Sara.Barton@lcps.org
United States & Virginia Government
Mrs. Barton – Room 411
Syllabus & Expectations
Introduction
Welcome to U.S. & Virginia Government. My name is Mrs. Barton. I have been teaching in Loudoun
County for 7 years. I grew up in Vienna, VA and moved to Loudoun County in 1984. I have a Master in
Education and a B.S. in Public Administration, both from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. I was
an Instructional Designer and Developer for about 20 years and had my own consulting company,
InfoActive. In 2008, I switched careers to be a classroom teacher because I like to be with learners like
you! Throughout our year together, we’ll learn about the Constitution, political behavior, the media,
branches of government, state/local governments and much more. We will incorporate as many current
events as we can. Our goal is for this class to be relevant and useful to you so that you are an informed
citizen, especially since many of you are 18 or will be soon.
Textbook/Needed Materials
Government Alive!: Power, Politics, and You. TCI. 2009
1 ½ - 2” Binder with lined paper
Small spiral or composition notebook (will be kept in the class room)
Folder for loose papers
Pens/Pencils, highlighters
Purpose
The purpose of this class is to educate you as citizens, not just students, so you will be informed
members of society. You will be able to formulate your own informed opinions of our government and
political system. Government is relevant to all of us, and we all need to be knowledgeable about it so
we understand the power that we all have as voters. Also, please remember that you need to pass this
class in order to graduate.
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Sara.Barton@lcps.org
How to be Successful
You will be successful by being IN CLASS, being ON TIME, using your phone and electronics ONLY when
they are OK’d by your teachers and most importantly putting forth REAL effort on our assignments and
actively participating.
Our Expectations

We expect you to be here and here on time.

We expect your best.

We expect courtesy between everyone in this classroom.

We expect open communication. If there is a problem, we cannot help you solve it if you don’t
tell us about it.
Classroom Procedures/Norms

Sit in your assigned seat.

If you are absent and need missing assignments, check the Missing Work folder for your block.
You will find any hardcopy assignments with your name on them. I will also bring missing work
to Titan Time – 8th Block.

Keep all electronics/phones away and OFF, unless directed by Mrs. Barton.

If you need to go to the restroom or locker, you should ask permission. You may only leave the
classroom when we are working independently. Do not interrupt your teachers or a class
discussion/activity to ask for a pass, unless it is a true emergency. Only 1 student may be out at
a time. Due to school policy, you cannot leave the classroom during the first and last 10
minutes of class.
Grades
1. Your grade will be founded on a point system. Types of assignments include written
reflections/opinions, current events, video guides, book reading, class work, quizzes, tests,
projects and papers. There are generally 500-700 total points per quarter:

Guided Readings of text book, articles and handouts. May be assigned as homework.
(Approximately 12-15 per quarter)

Quizzes—Students will be given occasional quizzes. These may or may not be
announced & they may or may not be open-note. (10-20 points per quiz)
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Sara.Barton@lcps.org

In-Class Assignments-- Periodically students will be asked to write an opinion, create a
poster or presentation, and participate in a structured discussion, or other for a grade.
(Approximately 5-6 in-class assignments per quarter x 10-20 points each)

Project Based Learning - Students will generally have one or two projects per semester.
Projects involve significant content and important competencies, authentic
problems, technology, collaboration and product presentations. (Points for
projects vary; generally there are 50-150 total project points per quarter)

Writing Assignments—There will be one major writing assignment per quarter. (50-100
points for each major writing assignment)

Tests—There will be approximately 3-4 tests per quarter. (Each test is worth 50 – 75
points)
2. You will have homework for this class and it will take 20 minutes or less to complete. HW
will count toward your quarterly grade and help determine your readiness for any retakes.
You should strive to complete all HW assignments.
3. Late work will typically be accepted but it will be marked down accordingly. We will not
accept late work once we’ve moved on to a new unit.
4. Students who earn a D or F on a summative assessment will be able to retake the test/quiz
or revise the paper/project to earn a higher grade. All test/quiz retakes will be taken
before/after school or during Titan Time and must be scheduled in advance. Before
retaking, you will need to:
1) complete any late/missing assignments for the unit
2) complete test corrections and turn them in
3) meet with Mrs. Barton to discuss the retake and prove you are ready for success
Cheating & Plagiarism: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a zero for the
assignment for ALL parties involved. Consequences for the incident will follow the DHS Integrity Policy,
pages 12-13 in the Student Agenda.
Communication
If you need to reach me, please email me at sara.barton@lcps.org. I will email you back promptly and
we may schedule a phone conference or meeting, as necessary.
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Sara.Barton@lcps.org
Course Sequence
***All dates are approximate and subject to change ***
Date
Quarter 1
August 31 October 30
Quarter 2
November 4 January 29
Quarter 3
February 1April 14
Topic
Introduction to Government: Power and Authority
 Government Alive Chapter 1 & 2
 Constitution Day Project 9/17
 Unit Test 9/23
The Constitution
 Government Alive Chapter 4
 Constitutional Law activity
 Constitution quiz 10/9
Roots of Democracy
 Government Alive Chapter 3
 Roots of Democracy Quiz 10/20
Political Ideology & Socialization
 Government Alive Chapter 9
 Political Ideology & Socialization Essay 10/28
Partnership Night - Monday, November 2nd
General Election Tuesday, November 3rd
Political Parties & Interest Groups
 Government Alive Chapter 8
 Unit Test
Campaigns and Elections
 Government Alive Chapter 10
 Campaign Game
 Unit Test
Federalism & Virginia and Local Government
 Government Alive Chapter 6 & Virginia Government materials
 Unit Test
Legislative Branch
 Government Alive Chapter 12
 How a Bill Becomes a Law project
 Letter to Elected Official
 Quiz
The President
 Government Alive Chapter 13
 Unit Test
Bureaucracy & the Federal Budget
 Government Alive Chapter 14
 Unit Test
Judicial Branch
 Government Alive Chapter 15
 Unit Test
 Tour of the Federal City project
Quarter 4
Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
April 18 - June
 Government Alive Chapter 5
10
 Unit Test
 Mock Trial Project
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The Criminal Justice System
 Government Alive Chapter 16
 Unit Test
The United States and the World
 Government Alive Chapter 17 & 18
Citizen Participation in a Democracy
 Government Alive Chapter 7
 Class Service Projects
 Final Reflection & Citizenship Test
Sunday, June 12thth GRADUATION!!
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Sara.Barton@lcps.org
United States & Va Government Syllabus Acknowledgement
I have read the syllabus for United States & Virginia Government and am aware of the class
expectations and procedures. I also have been informed of the methods to contact the teacher should a
concern arise.
_________________________________________ _____________
Student Signature
Date
_________________________________________ _____________
Parent Signature
Date
Student Information
Name: ________________________________________
Email:_________________________________________
Parent Information
Name: ________________________________________
Best Phone Number: _____________________________
Parent Email: ___________________________________
Does your student have access to the internet at home?
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_____ Yes
_____ No