Course Description Outline:

Government/Economics
Teacher: Mr. Partridge
Room: V205
Ofce ours: !unch time.
5
th
period prep. "e#ore school$ lunch %#ter school. Please as& in
ad'ance and ( )ill *e happ+ to schedule a time to assist +ou.
(. ,eneral Description o# the Class: O'er'ie) o# ,rade -2 re.uirements.
Principles o# %merican Democrac+ and /conomics
0tudents in grade t)el'e pursue a deeper understanding o# the institutions
o# %merican go'ernment. The+ compare s+stems o# go'ernment in the )orld
toda+ and anal+1e the histor+ and changing interpretations o# the
Constitution$ the "ill o# Rights$ and the current state o# the legislati'e$
e2ecuti'e$ and 3udiciar+ *ranches o# go'ernment. %n emphasis is placed on
anal+1ing the relationship among #ederal$ state$ and local go'ernments$ )ith
particular attention paid to important historical documents such as the
4ederalist Papers. These standards represent the culmination o# ci'ic literac+
as students prepare to 'ote$ participate in communit+ acti'ities$ and assume
the responsi*ilities o# citi1enship.
(n addition to stud+ing go'ernment in grade t)el'e$ students )ill also
master #undamental economic concepts$ appl+ing the tools 5graphs$
statistics$ e.uations6 #rom other su*3ect areas to the understanding o#
operations and institutions o# economic s+stems. 0tudied in a historic
conte2t are the *asic economic principles o# micro7 and macroeconomics$
international economics$ comparati'e economic s+stems$ measurement$
and methods.
0emester One:
Principles of American Democracy
Te2t: ,o'ernment %li'e8 Po)er$ Politics and 9ou. TC( 200:$ Palo %lto Cali#ornia
(0"; :<=7-7:>?5>?70-7?
!earning O*3ecti'es and ma3or units:
-2.- 0tudents e2plain the #undamental principles and moral 'alues o#
%merican democrac+ as e2pressed in the @.0. Constitution and other
essential documents o# %merican democrac+.
-2.2 0tudents e'aluate and ta&e and de#end positions on the scope and
limits o# rights and o*ligations as democratic citi1ens$ the relationships
among them$ and ho) the+ are secured.
-2.> 0tudents e'aluate and ta&e and de#end positions on )hat the
#undamental 'alues and principles o# ci'il societ+ are 5i.e.$ the autonomous
sphere o# 'oluntar+ personal$ social$ and economic relations that are not part
o# go'ernment6$ their interdependence$ and the meaning and importance o#
those 'alues and principles #or a #ree societ+.
-2.? 0tudents anal+1e the uni.ue roles and responsi*ilities o# the three
*ranches o# go'ernment as esta*lished *+ the @.0. Constitution.
-2.5 0tudents summari1e landmar& @.0. 0upreme Court interpretations o#
the Constitution and its amendments.
-2.A 0tudents e'aluate issues regarding campaigns #or national$ state$ and
local electi'e ofces.
-2.< 0tudents anal+1e and compare the po)ers and procedures o# the
national$ state$ tri*al$ and local go'ernments.
-2.= 0tudents e'aluate and ta&e and de#end positions on the inBuence o# the
media on %merican political li#e.
-2.: 0tudents anal+1e the origins$ characteristics$ and de'elopment o#
diCerent political s+stems across time$ )ith emphasis on the .uest #or
political democrac+$ its ad'ances$ and its o*stacles.
-2.-0 0tudents #ormulate .uestions a*out and de#end their anal+ses o#
tensions )ithin our constitutional democrac+ and the importance o#
maintaining a *alance *et)een the #ollo)ing concepts: ma3orit+ rule and
indi'idual rightsD li*ert+ and e.ualit+D state and national authorit+ in a
#ederal s+stemD ci'il diso*edience and the rule o# la)D #reedom o# the press
and the right to a #air trialD the relationship o# religion and go'ernment.
0emester T)o:
Principles of Economics
-2.- 0tudents understand common economic terms and concepts and
economic reasoning.
-2.2 0tudents anal+1e the elements o# %mericaEs mar&et econom+ in a
glo*al setting.
-2.> 0tudents anal+1e the inBuence o# the #ederal go'ernment on the
%merican econom+.
-2.? 0tudents anal+1e the elements o# the @.0. la*or mar&et in a glo*al
setting.
-2.5 0tudents anal+1e the aggregate economic *eha'ior o# the @.0.
econom+.
-2.A 0tudents anal+1e issues o# international trade and e2plain ho)
the @.0. econom+ aCects$ and is aCected *+$ economic #orces
*e+ond the @nited 0tatesE *orders.
0enior special pro3ect 5re.uired6. "usiness Plan
((. Classroom /2pectations
%ll school and district rules appl+ to this classroom. /'er+ student has
a right to learn and achie'e e2cellence in an atmosphere that is respect#ul$
ci'il and engaging. Part o# )hat )ill *e modeled and e2pected )ill *e respect
#or all points o# 'ie). Fe )ill practice respect #or the classroom. Fe )ill #orm
opinions$ de#end positions$ and ha'e them challenged. %t times )e )ill
disagree.
;o one has a patent on the truth. Fe are all entitled to our thoughts and
opinions. Fe )ill practice deep respect #or our indi'idual right to *e diCerent.
Fe )ill learn to e2press oursel'es )ith respect #or those that might hold
diCerent opinions$ and$ )e )ill attempt at all times to *ase our opinions on
solid in#ormation.
(((. Discipline polic+:
(t is m+ deepest *elie# and e2perience$ that a )ell run$ engaging learning
atmosphere re.uires little discipline.
9et )hen some *eha'ior distur*s another studentsE a*ilit+ to learn$ *+ m+
determination$ a solution )ill *e sought. Discipline polic+ is harmoni1ed and
consistent )ith school and district guidelines$ policies and *est practices.
Certain
"eha'iors and matters re.uire immediate re#erral and the student )ill *e
gi'en a pass to to the Dean o# Discipline.
( tr+ to handle all other occurrences at the personal le'el$ one on one )ith
the student:
-
st
oCense: Fhen possi*le$ ( )ill ha'e a pri'ate con'ersation )ith the
student$ identi#+ing the pro*lem and agreeing to a solution.
2
nd
oCense: The parentGguardian )ill *e notiHed and *rought into the matter.
% solution )ill *e determined )ith speciHc points re.uired to remed+ the
situation.
>
rd
oCense: %dministrators )ill *e in#ormed and a meeting )ith
parentGguardian administrators )ill *e re.uested.
0pecial note on electronic de'ices: @nless other)ise allo)ed as a tool #or
accessing the internet #or research$ cell phones$ music pla+ers$ game
consoles and headphones must *e turned oC and put a)a+ during the class
period. ;o *ac&pac&s$ purses or similar totes shall *e open on the des& or in
a studentEs lap. 0tudents )ill *e gi'en one )arning. Therea#ter$ ( )ill as& #or
the electronic item and ( )ill gi'e it to the appropriate administrator *+ the
end o# the da+$ to *e returned at their discretion.
(V. ,rading polic+
=:IJ%
<:IJ"
A:IJC
5:IJD
,rades )ill *e *ased on a com*ination o# in7class assignments$ indi'idual
and group pro3ects$ home)or&$ presentations$ .ui11es and unit tests. %lso$
spot chec&s o# )hether the student has *rought their te2t*oo& )ill *e
graded. "ring +our *oo& e'er+ da+8
Ma&e up )or&. Ma&e up )or& is +our responsi*ilit+. %ll assignments are
re.uired to *e completed )hether +ou ha'e e2cused a*sences$ medical
issues$ sports releases$ or #amil+ issues or an e2cused a*sence #or an+ other
reason. 0tudents )ill *e a*le to complete assignments )hen tard+ and
loc&ed out$ *ut )ill not *e allo)ed to complete assignments )hen the
a*sence )as une2cused.
!ate )or& must *e completed )ithin the unit o# stud+. !ate )or& cannot earn
more than <5K. ;o late )or& )ill *e accepted a#ter the test #or that unit. ;o
ma&e up )or& accepted during Hnals )ee&. Ma&e up tests 4rida+ lunch onl+8
(t is +our responsi*ilit+ to ma&e it on 4rida+ lunch8
V. Cop+ing and cheating
%ll )or& is assigned to +ou indi'iduall+. (# +ou stud+ in a group$ +ou are still
e2pected to ans)er in +our o)n )ords$ not simpl+ cop+ing someone elseEs
)or&.
Copied )or& )ill *e entered as a L0M. "oth parties )ill recei'e the L0M. %n+
second or su*se.uent 'iolations$ and cheating on tests$ )ill *e handled
through the procedures outlined in the District onest+ Polic+. This +ear$ all
cheating )ill *e re#erred to the principal$ per his re.uest. ParentsGguardians
)ill *e contacted. 0econd oCense )ill go in +our permanent record a'aila*le
to colleges.
V(. Materials:
7Three ring *inder )ith su*3ect di'iders$ or a dedicated spiral note*oo& )ith
slee'es #or storing handouts
7*inder paper
7pens7 *lueG*lac& onl+8
7pencils
7Te2t*oo&7 *ring it e'er+ da+ to class.
N 9ou are )elcome to use +our o)n laptop in class. ( strongl+ ad'ise +ou not
to attempt to use a cell phone as +our onl+ access to a )ord processing
program. (n m+ opinion$ it is not possi*le to )rite a paper using a cellphone
&e+*oard and tools.
,o'ernmentG/conomics L,reen 0heetM Class period:OOOOOOOOO
ParentG,uardian70tudent 0ignatures and Contact (n#ormation
( ha'e read the course description outline and also re'ie)ed it )ith m+
parentGguardians.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
0tudent name: printed
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
0tudent signature
( ha'e read the course description outline:
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Parent or guardian 5printed6
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ParentGguardian signature da+time phone num*er:OOOOOOOOOOOOOO
/mail address:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
0pecial note on (nternet$ Hlm$ audio and general media content:
Topics in ,o'ernment and /conomics$ and @.0. istor+ and related issues
ma+ include e'er+thing the Preal )orldE does$ including 'iolence$ religion$
se2ualit+ and e2plicit language use. 4rom time to time$ such content comes
up in the classroom$
3ust as the+ do in societ+. 0ome segments in Hlms and other resources ma+
include LRM ratings. 5Mel ,i*sonEs LThe PatriotM has an LRM rating6. 0uch
items are used to ad'ance understanding. The goal is o*3ecti'e e2posure to
rele'ant issues and to prepare students to *etter understand important
issues. Rarel+ are Hlms sho)n in their entiret+$ and onl+ rele'ant sections are
used in learning.
Opt out:
(# +ou do not )ant +our student to 'ie) material that oll+)ood has
designated as LRM in content $ and +our child is not -= +ears old$ please sign
*elo). 9our student )ill *e gi'en other )or&$ or material that )ill allo) them
an opportunit+ to earn #ull credit$ and )ill *e placed in another setting #or the
time period.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ParentG,uardian signature to Lopt7outM o# all LRM rated Hlm content