AP GOV
First Quarter: 9 week plan
Quarter 1
Date
Unit of Study
Key dates and assignments
Quizzes are given after each reading assignment & are
thus NOT noted in this column.
 Student & Family information sheet
 Wilson Chapter 1
 Kesselman Chapter 1
 Power Game
Week 1
8/31
Welcome and Foundations for the Study of Government and
Politics (1)
 Differentiate between power, authority, legitimacy
 Compare/contrast nations, states, nation-states, regimes
Week 2
9/7
Foundations for the Study of Government and Politics
 Examine ideologies and economies
 Explore differences in development using data
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Democratization briefing paper – development
Comparative data project
Summer Assignment due NLT 9/11
Week 3
9/14
US Constitution & Federalism
 Introduce the United States Constitution and illustrate
how civil liberties inherent in the Bill of Rights apply to
high school students.
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Unit 1 Test & Vocab 9/15
Money due for study guide order 9/15
Constitution Day project 9/17
Wilson Chapter 2
Week 4
9/21
US Constitution & Federalism
 Trace the origins of the Constitution.
 Compare the distribution of governmental power
specifically regarding federal, confederal and unitary
systems.
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Wilson Chapter 3
Federalism Court Case Comparison
Current Events Project due 9/24
Week 5
9/28
US Constitution & Federalism
 Explain how federalism has changed over time.
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Unit 2 Test & Vocab 10/1
Federalism Cake Party!
Barton 2015-16
Week 6
10/5
Political Culture, Ideology & Participation
 Analyze the factors that influence the formation of
political cultures and individual ideologies.
 Identify ways to participate in a democracy and obstacles
to that participation.
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Wilson Chapter 4
Wilson Chapter 5
Assign Political Socialization Essay
Week 7
10/12
Political Culture, Ideology & Participation
 Explain the role of media and polling in democracy and
analyze election data.
 Recognize political cleavages in the US.
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Computer Lab – essay workshop
Wilson Chapter 6
Week 8
10/19
Political Culture, Ideology & Participation
 Compare/contrast the political cultures of the AP6
countries.
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Political Socialization Essay 10/20
Unit 3 Test & Vocab 10/22
Week 9
10/26
Linkage Institutions: Elections, Parties & Interest Groups
 Compare/contrast primary and general elections.
 Identify trends in voting behavior.
 Evaluate efforts to reform campaign financing over time
and identify challenges for the future.
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Wilson Chapter 8
Campaign Finance Reform webquest
Wilson Chapter 7
End of Quarter 1: Friday October 30
Teacher Work Days: Monday, November 2 and Tuesday, November 3rd
Barton 2015-16