Syllabus for AP United State Government and Politics
2010-2011
Cindy Threet
Denver School of Arts
7111 Montview Blvd.
Denver, Colorado 80220
(720) 424-1821
Course Scope:
v Course Description – This one year course is a study of federal, state, and local governments designed to give students a critical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course will involve the study of general concepts and analyses of specific case studies as they pertain to the interpretation of American government and politics. Students will become familiar with the various institutions, groups, beliefs and ideas that comprise the American political reality. A major emphasis of the course will be preparation for the College Board examination in May 2011. This course will also fulfill the Denver Public School’s Civics credit requirement for high school graduation.
v Course Goals:
Ø To understand the essentials of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the national, state and local governments.
Ø To recognize the contributions made by the founding fathers toward developing the constitutional underpinnings of American democracy.
Ø To understand the sources of political authority and political power.
Ø To develop an understanding of the interrelationships between political beliefs and behaviors of individuals in a democratic society.
Ø To observe the role of political parties and interest groups in the American political system.
Ø To understand the growth and development of American bureaucracy.
Ø To develop an awareness of law, civil liberties, and civil rights.
Ø To relate the political process to economics and geography.
Ø To appreciate the multicultural aspects of American society.
Ø To develop critical thinking and writing skills, which will aid in the process of analysis and interpretation of data relevant to American government and politics?
Ø To explore career opportunities in the fields of political science and government service.
Ø To understand the rights and responsibilities of United States citizenship.
Ø To understand the role of government as it applies to foreign policy and trade.
Ø To develop skills necessary to use informational tools, including technology.
Ø To examine the concepts of ethics, respect, empathy, honor, and courage as they apply to government and politics.
Ø Advanced Placement provides high school students with the rigors of a post-secondary education. Interested students will find a vast array of challenges throughout the year-long course, including analytical study, research, and the development of fundamental processes inherent at the collegiate level.
Textbooks:
1. Edwards, George C., Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy, Pearson, 14th Edition, 2009.
2. Woll, Peter, et. Al. American Government: Readings and Cases, 18th ed. New York: Longman Publishing, 2009. (excerpts provided by instructor)
3. Applicable supplementary readings as necessitated by course scope and sequence.
4. Notebook and three-ring binder are strongly recommended.
Course Outline and Tentative Calendar:
I. School Begins – Intro to Course. August 20th.
II. Constitutional Underpinnings - Chapter 1 – 3. August 23 – September 24.
III. Political Culture - Chapter 6-7, 11 (Demographics, polling, ideology, media, political participation, special interest groups). September 27 – October 22.
IV. Political Parties + Electoral Processes Chapters 8-10. October 25 – November 23.
V. Institutions: - Congress + Budget- Chaps. 12, 14, and 18. November 29 – December 12
Semester Exams – December 13-17
Second Semester Begins Jan. 5th
VI. Institutions: part 2 – Chap. 14 and 18. Jan. 5 – Jan. 13
VII. President/ Bureaucracy/Foreign Policy – Chapters 13, 15, 20. Jan. 18 – Feb. 11.
IIX. Supreme Court/Civil Liberties/Civil Rights - Chapters 16, 4-5. Feb. 14 – March 11.
IX. Policy Making – Chap. 17, 18, and 19. March 14 - 25
Spring Break March 28-April 1
X. Review and Testing Practice and Analysis. April 5 – April 29
XI. College Board Exam – May 2010 – 60 MC, 4 Essay Questions.
XII. Colorado State Government. May 11 – 26
XIII. Final Exam Week May 23 - 27
Technology Applications:
Technology will be used for the research of applicable political issues and government structures. It will also be used to enhance the development of the political process through simulations, demonstrations and power point presentations.
Grading Policies:
Grading Scale:
A / A- / B+ / B / B- / C+ / C / C- / D / F93-100 / 90-92 / 87-89 / 83-86 / 80-82 / 77-79 / 73-76 / 70-72 / 60-69 / 0-59
A. The college of your choice will dictate how the College Board examination score will be credited in your program. The $83 examination fee will be paid by each student. Most colleges provide credit for “3, 4, or 5.”
B. Grade Procedures:
1. A total point system will be used with unit examinations, chapter quizzes, research papers, demonstrations and worksheet applications scored respectively per nine week grading period.
2. Participation grades will be awarded for classroom activities that revolve around the following
criteria:
· Student punctuality
· Active participation if appropriate to the desired activity
· Respect for students and all attending faculty
· Academic effort
3. Notebooks are strongly recommended for student use, but they are not evaluated.
4. Homework: All assigned reading will be accomplished outside of class. On average, a minimum of one hour of homework is assigned daily.
5. Written assignments will be evaluated based on content, spelling, grammar, syntax and parenthetical end noting with appropriate work cited sections.
6. Unit workbooks will be evaluated on the day of unit exams. Any student achieving an “A” is exempt from turning in the workbook assignment as long as the student maintains an “A” average.
7. Plagiarism + Cheating: Students will complete their OWN work at all times. Failure to abide by that policy will result in no credit for the assignment and parents will be notified.
8. Extra Credit: Students may turn in TWO, one page reviews of an applicable news magazine article or political cartoon per quarter. The article must pertain to American government and politics and be pre-approved by the instructor. Follow the extra credit checklist for the proper format.
9. Scoring:
Quarter scores will be allocated based on the following approximate percentages:
Exams =30%; Applications + Demonstrations = 40%; Quizzes= 10%, Thesis development = 10%, Semester Finals = 10% of total grade
10. Make-Up Procedures: After any absence, the student is required to initiate contact with the instructor either in person or via email at to obtain appropriate make-up work WITHIN three school days following the student’s return. The student will then have two days for each day absent to turn in required materials.
11. Late Procedures: Material turned in past the required deadline will be docked 25% the first day late; 50% the second day late; and will receive no credit after the third day.
12. ALL QUIZZES ARE OPEN NOTE. All Exams are CLOSED NOTE. Quizzes and exams are timed activities.
Classroom Behavior:
1. Be nice, be kind and have an open mind. Think before one responds. Participation is strongly encouraged and there will be ample opportunity to express oneself during lecture, small group and enrichment activities.
2. No electronic devices (i.e. I-pods) are allowed in the classroom. Cell phones are placed on vibrate only.
3. Computers are a necessary tool in our classroom environment. They will be used properly and for academic purposes only. Printing is allowed on the pod printer, but be wise when deciding what to print.
4. Misbehavior will not be tolerated. First offense, student will be relocated in the classroom. Second offense, student will be sent to the Dean of Students office and parents will be notified.
Third offense: student will be removed from the class and a student, parent-student dean- and -instructor conference will be initiated before a student will return to the classroom.
5. No food or drink allowed in the classroom accept for instructor-initiated activity. Water is allowed as long as the container has a lid.
6. Attendance requirements will follow procedures outlined in the student handbook.
Misc. Feel free to contact me via email at or call (720) 424-1821 to leave a message.