Syllabus- American Government 2011-2012 Monsignor Edwards Pace High School Mr.

Morales Course Number: 2106310 Course Title: American Government Pace Number: 534-541 Email: amorales@pacehs.com

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The American Government course is designed to prepare seniors for todays political world through the study of the basic components of the American system. The student will develop an awareness of the political process, how it operates and the citizens role within the process. The focal point of the American Government course is the U.S. Constitution. This course will develop skills of critical thinking and problem solving. It will also compare and contrast the rights and responsibilities of citizens in other nations. The students will learn to stress on the contemporary political practices as is placed on Constitutional theory so that students will see the relevance of government to their everyday lives. MATERIALS: Three Ring Binder, Minimum Five Dividers, Loose-leaf paper and Blue and Black pen only (No pencils or erasable pens allowed) YOU MUST BRING THESE MATERIALS EVERY CLASS SESSION; NO EXCUSES!! TEXTBOOKS: Christine Barbour and Gerald Wright. American Government: Citizenship and Power, EMC Publishing, 2010. CLASSROOM RULES AND REGULATIONS: 1. You must always sit in your assigned seat. 2. You must never eat or drink in the classroom. 3. You are not permitted to use cell phones, radios, iPods or any other electronic devices at any time in class. 4. You must be on time to class. 5. Please be respectful to the opinion of others during classroom discussion. 6. Be actively involved in classroom discussions. 7. There is absolutely no talking during lectures by the instructor. 8. No student will leave the classroom once class has begun unless for an emergency. Students get 2 restroom passes per nine weeks. 9. Students must use Chicago style/CMS format for all citations.

10. All assignments must be completed in the specified format and include (Name, Date, and Title of Assignment in the Upper left hand side) or 5% of grade will be deducted. GRADING, PROCEDURES, AND ATTENDANCE: Students taking World History must realize and be prepared for the commitment required for success in this class. Daily attendance is imperative and can determine the success that you will have in this course. In addition, there are participation points given on a daily basis for active student participation. However, in the event you must miss this course it is expected that you will return with the appropriate assignment completed. In order to help you with this please email me at amorales@pacehs.com. It is the responsibility of the students to retrieve and complete any and all missing tests, projects, or assignments. Any late work turn in will receive a 10 % deduction for each day late, after three days the assignment will not be accept unless unforeseen circumstances upon my approval. GRADING: Project 200 pts Essays/Book Reviews 100 pts Tests 100 pts Quizzes 75 pts Participation/Notebook Check 50 pts Class work and Homework 50 pts Posting on Website 25 pts Bell work 10 pts GRADING SCALE 100-90 = A 89 80 = B 79 -70 = C 69 60 = D 59 0 = F Project: There will be a project on the Federal, State and Local Government that will be due during the semester. A handout will be provided with more details later in the semester. Tests: There will be multiple tests throughout this school year. The test will consist of two parts. One part will ask you to identify key terms and explain their historical significance. The other part will be essay questions. The exam will be comprehensive, that is, it will cover the material that has been cover before the actual test. You will receive a study guide for each test. Quizzes: There will be multiple quizzes throughout this school year. The quiz will consist of multiple choice questions and identify key terms.

Participation: Class participation points are calculated weekly. Class materials, notetaking, participation in activity, effort, adherence to classroom procedures and policies, etc are all taken into consideration. Three ring binder will be taken up by the instructor to ensure proper note-taking and the notebook is in order. Class work and Homework: This will consist of handouts, writing assignments, definitions or reading the textbook. Blog Posting: I have a website that is available to all of my students. It will have notes, class calendar and links that will be need for this course. Every week there will be assignments posted on the website. These assignment are called Today in History, they will be an assigned date the assignment will be due. In this assignment, you will have to post a 100 word opinion on the article that I have posted. More information will be given for each post. Website: www.moraleshistoryclass.blogspot.com ACADEMIC HONESTY: Plagiarism and cheating of any kind on an examination, quiz, or assignment will result in at least an F for that assignment (and may, depending on the severity of the case, lead to further punishment for the class) and may be subject to a referral to the Dean of Students for further action. See the Student Code of Conducts for further information. Course Calendar: First Nine Weeks: 1. Introductions to governmental systems 2. Comparative system 3. The political spectrum, understanding Liberal and Conservative ideologies 4. The writing of the Constitution and Constitutional principles; the U.S. Government, a government of limited powers; how the Constitution defends the citizens fundamental rights \ 5. The American Presidency and Executive Branch 6. Political Parties 7. The American voter and voting patterns Second Nine Weeks: 1. Congress and the legislative process, including the budget process and current congressional leadership 2. The impact of lobbying and special interest groups 3. The Supreme Court and Federal Court system and the judicial process 4. The future of American Government, what changes we can expect 5. Florida Government NOTE: The teacher reserves the right to make any changes to the curriculum as deemed appropriate for the educational needs of the students.

American Government Syllabus Course Syllabus

Mr. Morales Fall 2011

We have read the course syllabus and are aware of the objectives and policies of the classroom. We agree to abide by and support them throughout the semester. __________________________ _________ Student Name (Please print last name first) _____ Block _______________________ Students Signature Date

__________________________ __________________________ _________ Parent/Guardian's Name (Please print last name first) Guardians Signature

Date

Contact Information Please circle the best way to contact you parent/guardian during the day. 1. Parent/Guardians Name ______________________________ Relationship ___________
Home Address __________________________________________ Email ________________ Daytime/Work Phone ________________________ Evening/Home Phone________________ 2. Parent/Guardians Name ______________________________ Relationship ____________ Home Address _________________________________________ Email __________________ Daytime/Work Phone _________________________Evening/Home Phone_________________

3. STUDY BUDDY __________________________ In the event of a class absence, your study buddy will be the person you contact for missed assignments, handouts, and class notes. Please choose your buddy carefully as you may need to rely on them throughout this course.

Please return this page to Mr. Morales Keep the syllabus in the front of your course notebook First Grade 50pts Due by the next class