AP United States Government & Politics
Mr. Peterson
b[email protected]
petersonAP.weebly.com
Course Overview/Description:
The purpose of this one-year course is to prepare students to take the AP Exam for U.S Government and Politics. By the end of the course they will be able to articulate how the United States government is structured; analyze it in terms of its strengths and weaknesses; frame it in the larger political system which includes the roles of political parties, the influence of public opinion on policy-making decisions, and the expansion and contraction of civil rights and civil liberties. In addition, they will actively seek out current events that correspond with the major themes of each unit. Textbook readings will be supplemented by articles and readings from such sources as Washington Post, New York Times, The Economist, Christian Science Monitor, U.S. News and World Report and The Week as well as articles taken from the National Public Radio web site. Toward that end, they will be supplied with a list of different possible articles for each unit which will then be discussed periodically as we progress.
Course Goals:
Students successfully completing this course will:
Student Responsibilities:
There are three keys to success in my AP classroom: read fully and carefully each assigned reading; be organized and prioritize study; avoid procrastination. Each unit will be on the board, complete with readings and assignments. Work for a typical unit will include the following:
AP Government and Politics Unit Outline:
Mr. Peterson
b[email protected]
petersonAP.weebly.com
Course Overview/Description:
The purpose of this one-year course is to prepare students to take the AP Exam for U.S Government and Politics. By the end of the course they will be able to articulate how the United States government is structured; analyze it in terms of its strengths and weaknesses; frame it in the larger political system which includes the roles of political parties, the influence of public opinion on policy-making decisions, and the expansion and contraction of civil rights and civil liberties. In addition, they will actively seek out current events that correspond with the major themes of each unit. Textbook readings will be supplemented by articles and readings from such sources as Washington Post, New York Times, The Economist, Christian Science Monitor, U.S. News and World Report and The Week as well as articles taken from the National Public Radio web site. Toward that end, they will be supplied with a list of different possible articles for each unit which will then be discussed periodically as we progress.
Course Goals:
Students successfully completing this course will:
- Know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to US 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 US government and politics
Student Responsibilities:
There are three keys to success in my AP classroom: read fully and carefully each assigned reading; be organized and prioritize study; avoid procrastination. Each unit will be on the board, complete with readings and assignments. Work for a typical unit will include the following:
- Reading and outlining portions of the assigned text
- Weekly current events write-ups (three events per week)
- In-class reading quizzes
- In-class discussion participation
- Writing labs for Free Response Questions (FRQs)
- Chapter and unit tests
AP Government and Politics Unit Outline:
- Unit 1: Foundations and Federalism (history, theory, and nation/state relations)
- Unit 2: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (rights for individuals and for minority groups)
- Unit 3: Public Opinion & Ideology (political beliefs of the people of the United States)
- Unit 4: Ideology & Political Participation (how the people interact with their government)
- Unit 5: Institutions and Interactions (interactions between the branches)
- Unit 6: AP Test Review