Syllabus & Course Guide

This course has several purposes.  First and foremost, students will develop an appreciation and understanding of the government and politics of the United States.  Second, for students who wish to earn college credit, this course will provide a foundation to prepare for the Advanced Placement Exam. 

• Master a broad understanding of the structure and function of the U.S. political system
  
  

• Demonstrate an understanding of constitutional principles and their application over time
  
  

• Use political data and Supreme Court decisions to support an argument or position
  
  

• Differentiate between competing political ideologies and policy perspectives
  
  

• Interpret and apply data from foundational documents, charts, graphs, and other sources
  
  

• Effectively use analytical skills of evaluation, cause and effect, and comparison
  
  

• Work effectively with others to engage in civil discourse, solve problems, and simulate political processes
  
  

• Prepare students to take the Advanced Placement Exam

• Materials such as Flip Notes and Practicums are located on the class website.  

• Assignments are submitted on Google Classroom.  It is strongly recommended that students install the Google Classroom app on their devices and turn on alerts to receive announcements and reminders of assignment due dates.  

• Both daily Formative Assessments and Summative Assessments will be completed through the AP Classroom platform provided by the College Board. Your teacher will give you a unique class code to join AP Classroom.

• Students are responsible for checking their school email at least once per day, but it is recommended to check it throughout the day for messages from your teachers. 

• We will also use a GroupMe for class announcements.  Your teacher will give you a join code for the GroupMe. 

• A Pacing Guide is available to students which shows activities in class on a day-by-day basis as well as all due dates for the semester.  Students should refer to the Pacing Guide on a regular basis to plan on setting time aside for when major assignments are due. 

• Unit 1 (Foundations of American Democracy): The U.S. government was built on ideas like natural rights and social contracts, leading to the Constitution and an ongoing debate over how much power the federal government should have.
  
  

• Unit 2 (Branches of Government): Congress, the President, and the Courts were designed to check and balance each other—but how well do they actually work together?
  
  

• Unit 3 (Civil Liberties and Civil Rights): The Constitution protects your rights—but what happens when those rights are challenged, redefined, or expanded through major court cases and social movements?
  
  

• Unit 4 (Political Ideologies and Beliefs): People’s political beliefs are shaped by families, communities, and experiences—and those beliefs influence how they view government and policy.
  
  

• Unit 5 (Political Participation): Citizens make their voices heard by voting, joining interest groups, protesting, and shaping policy—whether through the ballot box or beyond.

• I used a "flipped classroom" model where students watch and take "Flip Notes" on a short video on YouTube the night before a lesson.  These Flip Notes replace the traditional lecture a teacher would deliver in class.

• The next day, you will use your Flip Notes to complete activities in class called Practicums. You will be asked to submit your Flip Notes and some designated screenshots from the Practicums for a grade periodically.  

• You will be asked to submit your Flip Notes and some designated screenshots from the Practicums for a grade periodically as your Action Reports. 

• Finally, you will be completing End of Lesson (EOL) Questions which pull together the main idea of each lesson.  I expect you complete the EOL after each lesson as a way of tying everything together while the information is fresh. 

• Throughout the course you will complete Summative Assessments in AP Classroom.  These assessments are designed to evaluate student learning while also honing skills for the AP Exam.

Throughout the semester, you'll complete three major assignments tied to the three branches of government. These projects connect real-world policy to what we're learning in class:

• Legislative Policy Project (LPP): Research a current bill in Congress and write to your elected representative about whether it should become law.
  
  

• Executive Policy Project (EPP): Explore a proposed federal regulation ("rule") and submit a public comment to the relevant federal agency.
  
  

• Judicial Reflection: After visiting the U.S. District Court and 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, you’ll reflect on how your experience connects to course themes and the judicial process.
  
  

Each project is designed to help you understand how the government works—and how you can participate in it.

• 📝 Action Reports: Make up 50% of your course grade. These check your Flip Notes, Practicums, and End of Lesson Questions.

• - 🧪 Summative Assessments: Worth 35%, based on College Board standards.

• - 📂 Special Projects: Count for 15% of your grade and includes the Policy Projects and field experience reflection.

• Notes: 

  • The Belleville West 10% grading scale will be used in this course. 

  • Grades are based on total points.  

  • The final semester grade is cumulative from the beginning of the semester

  • Extra credit is not available for Advanced Placement courses.

  • Scoring is subject to change.