)

Civil Liberties/Civil Rights(Ch.4 and 5)

Lectures and discussion based on the following questions:

  • What is the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?
  • What major provisions are found in each amendment of the bill of rights?
  • Under what circumstances is free speech curtailed or prevented?
  • What does prior restraint mean?
  • What is the difference between the establishment and free exercises clauses of the first amendment?
  • What are the major provisions of the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments?
  • Why is the fourteenth amendment important in discussing civil liberties?
  • What is the incorporation doctrine and to which amendments does it apply?
  • What are the major details and results of some of the major Supreme Court landmark cases dealing with civil liberties and civil rights (see chart on p. 16)?
  • What is the difference between slander and libel and why are they not protected as free speech?
  • What groups are supposed to be protected by civil rights policy?
  • What different methods were used to restrict the voting rights of African-Americans and women?
  • What is gerrymandering?
  • What is affirmative action?

Readings, Assignments, and Projects

We the People, Ch. 4 and 5

Debating Citizens United, Floyd Abrams and Burt Neuborne, The Nation, January 31, 2011 [AE #13]

Title IX 40 Years Later: Game Changer, Erin Buzuvis, Ms., Spring/Summer 2012 [AE #14]

Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Vocabulary Quiz

Supreme Court Cases Project based on civil liberties cases, including:

Gitlow v. New York;Gideon v. Wainwright; Miranda v. Arizona; Griswold v. Connecticut; Roe v. Wade; Texas v. Johnson

Video

Ghosts of Abu Ghraib (Selected Scenes)

Spying on the Home Front, Frontline (Selected Scenes)

The Torture Questions, Frontline (Selected Scenes)

I Have a Dream Speech, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Public Opinion (Ch. 6)

Lectures and discussion based on the following questions:

  • What are America’s values with regard to politics, economics, and society?
  • How do Americans develop their political beliefs?
  • What are the differences between ideology and political attitudes?
  • What are the differences between liberals, conservatives, libertarians, socialists, and communists?
  • In what ways do people, in general, and Americans, in particular, participate in politics?
  • Why are American voting participation rates relatively low and does it matter?
  • Why do many Americans choose to participate in the political process in ways other than voting?
  • What are the differences between gladiatorial, spectator, and passive forms of political participation?
  • What are the agents of political socialization?
  • How is political culture established and fostered?
  • How do political beliefs and attitudes vary by demographic characteristics, such as race, gender, age, region of the country, religion, and occupation?

Readings, Assignments, and Projects