Advanced Placement U.S. & Comparative Government
Potomac Falls High School
Course Objective:
The AP U.S. Government course is designed to teach students something about how people behave politically, and about
the design of the American political system; that is, how the system is structured and how it functions as a pluralistic
system of various individual and group interests, all promoting their own agendas as to what they claim is important and
beneficial for the country. By the completion of this course, it is hoped that students will have an interest in public issues,
can intelligently and civilly discuss the issues, have reasonable understanding of what is right and wrong, and appreciate
their responsibilities to the system to ensure that they continue to enjoy our traditions of freedom and liberty.
The AP Comparative Government course is designed to teach students about the globalization of our contemporary world.
Students must understand more than simply how the U.S. government operates politically, socially, and economically.
Students will focus on the governments of the United Kingdom, Mexico, Iran, Nigeria, China & Russia. Additionally,
students will learn about the economic and political framework of the European Union. Comparisons will be made in
terms of power structures, political institutions, citizens’ participation, political and economic changes, and public
policymaking. Students will be exposed to different theoretical and practical frameworks that are the foundations for a
variety of political systems.
The units in this year-long class will be thematic, threading information from each of the six outside countries into a
comparative model with U.S. government. For example, when studying political parties, we will focus on Britain, Mexico
& Nigeria because the role of political parties in these countries is particularly important. When studying political culture
and socialization, China, Iran & Russia will be more central to our thematic analysis. In the end, students will have a
strong understanding of how each country operates within its defined political system and how each has been impacted by
globalization and democratization.
Student Objectives: Students will be able to:
Explain & analyze the various definitions of democracy & how it is particularly manifested in the American
system
Analyze the processes of globalization and democratization over the past 250 years
Assess the distribution of power, power struggles & problems, including social cleavages within the U.S.,
U.K., Mexico, Iran, Nigeria, China & Russia
Analyze the significance of the Constitution in American political history & the contemporary world
Analyze the significance and relevance of the historical framework and constitutional principles of U.K.,
Mexico, Iran, Nigeria, China & Russia
Analyze the differences between federal and unitary systems
Evaluate the forces that influence political culture & the political socialization process
Explain the origins of both major & minor American political parties & their roles today while contrasting the
role of political parties in U.K., Mexico, Iran, Nigeria, China & Russia
Assess the role of media, interest groups, & PAC’s in the electoral process
Evaluate the priorities & objectives of the various branches of government in the U.S., U.K., Mexico, Iran,
Nigeria, China & Russia
Identify & evaluate the influence of diversity of interests on the policymaking process
Explain the ways in which the Constitutions and the governments address civil rights, individual rights and
civil liberties & the changing roles of each in the political systems
Analyze contemporary values regarding the welfare system, expression, foreign policy, & political/economic
interests that influence public policymaking in the U.S., U.K., Mexico, Iran, Nigeria, China & Russia
Expectations: Since this class is the equivalent of a collegiate introductory political science course, students will be
expected to attend class regularly, prepared to discuss and expand on previously assigned topics. Emphasis will be placed
not only on mastery of the content, but the student’s ability to express their knowledge acquisition through the written
medium and oral discussion. Students should be prepared to invest a significant amount of out of class time into class
preparations.
Grading: Students must understand that in an AP class grades are more difficult to earn. There is an anticipated learning
curve while student acclimate to a more rigorous type of class. Please do not expect to “be given” A’s simply for trying.
In an AP class, A’s are earned through discipline and mastery of the class. Be patient with yourself and keep at it – you
will surprise yourself with the skills you develop. Work ethic and communication are essential to your success in class.
Grades will be based on a straight point system with tests, reading quizzes, projects, and writing assignments being worth
more than homework, although homework is completed in the interactive notebook, which is then considered a
summative assessment at the end of each quarter. Time spent on learning activities is as follows:
Tests/Quizzes: 33%
Projects/Interactive Notebooks: 33%
Homework/Class Participation/Cooperative Discussions/Writing Assignments: 33%
Grade Scale Breakdown: Approximately 90% of a student’s quarter grade will reflect their understanding and mastery
of content (summative assessment) and 10% will be based on formative assessments which help students gauge their
progress toward learning content.
Tests/Quizzes: To model the format of the AP Exam, tests will usually be 50-60 multiple-choice questions to be
completed in 40-45 minutes. You can expect at least one essay (free response question), one concept question, one
analytical question and one comparative question on each test. All tests will be cumulative in nature, drawing on each
previous unit. You should not expect to learn a chapter and forget it until the AP Exam. You will always be reviewing.
Reading quizzes are normally given after analytical homework questions are completed. The questions on reading
quizzes often appear on tests so review is essential. In addition, informal assessments such as exit tickets, discussion
sparks, warm-up questions may or may not be graded – these often guide our lessons and allow students (and me) to have
a better understanding of how well the material is being learned and/or taught.
Projects: Interactive notebooks will be graded as quarter projects. In addition, there will be a number of smaller projects
throughout each quarter to be completed outside of class. A word of advice: Stay on top of the notebook! This will
ensure a much more peaceful end to your quarter.
Homework: This curriculum covers an enormous amount of material, including current events as they unfold.
Knowledge of contemporary issues is integral to one’s success in this class. Homework will be assigned nightly.
Assessment of homework will vary. Most assignments are to be completed in the interactive notebook unless otherwise
stated. Homework is relevant to class activities, reviews, discussions and assessments. Be prepared! Do not wait until
the last minute to complete an assignment. You will have questions and confusion regarding the college-level material
and in order to gain a rich understanding of the curriculum, you must be willing to spend time outside of class. Work
ethic, organization, and time management skills are crucial for your future success – develop these skills now!
Participation: Be in class prepared to contribute. Ask questions – if you have a question about a particular topic, so does
one of your peers. Lectures will be geared toward enriching the content in the textbooks. You are responsible to all
aspects of a lecture even if they are not included in the text. All students will be expected to participate in Socratic
Seminars, debates, and cooperative presentations. In addition, students will be expected to follow contemporary affairs
and current events and will be evaluated through analytical writing summaries of news articles due every other week
(Article of the Week).
Review for the AP Exam in May: Review sessions will be held in the mornings before school beginning in April and on
one optional Saturday during 2nd Semester when students will have the opportunity to take a practice AP test. Schedules
and dates will be announced in a timely fashion on my part, so that students can make arrangements & accommodations
when necessary. Review during FLEX will also be available.