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    Apgovsyllabus

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    This syllabus outlines the course structure and content for an AP U.S. Government and Politics class. The course will cover four units: foundations of American government; institutions of government including Congress, the presidency, bureaucracy, and courts; politics including elections, political parties, and interest groups; and public policy areas such as civil rights, economic, social, and foreign policy. Students will learn through textbook readings, supplemental materials, presentations, and exams. Grades will be based on exams, essays, and other assessments throughout the semester. The goal is to prepare students to take the AP exam in early May.

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    Apgovsyllabus

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    api-290452546
    2K views3 pages
    This syllabus outlines the course structure and content for an AP U.S. Government and Politics class. The course will cover four units: foundations of American government; institutions of government including Congress, the presidency, bureaucracy, and courts; politics including elections, political parties, and interest groups; and public policy areas such as civil rights, economic, social, and foreign policy. Students will learn through textbook readings, supplemental materials, presentations, and exams. Grades will be based on exams, essays, and other assessments throughout the semester. The goal is to prepare students to take the AP exam in early May.

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    This syllabus outlines the course structure and content for an AP U.S. Government and Politics class. The course will cover four units: foundations of American government; institutions of government including Congress, the presidency, bureaucracy, and courts; politics including elections, political parties, and interest groups; and public policy areas such as civil rights, economic, social, and foreign policy. Students will learn through textbook readings, supplemental materials, presentations, and exams. Grades will be based on exams, essays, and other assessments throughout the semester. The goal is to prepare students to take the AP exam in early May.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    2K views3 pages

    Apgovsyllabus

    Uploaded by

    api-290452546
    This syllabus outlines the course structure and content for an AP U.S. Government and Politics class. The course will cover four units: foundations of American government; institutions of government including Congress, the presidency, bureaucracy, and courts; politics including elections, political parties, and interest groups; and public policy areas such as civil rights, economic, social, and foreign policy. Students will learn through textbook readings, supplemental materials, presentations, and exams. Grades will be based on exams, essays, and other assessments throughout the semester. The goal is to prepare students to take the AP exam in early May.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    AP U.S.

    Government and Politics Syllabus


    Renaissance High School for the Arts
    Ryan Byrne - Instructor
    AP U.S. Gov. & Pol.
    AP U.S. Government & Politics
    Course Description: Advanced Placement United States Government & Politics is intended to
    give students the opportunity to study the structure and processes of the American
    governmental and political systems in- depth. Students who are dedicated and studious will
    be prepared to take and earn credit on the AP exam in early May. Key areas of study for this
    course include the constitutional underpinnings of the United States government; civil rights
    and civil liberties, the four core institutions of the federal government congress, the
    presidency, the bureaucracy, and the federal courts; political beliefs and behaviors; political
    parties, interest groups and the media; and public policy.
    Texts: Bianco, W.T., & Canon, D.T. (2009). American Politics Today. New York: W.W. Norton.
    Supplemental Readings distributed in class.
    Other Materials:
    Besides the textbook and supplemental text listed above, students will also be assigned
    articles from current newspapers including the New York Times, Christian Science Monitor,
    the Wall Street Journal, as well as weekly news magazines like US News & World Report and
    Time Magazine. As part of the ongoing process of connecting to the political structure of
    American society, we will also view television news coverage & documentaries related to the
    course.
    Grading:
    The grading scale for this course will be a traditional scale set at 10% intervals. 100%90%=A, 89%-80%=B, 79%-70%=C, 69%-60%=D and 59% and Below = Fail. Course grades
    will be determined through a variety of assessments throughout the semester and will be
    based on total points accumulated with a 100 point final and fifty point midterm.
    Course Schedule:
    UNIT I. FOUNDATIONS (5 weeks)
    Content Goal: Students should understand the philosophical roots and underpinnings of the
    American government, the key Constitutional principles of federalism and separation of
    powers, the ideological concepts of democracy and political culture in America, the
    principles of civil liberties in the Bill of Rights, as well as the historical circumstances that
    surrounded the creation of the Constitution itself.
    A. Understanding American Politics - Chapter 1, pages 2-24
    B. The Constitution and the Founding - Chapter 2, pages 28-63
    C. Constitution and Amendments - Appendix, A6-A15
    D. Federalism - Chapter 3, pages 68-104
    E. Federalists Papers 10 and 51 - Appendix, A16-A19
    F. What does it mean? Presentations - report out
    G. Civil Liberties - Chapter 4, pages 110-153
    Unit Exam Multiple Choice & Free Response in AP exam format

    Page of 1 of 2
    AP U.S. Government and Politics Syllabus

    UNIT II. INSTITUTIONS (4 weeks)


    Content Goal: Students should understand the legislative process, the function and powers
    of each institution, and the relationship with other institutions of the federal government;
    how the House and Senate differ and impact Congresss role in governing; the emerging
    concepts of the unitary presidency and signing statements; the positive and negative
    aspects of the structure of the bureaucracy; and the impact the federal court system has on
    effective and efficient governance by the other institutions. Students will practice analyzing
    and interpreting data on Congressional elections, the policy differences among President in
    the 20th century, and the changes in the role of the federal bureaucracy throughout the
    20th century.
    A. Congress - Chapter 10, pages 376-422
    B. The Presidency - Chapter 11, pages 428-462
    C. The Bureaucracy - Chapter 12, pages 466-499
    D. Iron Triangles - in class video
    E. The Courts - Chapter 13, pages 506-547
    F. Case Briefs - Impact of the Court on Legislation
    Unit Exam Multiple Choice, Essay - Supreme Court cases today
    Midterm Unit 1 & 2 Exam Free Response in AP exam format
    UNIT III. POLITICS (5 weeks)
    Content Goal: Students should understand the process of elections, the importance of
    elections to officials, and how the media and interest groups impact elections as well as
    policymaking; how public opinion is measured and how political socialization, as well as
    other factors, influence public opinion; and how political parties are structured as well as
    their role in affecting policy decisions. Students will practice analyzing and interpreting data
    on public opinion polling, the changing role of media in elections, the impact of interest
    groups on policymaking, and the changes in party affiliation in America in the last half
    century.
    A. Public Opinion - Chapter 5, pages158-195 B. The Gallup Poll,
    (http://www.gallup.com/home.aspx) C. The Media - Chapter 6, pages 200-232 D. Media Bias,
    (http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/sharyl-attkisson-media-bias-105153.html) E. Political
    Parties - Chapter 7, pages 238-275 F. Elections - Chapter 8, pages 280-331 G. Interest
    Groups - Chapter 9, pages 336 371 H. Where do I Land? Political Ideology Survey
    Unit Exam Multiple Choice Exam, Research paper on Political Parties Unit 1,2 & 3 Exam
    Free Response in AP exam format
    UNIT IV. POLICY (4 weeks)
    Content Goal: Students should understand the importance placed on civil rights and how it
    has affected social and economic policy throughout the 20th century; the changing nature of
    civil rights throughout the last half century; and the emerging challenges in foreign policy in
    the post-9/11 era. Students will also practice analyzing and interpreting data on GDP,
    monetary policy, welfare reforms, shifting demographics and its relationship to race and
    poverty, foreign debt and investments, and military spending.
    A. Civil Rights - Chapter 14, pages 552-599
    B. Economic Policy - Chapter 15, pages 604-644

    C. Social Policy - Chapter 16, pages 650-687


    D. Foreign Policy - Chapter 17, pages 692-733
    E. Current Events - Journal of Policy; Economic, Social, or Foreign
    Unit Exam Multiple Choice, Essay - Is the 1st Amendment relevant today?
    Final Unit 1,2,3, & 4 Exam Free Response in AP exam format
    Page of 2 of 2

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