COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND SYLLABUS

FOR AP US GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

TEXTBOOK: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY NOW, 4^th ed.

By Brigid Callahan Harrison, Jean Wahl Harris and Michelle D. Deardorff (2015)

READER: READINGS AND CASES IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT 15^th ed.

Edited by Peter Woll (2004)

Section 1: Overview of the Course

AP U.S. Government and Politics is a one semester college-level course that not only seeks to prepare students for success on the AP Exam in May, but also provide students with the political knowledge and reasoning processes to participate meaningfully and thoughtfully in discussions and debates that are currently shaping American politics and society. It is important to note that this course is not a history course; it is a political science course that studies the interconnectedness of the different parts of the American political system and the behaviors and attitudes that shape this system and are the byproduct of this system.

AP U.S. Government and Politics accomplishes these goals by emphasizing enduring understandings and big ideas about American government and politics that, in turn, can be applied to historical and current political events. Students, ultimately, will be able to analyze current and historical political events, and develop factually accurate, well-reasoned, thoughtful arguments and opinions that acknowledge and grapple with alternative political perspectives.

Success in this course and on the APExam requires far more than the memorization of political knowledge. It requires connection-making with the aim of being able to analyze political information, regardless of the format the information is presented, and the ability to develop a factually accurate, thoughtful, and well-reasoned opinion regarding this information.

The course will be organized around the following units of study and assumes approximately 39 days of instruction. The days per unit are approximate and are subject to change:

Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy (9 days)

Unit 2: American Political Ideologies (5 days)

Unit 3: Political Participation (8 days)

Unit 4: Interactions Among Branches of Government (12 days)

Unit 5: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (5 days)

The course also includes at least one exam over each unit. Unit 5 will include an exam over Congress and an exam over the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the National Judiciary.

Section 2: Overview of the AP Exam

The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam will be comprised of the following sections:

1. 55 Multiple-Choice Questions (80 minutes) – 50% of Exam

Students will be asked to:

a. Analyze and compare political concepts

b. Analyze and interpret quantitative, text-based, and visual sources

c. Apply course concepts, foundational documents, and Supreme Court decisions in a variety of hypothetical and real-world scenarios

2. 4 Free Response Questions (100 minutes) – 50% of Exam

Students will be asked to

a. Apply political concepts in real-world scenarios

b. Compare the decisions and implications of different Supreme Court cases

c. Analyze quantitative data

d. Develop an argument using required foundational documents as evidence

Section 3: Course Content –Big Ideas, Reasoning and Disciplinary Processes

The course content consists of the essential political knowledge that will be synthesized in the construction of enduring understandings and big ideas about American government and politics.

1. Big Ideas: The big ideas that connect the content in the course units include:

a. Constitutionalism (CON)

b. Liberty and Order (LOR)

c. Civic Participation in a Representative Democracy (PRD)

d. Competing Policy-Making Interests (PMI)

e. Methods of Political Analysis (MPA)

2. Reasoning Processes: The reasoning processes are the thought processes that form the cognitive bridge between the course content/big ideas and the disciplinary practices. The reasoning processes in this course include:

a. Definition/Classification: Demonstrating knowledge of course concepts

b. Explain - Process: Explaining political processes

c. Explain - Causation: Explaining causes and effects of political principles, institutions, processes, and behaviors •

d. Explain - Comparison: Explaining similarities and differences among

e. political principles, institutions, processes, and behaviors

3. Disciplinary Practices: The disciplinary practices are the tasks students will apply to the course content using the reasoning processes. Becoming proficient in these disciplinary practices gives students the tools to analyze political information, regardless of the format, and develop a factually accurate, thoughtful, and well-reasoned argument or opinion about an issue related to American government and politics. The disciplinary practices in this course include:

a. Practice 1: Apply political concepts and processes to scenarios in context

b. Practice 2: Apply Supreme Court decisions

c. Practice 3: Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics

d. Practice 4: Read, analyze, and interpret foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources

e. Practice 5: Develop an argument in essay format

4. Required Supreme Court Cases: This course will include, but is not limited to, the analysis of the following 15 required Supreme Court cases. For each of these cases, the facts, issues, holdings, and reasoning underlying the majority and dissenting opinions are important for students to understand. Cases can be found through the Oyez database online. Oyez also has an app that can be downloaded to smartphones. Students will be required to complete multiple assignments analyzing and comparing these cases with other nonrequired cases.

Case 1: Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Case 2: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Case 3: Schenck v. United States (1919)

Case 4: Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Case 5: Baker v. Carr (1961)

Case 6: Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Case 7: Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Case 8: Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

Case 9: New York Times Company v. United States (1971)

Case 10: Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Case 11: Roe v. Wade (1973)

Case 12: Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Case 13: United States v. Lopez (1995)

Case 14: McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Case 15: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC) (2010)

5. Nine Foundational Documents: This course will include, but is not limited to, the analysis and discussion of nine required foundational documents to help understand the context and beliefs of the founders and their critics and the debates surrounding the writing and ratification of the U.S. Constitution. These foundational documents include:

Document 1: The Declaration of Independence

Document 2: The Articles of Confederation

Document 3: The Federalist No. 10

Document 4: Brutus No. 1

Document 5: Federalist No. 51

Document 6: The Constitution of the United States

Document 7: Federalist No. 70

Document 8: Federalist No. 78

Document 9: Letter from Birmingham Jail (MLK)

6. Overview of Required Course Texts and Additional Resources: Although the required textbook is also available digitally, each student will check out a copy of the following textbook and reader at the beginning of the course:

a. (Textbook) American Democracy Now, 4^th ed. By Brigid Callahan Harrison, Jean Wahl Harris and Michelle D. Deardorff (2015)

b. (Reader) Readings and Cases in American Government 15^th ed.

Edited by Peter Woll (2004)

c. Additional resources will be provided in hard copy or online to students. Online resources include:

i. Oyez– This online database provides succinct and accessible overviews for all Supreme Court cases.

ii. The National Constitution Center’s Interactive Constitution – This online resource is an annotated U.S. Constitution that includes essays from multiple perspectives that frame the debates underlying key clauses and provisions of the U.S. Constitution. The National Constitution Center also has a blog that applies constitutional principles to current events

Section Four: Class Activities

1. READING: In order for students to be successful in a college level course, it is essential that students maximize their time through proper organization and time management strategies and complete all assigned reading prior to class. The required reading, along with lectures and class discussion, and student’s ability to apply the learned information, will figure prominently on formal evaluation on quizzes, examinations, and essays. In addition to the survey text, students will be reading portions of a supplemental reader and will be provided additional information in class and online

.

1. WRITING: Students will write, at a minimum, four free response answers for each unit. Two of these free response answers will be part of the Unit Test. At least one response will apply political concepts in real-world scenarios, one response will compare the decisions and implications of different Supreme Court cases, one response will analyze quantitative data, and one response will be an argumentative essay.

1. GROUP WORK: Group work for various assignments is a course requirement and it is expected that all students will contribute to the group effort. Establishing a positive attitude and rapport within the groups has been proven to be a key to success and will greatly assist in the management of the amount of reading and work that is required. The formation of a study group is highly recommended and encouraged.

1. CURRENT EVENTS PRESENTATIONS: Students, individually or as a pair, will prepare a current events presentation that they will share with the class at the start of their assigned week. The presentation must include at least one story that links one or more of the big ideas to each of the five units in the AP U.S. Government and Politics Curriculum Framework. The current events presentation also must include at least one relevant visual source (photo, political cartoon, or infographic) for each story with a caption that explains its connection to the big idea and/or unit that story covers.

1. ANALYTICAL PAPER ASSIGNMENTS: Students will periodically be required to write an analytical paper about important topics in United States government and politics. These papers will be due on varying dates during the semester. Each paper must be no more than four pages in length. In each paper, the students must briefly summarize the assigned readings, connect the readings to the current unit of study (how they do this will vary depending on the resources provided for each paper and the unit of study in which it is due), and make a connection between the readings and a current political issue. One analytical paper assignments may require students to also examine how the assigned article and a required case/foundational document corroborate or contradict one another.

1. DEBATES: Students will participate in a debate about a current public policy or issue in American government and politics. Each team will get a five-minute opening statement, a five-minute cross examination period, and a five-minute closing statement. Students must also have a visual that helps support their main arguments. This visual can be a chart, graph, table, political cartoon, or infographic. Students will analyze the visuals presented by other teams as part of the debate. Finally, each team is responsible for providing an annotated works cited page of the resources used to develop their arguments and questions

7. ONLINE PARTICIPATION: Students will be required to participate in online classroom discussions throughout the year. These “digital classrooms” are occupied solely by students in this class and are monitored by the classroom teacher at all times. Students will be asked to comment on articles and on other students’ responses in an appropriate and professional manner. Any comments deemed inappropriate by the classroom teacher will be edited and/or removed from the discussion. Students will be graded based on the quality and depth of their responses.

1. DATA AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Throughout the course of the semester, students will be required to analyze various political statistical data. This will include assignments involving the analysis of charts, graphs, political cartoons, and use of the Internet. Students will respond to a series of questions with respect to data examined on daily assignments. Students also need to be prepared to deal with data analysis on tests and essays.

1. EXAMINATIONS: Formal evaluations may consist of testing which will consist of approximately 34-question multiple choice test and two extended responses. The structure of the tests will be similar to that of the AP examination. After the first unit, students must be prepared for the tests to be comprehensive, meaning that any information covered during the semester (including current events) will be considered fair game. Other formal evaluations may be composed of 2 extended response questions.

1. QUIZZES & DAILY GRADES: Students will be evaluated over the assigned reading material from the text, the reader, the foundational documents, the required Supreme Court cases, and any other supplemental reading material required for this class. These evaluations will consist of 10 to 20 multiple choice questions and will constitute a quiz grade. Also, students may be required to write several timed free response questions, which, in addition to requiring students to display knowledge of the subject matter will require students to apply their knowledge. This practice will serve to prepare them for the format of the AP exam. Daily grades will include participation in class debates and online forums, short writing assignments, and responses to five brief questions prior to a group presentation over the supplemental reading. Occasionally, students will be quizzed on current events, and will be expected to keep up with events as much as possible. Each of these will count as a daily grade.

1. MAJOR PROJECT: All students will complete one of the following projects.

1. Project Choice 1-- Media Literacy. Students will select a political issue and research how that issue is being framed and reported on in multiple media outlets. Students will use this investigation to develop a framework for discerning false, misleading, or biased information, including determining criteria for what makes a source creditable. The presentation will include a “guide to media literacy” for peers, using the findings on how one story is covered over various outlets to make recommendations about savvy media use.
2. Project Choice 2 -- Government in my community. Students will collect and

annotate articles from local sources (e.g. newspapers, magazines, websites)

about government actions in the community. The presentation will include

compiling a portfolio of the articles with analysis of the implications and impact

of the governmental actions and outcomes.

1. GRADING POLICIES AND PROCEDURE: All of the unit examinations, along with timed writings consisting of at least 2 FRQs, analytical papers, and major projects will constitute 65% of each six-weeks’ grade. Analytical papers and projects will be graded according to a rubric designed for that topic or assignment. Quizzes and timed writings over the text are worth 25 % of the six-weeks’ grade. Presentations, statistical analysis assignments, discussions, current events and other daily work will constitute the other 15% of the six-weeks’ grade. A final examination constituting approximately 16%of the semester average is required to all students who fail to meet the final examination exemption requirements for the course.

1. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All students will be held to the highest standards of academic integrity. Students who violate the honor code or fail to uphold the standards of the honor code will be subject to punishment, including, but not limited to, loss of credit on any assignment affected by the violation.

AP US GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS COURSE PLAN

Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy – includes all related big ideas (BIs) and enduring understandings (EUs)—pubic policy is integrated within each unit.

(9 days/3 WEEKS)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

● How did the founders of the U.S. Constitution attempt to protect individual liberty while also promoting public order and safety?

● How have theory, debate, and compromise influenced the U.S. constitutional system?

● How does development and interpretation of the Constitution influence policies that impact U.S. Citizen?

READINGS:

● Text Chapters 1 (People, Politics, and Participation),

● Text Chapter 2 (The Constitution), and

● Text Chapter 3 (Federalism)

● The Declaration of Independence (see Appendix in text or Woll)

● The Articles of Confederation

● James Madison, “Federalist 10” (see Appendix in text or Woll),

● James Madison, “Federalist 51” (see Appendix in text or Woll)

● Brutus No. 1

● The Constitution of the United States (Articles I-VII, 10^th and 14^th Amendments)

● Marbury v. Madison (1803)

● McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

● United States v. Lopez (1995)

● Rauch, Jonathan. “How American Politics Went Insane.” The Atlantic, July/August 2016.

● Toobin, Jeffrey. “Our Broken Constitution” The New Yorker, December 9, 2013

● Other journal and news articles regarding current events may be added or substituted as needed

PRIMARY UNIT FOCUS:

● The philosophical foundations and documents of American democracy, including the Declaration of Independence, social contract theory, republicanism, types of democracy, and the tension between individua liberty and order/safety. (EU LOR-1)

● How the Articles of Confederation failed to adequately balance individual liberty and public order/safety, and how the framers wrestled with these questions in drafting the Constitution. (EU LOR-1)

● The compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention and the debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification debate. (EU CON-1)

● The evolving relationship between the national and state governments, including the grant process, policy issue (ADA, Medicaid, marijuana), and the idea of devolution. (EU CON-1)

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR UNIT 1

● Students will discuss the “How American Politics Went Insane” article from the Atlantic. This will allow students to connect the current state of politics to important Unit 1 concepts such as popular sovereignty, republicanism, and social contract theory of government. This is a high interest article that will “hook” students at the start of the semester.

● Students brainstorm a list of things they believe government should do by asking the question, “What should government do?” make a list of student responses on the board. Use this list to facilitate a discussion about order, liberty, and equality. Then share the Preamble to the Constitution and have students link their list to the language in the Preamble.

● Students read Federalist 10, 51 and Brutus 1. Using an inner/outer circle debate, students make arguments for the positions of Federalists and Anti-federalists

● Two teams of three students each debate the resolution, “State have exceeded their authority in legalizing recreational marijuana use, and the federal government should reassert its national supremacy over drug policy.”

● Students compare and contrast McCulloch v. Maryland and U.S. v. Lopez with other cases involving federalism. Students respond to a textual, qualitative-based FRQ comparing the McCulloch and the Lopez decisions. Students will make connections to the concepts of enumerated, implied powers, and federalism

● Checks and balances graphic organizer. During class lessons and their reading of the Constitution, students create each graphic organizer detailing the system of checks and balances. In addition to the basic checks and balances system, students annotate their organizer with a list of Supreme Court cases and public policies that gave one or another branches the opportunity to check another and public policies that gave one or more branches the opportunity to check another.

ASSESSMENTS: Quizzes (Chapters 1, 2 & 3), Test (34 Multiple Choice and 2 Free Response Questions); timed writings.

Unit 2: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs-- includes all related big ideas (BIs) and enduring understandings (EUs)—pubic policy is integrated within each unit.

(5 days/2 WEEKS)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

● How are American political beliefs formed and how do they evolve over time?

● How do political ideology and core values influence government policymaking?

READINGS:

● Text Chapter 6 (Political socialization and Public Opinion)

● Text Chapter 7 (Interest Groups)

● Text Chapter 8 (Political Parties)

● Federalist 10

● David R. Mayhew, “Divided We Govern”, Woll

● V.O. Key, Jr. “A Theory of Critical Elections”, Woll

● "Political Polarization in the American Public." Pew Research Center, June 12, 2014.

● Abramowitz, Alan I., and Morris P. Fiorina. "Polarized or Sorted? Just What’s Wrong with Our Politics, Anyway?" The American Interest, March 11, 2013.

● Fiorina, Morris P. "America's Missing Moderates: Hiding in Plain Sight." The American Interest 8, no. 4, February 12, 2013.

● Other journal and news articles regarding current events may be added or substituted as needed

PRIMARY UNIT FOCUS

● Elements of a scientific poll, the different types of polls, and how they are used in U.S. government and politics. (EU MPA-2, PRD-3)

● The basic tenets of American political culture, the conservative and liberal political ideologies, and how these are acquired (political socialization). (EU MPA-1)

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR UNIT 2

● Using Gallup.com, PollingReport.com, and the pew Research Center, students study different polls regarding a variety of policy issues in the United States. Students are provided several examples of polls with questionable reliability. Students must write a comparison of what makes one poll reliable and another unreliable, and explain how public policy is affected by the accuracy and reliability of polls. (EU MPA-2)

● Students take the Pew Research Center’s Political Typology quiz. This quiz places the students into one of nine political typologies—it divides the traditional left/right spectrum into several subgroups (four on each side of the center and one for non-engaged quiz takers). After the students have completed the qui they write their name on the class political spectrum. Then, as a class, they discuss how the class does or does not reflect he larger community and what might account for the class’s overall political ideology. (EU PMI-4)

● Analytical paper “Polarized or Sorted? Just What’s Wrong with Our Politics Anyway?” and “America’s Missing Moderates: Hiding in Plain Sight” due. The purpose of this analytical paper is to allow students to compare the competing views on partisan and polarization in American political culture. In this paper, students must evaluate which argument regarding polarization best reflects the reality in American political culture today. (EU PMI-4)

● Students, in two teams of three students each, debate the resolution, “Demographic changes represent a threat to the long -term electoral success of the Republican Party.” (EU-MPA-1, PMI-4, MPA-3)

● Students respond to a quantitative data FRQ regarding changing demographics int eh United States. Students have to interpret data from the U.S. Census Bureau regarding racial and age composition for the United States and how they are changing. Students also link those demographic changes to representation in Congress. The final section for the FRQ will require students to assess the potential impact of these changes on the two political parties and the policies each part promotes. (EU PMI-4), MPA-3)

ASSESSMENTS: Quizzes (Chapters 6, 7 & 8), Timed Writings, Test (34 Multiple Choice and 2 Free Response Questions)

UNIT 3: Political Participation --– includes all related big ideas (BIs) and enduring understandings (EUs)—public policy is integrated within each unit.

(8 days/3 WEEKS)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

● How have changes in technology influenced political communication and behavior?

● Why do levels of participation and influence in politics vary?

● How effective are the various methods of political participation in shaping public policies?

READINGS:

● Text Chapter 9 (Elections, Campaigns, and Voting)

● Text Chapter 10 (The Media)

● Text Chapter 11 (Politics and Technology)

● Baker v. Carr (1961)

● Shaw v. Reno (1993)

● Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC) (2010),

● V.O. Key, Jr., “The Responsible Electorate”, Woll

● Desilver, Drew. "U.S. trails most developed countries in voter turnout." Pew Research Center, May 15, 2017

● Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

● Gaslowitz, Lea. “How to Spot a Misleading Graph - Lea Gaslowitz.” TED-Ed video, 4:09.

● Barthel, Michael, and Amy Mitchell. “Americans' Attitudes About the News Media Deeply Divided Along Partisan Lines.” Pew Research Center, May 10, 2017.

● Kiely, Eugene, and Lori Robertson. "How to Spot Fake News." FactCheck.org, November 18, 2016.

● Neale, Thomas H. "The Electoral College: How It Works in Contemporary Presidential Elections." The Congressional Research Service, May 15, 2017.

● Other journal and news articles regarding current events may be added or substituted to this list as needed

PRIMARY UNIT FOCUS:

● The evolution of voting rights and the current state of voter turnout. (EU MPA-3, PMI-3, PMI-5)

● Factors that influence voter choice in elections. (EU MPA-3, MPA-1)

● The functions of political parties in the United States and third parties in United States government and politics. (EU PMI-5)

● The development of candidate-centered campaigns. (EU PMI-5, PRD-3)

● The theory of critical elections. (EU PMI-5)

● Interest groups in United States government and politics. (EU PMI-5)

● Nominations, campaigns, and elections in United States government and politics. (EU PRD-2)

● The media as a linkage institution, including changes in media, such as the growth of social media and partisan media sources. (EU PRD-3)

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR UNIT 3

● To better understand how state election laws impact voter turnout, students find voter turnout data from a state that has passed a strict voter ID law in the 21st century, such as Wisconsin, Indiana, or Texas. Prior to their research, students formulate a hypothesis about the impact voter ID laws have on voter turnout. Students then research voter turnout stats from the presidential election prior to the passage of that state’s voter ID law, and the presidential election immediately after the passage of voter ID laws. Students break the data down by major demographic groups, such race, age, and education. Students write a summary of their findings, including an evaluation of their thesis and reasons why their thesis was correct/incorrect. (EU MPA-3)

● Students will be divided into two teams of three students each debate the resolution, “Interest groups have too much influence in the policy process and are detrimental to democracy.” (EU PMI-5)

● Analytical paper "The Electoral College: How It Works in Contemporary Presidential Elections" due. The purpose of this analytical paper is to have students examine the original design and purpose of the Electoral College, and then assess how it works in modern U.S. politics, with special attention paid to the 2016 election. In this paper, students must examine the various proposals to reform the Electoral College and assess the advantages and disadvantages to each, explaining why the current system should either be maintained, revised, or completely eliminated and replaced with election by national popular vote. (EU PRD-2)

● After the lesson regarding the theory of critical elections, students use presidential election data from the 20th and 21st centuries to classify each election as either a critical election or a deviating election. (EU PMI-5) [CR9]

● Students write an essay, with an analytical thesis, that incorporates information from a select list of foundational documents that examines the influence of interest groups on the policy-making process in the United States. (EU PMI-5, PRD-2) [CR13]

● After the lesson on the media as a linkage institution, especially the part about partisan media and social media, students complete a media analysis assignment. Students are assigned to read two articles about a specific policy issue in the United States. One article is from a conservative source and one from a liberal source. They then analyze the two sources – making note of the facts provided, the viewpoints expressed in each, and other differences between the two sources. This will also allow students to make a connection to gridlock in the national government. (EU PRD-3, CON-4)

● Political Science Research Project. After reading “How to Spot Fake News” at FactCheck.org as homework, students work in groups to identify the fake news stories in their assigned packet (the packet contains both legitimate and fake news stories). Students first develop a list of indicators which they can use to determine if each story is fake news or not and then they conduct a content analysis of each report. Finally, they share the results with the class and assess the extent to which political science research provided in the course can provide guidance for discerning the difference between valid and invalid news stories. (EU PRD-3)

ASSESSMENTS:

Quizzes (Chapter 9), Timed Writings (Chapters 10 & 11), Test (34 Multiple Choice and 2 Free Response Questions)

UNIT 4: Interactions Among Branches of Government- includes all related big ideas (BIs) and enduring understandings (EUs)—public policy is integrated within each unit.

(12 Days /5WEEKS) – divided into three subunits: Congress, Presidency & Bureaucracy, and National Judiciary

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

● How do the branches of the national government compete and cooperate in order to govern?

● To what extent have changes in the powers of each branch affected how responsive and accountable the national government is in the 21st century?

UNIT 4A: CONGRESS

(5 days/2 WEEKS)

READINGS:

● Text Chapter 12 (Congress)

● The Constitution of the United States (Article I)

● Baker v. Carr (1962)

● Shaw v. Reno (1993)

● M. Fiorina, “The Rise of the Washington Establishment”, Woll

● R. Fenno, “If…, How Come We Love Our Congressmen…”

Woll

● T. Cook, “Media Power and Congressional Power”, Woll

● Other journal and news articles regarding current events may be substituted to this list as needed

PRIMARY UNIT FOCUS:

● Structure of Congress, including significant differences between the chambers regarding organization, leadership, incumbency, and powers. (EU CON-3)

● Congressional representation and gerrymandering. (EU CON-3)

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR UNIT 4A

● Two teams of three students each debate the resolution, “Congress has abandoned its role in the checks and balances system.” (EU PMI-1, CON-3, CON-4)

● Watch “The Stackhouse Filibuster” (Season 2, Episode 17) from The West Wing. Political concepts examined in this episode include the filibuster, the White House Staff, the presidential relationship with the press, and how legislation is developed by both the presidency and Congress. The West Wing is available on both Netflix and iTunes. (EU CON-3, CON-4)

● Students complete at least two of the scenarios in The Redistricting Game found online. This is an online simulation that allows the students to draw and gerrymander imaginary congressional districts. The simulation has four different scenarios, each with a different take on the process of redistricting and gerrymandering. As students complete each of the scenarios, they respond to a set of questions about the process and the difficulties they encountered. All students must do scenario 1, a straight redistricting scenario. The second scenario is up to them. In addition to completing two of the scenarios, students read about proposed changes to the redistricting process and respond to these proposals. (EU CON-3)

● Students draft bills and participate in a mock congress simulation

ASSESSMENTS: Quizzes (Vocabulary), Timed Writings (Chapter 12), Test (34 Multiple Choice and 2 Free Response Questions)

UNIT 4B: THE PRESIDENCY AND THE BUREAUCRACY

(5 days/2 WEEKS)

READINGS:

● Text Chapter 13 (The Presidency)

● Text Chapter 14 (The Bureaucracy)

● Text Chapter 16 (Economic Policy)

● Text Chapter 17 (Domestic Policy)

● Alexander Hamilton, “Federalist 70”, Woll

● Richard Neustadt, “Presidential Power”, Woll

● Moe, Terry M., and William G. Howell. "Unilateral Action and Presidential Power: A Theory." Presidential Studies Quarterly 29, no. 4 (December 1999): 850-73.

● Other journal and news articles regarding current events may be added or substituted to this list as needed

PRIMARY UNIT FOCUS

● The president’s formal and informal powers. (EU CON-4)

● How the bureaucracy operates and its place in the checks and balances system. (EU PMI-1, PMI-2)

● The future of entitlement spending in the United States. (EU CON-3)

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR UNIT 4B

● Budget simulation and class discussion. Using the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’s The Debt Fixer website and the quantitative data therein, students try to reduce the debt as a percentage of GDP. After completing the online simulation, students discuss the difficulties they encountered in reducing the size of the national debt. During this discussion students should link the budget process to important concepts such as entitlement spending and the political nature of the budget. (EU CON-3)

● Analytical paper for “Unilateral Action and Presidential Power: A Theory” and Federalist No. 70 due. The purpose of this paper is for the students to examine the growth of presidential power and how the other two branches may attempt to check presidential power. See description of critical article reviews found above under major class activities. (EU CON-4)

● Students respond to a quantitative data FRQ regarding presidential vetoes and the interaction between the president and Congress. (EU CON-4)

ASSESSMENTS: Quizzes (Chapter 13), Timed Writings

UNIT 4C: THE JUDICIARY

(2 days/1 WEEK)

READINGS:

● Text—Chapter 15 (National Judiciary)

● Alexander Hamilton, “Federalist 78”, Woll

● Other journal and news articles regarding current events may be added or substituted to this list as needed

PRIMARY UNIT FOCUS:

● Judicial independence, Federalist No. 78, Marbury v. Madison, and judicial decision-making. (EU CON-5)

●

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR UNIT 4C

● Checks and balances role play. Using a lesson from the National Constitution Center’s Separation of Powers Lesson Plan as a model, students engage in a simulation in which they develop a plan of action to ensure the creation/implementation of a policy based on the powers given to their assigned branch of government (legislative, executive, judicial). In addition to developing this plan of action for their own goal, students must develop a plan to either support or oppose another branch’s goal. (EU PMI-1) The course addresses the big ideas by connecting enduring understandings across one or more

● Students respond to a scenario-based FRQ examining how the bureaucracy operates and its interactions with the presidency, Congress, and the courts. (EU PMI-1 CON-4, CON-5 PMI-2)

ASSESSMENTS:

Quizzes (Chapters 15), Timed Writings (Chapter 15) Test (34 Multiple Choice and 2 Free Response Questions—includes Presidency and Bureaucracy)

Unit 5: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights: – includes all related big ideas (BIs) and enduring understandings (EUs)—public policy is integrated within each unit.

(5 days/2 WEEKS)

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

● To what extent do the U.S. Constitution and its amendments protect against undue government infringement on essential liberties and form invidious discrimination?

● How have U.S. Supreme Court rulings defined civil liberties and civil rights?

READINGS:

● Text Chapters 4 (Civil Liberties)

● Text Chapter 5 (Civil Right)

● The Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment

● Engel v. Vitale (1962)

● Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

● Schenck v. United States (1919)

● Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

● New York Times Company v. United States (1971)

● McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

● Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

● Roe v. Wade (1973)

● Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

● “Letter from Birmingham Jail” (Martin Luther King Jr.)

● Bentele, Keith G., and Erin E. O’Brien. “Jim Crow 2.0? why States Consider and Adopt Restrictive Voter Access Policies.” Perspectives on Politics 11, no 4 (December 2013): 1088-1116.

● Other journal and news articles regarding current events may be added or substituted to this list as needed

PRIMARY UNIT FOCUS:

● The role of the courts, and the due process and equal protection clauses in the expansion of civil liberties and civil rights, including the idea of selective incorporation.

● The expansion of the liberties protected by the 1^st and 2^nd Amendments.

● The development of the right to privacy and its implications for reproductive rights and the 4^th Amendment protections.

● A history of civil rights issues and how historically disadvantaged groups in American society have achieved greater equality and equitable treatment in society.

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR UNIT 5

● Bill of Rights scenarios. Students write five hypothetical scenarios regarding civil liberties. Ach scenario should be clearly tie to one of the amendments found in the Bill of Rights. Students must also create a “key” for their scenarios. In their key, students must identify the amendment the scenario involves, the required Supreme Court case that incorporates or clarifies (including the 14th amendment) the application of the amendment in question, and finally the students must link the required case to a different case that deals with the same constitutional issue. (EU LOR-2)

● Two teams of three students each debate the resolution, “History has proved that affirmative action programs are necessary to safeguard equal opportunity in both education and employment for minorities.” (EU CON-6, PMI-4)

● Analytical paper “Jim Crow 2.0? Why States Consider and Adopt Restrictive Voter Access Policies” due. The purpose of this analytical paper is to allow students to explore the recent actions by many states that may have a negative impact on the right to vote in those states. In this analytical paper, students write a thesis and defend it with information from the article, the course, and recent political and social events. (EU PRD-1, PMI-3)

● Students respond to a textual FRQ that uses one of the required Supreme Court cases and a non-required case. The FRQ will require students to examine the Court’s decision in both cases and apply the Court’s reasoning to a related course concept. (EU PRD-1, PMI-3)

ASSESSMENTS:

Quizzes (Court Cases, Chapters 4 & 5), Test (34 multiple choice/2 Free Response Questions); Timed Writings (Chapters 4 & 5)

AP Gov Syllabus - Short Version