A.P. Government and Politics
Sehome High School
Ms. Johnston kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu 676-6481
Ext. 5239
AP U.S. Government and
Politics is a college level course designed to give a comprehensive understanding
of government and politics in the United States. The course will include the
study of broad concepts needed to understand U.S. politics and governmental
systems as well as analysis of specific examples. It will require familiarity
with the ideas, individuals, groups and institutions that make up U.S.
politics. After completion of this course, you will have gained a strong
foundation for understanding how the governmental and political systems in
America actually work.
Philosophical Purpose: Ultimately, I
believe the purpose of our nation’s public schools was and is to educate its
citizens to be knowledgeable and informed participants in our democracy.
As Thomas Jefferson stated, “I have no fear that the result of our
experiments will be that men [and women] may be trusted to govern themselves
without a master.” Thus, the study of government and politics is an exercise of
civics, citizenship, and democracy. We will practice active engagement as
citizens through projects, which will include policy research, letter writing
and, hopefully, an election information campaign and registration drive for the
November 2008 general election.
Textbook: The textbook for this class is Government
in America: People, Politics and Policy (10th/13th
edition) by Edwards, Wattenburg and Lineberry. You will have reading
assignments due each class session; specific assignments will be posted in
class and, whenever possible, online. You will have regular reading quizzes.
Therefore, it is required that you take daily comprehensive reading notes. It
is essential that you remain committed and stay on top of the assigned readings.
Bring the textbook to class every day. Occasional supplemental
readings will be provided.
Other Resources: It is highly recommended
that you access other resources on a regular basis. The best way to apply the
theory learned in this class to practical situations is to follow the news.
YOU ARE EXPECTED TO WATCH A NEWS PROGRAM OR READ A NEWSPAPER DAILY – CRITICAL
NEWS ITEMS MAY TURN UP ON QUIZZES. I highly recommend the News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS,
NPR (Democracy Now is good), Bill Moyers Journal,
Frontline, etc.
because these programs tend to spend much more time on analysis of major
news events and are more illuminating than broadcast news programs.
Community Engagement Requirement: You will
be expected to attend at least one community event related to issues of
governance, criminal justice, diversity/social justice, etc. and complete a
reflection paper. Another option would be to host a forum or event here at
Sehome for the benefit of other students. Details are posted on my web page. The
due date is Jan. 22, 2009, but it is highly recommended that you complete this
requirement early (unless you plan to attend the Whatcom Human Rights Task
Force’s MLK Day Conference).
Web page: This syllabus, homework
assignments, project information, and other materials will be made available
from my teacher page whenever possible. Please look at the web page
regularly. It can be accessed from the “Teacher Pages” section of the
Sehome High website (http://wwwshs.bham.wednet.edu).
Course
Syllabus
A.
Separation of Powers
B.
Considerations that influenced the formulation and
adoption of the Constitution.
C.
Theories of democratic government.
D.
Federalism
A.
The mass media.
1.
Functions and structures
2.
Impact on politics.
B.
Political Parties and elections (including functions, organizations, historical
developments and effects on the political process).
C.
Nomination processes and Campaign strategies
A.
Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its
leaders.
B.
The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion.
C.
The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate
in political life.
D.
Factors that influence citizens to differ in terms of
political beliefs and behaviors.
1.
The range of interests that are or are not represented.
2.
The activities of interest groups.
3.
The effects of interest groups on the political process.
4.
Characteristics/roles of PACs.
E. Local elections project –
information campaign
*The content covered in Unit Four comprises 40% of the
material tested on the AP Exam*
Unit
Four: Institutions Congress, Presidency, Bureaucracy, (Chapters 12, 13, 15,
14 and 16)
The
Federal Budget and the Federal Courts
A. Major formal and informal
institutional arrangements of powers.
B.
Relationships among these institutions.
C.
Links between these and parties, groups, media,
subnational governments, and public opinion.
E. The budgetary process
F. The judicial system
A.
Policy making in a federal system.
B.
Formation of policy agendas.
C.
Role of institutions in policy enactment.
D.
Role of bureaucracy and courts in policy implementation
and interpretation.
E.
Linkages between policy processes and:
1.
Political institutions and federalism.
2.
Political parties.
3.
Interest groups.
4.
Public opinion.
5.
Elections.
6.
Policy networks.
F. Letter writing project
A.
Development of civil liberties and civil rights by
judicial interpretation.
B.
Substantive rights and liberties.
C.
Impact of the 14th Amendment on
rights/liberties.
** This syllabus is subject to modification, but I
will give you notice of any changes. **
** Syllabus
updates will be posted to my web page. **
Participation
& Skills: Your prepared participation is essential for the success
of this class. I cannot overstate the
importance of taking excellent notes. They will be of great help not only for
unit test preparation, but also for reviewing for the AP exam in May. All
students are expected to take an active part in class on a daily basis. Come to
class prepared to think, ask questions and engage in meaningful discussion. We
should think, talk, and act as democratic citizens. That means the classroom
environment is a venue for discussion, negotiation of competing ideals, debate
and compromise. We must gather information through listening, reading, thinking
and then critically evaluate this in order to form our own opinions.
Attendance
& Late Work Policy: Regular attendance is absolutely essential in this
class. Because of the rigor of this course I will enforce the SHS school policy
for attendance and monitor attendance closely. If you know you will be absent,
on the day of a test or a quiz, you are expected to take it ahead of
time. In the event of an unplanned absence, you have one day to make up the
missed assessment.
Homework:
Expect nightly reading assignments from the regular textbook, Government
in America, and supplementary readings. Take these very seriously – they
are the foundation of daily discussions and lectures. You will be quizzed on
readings and vocabulary from the readings. I will also assign video viewing
activities from time to time, including online videos (mostly from PBS). If you
do not have high speed internet access at home, please let me know as soon as
possible so that I can either tape the show for you or make another assignment
available to you.
Grading
Scale: I use the following standard grading scale.
93 = A 87
= B+ 77 = C+ 67 = D+ below 60 = F
90 = A- 83
= B 73 = C 63 = D
80
= B- 70 = C- 60 = D-
Your grade will be based on the following factors:
1.
Reading quizzes
2.
Written assignments and notes
3.
Unit exams
4.
Final exam
5.
Letter or Learning Project
Students who exhibit exemplary participation over the
course of the semester may be able to earn a higher grade in the event that
their grade falls within a percentage point of the next higher grade. For
example, a student with an 87.5% (B+) at the end of the term may earn an A- for
high quality and consistent participation.
Parent Connect: I will be using the
Zangle Parent Connect website to keep important things, like grades,
up-to-date. Class news may be posted there from time to time, as well. PLEASE
don’t expect that I will be able to input things into the computer as soon as I
grade them. For that reason, you or your parents/guardians may notice that you
have some scores missing and your grade isn’t where it should be, so remember:
If there is a blank in an
assignment category, that usually means I have created the assignment, but have
not yet put in the score. Please also look for notes in Parent Connect that
will indicate if work was returned for a redo, was turned in late, or was
excused.
I hope that, through this
course, you will develop a keen interest in our government and political
systems. I personally find it all fascinating, and believe that knowledge of
politics is a powerful tool that helps us to learn a great deal about the
society in which we live. I think that who take the time to truly understand
our political system cannot resist the creeping passion to participate in it,
and maybe to watch reruns of The West Wing.
FINALLY: Please, please,
come to me if you have questions or concerns about an assignment or this class.
If you need help, you need to SPEAK UP for three reasons:
1) If you are having
difficulty, it is infinitely better to get help sooner rather than later.
2) I am not psychic.
3) It is your
responsibility to take action if you hope to see things get better, either in class or in the real world.
A.P. Government and Politics
Sehome High School
Ms. Johnston kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu 676-6481
Ext. 5239
PLEASE
SIGN AND RETURN BY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008.
Student:
·
I
verify that I have read the course outline and class rules and understand the
expectations for this course.
·
I understand I must complete the Community Engagement Requirement.
·
If
I have questions or concerns about an assignment or the class, I will contact Ms.
Johnston as soon as possible.
·
I
understand that help is available during lunch and after school most days, and
that it is my responsibility to come get help when I need it.
·
I
understand that there are computers available in Ms. Johnston’s room for my use
before and after school, and at lunch.
·
I
understand that Ms. Johnston has a teacher web page, which I know how to
locate and use to find information about homework, daily class work, and a
community events calendar.
Student Signature Date
Parent/Guardian:
·
I
verify that I have read the course outline and class rules and understand the
expectations for this course.
·
I understand that I may need to help my student attend or complete the
Community Engagement Requirement.
·
If
I have questions or concerns about an assignment or the class, I will contact
Ms. Johnston as soon as possible.
·
I
understand that help is available during lunch and after school most days, and
that it my student’s responsibility to come get help when he/she needs it.
·
I
understand that there are computers available in Ms. Johnston’s room for my
student’s use before and after school, and at lunch.
·
I
understand that Ms. Johnston has a teacher web page, and I know that I
can use it to find information about homework, daily class work, and a
community events calendar.
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
AP EXAM DATE: MONDAY, MAY 4TH 2009 @ 8:00AM