AP
GOVERNMENT
COURSE
SYLLABUS 2008 -2009
MR. WALT ADDIE
Walt.Addie@fcps.edu 703-488-6300 (work) 703-450-1584 (home)
COURSE
OBJECTIVES
Welcome to AP
Government! J This yearlong,
alternate day, 90 minute class block schedule college-level course prepares
students to take two AP exams: United States Government and Comparative
Government and Politics. The course is designed to teach students to understand
and be able to critically analyze important concepts in both
This course is designed to give students a
critical perspective on government and politics in the
This course is taught at the
college level and can be very difficult, especially for students taking an AP
class for the first time. We will focus
on improving your reading and writing skills as well as preparing you to be an
educated participant in the political process.
You will be expected to analyze and evaluate significant historical
trends and data and apply your results to current situations. Students successfully completing the class
and the test have a good chance of receiving college credit for the course.
The main objective of the course
is to improve student comprehension of branches of American government,
political processes, political behavior, and policy development. High-level reading and comprehension skills
are necessary for success in the course and on the exam. Writing skills are also important, as
students will be expected to synthesize information and present it in cogent
and succinct language.
AP
AP
Comparative Government and Politics Exam Monday Afternoon, May 4, 2009
TEXTS
Government in
( supplied by
Comparative Politics: Domestic Responses to Global
Challenges Charles Hauss
Thomson Wadsworth 2006 - 5th
edition
(supplied
by
REFERENCE
TEXTS, READERS AND WEBSITES:
*American Government:
Comparative Politics Today: A World View Almond,
Country Watch Website to the World School Library On-line resources
CQ Researcher School Library On-line resources
LexisNexis (Scholastic Edition) School Library On-line resources
Economist.Com
Country Briefings - http://www.economist.com/countries/index.cfm
BBC
News Country Profiles and Special Reports
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm
Country
Studies Federal Research Division Library of Congress http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles.html
Frontline
World Special Reports http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/
National
Geographic Online http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0708/index.html
CNN.Com
http://www.cnn.com/
Youthleadership.net
http://www.youthleadership.net/index.jsp
Student
Government Affairs Program http://www.sgap.org/
Turnitin.com
provided by
Apcentral.collegeboard.com
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html
Freedomhouse.org
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=1
COURSE
TOPIC OUTLINE
1ST QUARTER U.S.
GOVERNMENT - POLITICAL BELIEFS AND
BEHAVIORS POLITICAL PARTIES, INTEREST GROUPS, AND MASS MEDIA -
Introducing Government in America Public opinion and Political Action The
Mass Media and the Political Agenda Political Parties Nominations and
Conventions Elections and Voting Behavior
Comparative Government Assignment (CGA)
Russia and China (see CGA link on webpage) to:
know
important facts pertaining to the governments and politics of
understand major comparative political
concepts, themes, and generalizations
understand typical patterns of political
processes and behavior and their consequences
be able to compare and contrast political
institutions and processes across countries and to derive generalizations
be able to
analyze and interpret basic data relevant to comparative government and
politics
2ND QUARTER U.S. GOVERNMENT -
CONSTITUTIONAL UNDERPINNINGS OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS OF
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (CONGRESS) - STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT - The Constitution - Federalism - State and Local
Government FLE Interest Groups Congress
Comparative
Government Assignment (CGA) Iran and Nigeria (see CGA link on
webpage) to:
know
important facts pertaining to the governments and politics of
understand major comparative political
concepts, themes, and generalizations
understand typical patterns of political
processes and behavior and their consequences
be able to compare and contrast political
institutions and processes across countries and to derive generalizations
be able to
analyze and interpret basic data relevant to comparative government and
politics
3RD QUARTER U.S.
GOVERNMENT - INSTITUTIONS OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT PUBLIC POLICY - The Congress, the President and the Budget
- TThe Presidency - The Federal
Bureaucracy: The Real Power - Economic
Policymaking - Social Welfare Policymaking Policymaking for Health Care and
the Environment National Security Policymaking
Comparative
Government Assignment (CGA) Great Britain and Mexico (see CGA
link on webpage) to:
know
important facts pertaining to the governments and politics of
understand major comparative political concepts,
themes, and generalizations
understand typical patterns of political
processes and behavior and their consequences
be able to compare and contrast political
institutions and processes across countries and to derive generalizations
be
able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to comparative government and
politics
4TH QUARTER U.S.
GOVERNMENT - INSTITUTIONS OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT (THE FEDERAL COURTS)
CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES- The Federal Courts Civil Liberties and
Public Policy Civil Rights and Public Policy Financial Literacy Model
Supreme Court
Comparative
Government Assignment (CGA) Review and Practice Tests
GRADING AND ASSESSMENT
Your final course grade will consist of four
separate quarter averages plus your final exam score. These five grades will be
averaged together to determine the final grade for the year.
QUARTER GRADES - each quarter grade will be divided into five parts;
each part based on a 100 pt. scale.
1.
UNIT TESTS - 40% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE - simulates the AP test
format 60 multiple choice questions, 4 - 7 free response essay, data and
chart questions (rubric assessed) plus a political cartoon analysis - 2 per
quarter
2.
PROJECT GRADE - 20% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE - see assignment sheets on the
web page for each quarter - attendance/participation will be part
of your assessment.
3.
HOMEWORK/CLASSWORK - 10% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE outside reading analysis, rubric assessment practice and other
assignments - checked in class for points - no credit for missing
or incomplete assignments
4.
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT ASSIGNMENT (CGA) TEST - 20% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE
55 AP multiple-choice questions and 1-8 free response questions - refer to
the CGA assignment sheet and outline on the web page.
5. AP
PRACTICE QUARTER TEST 10% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE 60 AP multiple-choice questions and four AP
free response essay questions.
GRADE CALCULATION EXAMPLE:
1. UNIT TEST AVERAGE = 92 x .40 = 36.80
2. PROJECT GRADE = 89 x .20 = 17.80
3. H.W. AVERAGE = 100
x .10 = 10.00
4. CGA GRADE = 90 x .20 = 18.00
5. AP PRACTICE TEST 92 x .10 =
9.20
TOTAL = 91.80 (B+)
ADDITIONAL GRADES AND COURSE
INFORMATION
Current Events: This course relies on your ability to keep
up-to-date with current events. We will
emphasize the skills necessary to be an active and informed participant in our
republic. I expect you to follow news
items from the Washington Post
and/or Washington Times
and/or New York Times
(especially the front page) and other news sources. We will spend some class time discussing
current events. It is important to note
that this is not a current events
course. Rather, it is a course devoted
to the structure and function of the American government and the formation of
policy within that system. While current
events will be utilized to serve as examples that illustrate the concepts we
discuss, the course is designed to provide an intellectual foundation from
which you will be able to understand and analyze national politics in the
Honor Code:
All
students in this class will abide by an honor code. I will not tolerate any cheating, stealing,
sharing of information outside of established guidelines, or plagiarism. Plagiarism is, simply, using someone elses
ideas or words without giving credit to the source. Even phrases taken from source material, if
reproduced verbatim, can constitute plagiarism.
Accordingly, you will turn in two copies of every formal written
assignment: one to me and one to turnitin.com, where your writing will be
compared to thousands of sources and millions of prior student
submissions. Anyone violating the honor
code will receive a zero for the assignment on the first offense. I will also notify administrators, counselors,
and parents of the situation. Subsequent
violations will be dealt with appropriately and severely.
Online Resources:
The
publishers of your books have created incredible web sites to go along with
your textbooks. There you can find
sample multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions and flash cards for your
use. I highly recommend visiting this
site prior to all tests. Here are the
addresses:
Edwards
text: http://wps.ablongman.com/long_edwards_ga_12/0,10640,2179653-,00.html
Hauss
text: http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-wadsworth/
course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn=0534572804&discipline_number=20
Course Home Page:
All
assignments and due dates, along with many valuable links will be available on
my web sites. Be sure to check these
often, especially if you are absent from class.
Here are the addresses:
FINAL EXAM - 10% OF THE COURSE GRADE - averaged in with your four quarter grades. Two parts:
Comparative Government Required! Covers the course material
on the six core countries - 2 options:
take the AP Comparative Test on May 4th and receive an
automatic 100 on this part of the final OR
take the Course Comparative Final prior to exam days in June and receive
whatever score you earn.
Both scores will be averaged together and
count as your Final Exam grade for the course.
EXTRA CREDIT - political cartoons and/or special assignments - see
me for details - does not replace requirements!
EXTRA
HELP/MAKEUPS - After school Monday
thru Thursday
DAILY
PREPARATION - bring all required
texts, books, notebooks, pen/pencil, homework assignments, etc each day! (points off your homework grade for each that is missing!)
LATE WORK AND
MAKEUP POLICY - Makeup work will come
under the county policy (one day for each day absent up to a maximum of 10
days). Due to the alternating day
structure of the block schedule, students are responsible to meet and
arrange makeup (by appointment - Mon. thru Thurs.) with the instructor prior
to the next class meeting if possible.
Makeup Unit Tests require 4 essays plus the multiple choice! Students are expected to take the makeup
test the day they return to my class either during that class period or after
school!
ATTENDENCE
Three unexcused absences equals failure for the quarter. Three unexcused tardies equals one unexcused
absence. Five unexcused tardies equals
two unexcused absences. Seven unexcused tardies equals three unexcused absences
and failure for the quarter.
Parents and
Counselors will be notified by Interim time of the 3rd quarter for
seniors in danger of failure for the year.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Please
print out the section below. Both you and your parent or guardian sign and date
and return to me at the second class meeting.
I
have read and understand the guidelines for this course, and I agree to abide
by them. I understand the importance of
integrity in an academic environment, and I agree to abide by the honor code.
Student
Name _________________________________________ Period ___________
Student
Signature _________________________________________________________ Date
_______________
Parent
Signature __________________________________________________________ Date
_______________