I. Grading Rubric
a. Participation - Formative
i. Notebooks, Current Events, End of Class Reflection, In class handouts, quizzes, In Class conduct and cooperation with peers
ii. 40 %
b. Projects and Tests
i. Varying projects throughout the semester assigned for deeper analysis of the topic at hand. You can expect for some of these projects to need independent work outside of the classroom. And all tests.
ii. 60%
ii. 60%
I. The Purpose and Principles of Government
Why do we have government?
Types of governments and
their powers
Important people whose
theories formed today’s governments
II. Origins of American Government
What was the purpose?
Founding Fathers
Important documents:
Federalist papers, Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence,
Magna Carta, etc.
III. The Constitution and Federalism
Branches of Government
Separation of Powers, Checks
and Balances, Bill of Rights
The amendments
IV. Civil Liberties and Rights
Why are civil liberties
important?
Jim Crow Laws, Segregation,
Discrimination, Separate but Equal
Civil rights legislation and
its effectiveness.
Citizenship
- Who can be a citizen?
Culture in the US
- Changes in American culture
due to government policies
V. Political Parties
What is the job of political
parties?
The 2 party system and
effects of other minor parties
Current trends and
opportunities for citizens
VI. Voting, Voters, Elections
Who can vote?
Literacy tests and Poll
taxes
Influences on voting and
elections
VII. Opinion, Media, Interest Groups
Influences to public opinion
Technology and its effects
on public attitudes
Lobbyists, labor unions, and
grassroots
VIII. Foreign Policy
The importance of locations
and their resources
International Trade and
policies
IX. Science and Technology
Scientific discoveries and
the involvements of government
NASA
The Internet and Politics
