2018-2019 AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus Mrs. Staup - Manvel High School rm. C234 lstaup@alvinisd.net Advanced Academics Coordinator - Mrs. Rebecca Root rm. B123 rsroot@alvinisd.net Introduction to AP U.S. Government and Politics: AP U.S. Government and Politics is a college-level year-long course that not only seeks to prepare you for success on the AP Exam in May, but also provide you 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 framing the acquisition of political knowledge around enduring understandings and big ideas about American government and politics that can be applied to a set of disciplinary practices through the use of a set of reasoning processes. Through the development of this set of political knowledge, disciplinary practices, and reasoning processes, by the end of the course, you will be able to analyze current and historical political events like a political scientist and develop factually accurate, well- reasoned, thoughtful arguments and opinions that acknowledge and grapple with alternative political perspectives. The course will be organized around the following units of study: Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs Unit 5: Political Participation The course also consists of: A one-class period review day in each unit A unit exam at the end of each unit that will be administered over two class periods Two weeks of review for the AP Exam at the end of the course The political knowledge, enduring understandings, and big ideas acquired and developed in each unit will be applied to the disciplinary practices using the reasoning processes outlined below. Overview of the AP Exam and Keys to AP Exam Success: The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam will be comprised of the following sections: 55 Multiple-Choice Questions: Structure The questions on multiple choice will ask you to: Analyze and compare political concepts Analyze and interpret quantitative, text-based, and visual sources Apply course concepts, foundational documents, and Supreme Court decisions in a variety of hypothetical and realworld scenarios Timing: One hour and 20 minutes Percentage of Total Exam: 50% 4 Free-Response Questions: Structure The four questions on the free response will ask students to: Apply political concepts in real-world scenarios Compare the decisions and implications of different Supreme Court cases Analyze quantitative data Develop an argument using required foundational documents as evidence Timing: One hour and 40 minutes Percentage of Total Exam: 50% As the breakdown of the AP Exam highlights, success in this course and on the AP Exam requires far more than the memorization of political knowledge. Success in this course and on the AP Exam requires connection-making with the aim of
being able to analyze political information, regardless of the format the information is presented, and develop a factually accurate, thoughtful, and well-reasoned opinion regarding this information. The different pieces of the course fit together in pursuit of this aim through course content and big ideas, reasoning processes, and disciplinary practices. Course Content and Big Ideas: 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. The big ideas that connect the content in the course units include: Constitutionalism (CON) Liberty and Order (LOR) Civic Participation in a Representative Democracy (PRD) Competing Policy-Making Interests (PMI) Methods of Political Analysis (MPA) Reasoning Processes: The reasoning processes are the thought processes that will facilitate connection-making and analysis in the pursuit of effectively executing the disciplinary practices in the course. In other words, the reasoning processes form the cognitive bridge between the course content/big ideas and the disciplinary practices. The reasoning processes in this course include: Definition/Classification: Demonstrating knowledge of course concepts Explain - Process: Explaining political processes Explain - Causation: Explaining causes and effects of political principles, institutions, processes, and behaviors Explain - Comparison: Explaining similarities and differences among political principles, institutions, processes, and behaviors 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 you 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: Practice 1: Apply political concepts and processes to scenarios in context Practice 2: Apply Supreme Court decisions Practice 3: Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics Practice 4: Read, analyze, and interpret foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources Practice 5: Develop an argument in essay format Every AP Exam question fuses course content, reasoning processes, and disciplinary practices. Thus, in-class and outside of class assignments will focus on the acquisition of course content and the application of course content to disciplinary practices using reasoning skills. AP GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AMSCO Government and Politics 2018 edition Five Steps to a Five U.S. Government Government by the People 25th Edition (Magleby textbook) United States Constitution The Federalist Papers American Government: Readings and Cases 18 th edition by Peter Woll Various AP review books Required Supreme Court Cases: This course will incorporate the analysis of the following 15 required Supreme Court cases: Marbury v. Madison (1803) McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) Schenck v. United States (1919) Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Baker v. Carr (1961) Engel v. Vitale (1962) Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) New York Times Company v. United States (1971) Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) Roe v. Wade (1973) Shaw v. Reno (1993) United States v. Lopez (1995) McDonald v. Chicago (2010) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC) (2010) For each of these cases, the facts, issues, holdings, and reasoning underlying the majority and dissenting opinions can be found through the Oyez database online. Oyez also has an app that can be downloaded to smartphones. You will be required to complete multiple assignments analyzing and comparing these cases with other non- required cases. The list above is not an exhaustive list of the Supreme Court cases that will be analyzed and discussed in this course. Additionally, you will have access to information and majority/dissenting opinion excerpts for cases that complement the required cases, such as: Gonzales v. Raich (2005) to go along with the analysis of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) Heart of Atlanta Motels v. United States (1964) to go along with the analysis of United States v. Lopez (1995) Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002) to go along with the analysis of Engel v. Vitale (1962) Morse v. Frederick (2007) to go along with the analysis of Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) Required Foundational Documents: This course will incorporate 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: The Declaration of Independence The Articles of Confederation Federalist #10 Brutus No. 1 Federalist No. 51 The Constitution of the United States Federalist No. 70 Federalist No. 78 Letter from Birmingham Jail You will also be responsible for related readings, including: Excerpts from Locke s Second Treatise of Civil Government to go along with the analysis of the Declaration of Independence Letters from the Federal Farmer to the Republican I to go along with the analysis of the Articles of Confederation Essays from the National Constitution Center s Matters of Debate series (Interactive Constitution resource) to go along with the analysis of the Tenth Amendment AP GOVERNMENT Expectations 1. It is expected that you will come to class each day with your device (a computer/ipad is HIGHLY recommended also should have a keyboard), folder, spiral, pens, pencil, and highlighters. Any assignment will be subject to assignment checks, Five Steps to a Five, AP U.S. Government Identifies List. 2. You are, also, expected to bring your A game to this class. You will be putting forth a considerable amount of effort. Stay consistent, focused and keep the end in mind passing that AP exam with a 3 or better and earn your collegiate credit.
3. Make up Work: Be on time and try to avoid missing class. This class will move at a collegiate pace and will not be easy to make up work. Please check the makeup work box or my schoology for makeup work/assignments. Turn in all make up work at the beginning of class period. As per Alvin ISD policy, if you are absent, you have equal amount of days plus one to turn in all assignments missed. All pre-announced quizzes and tests are to be taken on that day, even if you missed the day before. All assignments are listed online and a schedule is posted on the class calendar. All makeup work is the responsibility of the student and you are required to be in touch with exactly what you need to do in order to continue working smoothly in the class. 4. Late Work If it is turned in late the same day it is due, or the next day, 10 points will be deducted from the grade earned. If it is turned in two days after it is due, 20 points will be deducted from the grade earned. 5. You will have quizzes for most of the readings and videos you are required to complete. These are to ensure that you read. Since there is so much information to be learned, the readings provide a good amount of reinforcement to class discussions and projects. The questions will be very detailed so you must take notes over the chapter to be successful on the quiz. You must take your own handwritten notes. I will also do random notes checks. 6. Testing Policy - Tests or quizzes can be made up before or after school before the end of the 9 weeks. As a member of this class, you are expected to take the AP exam in the spring. You do not have to pass the exam in order to pass the class. College credit will be awarded for scores of 3 (out of 5) or higher depending on the university/college of your choice. Good news regarding this the state of Texas has just passed a new law this past year requiring state school to award college credit to all students earning a 3 or higher. 7. Please properly complete all class work and home work as assigned. All out of class essays must be handwritten. Homework will also include assigned reading. You will be expected to participate in class on a daily basis. In the event you do not turn in an assignment on the date due, please see your teacher. On time is defined as when it is requested by the teacher. You may Email your assignment to me: lstaup@alvinisd.net 8. Within our classroom, we must agree to work together to master the content and learn from each other. Mutual respect and consideration within our classroom is a must. Bring your "A" game of respect to class each day. GRADING POLICIES AND EVALUATION: The Grading Scale will follow Alvin ISD Guidelines: 90-100 A 80-89 B 70-79 C Below a 70 F Individual Grade Types Breakdown: 60% Test, 40% Daily / Homework grades Test Assignments include: Classroom Exams and correlating DBQs, Projects, term papers, exhibitions/presentations, etc., and other specific Summative Assignments indicated by the teacher that helps pull together the learning complete in units Daily Assignments include: Teacher Questions, Group Work - These are usually assessments that are used for learning and to guide instruction and are usually completed in class. Homework Assignments include:
Reading / video quizzes, note checks and any other material assigned as homework. Technology in the Classroom 1. Bring your own technology - You are encouraged to bring your laptop or portable learning device (tablet) that has a keyboard for in class assignments (such as jigsaw group work, outlining chapters, accessing schoology for readings etc.) 2. Google drive many of your assignments will be distributed through google drive. Please access through your school accounts. UN: ID#@students.alvinisd.net PW: firstinitial lastinitial 4 digit year of birth 00 3. Schoology all assignments and communication will go through this site. We will create accounts the first day and parent accounts are available at their request