Politics | Liberalism » AP United States Government and Politics, Syllabus

Source: http://www.doksinet AP United States Government and Politics Syllabus The AP United States Government and Politics course covers the material that most traditional government and initial political science class covers while providing the opportunity for advanced work, rigorous academic study, and the practical application of major ideas found in the study of U.S government and politics This course meets two days a week for ninety minutes the entire school year and focuses on the daily reading assignments, reading seminars, lectures, presentations, quizzes, analysis of data and statistics, multiple choice tests, and essays. Text The course’s basic text is American Government: Institutions and Policies (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001) edited by James Q. Wilson and John J DiIulio Supplemental Texts Other texts and articles from periodicals are used to formulate daily lesson plans, homework assignments, writing assignments and DBQs. Other texts used are listed below and

are referenced throughout the syllabus. Benedict, James A. and Daniel S Ludlam, ed AP US Government and Politics (USA: The Center for Learning, 1993) Bose, Meena and John J. DiIulio Jr, ed Classic Ideas and Current Issues in American Government (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007) O’Connor, Karen and Larry J. Sabato, ed American Government: Continuity and Change (NY: Pearson Longman, 2004) Other Materials For every unit, articles are assigned and used in class from newspapers, such as the New York Times, Washington Post, or the Wall Street Journal; from news magazines such as Newsweek or Time; news footage and documentaries; C-Span; current events and many websites. Students are to write summaries of the articles in preparation for class discussion and pop quizzes on the reading. Summaries are randomly graded Students also have access to a wide variety of newspapers and news magazines online via my website. Writing In addition, a wide variety of activities and projects that

require the use, research, and analysis of primary source documents are used. Students are required to complete essays and DBQs every unit. The DBQs primarily consists of analyzing data in chart, or graph form, and interpreting primary source documents or political cartoons. Source: http://www.doksinet Writing is taught in phases. At first the thesis is required on various topics as a summary of the day’s lesson. Then the first essay is written with the thesis, outline and rough draft, and the final draft turned in at different intervals. Over the course of the year, one is done in this manner, and numerous others are done independently outside of class with two being timed in class. In addition to writing the essays, whole class discussions of editing and grading, peer editing with grading rubrics, and samples of good essays are used as tools to teach writing. Activities Students have reading assignments daily. Questions most often accompany an assignment and a quiz follows.

Short presentations to the class on various research topics are used as well as group presentations of research projects, in class group work, computer based assignments (writing, research, web activities) and writing assignments. Debates Every unit includes a debate (or two) on issues key to the unit’s content. Students work in pairs to affirm or negate the prompt. It is a modified Lincoln-Douglas style debate It is more research based and requires the use of statistics and data to support the argument. Students must also complete an annotated bibliography for each side of the debate with at least four substantive sources and cited in Turabin style. Course Outline Unit 1 – Federalism (12 days) Required reading 1. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 – Wilson 2. “Founding Fathers: A Reform Caucus in Action” by John Roche from Bose 3. “Framing the Constitution” by Charles Beard from Bose 4. McCulloch v Maryland, Gibbons v Ogden, Marbury v Madison from Bose 5. “Second Treatise of

Government” by John Locke from Bose Key Concepts: Political power, power, democracy, direct versus representative democracy, power distribution in a democracy, political change, who governs?, problems of liberty, constitutional convention, Constitution, motives of the framers, Constitutional reform-modern views, federalism, federal-state relations, grants, dual federalism, federal aid and strings, and devolution. Activities • Chapter 1, 2, and 3 essays and DBQs. • Court Case Research Assignment – Students will research 2 to 3 court cases relevant to course topics i.e civil rights, due process, governmental power, etc and create a summary and analysis. Cases will be presented in the relevant unit, and copied and distributed to all the students in the class for reference. • Debate #1 – “The mind of the framers of the Constitution” – Roche versus Beard Source: http://www.doksinet • • • • • Debate #2 – “Federalism is no longer necessary. The US should go

to a unitary system.” National Supremacy Court Cases Skits – Students choose a national supremacy court case and in groups, write and perform a skit accurately depicting the key points of the case. Court Case presentations – Fletcher, Charles River Bridge, etc. Origins of Constitutional Principles and Rights Activity – Student chart the development of Constitutional principles and rights. Articles of the Confederation Activity – Students must classify information from the Articles of Confederation government, and develop categories into which the information fits. Then students must write an essay either affirming or negating the following prompt: “The Articles of Confederation government was an effective government of the U.S” Unit 2 – Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (7 days) Required Reading 1. Chapters 18 and 19 – Wilson 2. “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau and “I Have a Dream Speech” by Martin Luther King, Jr. from Our Land, Our Time ed Joseph

R Conlin (San Diego, Coronado Publishers, Inc., 1986) 3. “Freedom of Speech: PC on Campus” which includes Taking Offense by Jerry Alder and Without Prejudice by Bhikku Parekh from Benedict Key Concepts: Politics, political culture, civil liberties, first amendment, What is Speech?, establishment clause, free exercise clause, church versus state, due process, exclusionary rule, Civil Rights Movement, women’s rights, abortion, sexual harassment, gay rights, affirmative action, equal opportunity, and equal protection. Activities • Chapter 18 and 19 essays and DBQs. • Debate #3 – “Affirmative Action programs are still necessary today.” • Civil Disobedience and I Have a Dream Speech – primary source document analysis activity • Freedom of Speech: PC on Campus – seminar discussion • Civil Rights Court Cases presentation from Court Case Activity – Brandenburg, Escobedo, Brown, etc. (see Unit 1) • Free response essay – “The political correctness movement is

the new McCarthyism of the twenty first century.” Assess the validity of this statement • Political Cartoon Analysis – Students are given 4 to 6 political cartoons dealing with civil liberties/civil rights issues (this unit, later the president, etc.) Students must provide a summary of the issue as well as analysis of the view presented in the cartoon. (Sometimes students use the mobile lab laptops to access political cartoons sites online and select the cartoons themselves.) Source: http://www.doksinet Unit 3 – Voting and Elections (8 days) Required Reading 1. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 – Wilson 2. “Consultants and PACs as Party Rivals” by Larry Sabato Key Concepts: Political culture, political systems, economic systems, comparative government, role of religion, sources of political culture, mistrust of government, political efficacy, political tolerance, public opinion, origins of public opinion, cleavages, political ideology, liberalism, conservatism, nonvoters, American

electorate, and who participates and why. Activities • Chapter 4, 5, and 6 essays and DBQs. • Party Platform Activity – Working in groups, students identify 8 to 10 key issues in the platforms of both Republicans and Democrats in one presidential election from 1960 to 2004. Charts are compiled, the groups present to the class, and copies are made for each student for reference. • Alabama Literacy Test activity • Debate #4 – “The U.S should pass a compulsory voting law” • Court Cases from the Court Case Activity – Bush v. Gore, etc (see Unit 1) • Re-Aligning and non- aligning election activity • DBQs – Students must interpret poll results in chart form titled “Who Likes a Democrat?” and maps of presidential elections of 1828, 1860, 1896, and 1932. Summaries with analysis and evidence of content knowledge required for each. Unit 4 – Political Parties, Interest Groups, and the Media Required reading 1. Chapter 7, 8, 9, and 10 from Wilson 2. Federalist #10

by James Madison from Bose 3. “Constitutionalism: The Tyranny of the Majority” by Alexis de Tocqueville from Bose Key Concepts: Rise of political parties, national party structure, state and local parties, political machines, platforms, two-party system, minor parties, nominating a president, parties versus voters, presidential versus congressional campaigns, primary versus general elections, campaign financing, election outcomes, revolving door, interest groups, regulation of interest groups, history of the press, structure of and governing of the media, government and the news, and interpreting the news. Activities • Essays and DBQs for Chapters 7,8,9,and 10. • Debate #5 – “PACs have corrupted the political system.” • Debate #6 – “There is no difference between the Democrats and the Republicans.” Source: http://www.doksinet • • • • Election’s Commercial Activity – Using the mobile lab laptops, students use commercials at

www.livingroomcandidateorg to complete activities on campaign techniques and propaganda. Political Beliefs and Behaviors essay “Is the Media Biased” Activity – Students use a variety of articles from national newspapers and news magazines to complete the activities to surrounding bias in the media. Students must also catalog bias from TV news by analyzing 2 assigned news programs for a week (at least 5 broadcasts). Madison versus de Tocqueville – Compare and contrast the two views on democracy and then write a letter to one or the other disagreeing with them and why. (essay) Unit 5 - Presidency (8 days) Required reading 1. Chapters 12 and 13 – Wilson 2. “Presidential Power and the Modern President” by Richard E Neustadt from Bose 3. “Why Great Men Are Not Chosen President – by James Bryce versus Stephen Hess from Benedict Key Concepts: Divided government, evolution of president, powers of the president, Office of the president, presidential appointments, presidential

character, popularity=power, power to say no, President’s programs, presidential transition, bureaucracy, US v. the world, growth of bureaucracy, congressional oversight, and iron triangles. Activities • Chapter 12 and 13 essays and DBQs. • Debate #7 – “The War Powers Act of 1973 effectively limits the President’s war making powers.” • President’s Project – Students research an assigned president and create a life size caricature of their president according to the project rubric. Students present their presents and the caricatures are displayed around the room. • Executive Department and Regulatory Commission Research Project - Students research an assigned department or commission. The students present to the class and copies are made and distributed to the class for reference and review for the AP exam. • Court Case presentations – U.S v Nixon, NY Times, etc (see Unit 1) • Thesis Card Activity – Each student receives 6 charts/graphs of topics i.e

Characteristics of Federal Civilian Employees, 1960 and 1994 or Minority Employment in the Federal Bureaucracy by rank, 1995, etc. Students must then write a thesis paragraph for each chart. The students then swap cards and peer edit the theses. Summaries are then revised and turned in for teacher editing and review. Source: http://www.doksinet • Political Cartoon Analysis – (see Unit 2) 4 president cartoons – in class and timed. Unit 6 – Legislative Branch (10 days) Required reading 1. Chapter 11 ( parts of Chapter 16, 17, 20, and 21) 2. Federalist #57 by James Madison from Bose Key Concepts: Powers of Congress, Who Is in Congress?, congressional elections, Who does Congress represent?, ideology and civility, organization of Congress, caucuses, ethics and Congress, policies of taxing and spending, economic policy making, budget, reducing the budget, and environmental policy. Activities • Chapter 11 essays and DBQs (selected essays and DBQs from Chapters 16, 17, 20, and

21) • Debate #8 – “Congress is more concerned with re-election than with enacting effective public policy.” • Debate #9 – “The President should have line-item veto to reduce the size of the budget and the deficit.” • Mock Senate Committees Activity – Students are divided into Senate committees and work on bills before their committee. Students are given roles to play (liberal, northern Democrat or conservative, Midwestern Republican, etc.) in the floor debate. It simulates the bill making process • Court Case presentations – Baker, Reynolds, etc. (see Unit 1) • Data and Statistics Chart and Graph Analysis – Using PowerPoint slides, students formulate a thesis and for each of the four slides. This is a timed activity Then we discuss the analysis as a whole class. Summaries are collected and reviewed • Political Cartoon Activity – (see Unit 2) – 4 to 6 Congress cartoons Unit 7 – The Judiciary (6 days) Required reading 1. Chapter 14 – Wilson 2.

Brandies and Brewer briefs from Benedict 3. Federalist #78 from Bose Key Concepts: Development of the federal courts, structure of the federal courts, jurisdiction, getting to court, standing, Supreme Court in action, power of the federal courts, checks on judicial power. Activities • Chapter 14 essays and DBQs. • Debate #10 – Judicial Activism versus Judicial Restraint Source: http://www.doksinet • • Court Case Project – final presentations (see Unit 1) Thesis Card Activity – Court Cases – Students are given a set of four 3x5 cards with a court case on the front. They must write a complete summary and analysis of the case on the back. This is a timed activity Swap around with their classmates and peer edit. Students make corrections on the cards and turn in for teacher editing and review. Unit 8 – Who Governs? (6 days) Required reading 1. Chapters 22 and 23 (selected pages from chapters 15, 16, 17, 20 and 21) Key Concepts: Iron triangles, majoritarian politics,

interest group politics, client politics, entrepreneurial politics, competing theories of political power (Marx, elitist, etc.), competing interests, restraint on government growth, influence of structure, influence of ideas, majoritarian politics: pollution and welfare programs; Client politics: agricultural pesticides and welfare programs. Activities • Chapter 22 and 23 essays and DBQs (and selected essays and DBQs from chapters 15, 16, 17, 20, and 21) • Domestic Policy presentations – Students are divided into groups and work on four major domestic policy issues i.e environment, stem cell research, Social Security, the budget deficit, etc. The presentation is a 15 to 20 minutes presentation that is research based and includes a multimedia presentation and an annotated bibliography with at least ten substantive sources. The presentations are given for an audience of students, parents, faculty, and community leaders in the auditorium. • Political Cartoon Activity – current

event issues/domestic policy/foreign policy – 6 to 8 cartoons – (see Unit 2) Review (8 days) The remainder of the days is spent reviewing for the AP exam. We spend a day a unit reviewing the key concepts for each unit with charts, games, PowerPoint, etc. After the AP Exam Students work on writing and drawing their own political cartoons, scripting and videoing political ads, and writing letters to the editor and to their local, state, and federal representatives. If time allows, students work on individual current topic speeches and presentations. There is no state end of course exam for this course