AP+US+Government

conceptual framework for understanding governmnet, using order, public good, and equality as benchmarks; ideology and scope of government, in contrast to other world forms || critical thinking and analysis; critical reading of variety of sources, independent research, supporting an opinion paper || The challenge of Democracy, Janda, Berry, goldmans, 7th edition, chapter 1 Debating Democracy A reader in American Politics, 5th edition, Houghton Mifflin, chapter 2 || internet - listen to NPR radio - //Justice Talking// || AP style test - multiple choice and 2 essays on this material;separate analytical essay on the source book; current events cartoon analysis || __**IMPORTANT NOTE:EACH UNIT**__ __**INVOLVES**__ __**ALL 10 OF THE READINGS STANDARDS**__ __**ALL OF THE TIME**__ || source book, ch 1 || primary sources, writings of contemporaries about the political situation, Federalist Papers 10 and 51 || AP style test, major paper on aanalysis of Constitution || __**ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS**__ __**INVOLVE ALL OF THE WRITING STANDARDS FOR LITERACY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THEM OUT. THE PROCESS IS INCLUDED IN THE FINAL PRODUCTION OF THE PAPER**__ || Source book, ch 8 || source book, ch 8; Pew Research Center website || test validity of public opinion surveys established by students; essay question on analysis and dependability of these surveys ||  || Source book, ch 9 || source book, ch 9; Vanderbilt news archive, Drudge Report on line || AP style quiz on material ( including questions from previous chapters ), in class presentations on sources and internet activities ||  || newspaper assesment of article on voter participation - does it agree or disagree with our conclusions? ||  || source book ch 10 || FEC website || Answer questions from the source book ||   || Source book ch 13 || Thomas.loc.gov || Select a recent bill to analyze - find out which committees played a significant role in the passage of the legislation and what precise role they played. ||  || Source book ch 14 ||. [|www.hpol.org] ( speech by JFK during Cuban Missile Crisis) || Analyze JFK's speech, AP style quiz ||  || Source book, ch 12 ||, CIA website || analytical paper ||  || source book, ch 15 || oral arguments in //Bush v. Gore// || role playing and group work on judicial review ||  || source book ch 7 || any new or old relevant Supreme Court cases to analyze || group work and role playing ||  || Who are the participants? || critical thinking || Janda ch 17 || go to [|www.access.gpo.gov] || comprehensive essay on this material ||  || Source book ch 5 || Federal Reserve website || Analysis of recent activities of the Federal Reserve Board to impact current economic conditions ||  || source book ch 16 ||  || AP style test ||   || source book ch 17 and 18 || [|www.ned.gov] || Major essay on Iraq and Afghanistan and what that tells us about American foreign policy ||  ||
 * ~ Unit ||~ Start Date (duration) ||~ Essential Questions ||~ Content / Concepts ||~ Skills ||~ Texts ||~ Supporting / Supplementary Materials ||~ **Assessment** ||~ Common Core ||
 * Basic american Values as reflected in American Government || 2 weeks || What is the urpose of government?What are meanigful ways to classify american government? || development and changes in American government from its inception until today,
 * Models of Democracy || 1 - 11/2 weeks || What are the procedural and substantive views of democracy? What are the institutional roles of democracy? || symbolism in American democracy, direct and indirect democracy, role America has in spreading democracy worldwide || maps of the world; which countries have which forms of government || Jamda, ch 2 || internet - Direct Democracy Center and League of Women Voters || AP style test, student driven review game, debate on internet research ||  ||
 * The Constitution || 2 weeks || What are the sources for our Constitution? What historical events led up to the development of the Constitution? How does the document compare to the goals of government? || Enlightenment thinking, American Revolution, failure of Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence as it relates to all of the above, importance of porcess of judicial review || being able to read legal documents, Supreme court decisions, analyzing reasons for failures and successes || Janda, ch 3,
 * Federalism || 1 week || What is the theoretical framework and evolution of Federalism? || Supreme Court decision in McCulloch v. Maryland; conflict over states rights, influence of new Deal; Federalism as it relates to the models of democracy || analyzing Supreme court decisions, understanding why federalism has changed over time || Janda, ch 4; source book ch 3 || Internet activitity using the //Statistical Abstract of teh United States// || worksheets, AP style multiplle choice tests including questions from previous chapters, research based essay on federalism ||  ||
 * Public Opinion and Political Socialization || 2 weeks || How is public opinion formed? How does public opinion express political values? HOw do Americans become Politically socialized? || models for establishing public opinion;public opinion changes through aging; old and new ethnicities and their impact on political socialization; relationship between ideology and public opinion || creating a public opinion survey; reading charts and analyzing public opinion surveys; relating historical context to public opinion surveys || Janda, ch 5
 * The Media || 1 1/2 weeks || What is the impact of mass media on the American public? What role does the government have and should the government have in controlling this media? How does mass media impact the conflict between order, justice and equlity? || historical development of mass media over time; government regulation of mass media || evaluating different forms of media || Janda ch 6
 * Participation and Voting || 1 1/2 weeks || Analysis of American voting behaviors and patterns, especially with regard to the models of democracy || the difference between conventional and unconventional forms of participation, evolution of suffrage in America and its impact on voting patterns, voting on policies v. voting for candidates; influence of socio-economic indicators; Americans have a distictly low voter turnout || analyzing graphs, charts, and statistics on voting behavior over time; critical reading of socio-politcal essays || Janda ch 7 || [|www.ruckus.org]; [|www.booknotes.org], interview with Robert Putnam || AP style quiz
 * Political Parties || 1 week || How did political parties emerge, morph, and develop in America? How have they influenced American politics? || definition of political parties; function of political parties; changing nature of the two major parties today; party connections to federalism, party system and the models of democracy || Being able to apply historical developments to the growth and devlopment of politics and government in America || Janda ch 8 || [|www.ballot-access.org]; Voteview.uh.edu || Two essays based on inofrmation from the websites on difficulty of third party access to balloting and idelogical differences of our 2-party system ||  ||
 * Nominations, elections, and campaigns || 1 week || What role does political campaigning play in American politics and government? || Differences in campaigns and elections of president and other offices; differences on the national and local level, understanding voter behavior || critical thinking skills || Janda ch 9
 * Interest Groups || 1 week || What is the role of interest groups in American politics? || how interst groups form; where interest groups get their resources, lobbying tactics, membership patterns, role of business, effect of these groups on political reform || Being able to understand the impact of everything studied so far and how it comes out in the formation of interest groups || Janda, ch 10 || AARP, NRA, Sierra Club web pages || Design a web page for an interest group that you would like to form; role play good lobbying techniques ||  ||
 * Legislative Branch - Congress || 1 week || What is the relationship between what is posited in the Constitution and what actually transpires || rigin and powers of Congress; election of members; formulation of the politcal agenda, the legislative environment || Understanding how a country can go from what is stated in the Constitution to the reality of what is American politics || Janda, ch 11
 * Executive Branch || 1 week || What is the relationshp between the Constitutional basis of the Presidency and the actuality of the position? || Constitutional basis of power, expansion of power, relationship with Congress, organization of teh executive branch of government, the president as a national and world leader || Understanding how a country can go from what is stated in the Constitution to the reality of what is American politics || Janda ch 13
 * The Bureaucracy || 1 week || What is the role of the Bureacracy in American politics? || Definition of bureaucracy, different types that exist in America, theblems of implementing politics, rforming the bureaucracy || Being able to assess what works, what doesn't, and why; understanding how something valuable can evolve into some monster out of control || Janda ch 13
 * The Judiciary || 1 week || What role do the Courts play in American government? || Organization of the American court system, special status of the Supreme Court and impact on America, judicial recruitment, the courts and models of democracy || Understanding how a country can go from what is stated in the Constitution to the reality of what is American politics || Janda, ch 14
 * Civil liberties and order || 2 weeks || Understanding the expanding difinition of the Bill of Rights || review of the first 10 amendments with regard to judicial review and court decisions || Understanding the essential role the courts have played in the development of democracy in America; being able to read Supreme Court decisions || Janda ch 15; source book ch 6 || any relevaSupreme Court decisions || AP style test - emphasis on familiarity with important Supreme Court cases ||  ||
 * Civil Rights and the fight for Equality || 1 1/2 weeks || What constitutional basis is there for equality in America? What does equality really mean? || Definition of equality; conflict between equality, order, and justice;roots of the civil rights movement, issues of gender bias, affirmative action || being able to read Supreme Court decisions, understanding the impact of history on politics and government || Janda ch 16
 * Policy making || 1 week || What is public policy and how does it fit into the purposes of government? || what is the process?
 * Economic policy || 1 week || How has economic policy evolved over time? || Laissez-faire, Keynesian, monetary, supply-side economics; how the budget is formulate, how tax laws are formulated, spending policies || understanding very basic economic theory and how it has evolved over time, why some of the theories work and others don't, role of government regulation in the business world || Janda ch 14
 * Domestic policy || 1 week || How has domestic policy changed over time to meet the ever changing problems of America? || Understand the evolution of the welfare state, American style || critical thinking skills || Janda ch 19
 * America and global policy || 2 weeks || How has American foreign policy changed over time? || Constitutional basis for foreign policy; what institutions in the government formulate foreign policy; changes over the centuries; modern challenges || Understanding the impact of history on foreign policy; understanding the influence of political parties on foreign policy || Janda ch 20