AP US Government & Politics Syllabus
2017-18
Mrs. Jennifer Boyer
(610) 916-5516
Course Description:
AP United States Government and Politics is a detailed study of America’s political system and how it works. It includes an in-depth examination of the function and evolution of the institutions, beliefs, traditions, and groups that make up our government and political system. This course will cover all the topics that students will encounter on the AP exam in May.
Textbook:
Wilson, James Q. and John J. Dilulio, Jr. American Government: Institutions and Policies, 9th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004
Wolfford, David United States Government & Politics Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination, Des Moines: Perfection Learning, 2015
Supplemental Texts:
Woll, Peter, ed.. American Government Readings and Cases, 15th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2004.
Serow, Ann G. and Everett C. Ladd, ed. The Lanahan Readings in the American Polity 4th ed. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers, 2007
Ritchie, Donald A. and Justice Learning.org, Our Constitution. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006
Course Objectives: (from the AP US Government and Politics Course Description)
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
● describe and compare important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to US government and politics
● explain typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences
● interpret basic data relevant to US government and politics
● critically analyze relevant theories and concepts, apply them appropriately, and develop their connections across the curriculum
Course Expectations:
This course is a college level course and therefore, it will be run as a college course. College courses are student centered which means that you are responsible for your own learning. You should expect to spend a significant amount of time working outside of class but if you work hard in this course, you will succeed.
Students are expected to:
1. Be prepared for class with all materials and technology when the bell rings, you will NOT be permitted to go to your locker for missing materials. Use the bathroom between classes whenever possible. Sign out using your Panther pass and sign out sheet on the counter.
2. Enter into class discussions on a regular basis. When you do your work it benefits everyone. Ideas are shared, interesting questions are asked and discussions are productive and thought provoking. Your learning benefits each other.Class participation grades may be used.
3. Be respectful and supportive of classmates’ opinions, contributions, persons and possessions.
4. Properly attribute any direct quotes or paraphrases in written work with the source. Any questions of plagiarism must be answered by the student. Plagiarized work is subject to a grade of zero and disciplinary action will be taken.
5. Turn in all work on time. Work will be accepted one day late with a deduction of 50% from the final score.
6. Gather all missed work when absent by checking Google Classroom, the missed work bin on the side of the room, or talk with a classmate BEFORE talking to the teacher.
7. Make up missed exams promptly. You have SIX school days in which to make up a unit exam. See me to schedule a time during a study hall, before school, or after school.
8. Students will take the AP United States Politics and Government Test on May 10, 2018. We will take about a week in class at the end of the course to review for this test. Although it is not required, you may want to purchase a test prep and review book and begin to review on your own.
Coursework and Requirements:
We will engage in a variety of college level assignments and activities this year. Below you will find a description of our ongoing assignments.
Textbook Readings: Students will read several chapters of the text in each unit. In addition, students will have some form of written assignment for each chapter. This assignment will be due one week before the unit test.
Vocabulary Practice and Quizzes: Students are responsible for using Quizlet to review and practice unit vocabulary. Quizzes are given about halfway through each unit.
Supplemental Readings and Materials: In each unit students will read additional information including primary sources, editorials, sources containing data including charts and graphs, political cartoons, and news articles. Students are expected to read or interpret each of these sources and be prepared to discuss them or apply them to the current unit of study.
Class Discussions and Debates: Students are expected to participate in and contribute to class discussions and debates on a regular basis. This includes both regular informal class as well as specifically scheduled debates. Discussion topics will include historical and contemporary issues and controversies of government and society.
Current Events Journal: All students are expected to follow current issues in the news. For each unit students will find a current news story and write a summary and analysis providing interpretation and connections to topics in the unit. (See appendix for assignment specifics.)
Projects: Working individually and with partners, students will participate in research, simulations, and presentations throughout the year.
Short Essays/ FRQ (Free Response Questions): In preparation for the AP Exam, students will write short essay responses at least once per unit.
Unit Exams: Each unit ends with an exam including both multiple choice questions as well as at least one FRQ. This simulates the AP exam and prepares students for the test at the end of the year.
Course Introduction:
August 28-30 (3 days)
Topics:
A.Syllabus/ assignments
B. Expectations
C. Class structure
Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings of the US Government (5-15%)
Aug 31- Sept 25 (15 days)
Wolfford reading/ notes
Ch 1 The Constitution
Ch 2 Federalism
Topics:
A.Political power: What is it? Who has it?
B. Definitions and types of democracy
C. Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution
D. Separation of powers
E. Federalism
F. Theories of democratic government
Current Events Journal due the day before the test
Unit 1 Exam: Sept 25
Unit 2: Political Beliefs and Behaviors (10-20%)
Sept 26- Oct 26 (22 days)
Wolfford reading/ notes
Ch 3 Public Opinion
Ch 4 Political Participation
Topics:
A. Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders
B. Processes by which citizens learn about politics
C. The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion
D. The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life
E. Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors
Current Events Journal due the day before the test
Unit 2 Exam: Oct 26
Unit 3: Linking Institutions: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media (10-20%)
Oct 27- Nov 30 (22 days)
Wolfford reading/ notes
Ch 5 Political Parties
Ch 6 Campaigns and Elections
Ch 7 Interest Groups
Ch 8 The Media
Topics:
A. Political parties and elections
1. Functions
2. Organization
3. Development
4. Effects on the political process
5. Electoral laws and systems
B. 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
C. The mass media
1. The functions and structures of the media
2. The impacts of media on politics
Current Events Journal due the day before the test
Unit 3 Exam: Nov 30
Unit 4: Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Judiciary (35-45%)
Dec 1- Mar 7 (61 days)
Wolfford reading/ notes
Ch 9 Congress
Ch 10 The Presidency
Ch 11 The Bureaucracy
Ch 12 The Judiciary
Topics:
A. The major formal and informal institutional arrangements of power in each of the branches and the “fourth branch”
B. Relationships among these four institutions and varying balances of power
C. Linkages between institutions of government and the following:
1. Public opinion and voters
2. Interest groups
3. Political parties
4. The media
5. Subnational governments
Current Events Journals to be assigned selectively this unit- stay tuned for due dates
Unit 4 Exams:
Congress- Jan 5
Presidency & Bureaucracy- Feb 8
Judiciary- Mar 7 Unit 5: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (5-15%)
Mar 8- Apr 6 (15 days)
Wolfford reading/ notes
Ch 13 Civil Rights
Ch 14 Civil Liberties
Topics:
A. The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation
B. Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties
C. The impact of the Fourteenth Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and liberties
Current Events Journal due the day before the test
Unit 5 Exam: April 6
Unit 6: Public Policy (5-15%)
Apr 9- Apr 30 (15 days)
Wolfford reading/ notes
Ch 15 Domestic Policy
Ch 16 Foreign and Military Policy
Topics:
A. Policymaking in a federal system
B. The formation of policy agendas
C. The role of institutions in the enactment of policy
D. The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation
E. 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
Current Events Journal due the day before the test
Unit 6 Exam: April 30
AP Test Review
May 1- May 7 (5 Days)
AP Government Test May 10, 2018
Unit 7: After the Test
May 11- June 1 (15 Days)
Political Issues Discussion Project
Current Events Journal Assignment & Rubric
Rationale:
Studying current events provides as essential link to applying the concepts we are learning in class to the world today. Once you start spotting connections you won’t be able to stop! This assignments gives you the opportunity to read about government concepts in action, but also forces you to think about and comment on them.
Directions:
For each unit you will write and submit one current event journal. Each journal entry must contain the following:
● The title of the current unit we are studying
● A title for your journal (you can use the story headline)
● A hyperlink to your story (or the article itself if you are going old school!)
● A paragraph summary of the story basics (the who, what, when, where, why, how and importance of story events) A college level paragraph is at least 5 sentences long.
● A detailed analysis or explanation linking the story events and themes to the unit we are studying- try to use the unit vocabulary in your analysis to really impress me!
● It is assumed and expected that you will use proper spelling, capitalization, and grammar in any writing assignment in this college level course. Failure to do so may result in up to 5 points deducted from this assignment.
Current Event Journal Rubric:
All elements included: (unit, title, link, summary, analysis)...... _____/5
Relevance of story to unit……………………………………...._____/5
Clear and coherent story summary…………………………….______/5
In depth connections and analysis …………………………...______/10
TOTAL _____/25