T R A V E R S E

C I T Y

C E N T R A L

H I G H

S C H O O L

:: Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics ::

Course Syllabus Mrs. Paul Room C183 paulpa@tcaps.net 933-3568 (Voicemail) :: Course Description :: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the structures, functions, and processes of American government. We begin with the premise that politics matters. We focus on the intersection of politics and public policy, emphasizing the role of the government has on the daily lives of every American, and the traditions of compromise and conflict that characterize our democracy. In doing so, we will explore the philosophical and historical roots of American politics, the three branches of government, and various political institutions like the media and political parties. By the end of the course, students should have the skills, knowledge, and motivation necessary to be engaged citizens in the American political sphere. By the end of the course, you should: Know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. Government & politics. Understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences (including the components of political behavior, the principles used to explain or justify various government structures and procedures, and the political effects of these structures and procedures). Be able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to U.S. Government and politics (including data presented in charts, tables, and other formats). Be able to critically analyze relevant theories and concepts, apply them appropriately, and develop their connections across the curriculum. :: Course Requirements :: As this is a college level course, students must recognize that each student is responsible for being prepared with the assigned readings and written work as indicated on the calendar. With limited class time, the class will not discuss all concepts you are expected to know. Students are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of all topics in the text, readers, and in class presentations. During class, the time is dedicated to selected topics, which are either more complicated or stressed more on the exam. For each assigned chapter, students should prepare reading notes and be ready for a reading quiz. Be prepared. Keep up with the reading and you will likely be successful. The course will have unit exams, rather than chapter tests. Free response writings will occur frequently in the style of the AP exam. Students will be tested regularly on their knowledge of visually presented information (maps, graphs, charts) from assigned textbook and supplemental readings as well as class presentations. :: Textbook/Readings (provided by school) :: George C. Edwards, Martin P. Wattenberg, and Robert L. Lineberry. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy (Fifteenth Edition). New York: Pearson Longman, 2011. Ann G. Serow and Everett C. Ladd, Ed. The Lanahan Readings in the American Polity (Third Edition). Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers, Inc., 2003. Various supplementary articles, readings, and multimedia provided throughout the trimester, see Course Units for specific details.

:: Course Units of Study:: Course Introduction (4 days): Syllabus, Introductions, Procedures, & Orientation Unit 1 Public Opinion, Mass Media, & Political Culture (14-20 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 6: Public Opinion & Political Action, page 166 Chapter 7: The Mass Media & the Political Agenda, page 196 Chapter 1: Introducing Government in America, page 2 Walter Lippman, The Phantom Public, Lanahan #55 Larry Sabato, Feeding Frenzy, Lanahan #80 Richard Zweigenhaft and William Domhoff, Diversity in the Power Elite, Lanahan #13 Various current events articles http://pewresearch.org/ http://www.gallup.com/home.aspx Learning Objectives: Outline how various forms of socialization shape political opinions. Assess the influence of political ideology on Americans' political thinking and behavior. Analyze how public opinion about the scope of government guides political behavior. Explore the role of poll data in measuring and influencing public opinion using Describe how American politicians choreograph their messages through the mass media. Analyze the impact the media has on what policy issues Americans think about. Identify the key functions of government and explain why they matter. Interpret and explain political cartoons, and create your own on current events. Unit 2 Political Parties & Campaigns/Elections (14-20 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 8: Political Parties, page 224 Chapter 9: Nominations & Campaigns, page 252 Chapter 10: Elections & Voting Behavior, page 280 Earl Black & Merle Black, From The Rise of Southern Republicans, Lanahan #75 James Caeser & Andrew Busch, From Red over Blue, Lanahan #71 Dante Scala, Stormy Weather, Lanahan #66 Various current events articles Learning Objectives: Evaluate the fairness of our current system of presidential primaries and caucuses. Outline how fundraising for federal offices is regulated by campaign finance laws. Determine why campaigns have an important yet limited impact on election outcomes. Distinguish the types of elections in the United States. Assess the impact of party identification, candidate evaluations, and policy opinions on voting behavior. Analyze electoral maps and create graphs/charts of campaign spending and state by state spending and campaign events. Evaluate the fairness of the electoral college system for choosing the president.

Unit 3 Constitutional Underpinnings (12-16 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 2: The Constitution, page 28 The United States Constitution Various current events articles Learning Objectives: Identify and analyze the roots of American democracy. Analyze the Constitution's system of separation of powers and checks and balances. Analyze how the components of the Madisonian system addressed the dilemma of reconciling majority rule with the protection of minority interests. Outline what the Constitution says about division of power between national and state governments and states' obligations to each other, and trace the increasing importance of the national government. Unit 4 Federalism & State/Local Government (10-16 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 3: Federalism, page 64 Chapter 21: The New Face of State and Local Government, page 606 Various current events articles Learning Objectives: Define federalism and explain its consequences for American politics and policy. Compare and contrast the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in terms of their background and their positions regarding government. Assess whether the Constitution establishes a majoritarian democracy and how it limits the scope of government. Define federalism and explain its consequences for American politics and policy. Outline what the Constitution says about division of power between national and state governments and states' obligations to each other, and trace the increasing importance of the national government. Unit 5 Congress & Special Interest Groups (26-30 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 12: Congress, page 332 Chapter 11: Interest Groups, page 304 William Greider, Who Will Tell the People, Lanahan #63 Michele Swers, The Difference Women Make, Lanahan #26 Paul Starobin, Pork: A Time Honored Tradition Lives, Lanahan #28 John Ellwood and Eric Patashnik, In Praise of Pork, Lanahan #29 Mark Monmonier, Bushmanders and Bullwinkles, Lanahan #78 Various current events articles Learning Objectives: Characterize the backgrounds of members of Congress and the ability of members of Congress to represent average Americans.

 Identify the principal factors influencing the outcomes in congressional elections. Compare and contrast the House and Senate, and describe the roles of congressional leaders, committees, caucuses, and staff. Outline the path of bills to passage and explain the influences on congressional decision making. Describe the role of interest groups in American politics. Compare and contrast the theories of pluralism, elitism, and hyperpluralism. Analyze the factors that make some interest groups more successful than others in the political arena. Assess the four basic strategies that interest groups use to try to shape policy. Identify the various types of interest groups and their policy concerns. Evaluate how well Madison's ideas for controlling the influence of interest groups have worked in practice. Unit 6 The Presidency (10-12 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 13: The Presidency, page 364 Kenneth Mayer, With the Stroke of a Pen, Lanahan #35 Bradley Patterson, The White House Staff: The Advance Office, Lanahan #81 Robert Reich, Locked in the Cabinet, Lanahan #39 Various current events articles Learning Objectives: Characterize the expectations for and the backgrounds of presidents and identify paths to the White House and how presidents may be removed. Evaluate the president's constitutional powers and the expansion of presidential power. Describe the roles of the vice president, cabinet, Executive Office of the President, White House staff, and First Lady. Analyze the president's powers in making national security policy and the relationship between the president and Congress in this arena. Assess the role of presidential power in the American democracy and the president's impact on the scope of government. Unit 7 Bureaucracy & Public Policymaking (14-18 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 15: The Federal Bureaucracy, page 432 parts of Chapter 17: Economic Policymaking, page 502 parts of Chapter 18: Social Welfare Policymaking, page 524 parts of Chapter 19: Policymaking for Healthcare & the Environment , page 546 parts of Chapter 20: National Security Policymaking, page 572 James Q. Wilson, Bureaucracy, Lanahan #40 Michael Harrington, The Other America, Lanahan #84 Joseph Nye, Soft Power, Lanahan #89 Milton Friedman, Free to Choose, Lanahan #85 Various current events articles Learning Objectives: Assess the role that government plays in our mixed economy.

 Identify the two main policy tools that American government can employ to address economic problems. Trace the changes over time in major federal welfare programs. Assess the impact of social welfare policies on democracy and the scope of government in America. Assess the role of democratic politics in making health care, environmental and energy policy and the effect of these policies on the scope of government. Identify the major instruments and actors in making national security policy. Analyze the evolving challenges for U.S. national security policy. Assess how citizens can have an impact on public policy and how policies can impact people. Unit 8 Judicial Branch (Federal Courts) (12-14 school days) Readings/Additional Resources: Chapter 16: The Federal Courts, page 466 Peter Irons, Brennan v. Rehnquist, Lanahan #44 David Yalof, Pursuit of Justices, Lanahan #45 Various current events articles Learning Objectives: Outline the structure of the federal court system and the major responsibilities of each component. Explain the process by which judges and justices are nominated and confirmed. Outline the judicial process at the Supreme Court level and assess the major factors influencing decisions and their implementation. Trace the Supreme Court's use of judicial review in major policy battles in eras of American history. Assess the role of unelected courts and the scope of judicial power in American democracy. Unit 9 Civil Liberties & Civil Rights (16-22 school days) Chapter 4: Civil Liberties & Public Policy, page 92 Chapter 5: Civil Rights & Public Policy, page 132 James Madison, Federalist #10, Edwards, p. 740-743 Donald Kettl, System Under Stress (Patriot Act), Lanahan #49 Craig Rimmerman, From Identity to Politics (LGBT Political Issues), Lanahan #52 Richard Kluger, Simple Justice (Brown v. Board), Lanahan #50 Charles Ogletree, All Deliberate Speed (Racial Issues Post Brown), Lanahan #51 Trace the process by which the Bill of Rights has been applied to the states. Characterize defendants' rights and identify issues that arise in their implementation. Assess how civil liberties affect democratic government and how they limit/expand the scope of government. Differentiate the Supreme Court's 3 standards for classifying people under the equal protection clause. Establish how civil rights policy advances democracy and increases the scope of government.

:: Course Expectations :: BE PREPARED on time, in assigned seat when the bell rings, with textbook, netbook, notebook paper, folder, planner and pen/pencil. PARTICIPATE complete work on time, contribute to group work, volunteer during discussions, ask questions, and give your best effort at all times. BE RESPECTFUL be respectful of yourself, others, materials, and the classroom. :: Civic Participation Requirement :: Each AP Government & Politics student is required to complete Civic Participation in order to receive credit for this class, with NO EXCEPTIONS OR EXCUSES. The purpose is to advance student understanding of the importance of community involvement and citizenship as responsible personal conduct in a democracy. This requirement must be completed two weeks before the end of the second trimester. The civic participation must be done during a trimester in which you are taking AP Government & Politics. More information will be provided by Mrs. Paul in class and can be found on Edmodo. :: Hall Passes :: If there is an emergency and you need to leave the room during class, use the hall pass at the front of the room. Only one student is allowed to be out of the room at any given time. Leaving the classroom without using the hall pass will result in a tardy or an unverified absence. If anyone seems to be abusing this system, he or she will lose the privilege of leaving during class. :: Tardy Policy :: Tardies are disruptive to the educational process and will be dealt with according to the Student Handbook and RTC guidelines. If a student is tardy, he or she must have a note from another teacher or the office. Failure to do so could lead to the tardy being marked as an absence. Absences will not be changed to tardies at a later date. Leaving class before it is dismissed will result in a tardy or an unverified absence. The official RTC School Policy regarding tardies is as follows:
Tardy #4 Sent to RTC to formulate a plan for timeliness Student must call a parent/guardian in presence of RTC teacher Student must negotiate with teacher Sent to RTC to formulate a new plan for timeliness Student must call a parent/guardian in presence of RTC teacher Student must get a principal signature on his/her plan Student must negotiate with teacher In school suspension

Tardy #5

Tardy #6

:: Edmodo :: This class will use Edmodo as a resource regularly, both as a communication tool and as a way to turn in assignments. While using Edmodo, you will be expected to adhere to the expectations for responsible technology use as outlined in the Student Handbook. On Edmodo, you will find helpful links to grades, activities, research resources, quizzes, and course information. New resources and assignments are constantly added, and it is important that you access Edmodo on a daily basis. You will learn in class how to connect via text message or email alerts. Your class group code for enrollment is: ____________ :: Political News RSS Feed :: On Edmodo, you will be required to subscribe to the class RSS feed (group code 45jmxb), which will provide you with supplemental current events articles from various sources on a daily basis, including the New York Times, the Washington Post , NPR, the Wall Street Journal, and CNN, among others. It is expected that you keep abreast of current events, as these events will be regularly discussed and analyzed in class. Your Edmodo news feed is a convenient way to keep a finger on the pulse of the nation. Remember that Edmodo is accessible on your smartphone, and can also have updates texted or emailed to you.

:: Course Evaluation ::
100 93 % 92 90 % 89 87 % 86 83 % 82 80 % 79 77 % 76 73 % 72- 70 % 69 67 % 66 63 % 62 60 % 59 0 % - A - A- B+ - B - B- C+ - C - C- D+ - D - D- E

In this course, you will be evaluated in a number of ways: Objective Tests and Reading Quizzes Major Projects Class Assignments Homework Exam FRQs: Free Response Questions

:: Free Response Questions :: FRQs (Free Response Questions) are a form of analytical and interpretive written assessment used on the AP Examination for U.S. Government & Politics. They will be used frequently in class in order to ascertain your level of knowledge and understanding of course topics. :: Data Driven Dialogue Protocol :: This protocol is designed to help students develop a well-founded position by using data to make predictions, observations and inferences. You will become familiar with the protocol, which will be used at least once per unit. Students will be expected to explore data, including polls, charts, graphs, and tables, and generate explanations for their observations. Assignments include, but are not limited to: Using poll data and census data to predict candidates' campaign spending and activity in swing states in relation to demographic voter behavior and patterns. Creating charts explaining and reassessing budget expenditures for the Federal government, separating discretionary and mandatory spending. :: AP Examination :: It is an expectation that all AP Government students take the AP United States Government & Politics Examination on Tuesday, May 13th, 2014 (2nd week of AP testing). The cost for the exam is $89. More information on registering for the exam will be provided in class. If the exam fee presents a financial hardship, assistance is available through TCAPS-- see your counselor or speak with Mrs. Paul. :: Extra Credit Policy :: Extra credit is available on an individual basis, with a maximum of 20 points possible in a trimester. That is A LOT of points! There are three ways to earn extra credit: 1) Announced opportunities in class; 2) Additional AP Government & Politics relevant readings, books and films (must be approved); 3) AP Government & Politics themed extra-curricular work (must be approved). Extra credit points will not be calculated into the trimester grade until the end of the trimester, and you must have no more than one missing assignment in order to be eligible for extra credit.

ONLINE GRADEBOOK KEY Z Missing Assignment The assignment can

still be turned in for credit or partial credit.

:: Late Work Policy :: It is the students responsibility to know what work is assigned and when it is due. There is an assignment chart updated on the board each day, and extra handouts are located in the crate folders in the front of the room. Please check both of these areas, and/or ask Mrs. Paul if you have any questions about assignments or due dates. Late work will be accepted, but WITH A MINIMUM 50% PENALTY. IF ABSENT, check the assignment chart and whiteboard for any missed assignments, and if necessary, with Mrs. Paul BEFORE OR AFTER CLASS/SCHOOL (not during class). You will have as many days as you were absent to turn in most assignments, and longer for extended excused absences. UNVERIFED absences on the day an assignment is due or work is completed in class will result in a ZERO for the assignment/quiz/test.

Not Applicable The student has been X

excused and does not need to complete the assignment, or the assignment has been given credit on a completion basis.

Zero Credit Either the assignment was 0

completed and received zero points, or it was never turned in and is beyond the deadline for turning it in late.

assignment that was not finished. Incomplete work can be resubmitted anytime before the .01 unit test for which it was completed. For example, an assignment on supreme court justices must be resubmitted before the Unit VII Test.

Incomplete Work Grade reflects an

.02 Late Work Grade reflects a late penalty. .03 Unverified Absence Zero Any assignment
collected when UNV receives an automatic zero.

Examples: 4.01 Student received 4 points for submitted work, but did not finish (.02 indicates that the grade is a result of the work being incomplete). 15.02 Student received 30 points, but the work was late (50 % penalty). .03 Student skipped class on day assignment was turned in. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I have read and understand Mrs. Paul's Course Syllabus for AP Government & Politics. Student Name (Please Print) ____________________________________ Student Signature ____________________________________________
During the course of the trimester, we will be watching various films, TV shows, news reports, and online videos, whether in short clips or in entirety. Each is conscientiously chosen based on its instructional value and relevance to course content. A broad list of clips and films that may or may not be shown is included on the back of this syllabus. Please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions or concerns. By signing this syllabus, you give permission for your student to participate.

Parent Name (Please Print) ____________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature ____________________________________ Email Address: _______________________________ Phone Number ________________________________ Date ________________

As a parent/guardian, you have access to your student's assignments on my Edmodo site. Please contact me by phone or email if you would like the unique access code for your student, ask your student or I would be happy to provide it upon request.

Not all of the following are used, but I wanted to provide as comprehensive a list as possible. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Various Current News Reports Used to introduce and discuss current events related to AP Government & Politics class, and in our unit on media bias. In the past I have used clips from the following sources C-SPAN, CNN Student News, CBS, NBC, Fox, MSNBC, CNN, BBC, Reuters, Al-Jazeera, Comedy Central, ABC, NPR Online Sources Used in short clips (2-8 minutes) to aid instruction, illustrate concepts, and review. Past clips have included: Schoolhouse Rock (I'm Just A Bill, Tyrannosaurus Debt, Preamble), Commoncraft (The Electoral College), West Wing Week, Living Room Candidate (archived campaign commercials, 1952-present), GOOD Magazine, C-SPAN Classroom, iAP Government & Politics Documentaries/Films/Mini-series Most are used only for scenes and clips. Used to give historical context, analyze concepts, and gain perspective. HBO's John Adams (2008), no rating Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), rated G National Geographic's Inside North Korea (2006), no rating Spy Factor (2009) PBS Broadcasting The West Wing, NBC The President's Photographer (2010) PBS Broadcasting Schessinger Media Educational's Foreign Policy and Comparative Government, rated grades 5-12 Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? (2005), no rating History Channel Documentary Clips (Elections, The Presidents, Founding Fathers), no rating Lincoln (2012) Of Civil Rights and Wrongs: The Fred Korematsu Story (2000), POV: PBS Broadcasting Iron Jawed Angels (2004) Liberty! The American Revolution (1997) PBS Broadcasting Big Sky, Big Money (2013) Frontline: PBS Broadcasting