AP U.S. Government and Politics

2020/2021- Summer Letter / Summer Reading Assignment

Course Overview - Mandatory reading

Sites to use frequently - for learning and fun:

News and Polls and Maps:

• Wordless News

• Pew Research Center

• 538

• Freedom House

• GapMinder

• The Economist - working on a subscription now!

Ideology:

• iSidewith

• Online Political Compass

• Another Ideology test

SCOTUS sites:

• Use StreetLaw or Oyez or US Courts or SCOTUS Blog

Just for Fun:

• Movies and Books

Foundational Documents:

• Foundational Docs Graphic Organizers

• Foundational Docs Socratic Seminar Assignment

• SCOTUS Graphic Organizer

FRQ Support

• FRQ Overview - ppt (Ch 2/3)

• FRQ4 - Argument - Writing plan and graphic organizer

• FRQ4 - Argument - A different graphic organizer

Unit 1 - Foundations of American Government

• Unit 1 KBAT

• Ch. 1 Lecture Notes

• Ch. 2 and Early Years Notes

• Early Docs Socratic Seminar - mysimplestory

  • Prezi

• Federalism and the Courts

• States and Federal Spending PPT

• Federalist #51

• Constitution - Blackout Poetry

• Articles:

  • State dependency on the Federal Gov

  • James Madison's Nightmare

Political Beliefs and Behaviors

• Unit 2 KBAT

• Ideology Chart

• Left and Right Picture

• Links to Read in class:

  • #1 - Rural v Urban in CO

  • #2 - What it would take for Facism to come to the USA

  • #3 - What makes people more Conservative/Liberal?

  • #4 - Ideology in Marriage

  • #5 - Twin study on Ideology

  • #6 - Guessing Beliefs

  • #7 - Democrats are wrong about Republicans and Republicans are wrong about Democrats - 538

• What Unites us?

• 2016 Exit Poll Data

• 2020 - Non Voter Article

• Election Map

• Do you live in a political bubble

Political Participation

• Unit 3 KBAT

• 270 to win

• Morphed Electoral Maps

• National Popular Vote

• What the District?

• Colbert SuperPAC

• Media PPT

• Trusting unnamed sources in the news

• Rhetorical Strategies of Trump's Tweets

• Ideological placement of viewers

• Media Bias/Fact Check

• Allsides

Interactions Among the Branches of Government

• Congress KBAT (ch 11)

• Ch 13 (Budget) PPT*

• Gerrymandering Videos/articles:

  • Baker v Carr/Shaw v Reno (@8min)

  • John Oliver - edited

  • Racial vs. Partisan

  • CBS - Drawing the Lines

  • Vice - Made up maps

  • Older "Daily Show"

  • 5k race

  • One state fixed, the other didn't- 2018

• Presidency KBAT (ch 12-13)

• Bureaucracy KBAT (ch 14)

• Judiciary KBAT (ch 15)

• Presidency Notes

• Presidency PPT*

• Bureaucracy PPT*

• Agency March Madness

• Judiciary Power Point*

• Podcast - "More Perfect" from NPR

Which Justice are you - Quiz

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

• CL/CR PPT Notes

• Additional Court Cases to Know

• Roe v Wade video

• Policy KBAT (ch 16, 17, 18)

REVIEW MATERIALS - this folder contains a variety of tools to review. Use what works for you. I take no credit for these...amazing APGov teachers around the country have collaborated to make these materials for all to use. Bless them.