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Isaac Lung
AP US Government and Politics
Syllabus
Instructor: Mr. Isaac Lung
Email: Isaalung@paps.net
Description:
This course will allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the government and politics of the United States. Students will examine various general concepts and specific examples in order to analyze and synthesize the functions and outcomes of government and politics in the United States. Students will use critical thinking skills to evaluate a variety of theoretical perspectives, as well as political behaviors and their outcomes. Students will learn important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to the U.S. government and understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences. An emphasis will be placed on critical thinking skills, essay writing, primary source analysis, debating skills, presentations, and other activities. Students should bring to the course a basic understanding of the various vocabulary, institutions, and ideological beliefs involved with and relating to U.S. government and politics. This is a rigorous and demanding course requiring students to have a strong work ethic, to read at a rigorous pace, and to complete a variety of writing assignments. Students are expected to demonstrate strong writing and analytical skills and independent work habits.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisite courses for AP U.S. Government and Politics. Students should be able to read a college-level textbook/ scholarly journal articles and write grammatically correct, complete sentences.
Teaching Strategies
- Activities addressing a variety of learning styles and opportunities to demonstrate understanding
- Analytical Writing
- Journal Entries (Bi-weekly) where students will reflect current events from a creditable news media and explain how it relates to the chapters covered in class. (CR6)/(CR7)/(CR8)/(CR9)/(CR10)/(CR11)/(CR13)
- Speeches/Presentations and Simulations
- Research Papers and Projects
- Assessments (Tests, Quizzes, etc.)
- Reading assignments
- Cooperative/Group projects
Resources:
Textbook:
-American Government: Stories of a Nation. Scott F. Abernathy and Karen Waples
BFW Publishers (Bedford, Freeman & Worth) ISBN-13: 978-1-319-19536-6 (CR16)
Old Textbook:
-Government in America People, Politics and Policy. 14th Edition
George C. Edwards III, Martin P Wattenberg, Robert L. Lineberry (CR16)
Newspapers and Magazine Excerpts from: Time, New York Times, Economist, The Guardian, etc.
Required Readings:
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Articles of Confederation
- Federalist No. 10
- Brutus No. 1
- Federalist No. 51
- The Constitution of the United States
- Federalist No. 70
- Federalist No. 78
- Letter from a Birmingham Jail
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 Co. 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 (2010)
Course Objectives:
Students successfully completing this course will:
- Know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. government and 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
Expectations:
· Masks are worn correctly during the class period. (nose and mouth covered).
· You are responsible for your own work, in class and make up. If you miss work due to absences, you are responsible for making it up in the required time. Always remember that you can get work or announcements from the web site.
· You are expected to keep up with current events by daily watching the news or reading periodicals.
· Come prepared each day with necessary materials.
· Cheating and/or plagiarism are serious offenses and will be handled immediately by appropriate school authorities. Do not to tolerate cheating; it is unfair to you! You can notify me of any incident (anonymously if you wish) so I can deal with it.
· You are tardy to class if you are not in your seat when the bell rings.
· This is a college level class and will be taught as such. Expect more work, expect to work independently, expect questions on tests that are thinking questions and may not be in your text. I will give out a calendar at the beginning of each chapter and I will work hard to keep to it or update it. Therefore, you will know about all work in advance (i.e. no whining!).
· The goal is to pass the National AP Exam at the end of the year. If you pass it, you’ll probably receive college credit worth a one semester class. Different colleges may have different policies regarding A.P. scores. If you choose not to take the exam, you’ll be required to take and be graded on a comprehensive exam that I develop. But everyone will study together in the days leading up to the National A.P. US Government Exam.
Grading Policy as per school policy
Quarter Grade
Classwork
Tests/Projects
Homework
35%
60%
5%
Course Outline
To help students meet these goals, the course should cover the following topics.
- Constitutional Underpinnings of the United States Government
- The Policy Makers: Congress, President, Courts, and the Bureaucracy
- Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
- Political Socialization
- Linkage Institutions
