Government

Maholtz

Room: C135

Contact info: 355-2870

Course Description:

United States Government is a core course required for graduation and must be taken in the eleventh or twelfth grade year. This instructional planning guide is based on South Carolina Academic Standards. The standards may be taught as a ½ or 1 unit course.

Guide:

Unit 1: Introduction to Government

8-10 days

Unit Essential Question: How and why did government develop, and how do different types of government compare?

Unit 2: The Foundations of the American Republic and the US Constitution

8-10 days

Unit Essential Question: What were the major concepts incorporated into the US

Constitution and the American political system?

Unit 3: Amendments to the Constitution and Civil Rights

11-13 days

Unit Essential Question: What are the major civil rights and responsibilities given to

and required of American citizens?

Unit 4: Political Parties and Elections

10-12 days

Unit Essential Question: What are the major ways in which US citizens can participate in the political process, and why does that participation appear

to be on the decline?

Unit 5: Public Opinion, Media, and Interest Groups

8-10 days

Unit Essential Question: How do interest groups, the media, and personal influences

affect citizens’ views and actions on political issues and policy?

Unit 6: The Legislative Branch

8-10 days

Unit Essential Question: How does the legislative process work, and what are the

similarities and differences in the process as it exists in the

House of Representatives and the Senate?

Unit 7: The Executive Branch and Foreign Policy

9-11 days

Unit Essential Question: What are the major roles and powers of the President, and

how does the President/Executive Branch create and carry

out foreign policy?

Unit 8: The Judicial Branch and the Supreme Court

6-8 days

Unit Essential Question: What are the structures, jurisdictions, and workings of the

Federal Judiciary, particularly as they relate to the Supreme Court?

Unit 9: State and Local Government

5-7 days

Unit Essential Question: How are the organization, powers, and responsibilities of

local and state governments similar and different from those of the national government?

Grading:

Major Grades - 60%

Minor Grades - 40%

Final Exam: 10% (per district requirement)

Required Materials:

· 3 ring binder

· Pen/Pencil

· Paper

· Textbook

Video Viewing List:

crash course series
hip hughes history

2023-2024

Make-up Work Policy

Make-up work is defined as work not completed or turned in due to a student’s absence.
This policy is set by the district.
Students may be allowed to make up work due to absences that are excused, unexcused or related to discipline with no penalty within 5 days or a reasonable time according to GCSD board policy.
If a student misses work due to an absence, it is the student’s responsibility to coordinate time with the teacher within 5 days of return to make up the work. Any work not submitted within the 5 day makeup period will turn into “late work.”
Alternative assignments may be given for performance-based tasks that cannot be recreated in a make-up format.
If a student is present on the day a test, quiz or project due date is announced and then absent on the day of the test, quiz or project deadline, he/she must be prepared to take the test, quiz or turn in the project on the day he/she returns to school.
Field trips and participation in other extracurricular events (such as athletics) are considered attendance days. Work missed due to such events can be submitted electronically by midnight on the day that it is due. Items that cannot be submitted electronically should be submitted the following attendance day.
Students are encouraged to utilize the before and after school tutoring programs to complete make-up and late work in a proactive manner.

Late Work Policy

Teachers reserve the right to alter this policy based on extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances should be discussed with the administration.

Late work is defined as work not completed/turned in on time even though the student attended the class.

Any assignment which is not turned in on time will be deducted 10 points off of the original grade earned for each school day the assignment is late up to five days.
After five days, the student will be assigned a 0 for the assignment.
Late work will not be accepted after the end of a grading period.
Students who have 504/IEP/ESOL accommodations specifically allowing for extra time may exceed the 5 day window to maintain compliance with their respective educational plan.
Dual Credit courses may have varying late work policies that are aligned with their parent university.
Students are encouraged to utilize the before and after school tutoring programs to complete make-up and late work in a proactive manner.

Classroom Rules:

Be in your seat ready to learn when the bell rings.
Come to class prepared everyday.
Cheating is unacceptable and will be dealt with according to the Student Handbook. This includes looking at another students work or copying another student’s work. Any type of cheating will result in a “O” grade. No questions asked!
To ensure that all students have the same academic environment for testing, all tests and quizzes will be designated as SILENT. For the student this means NO talking will be allowed during tests or quizzes with the exception of questions directed to the teacher. All other conversations (no matter how trivial) will be considered a violation of this agreement and considered cheating. There is no justifiable reason for student-to-student conversation during a test or quiz. Violations will result in a grade of ZERO on the test or quiz.
Disruptive behavior is unacceptable—this includes tardiness, rudeness, irrelevant class interrupting, etc. If you want respect, you must show respect to others.
Stay in your seat until dismissed.

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