Civics

Civics is a class that deals with how national, state and local governments play a role in people’s lives in the United States today. While we will discuss and study the historical and philosophical bases for today's governmental systems, we will always attempt to put those ideas and ideals into the context of real life situations as they unfold in our time. And of course, we will focus on YOUR role within that system.

Current Events: Understanding the government around you requires an understanding of the world around you. Consequently, this class will devote a significant amount of time to learning about and discussing current events that help shape our current public policy. Students are encouraged to be active consumers of the daily news, through whatever sources are available to them, to create a changing and varied view of the world events that shape our democracy. Various current events based activities and assignments are required.

The United States Constitution, the framework for understanding our world and the role government plays in it, will form the foundation of our study. Six units, each approximately 2 weeks long, will build the scaffold within which we will understand what government is and what it does. Those units include:

1. The Preamble / Foundations of American Government – Where does government in general, and ours in particular, come from, and why do we even need it?

2. Article 1 / The Legislative Branch -- Why do we have so many laws, why are they sometimes so confusing, and who is responsible for making them?

3. Article 2 / The Executive Branch – How is the chief executive chosen every 4 years, why is it done that way, and what are his powers once elected?

4. Article 3 / The Judicial Branch -- How is our court system organized, what are its powers, and how does it shape our lives?

5. Article 4 / State and Local Governments – How does the system of federalism play out at the state & local level, and who does what for you close to home?

6. Article 5 / Amending the Constitution, Civil Rights & the Constitution – What rights do you have, how do you know, and how does the court system help answer those questions?

Each unit consists of readings, classroom discussions and activities, and an in-class unit test based on basic understanding of the unit’s main ideas. A take home written essay or report will accompany some of the units.