11/16/2018
AP United States Government and Politics Syllabus
Instructor: Mr. Christopher Frey Course Description
This course is Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics. It is a one-semester college level course that is designed to provide students with an understanding of the nature of the American political theory and practice. In this course we will introduce students to the organization of the institutions of American government and how they work in relation to achieving public policy goals. This examination will enable us to develop a critical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses inherent in our model of government. It is also designed to prepare students for the College Board Examination each year in May and to possibly receive college credit. With both of these goals in mind, curriculum, materials and expectations are designed for these objectives. There will be a great deal of reading, a weekly analytical- free responsewriting assignment with a required research paper due on December 9, 2011 in this course. It is my intention to evenly divide our time between traditional lecture-discussion and Socratic seminar, which many of you are familiar with from last year. Each class will begin with a discussion of current events and students will be expected to keep up with those political issues and campaigns. This course is rigorous; fast paced and will require extensive reading and writing.
Topics in AP US Government and Politics
Constitutional Underpinning of the United States Government
Political Beliefs and Political Behaviors
Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media
Institutions of National Government
Public Policy
Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Course Texts and Readings:
•Edwards, George C, Martin Wattenberg, and Robert Lineberry, Government in America: People
Politics and Policy, 10th Ed.
•Selected readings from Readings and Cases in American Government, 15th ed. Edited by Peter
Woll.
•Washington Post. Weekly Edition.
Throughout the course I will select additional primary source readings and documents as well as current events in order to supplement our inquiry into the nature of American Government and Politics.
Course Expectations
► You will have 3-5 grades each week not counting finals. Tests, Papers, and Project grades will count as 75 percent. Daily work which includes quizzes, written or oral assignments and homework will count as 25 percent. Although final exam exemptions are possible, I strongly encourage that you take the exam in preparation for the College Board Exam in May 2010. The completion of the final exam review is mandatory.
► Exams and Quizzes will include responses to analytical free –response questions following the format of the College Board Exam. You will have a combination of objective and at least two free-response questions weekly in which you will be required to demonstrate your ability to analyze and interpret the structure and actors within the American government and politics as presented during class activities or required readings.
AP United States Government and Politics Syllabus
► Although the lecture format is one component of this class, a great deal of the class will take the form of class discussion over the assigned readings. It is critical to this teaching and learning method that you do these readings prior to class time. I remind you that this is AP US Government and a great deal of preparation is expected of you.
► Group work for presentations is a course requirement and it is expected that all students will contribute within that group. The group will also function, as a study group in order to manage the amount of reading and work that is required in this class. Groups will be formed largely by mutual agreement between you and me. However, I reserve the right to have the last word. I remind you all that your grade will sometimes depend on the effort of your partners and I caution you to think carefully on your part of this decision. Groups can be altered only between assignments and in consultation of all parties with me.
► TheResearch Paper assignment will be handed out on September 9, 2011.
Course Materials
This is a college course and therefore students "should" maintain a notebook that can be used for quizzes, unit tests, the midterm and AP exam. This notebook should be organized and current. I will demonstrate the Cornell style of note taking but students may choose a similar method that works for them. I intend to use the "carrot" approach rather than the "stick" in encouraging this endeavor. Students may "correct and return" deficient test grades providing that they can show outlined chapters in their notebooks.
Research Paper
Students will choose a topic on American Government and Politics that they will research during the semester. The due date for the research paper is Friday December 9th . Students will choose a topic by Tuesday September 30, 2011 and fifteen sources and an outline will be due by Tuesday November 1st to be followed by a rough draft due on Friday November 18th.
Make-ups and Tutoring
I will be available before and after school Monday-Thursday by appointment. In addition, beginning in March, after school classes will be held for all current and former students in order to prepare for the AP Exam in May.
11/16/2018
AP United States Government and Politics Syllabus
Curriculum CalendarFirst Six Weeks
Unit 1: "The American system of Government and Constitutional Foundations" (three weeks) REQUIRED READING:
•Textbook: Chapters 1,2, and 3
•The Declaration of Independence, (see Appendix in text)
•John Locke, "Second Treatise of Civil Government", Woll p.4-10 (Socratic Seminar)
•James Madison, "Federalist 10, Woll p.165-169 and "Federalist 51", Woll p.41-45 (Socratic
Seminar)
Unit 2: "Civil Liberties and Civil Rights" (three weeks) REQUIRED READING:
•Textbook: Chapters 4 and 5
•The Bill of Rights (see Appendix)
•Antifederalist Paper No. 84, "On the lack of a Bill of Rights", Woll p.96-98
•James Madison, "Speech Before the House of Representatives in 1789, Woll p.98-104
•"The Nationalization of the Bill of Rights", Woll p.105-108
•"Texas V. Johnson (1989)",(Class Handout/Group Brief)
•"Morton V. Goose Creek ISO (1982)", (Class Handout/Group Brief)
•"Gideon V. Wainright (1963), Woll p.108-113 (Group Brief)
•"Abrams V. United States (1919), Woll p.115-119 (Group Brief)
•"Roe V. Wade (1973), Woll p.146-155 (Group Brief)
•"Adarand Constructors, Inc V. Pena (1995), Woll p.156-160 (Group Brief)
Second Six-Weeks
Unit 3: "People and Politics" (Public Opinion, Political Socialization, Interest Groups and Political Parties) (two weeks)
REQUIRED READING:
•Textbook: Chapters 6,8, and 11
•David R. Mayhew, "Divided We Govern", Woll p. 181-188 (Socratic Seminar)
•David B. Truman, "The Governmental Process", Woll p. 246-224252 (Socratic Seminar)
Unit 4: "Campaigns, Elections and the Media" (three weeks) REQUIRED READING: Textbook: Chapters 9, 10, and 7
•B. Berelson, "Democratic Practice and Democratic Theory". Woll p. 206-214 (Group
Presentation)
•V.O. Key, "The Responsible Electorate", Woll p. 214-217 (Group Presentation)
•L. Sabato, "The Misplaced Obsession with PACs", Woll p.260268 (Group Presentation)
11/16/2018
AP United States Government and Politics Syllabus
Third Six-Weeks
American Political Institutions
Unit 5: “The Congress" (two weeks) REQUIRED READING:
•Textbook: Chapter 12
•M. Fiorini, "The Rise of the Washington Establishment", Woll p. 352-359(Socratic Seminar)
•R. Fenno, "If...... How Come We Love Our Congressmen..." Woll p.383-390(Socratic Seminar)
•T. Cook, "Media Power and Congressional Power", Woll p.372-379(Socratic Seminar)
•Congressional Apportionment : Census 2000 Brief
• After reviewing the above brief, students will answer free response questions with
essays demonstrating the ability to analyze and interpret data including charts, graphs, tables,
diagrams and other survey research.
Unit 6: "The Presidency and The Bureaucracy" (two weeks) REQUIRED READING:
•Textbook: Chapters 13 and 15
•Alexander Hamilton, "Federalist 78", Woll p. 271-275 (Group Presentation)
•Richard Neustadt, "Presidential Power", Woll p.280-283 (Group Presentation)
•Thomas E. Cronin and Michael A. Genovese, "Presidential Paradoxes", Woll p.284-298 (Group
Presentation)
•Sidney M. Milkis, "The Presidency and Political Parties", Woll p.313-323 (Group Presentation)
•Clinton Rossiter, "The Presidency-Focus of Leadership", Woll p.275-280 (Group Presentation)
•Peter Woll, "Constitutional Democracy and Bureaucratic Power", Woll p.328-334 (Group
Presentation)
•James Wilson, "The Rise of the BureaucraticState", Woll p.334-341 (Group Presentation)
Unit 7: "The Judiciary" (one week) REQUIRED READING:
•Textbook: Chapter 16
•Alexander Hamilton, "Federalist 78", Woll p. 408-413 (Socratic Seminar)
•John Roche, "Judicial Self Restraint", Woll p.418-424 (Socratic Seminar)
•William Brennan, "How the Supreme Court Arrives at Decisions", Woll p.428-437 (Socratic
Seminar)
•
Unit 8: "Public Policy, Economic, Social and Foreign" (one week)
REQUIRED READING:
Textbook: Chapters 17, 18 and 20
• Public Health Policy: Video: Sick Around the World (Frontline)
• U.S. Census Bureau Health Insurance Coverage Highlights
• World Health Statistics Report.
• After reviewing the above video and material, students will answer free response questions with
essays demonstrating the ability to analyze and interpret data including charts, graphs, tables,
diagrams and other survey research.