CIVICS Course Introduction This course is designed to prepare you to be well-­‐informed and active citizen participants in our democracy. The study of Civics is the study of what it means to be an American. This course will help you to better understand your role in the American economy. In the second semester, we will shift our focus to the government and its relationship to you as a citizen. This class will also help you to understand what your rights and responsibilities are as an American citizen. Units covered in the first semester will include: Citizenship; the Constitution; the Legislative Branch; the Executive Branch; the Judicial Branch; the Legal System; Political Parties; and Voting and Elections. During the second semester, we will learn about: Basics of Our Economic System; Our Economy and You; Government’s Role in our Economy; and Money and Banking. Current events will be followed closely, so we encourage you to watch the news. For the first semester (government) we will use the textbook Civics: Government and Economics in Action, along with a variety of outside sources and use of the Internet. For the second semester (economics), we will use the textbook Personal Financial Literacy along with appropriate outside sources. I. Grading A. Tests and Quizzes Tests and quizzes will make up approximately 50% of your grade. There will be a quiz for every chapter we cover, and occasionally chapters may be combined for larger tests. Quizzes and tests will be announced ahead of time. B. Homework You will have a homework or classwork assignment most days. Typically, this will involve reading a section of the textbook and answering two or three questions. Classwork/homework will constitute approximately 50% of your grade. It is critical that you come to class prepared every day, ready to do the assigned reading and complete your written assignment. C. Class Participation Class participation means that you take part in class discussions. You can expect to be called on daily. Your ability to contribute will depend on you doing your classwork. If something doesn't make sense to you as you are reading, please ask! Mr. Danson or Mrs. Woodward are here to help. II. Requirements/Expectations A. Notebook You are expected to have a notebook for this class alone. It can be a separate notebook or a section in a larger, multi-­‐subject notebook. Either way, notes are to be taken daily, dated and kept in order.* SEE NOTE ABOUT TECHNOLOGY BELOW. Classwork is also to be dated, labeled, and kept in order. Ask if you need help getting organized or getting caught up if you are absent! B. Calendar You will receive a calendar each month with the assignments and topics for class discussion for each day. You are expected to keep up with your assignments even when absent. It is very important that you keep track of your calendar and that you pay attention to important due dates, quizzes, tests, and so on. The calendar will be available on the class webpage. C. Textbook Your textbook is primarily to be used for homework. When we need you to have it in class that will be announced ahead of time. Other days, we may make copies of a section for you to use in class. For the most part, though, you should take your book home and leave it at home. D. Attitude Our expectations are simple. Come to class prepared every day, with your notebook, pen or pencil, and your iPad. Be ready to participate in class discussions and activities. Bring your questions about current events and politics and government with you—we will do our best to answer them! Finally: conduct yourself with academic integrity. Ask if you don’t know what that means. We look forward to a fun, productive,and exciting year with you in Civics class! *A NOTE ON THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY* We are extremely fortunate to have the use of iPads for all students this year. Because of this, I will make sure that all of the class notes will be available on my webpage as .pdf files. My expectation is that you will handle the notes in whatever way works best for you: you may print them out ahead of time and bring them with you to class in order to follow along, mark them up, highlight them, whatever... Or you may download them to your iPad and use one of the notetaking apps that are available as free downloads: Paper Port Notes has been suggested as being especially useful. You may also choose to take class notes the traditional way, with a pen and a notebook, or you may choose to use Google Docs as a way to take notes on the iPad. You need to develop a system and stick with it. Mrs. Woodward and I will be very interested to see what method of notetaking works best for you. Everything that once was distributed as a paper handout, including articles and monthly assignment calendars will now be your responsibility to download from my webpage. I am learning about use of the iPads as we go along, so feel free to ask me if you have a question or problem-­‐-­‐ I may or may not be able to help you! Feel free, also, to share any tips or useful apps with the class as we go along. We are all going to be learning how to best integrate this new technology together.