DAY LESSONS/ACTIVITIES
1.
Course Intro; Syllabus; Expectations
2.
Course Intro; Reading and Writing in AP Government;
Current Events; Organization; Civil Discourse & Discussion
3.
4.
AP GOVERNMENT SLO PRETEST; Ethical Dilemmas
Social Studies Fair; “The Children’s Story” reading and discussion; Vocabulary – Constitutional Underpinnings;
Flashcards, Mapping; Performance Task assigned
5.
Roots of the American System – Hobbes and Locke;
Analysis of the Declaration of Independence (Gilder-
Lehrman); An Idiot’s Guide to the Declaration of
Independence (HipHughes)
6.
Federalists and Anti-Federalists – Federalist and Anti-
Federalist Readings and Chart; The Constitutional
Convention for Dummies, The Federalist Papers Explained
(HipHughes)
7.
The Constitution – Constitutional Principles Assignment and Prezi; Constitutional Flexibility for Dummies, Checks and Balances for Dummies (HipHughes)
8.
The Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments –
Proposing Constitutional Amendments Activity; How to
Memorize Constitutional Amendments (HipHughes)
READINGS/RESOURCES
Course Syllabus
N/A
N/A
Constitutional Underpinnings
Reading; Chapter 1 – The Study of American Government;
Government Basics (PPT)
Chapter 2 – The Constitution;
The American Constitution
(PPT)
Chapter 2 – The Constitution;
The American Constitution
(PPT)
Chapter 2 – The Constitution;
The American Constitution
(PPT)
Federalism Reading; Chapter 3
– Federalism; Federalism (PPT)
9.
The Federal System – Federalism Venn Diagram Activity;
U.S. Federalism for Dummies (HipHughes)
10.
Concepts and Issues of Federalism – Modern Day Examples
Assignment
11.
Assessment – Unit Exam (Multiple Choice and Free
Response)
12.
Assessment – Corrections; Performance Task
Presentations
13.
Vocabulary – Political Beliefs and Behaviors; Flashcards,
Mapping; Performance Task assigned
Chapter 3 – Federalism;
Federalism (PPT)
Review Chapters 1-3
Prepare Performance Tasks
N/A
Political Culture Reading;
Chapter 4 – American Political
Culture; American Political
Culture (PPT)
14.
American Political Culture – American Political Culture:
Ideals v. Realities Chart; Political Culture is Diseased Article
Chapter 4 – American Political
Culture; American Political
Culture (PPT)
Political Participation Reading; 15.
Political Beliefs and the Political Spectrum – Political
Ideology Quiz Websites (Political Compass, World’s
Smallest Political Quiz, etc.); Ideology 101 (HipHughes)
Chapter 6 – Political
Participation; Political
Participation (PPT)
16.
Political Participation – Regular Voters, Intermittent Voters, Public Opinion Reading;

and Those Who Don’t Article; Demographics for Dummies
(HipHughes)
17.
Public Opinion and Polling – Understanding Public Opinion
Polls Article; Public Opinion Activity
18.
Political Typology and the Complicated Political Landscape
– Political Typology Article, Quiz, and Activity
19.
Using and Interpreting Polling Data – Interpreting Political
Data Assignment
20.
Assessment – Unit Exam (Multiple Choice and Free
Response)
21.
Assessment – Corrections; Performance Task
Presentations
22.
Vocabulary – Political Parties, Interest Groups, Mass Media;
Performance Task assigned
Chapter 5 – Public Opinion;
Public Opinion (PPT)
Chapter 5 – Public Opinion;
Public Opinion (PPT)
Chapter 5 – Public Opinion;
Public Opinion (PPT)
Review Chapters 4-6
Prepare Performance Tasks
N/A
23.
24.
Political Parties and the Two-Party System – Development of Political Parties Presentation; Comparing American
Political Parties Chart; Third Parties (HipHughes)
Congressional Elections and Apportionment – Incumbency
Video Clip; Redistricting Game; Select Articles;
Gerrymandering for Dummies (HipHughes)
25.
The Primaries and Party Conventions – Nominating a
Presidential Candidate Prezi and Assignment; 1968
Presidential Election (HipHughes)
26.
Analyzing Campaign Commercials – Living Room Candidate
Website; What Makes an Effective Ad? Article; 1964
Presidential Election (HipHughes)
27.
The Electoral College – Elections that Broke the Rules
Article; Electoral College Pros and Cons; Should the
Electoral College be Abolished? Debate; The Electoral
College for Dummies (HipHughes)
28.
Divided Government – Divided Government Video Clip;
Articles – Beggars Can’t be Choosers, Divided We Thrive;
Political Realignment for Dummies (HipHughes)
29.
Campaign Finance, PACs, and 527s – Video Clips on
Campaign Finance; Campaign Finance Assignment;
McCutcheon v. FEC (HipHughes)
30.
Interest Groups – Interest Group Research and Organizer;
The American Turnip League Article; America and the Elite
Theory of Democracy (HipHughes)
31.
The Mass Media – Bias in the Media Activity;
Hyperpluralism Explained (HipHughes)
32.
Assessment – Unit Exam (Multiple Choice and Free
Response)
33.
Assessment – Corrections; Performance Task
Presentations
Political Parties Reading;
Chapter 7 – Political Parties;
Political Parties (PPT)
Campaigns and Elections
Reading; Chapter 8 –
Campaigns and Elections; The
Election Process (PPT)
Chapter 8 – Campaigns and
Elections; The Election Process
(PPT)
Chapter 8 – Campaigns and
Elections; The Election Process
(PPT)
Chapter 8 – Campaigns and
Elections; The Election Process
(PPT)
Chapter 8 – Campaigns and
Elections; The Election Process
(PPT)
Chapter 8 – Campaigns and
Elections; Campaign Finance
(PPT)
Interest Group Reading;
Chapter 9 – Interest Groups;
Interest Groups (PPT)
Media Reading; Chapter 10 –
Mass Media; Media (PPT)
Review Chapters 7-10
Prepare Performance Tasks
Prepare Social Studies Fair
Project

34.
Social Studies Fair Project due
35.
Vocabulary – Institutions of National Government;
Flashcards, Mapping; Performance Task assigned
36.
Intro to Congress – Congress Video Clips; The Legislative
Process Introduction Reading; Congress for Dummies
(HipHughes)
37.
House Simulation – Abbreviated Floor Debate
38.
The Senate – Finish Simulation; Senate Video Clips; I’m Just a Bill (Schoolhouse Rock)
39.
The Filibuster and Senate Procedure – Political Cartoon,
West Wing “The Stackhouse Filibuster”; The Filibuster for
Dummies (HipHughes)
40.
Issues of Congress and the Legislative Process – Earmarks
Story; Term Limits Articles
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
Review
Review
MIDTERM/FIRST SEMESTER FINAL EXAM
MIDTERM/FIRST SEMESTER FINAL EXAM
Role and Powers of the President – Presentations; The
World’s Hardest Job Article
Limits on Presidential Power – Formal Checks Organizer;
Informal Checks; President in Check Activity; FISA Activity
War-making Powers – War Powers Act Video Clip; War
Powers Presentation; Articles
Presidential Decision-making – Analyzing Presidential
Decisions
Office of the President – West Wing Pilot Questions
50.
Process of Presidential Appointments – Presidential
Appointments and Patronage Video Clips; The Confirmation
Process and Factors that Influence Appointments Diagrams;
Political Cartoons
51.
Impeachment – Impeachment Video Clip and Article
52.
53.
The Nature of the Federal Bureaucracy – Bureaucracy
54.
The Bureaucracy in Context – Bureaucracy Pizza Activity;
55.
Intro to the Bureaucracy – Bureaucracy at a Glance
Overview
Project Activity
Political Cartoons; The Fleecing of America Article
Intro to the Judiciary - Inside the Federal Courts Guided
Questions; Article III for Dummies (HipHughes)
56.
The Supreme Court – Judicial Review, Rule of Four Video
Clips; Marbury v. Madison Case and Questions; Supreme
Court Article; Marbury v. Madison (HipHughes)
Congress Reading; Chapter 11 –
Congress; Congress (PPT)
Chapter 11 – Congress ;
Congress (PPT)
Chapter 11 – Congress;
Congress (PPT)
Chapter 11 – Congress;
Congress (PPT)
Chapter 11 – Congress;
Congress (PPT)
Review Unit 1 – Chapters 1-3
Review Unit 2 – Chapters 4-6
Review Unit 3 – Chapters 7-10
N/A
N/A
Presidency Reading; Chapter 12
– Presidency; Presidency (PPT)
Chapter 12 – Presidency;
Presidency (PPT)
Chapter 12 – Presidency;
Presidency (PPT)
Chapter 12 – Presidency;
Presidency (PPT)
Chapter 12 – Presidency;
Presidency (PPT)
Chapter 12 – Presidency;
Presidency (PPT)
Bureaucracy Reading; Chapter
13 – Bureaucracy; Bureaucracy
(PPT)
Chapter 13 – Bureaucracy;
Bureaucracy (PPT)
Chapter 13 – Bureaucracy;
Bureaucracy (PPT)
Judiciary Reading; Chapter 14 –
Judiciary; Judiciary (PPT)
Chapter 14 – Judiciary; Judiciary
(PPT)
Chapter 14 – Judiciary; Judiciary
(PPT)

57.
Supreme Court Confirmation Process – Supreme Court
Confirmation Process, Factors that Influence Nominations
Diagrams; Political Cartoons; Articles
58.
Judicial Activism, Judicial Restraint – Breakdown of Judicial
Philosophy Chart; Judicial Philosophies in Action Activity;
Articles; Constitutional Interpretation and the Supreme
Court (HipHughes)
59.
Supreme Court Decisions in Context – Decisions in Context
Project; Sample Cases
60.
Assessment – Unit Exam (Multiple Choice and Free
Response)
61.
Assessment – Corrections; Performance Task
Presentations
62.
Vocabulary – Civil Rights and Civil Liberties; Performance
Task assigned
Chapter 14 – Judiciary; Judiciary
(PPT)
Chapter 14 – Judiciary; Judiciary
(PPT)
Review Chapters 11-14
Prepare Performance Tasks
N/A
63.
The Fourteenth Amendment – 14 th Amendment Chart;
Reading on the 14 th Amendment; Brain Wrinkling the 14 th
Amendment (HipHughes)
64.
Civil Liberties and Selective Incorporation – Incorporation
Video Clip; Bill of Rights and 14 th Amendment Review;
Incorporation Doctrine Assignment
65.
Freedom of Religion – First Amendment Mock Supreme
Court Cases
66.
Freedoms of Speech and Press – First Amendment Mock
Supreme Court Cases
67.
Fourth Amendment and Privacy - Reading and Court Cases;
Mapp v. Ohio for Dummies (HipHughes)
68.
Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendment Freedoms - Readings and Court Cases; The Fifth Amendment Explained
(HipHughes)
69.
The Civil Rights Movement - Civil Rights Laws and Decisions
Chart; The Little Rock Nine Explained (HipHughes)
70.
Modern Civil Rights - Modern Civil Rights Chart; Limits on
Civil Rights Through Executive Action (HipHughes)
71.
Assessment – Unit Exam (Multiple Choice and Free
Response)
72.
Assessment – Corrections; Performance Task
Presentations
73.
Review
74.
SLO POSTTEST
75.
Vocabulary – Public Policy; Performance Task assigned
76.
77.
Overview of Public Policy - Public Policy Video Clip, Public
Policy Slideshow
Influencing Public Policy - Video Clip, Reading, Chart
Civil Liberties Reading; Chapter
18 – Civil Liberties; Civil
Liberties (PPT)
Chapter 18 – Civil Liberties; Civil
Liberties (PPT)
Chapter 18 – Civil Liberties
(PPT)
Chapter 18 – Civil Liberties; Civil
Liberties (PPT)
Chapter 18 – Civil Liberties; Civil
Liberties (PPT)
Chapter 18 – Civil Liberties; Civil
Liberties (PPT)
Civil Rights Reading; Chapter 19
– Civil Rights; Civil Rights (PPT)
Chapter 19 – Civil Rights; Civil
Rights (PPT)
Review Chapters 18-19
Prepare Performance Tasks
Review
Review
N/A
Public Policy Reading; Chapter
15 – Policymaking; Public Policy
(PPT)
Chapter 15 – Policymaking;
Public Policy (PPT)
Chapter 16 – Economic Policy;

78.
Economic Policy - Economic Policy Prezi, Graphic Organizer;
The New Deal for Dummies (HipHughes)
79.
Social Policy - Social Policy Prezi, Graphic Organizer; The
Great Society and LBJ (HipHughes)
Public Policy (PPT)
Chapter 17 – Social Welfare
Policy; Foreign and Military
Policy (PPT)
Chapter 20 – Foreign and
National Defense Policy; Public
Policy (PPT)
Chapter 21 – Environmental
Policy; Public Policy (PPT)
Review Chapter 16
80.
Foreign Policy - Foreign Policy Prezi and Video Clip, Graphic
Organizer; The Foreign Policy Dance (HipHughes)
81.
Environmental and Energy Policy - Historical Background and NPR Story; Policy Debate
82.
The Federal Budget and Public Policy - Budget Video Clip,
Budget Hero Simulation
83.
AP Review
84.
AP Review
85.
AP GOVERNMENT EXAM
86.
Campaigns
87.
Campaigns
88.
Campaigns due
89.
FINAL EXAM/SLO ASSESSMENT
90.
FINAL EXAM/SLO ASSESSMENT
Review
Review
Study! Good Luck!
Prepare Project
Prepare Project
Prepare Project
Review
N/A
Congratulations!