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AP United States Government and Politics Syllabus
Mr. David Tomlins
[email protected]
Edison Preparatory School
Tomlins.weebly.com
Course Overview:
This is an Advanced Placement course designed by the College Board Corporation. Its goal is to introduce the key concepts and institutions of the political system and culture of the United States. We will be approaching this material similar to how an entry level political science course would. As such there will be an emphasis on analyzing data, case studies and analysis of source material. Our primary goal is to understand the how the government of the United States actually functions. This a NON PARTISAN course that focuses on how and why the government of the United States developed as it has based upon a series of foundational documents and Supreme Court cases. The Major units we will be examining are the foundations of American democracy, interactions among branches of government, civil liberties and rights, political ideologies and beliefs, political participation.
Major Themes:
Important Skills:
Textbook and Resources:
Federalism cases:
-McCulloch V. Maryland 1819
-United States V. Lopez 1995
Government and civil liberties:
-Engle V. Vitale 1962
-Wisconsin V. Yoder 1972
-Tinker V. Des Moines Schools 1969
-New York Times Co V. United States 1971
-Schenck V. United States 1919
Incorporation cases”
-Gideon V. Wainwright 1963
-McDonald V Chicago 2010
Equality and equal protections clause:
-Brown V. Board of Education 1954
Campaigning and electoral rules:
-Citizens United V. Federal Election Commission 2010
Republicanism and the legislature:
-Baker V. Carr 1962
-Shaw V. Reno 1993
Judicial review:
-Marbury V. Madison 1803
Course Structure and Readings:
Unit I: Foundations of American Democracy
Chapter 1- Founding Principles
Chapter 2- The Constitution
Chapter 3- Federalism
Unit II: Interactions among Branches of Government
Chapter 4- Congress
Chapter 5- The Presidency
Chapter 6- The Judiciary
Chapter 7- The Bureaucracy
Unit III: Civil Liberty and Civil Rights
Chapter 8- The Bill of Rights and the 1st Amendment
Chapter 9- Balancing Liberty and Safety
Chapter 10- Due Process
Chapter 11- Civil Rights
Unit IV: Political Ideologies and Beliefs
Chapter 12- Citizens Beliefs and Ideologies
Chapter 13- Public Opinion
Chapter 14- Ideologies and Public Policy
Unit V: Political Participation
Chapter 15- Voting Rights and Behaviors
Chapter 16- Political Parties
Chapter 17- Interest Groups
Chapter 18- Elections
Chapter 19- Campaigns
Chapter 20- The Media
Grading Policy:
Letter Grades are based on the 100 point scale:
A= 90 -100%
B= 80 - 89%
C= 70 - 79%
D= 60 - 69%
F= Below 59%
All classwork will be turned in through Canvas.
*Except for notebooks and quizzes/tests.
Main Assignments:
Semester Breakdown:
Class work/ activities 225pts 23%
Quizzes/ notes 225pts 23%
Court case Analysis 150pts 15%
Unit tests (3) 300pts 30%
Participation 75pts 8%
Total points= 975points
Late Work Policy
Only late work due to an excused absence will be accepted. All due dates are posted on the website calendar. Because of this there is no excuse for not knowing that something is due. If you have an excused absence and miss a due date or a test you will be responsible for any pre assigned grades when you return. You will have the same time as you missed to make up any in class assignments that you missed.
Assignments must be turned in by the end of class when due (the end of the unit).
Quizzes and test should be made up on the day that students return to class.
Tardy and Attendance Policy
I follow the school policy on attendance, and absences will count against your participation grade.
Academic honesty
Plagiarism of any kind will result in a zero on the assignment.
TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Regulation 3311-R
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSEWORK
Tulsa Public Schools’ students who enroll in courses provided through the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization’s IB program must take the associated examinations for those courses when eligible. Students and parents/guardians shall be notified by the schools of this requirement through related published materials and course selection procedures. Students who decline to sit for these examinations forfeit the weighted grade eligibility for the courses taken. There is no minimum or passing score required on any examination to qualify for a weighted grade.
Weekly structure
We will follow a similar structure every week. Monday we will take a quiz over the previous week’s assigned reading. The rest of the hour will be spent reading and discussing a Document relevant to the main ideas of the week’s chapter. Tuesday I will lecture on the chapter. On Wednesday and Thursday students will be given a writing assignment, project, reading or discussion topic to work on. Friday will generally be a work day where students have the opportunity to work on any of the week’s assignments they have not completed as well as their reading assignment.
Classroom Rules
1. Respect your peers, teachers, and school property.
2. Be in your seat ready to work when the bell rings.
3. Disruptive behavior of any kind will not be tolerated.
4. Cell phones or other electronic equipment is to be used only at times indicated by the teacher. The rest of the time they will be face down on the front of the table.
5. No food or drinks in the classroom.
6. Students should display common sense when asking to use the restroom, and must have a pass from the teacher.
7. Remain in your seats until dismissed.
8. Have the materials you need for class. (Homework, pen, paper)
9. Have an open mind and be ready to learn.
_______________________ ___________________ __________
Student Signature Parent Signature Date
_______________________
Print Student name
Mr. David Tomlins
[email protected]
Edison Preparatory School
Tomlins.weebly.com
Course Overview:
This is an Advanced Placement course designed by the College Board Corporation. Its goal is to introduce the key concepts and institutions of the political system and culture of the United States. We will be approaching this material similar to how an entry level political science course would. As such there will be an emphasis on analyzing data, case studies and analysis of source material. Our primary goal is to understand the how the government of the United States actually functions. This a NON PARTISAN course that focuses on how and why the government of the United States developed as it has based upon a series of foundational documents and Supreme Court cases. The Major units we will be examining are the foundations of American democracy, interactions among branches of government, civil liberties and rights, political ideologies and beliefs, political participation.
Major Themes:
- Constitutionalism
- Liberty and order
- Civic participation in a representative democracy
- Competing policy making interests
- Methods of political analysis
Important Skills:
- Concept application
- SCOTUS supplication
- Data analysis
- Source analysis
- Argumentation
Textbook and Resources:
- Wolfford, David. United States History: Government and Politics. Advanced Placement Edition. Perfection Learning. (AMSCO text)
- Supplemental readings will be provided by the instructor, in class or through Canvas.
- Composition Notebook, paper, pens, and color pencils.
- If any supplies are needed for projects advanced notice will be given by the instructor.
- The Constitution of The United States (including Bill of Rights and Amendments)
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Articles of Confederation
- Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers (Federalist #10, 51, 70,78; Brutus #1)
- “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” Martin Luther King JR.
Federalism cases:
-McCulloch V. Maryland 1819
-United States V. Lopez 1995
Government and civil liberties:
-Engle V. Vitale 1962
-Wisconsin V. Yoder 1972
-Tinker V. Des Moines Schools 1969
-New York Times Co V. United States 1971
-Schenck V. United States 1919
Incorporation cases”
-Gideon V. Wainwright 1963
-McDonald V Chicago 2010
Equality and equal protections clause:
-Brown V. Board of Education 1954
Campaigning and electoral rules:
-Citizens United V. Federal Election Commission 2010
Republicanism and the legislature:
-Baker V. Carr 1962
-Shaw V. Reno 1993
Judicial review:
-Marbury V. Madison 1803
Course Structure and Readings:
Unit I: Foundations of American Democracy
Chapter 1- Founding Principles
Chapter 2- The Constitution
Chapter 3- Federalism
Unit II: Interactions among Branches of Government
Chapter 4- Congress
Chapter 5- The Presidency
Chapter 6- The Judiciary
Chapter 7- The Bureaucracy
Unit III: Civil Liberty and Civil Rights
Chapter 8- The Bill of Rights and the 1st Amendment
Chapter 9- Balancing Liberty and Safety
Chapter 10- Due Process
Chapter 11- Civil Rights
Unit IV: Political Ideologies and Beliefs
Chapter 12- Citizens Beliefs and Ideologies
Chapter 13- Public Opinion
Chapter 14- Ideologies and Public Policy
Unit V: Political Participation
Chapter 15- Voting Rights and Behaviors
Chapter 16- Political Parties
Chapter 17- Interest Groups
Chapter 18- Elections
Chapter 19- Campaigns
Chapter 20- The Media
Grading Policy:
Letter Grades are based on the 100 point scale:
A= 90 -100%
B= 80 - 89%
C= 70 - 79%
D= 60 - 69%
F= Below 59%
All classwork will be turned in through Canvas.
*Except for notebooks and quizzes/tests.
Main Assignments:
- Weekly reading quiz with notes- 15pts
- Court case/ foundational document analysis- 10pts
- Class work/ activities- 15pts
- Participation- 5pts
- Tests
Semester Breakdown:
Class work/ activities 225pts 23%
Quizzes/ notes 225pts 23%
Court case Analysis 150pts 15%
Unit tests (3) 300pts 30%
Participation 75pts 8%
Total points= 975points
Late Work Policy
Only late work due to an excused absence will be accepted. All due dates are posted on the website calendar. Because of this there is no excuse for not knowing that something is due. If you have an excused absence and miss a due date or a test you will be responsible for any pre assigned grades when you return. You will have the same time as you missed to make up any in class assignments that you missed.
Assignments must be turned in by the end of class when due (the end of the unit).
Quizzes and test should be made up on the day that students return to class.
Tardy and Attendance Policy
I follow the school policy on attendance, and absences will count against your participation grade.
Academic honesty
Plagiarism of any kind will result in a zero on the assignment.
TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Regulation 3311-R
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSEWORK
Tulsa Public Schools’ students who enroll in courses provided through the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization’s IB program must take the associated examinations for those courses when eligible. Students and parents/guardians shall be notified by the schools of this requirement through related published materials and course selection procedures. Students who decline to sit for these examinations forfeit the weighted grade eligibility for the courses taken. There is no minimum or passing score required on any examination to qualify for a weighted grade.
Weekly structure
We will follow a similar structure every week. Monday we will take a quiz over the previous week’s assigned reading. The rest of the hour will be spent reading and discussing a Document relevant to the main ideas of the week’s chapter. Tuesday I will lecture on the chapter. On Wednesday and Thursday students will be given a writing assignment, project, reading or discussion topic to work on. Friday will generally be a work day where students have the opportunity to work on any of the week’s assignments they have not completed as well as their reading assignment.
Classroom Rules
1. Respect your peers, teachers, and school property.
2. Be in your seat ready to work when the bell rings.
3. Disruptive behavior of any kind will not be tolerated.
4. Cell phones or other electronic equipment is to be used only at times indicated by the teacher. The rest of the time they will be face down on the front of the table.
5. No food or drinks in the classroom.
6. Students should display common sense when asking to use the restroom, and must have a pass from the teacher.
7. Remain in your seats until dismissed.
8. Have the materials you need for class. (Homework, pen, paper)
9. Have an open mind and be ready to learn.
_______________________ ___________________ __________
Student Signature Parent Signature Date
_______________________
Print Student name
- Syllabus subject to alteration by instructor