AP U.S. Government and Politics
Course Expectations
There are no necessary evils in government.
Its evils exist only in its abuses.
~ Andrew Jackson
Instructor:
E-mail:
Classroom Phone:
Room Number:
Office Hours:
Textbooks:
Grades:
Mr. Marcus Logue, Mrs. Amy Masten
logue@skitsap.wednet.edu ; masten@skitsap.wednet.edu
360-874-5792, 360-874-5791
326B, 321
6:55 a.m. – 7:25 a.m. and 1:55 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy
Applicable supplementary readings as necessitated
Family Access in Skyward (see directions on last page)
The AP U.S. Government and Politics course is designed to survey the U.S. national political system. An
examination of the philosophical foundation of our constitutional system is combined with the
historical development and current trends. Primary focus is placed on the national level, with a brief
examination of the states and how they function within the federal system, as well as how governments
differ from the national government. Current events are used to highlight the people, places and
processes that produce public policy. The course is conducted similar to a college freshmen level
Political Science course with a major emphasis on preparation for the College Board examination in
May.
A.
Course Plan
This course is organized thematically, using the following six major topics:
1.
Constitutional Underpinnings
2.
Political Beliefs and Behaviors
3.
Parties, Interest Groups, Media
4.
Congress, Presidency, Federal Courts, Bureaucracy
5.
Public Policy
6.
Civil Rights and Liberties
In your notebook, separate your notes for these units by tab dividers to remain organized in preparation
for tests. See the last page of this course description for a complete outline of AP Government.
B.
Class Expectations:
1.
Regular Attendance, Taking Excellent Class Notes, and Completing Nightly Readings are
essential to being successful in this class.
2.
Be an active participant prepared to think, ask questions, and share your viewpoints.
3.
Respect yourself, your peers, your teachers, your classroom, and your school.
4.
Be on time to class and prepared to work. This means that your body is within the four walls of
the classroom with all your REQUIRED MATERIALS (textbook, notebook, paper, and
pen/pencil) at your side ready to be put to use in the world of AP Government.
5.
Everything that is stated in your student handbook must also be adhered to in this classroom.
Please be sure to review and know the school rules and policies.
AP Government
Course Description
Page 2 of 5
C.
Grading:
The AP Grading Scale will be applied in this class. Grades will be weighted in the following categories:
Class work / Homework
Participation / Presentations
20%
Quizzes / Tests (multiple choice)
Timed Writes / Written Analysis
40%
40%
Participation / Presentations /Classwork / Homework (20%)  Participate (individually and
in group settings) in daily class activities/exercises; including being to class on time, using class time
productively, participating in discussions, and having materials in class. Points may be lost with poor
use of class time (disturbances, snoozing, tardies, writing on desks, lack of materials, and absences).
Advanced Placement courses make demands on students that are equivalent to those of an
introductory course in college. These classes will provide both a thorough grounding in facts
and training in reading social studies material analytically and critically. These courses will
develop and reinforce study and writing skills used at the college level. All Advanced
Placement Social Studies classes will require the following:
1.
2.
3.
Students must maintain pace with their required readings and assignments and
will be periodically tested to be sure they are doing so.
Each student is to keep a loose-leaf, three-ring notebook which will contain all
class work, notes, time-lines in a form recommended by the teacher, finished
essays, quizzes and tests.
Students will be required to take handwritten notes for all pages assigned to
read in the specified text(s).

notes should be kept in a bound notebook (spiral or composition)

notes will be due at the beginning of each class day or teacher specified
date

notes will be included as part of the overall class grade
Constitutional Issues Paper (aka CBA)  This is a well-resourced 5-paragraph persuasive essay
focusing on a constitutional issue of your choosing. It is ONLY required if you choose to drop this
class at the end of first or second trimester OR if you choose to not take the AP test. Your paper
will demonstrate your ability to connect the content covered in class, while also providing you an
opportunity that may shape policymaking in the future. The assignment will be worth 480 points (240
points will be assigned to the test portion of the grade and 240 points will be assigned to the writing
portion of the grade). If done correctly, you will have a paper that demonstrates your desire to create
positive changes within your nation. Most importantly, if you fail to complete the paper at a proficient
level, you will be unable to pass this course.
Notebook (Self Rewarding)  You must maintain a notebook throughout the year to refer back on
concepts and/or review for comprehensive tests. Your notebook will serve as a resource of information
for you to use. Organize your notebook on the six (6) themes of this course – it will be truly beneficial!
AP Government
Course Description
Page 3 of 5
Grading Scale  Your final grade is based upon the following grading scale:
100%
89%
86%
83%
-
90%
87%
84%
80%
A
AB+
B
4.0
3.7
3.3
3.0
79%
76%
73%
69%
-
77%
74%
70%
67%
BC+
C
C-
2.7
2.3
2.0
1.7
66% 62% 57% -
63%
58%
0%
D+
D
F
1.3
1.0
0.0
Grade Postings  Grades will be posted using your student identification number at least once every
two weeks (they will also be e-mailed home if you have registered with Skyward). Please check your
grade when it is posted, because as much as you want to believe that I am perfect, I do sometimes make
errors. If there is a problem with your grade, please see me so that the error can be corrected.
Absence Policy / Late Work Policy 
Absent work:
1. It is the student’s responsibility to get any work missed. This can be accomplished by:
 Check in with the teacher (on the day of the student’s absence) to get absent work and/or
schedule a make-up time for missing assessments. This can be done through e-mail or a
phone call. See individual teachers’, or their websites, for this information.
 If a student cannot contact the teacher the day of their absence, then it is their responsibility
to meet with the teacher during tutorial on the day they return to get absent work and/or
schedule a make-up time for missing assessments.
2. For a prolonged absence, the student should make a homework request through the Guidance
office.
3. Students will have one week to make up a missed classroom assessment.
4. All students will have an opportunity to do test corrections. The classroom teacher will notify
students of the window of time for these unit corrections.
Late work:
 Due to the rigorous nature of these courses, and the expectation that students come prepared to
class on a daily basis, late work will not be accepted in these classes.
Cheating/Plagiarism  Cheating on any test, daily work, homework, or project will mean a zero for
that particular assignment. (Copying lecture notes is permissible and encouraged.) Students will
receive no credit on assignments that are copied, either from reading sources or from classmates (i.e.,
plagiarism). Plagiarism is the use of other’s words or ideas without
acknowledgement/recognition and is grounds for failure. Individuals are often tempted
to submit all or part of another person’s work as one’s own; especially in the ease of
copying and pasting from the Internet. Participating in any of these practices is
considered a form of cheating. In cases where a student has supplied test answers or written work
used by another student, the penalty is the same for both individuals. Lost points may lead to failure in
the course. ALL incidents of cheating will be reported to the deans. Building policy states two such
infractions will lead to a penalty “F”.
D.
Odds & Ends:
Extra Help  I will be in class at least one hour before school starts (6:55 a.m.) and one-half hour
after school ends (2:30 p.m.). If at any time you have a question, please stop by and get some help.
There are no dumb questions; it is important to me that you understand the content. Please feel free to
stop by with any questions or concerns.
AP Government
Course Description
Page 4 of 5
Family Access Skyward - I encourage all parents to register with Family Access in Skyward to allow
for (1) easy communication between parent(s)/guardian(s) and staff; (2) up-to-date information
regarding your student’s successes; (3) access to your student’s attendance in all classes; and (4) access
to your student’s schedule. By registering an e-mail in Family Access Skyward, I am able to e-mail
detailed grade reports on a weekly basis. If you do NOT have Family Access in Skyward, please
contact the main office at 360-874-5600 to receive your login and password information. Please feel
free to call me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding your student’s progress.
On a last note, parent/guardian support is essential to success in any class. Statistics show that parent/
guardian involvement helps promote student success. Please help your student succeed by reviewing
assignment sheets, checking homework, and agreeing on a specific time and quiet place to study.
AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam is May 10th 8AM!
Score (Meaning)
Total Raw
Score
Multiple-Choice
Raw Score
National %
receiving this score
Equivalent
grade in college
Credit granted
for this score?
5 (extremely qualified)
4 (well qualified)
3 (qualified)
2 (possibly qualified)
1 (no recommendation)
86-120
69-85
52-68
27-51
0-26
49-60
40-48
28-39
19-27
0-18
9%
20%
26%
35%
10%
A
B+
C+
CD
Most Schools
Most Schools
Some Schools
Very Few
No
This course and your success therein mean A LOT to us. We look forward to
teaching this class and hope it will be a meaningful class to you as well. Let’s
work together to have the best AP scores in the history of the class!!
AP Government
Course Description
Page 5 of 5
AP Government Topic Outline
%
of
CHAPTERS
I. Constitutional Underpinnings
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
B.
C.
10-20%
8, 11, 7
35-40%
12- 16
5-15%
17-20
Policymaking in the federal system
Formation of policy agendas
Role of institutions in policy enactment of policy
Role of bureaucracy and courts in policy implementation and interpretation
Linkages between policy processes and the following:
1. Political Institutions and Federalism
4. Public Opinion
2. Political Parties
5 Elections
3. Interest Groups
6. Policy Networks
VI. Civil Rights and Liberties
A.
B.
C.
6, 9-10
Major formal and informal institutional arrangements of powers
Relationships among these four institutions and varying balances of power
Linkage between institutions and the following:
1. Public Opinion and Voters
4. The Media
2. Interest Groups
5. State and Local Governments
3. Political Parties
V. Public Policy
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
10-20%
Political Parties and Elections
1. Functions
4. Effects on Political Process
2. Organization
5. Electoral Laws and Systems
3. Development
Interest Groups, Including Political Action Committees (PACs)
1. The range of interests that are or are not represented
2. The activities of interest groups
3. The effects of interest groups on the political process.
4. The unique characteristics and roles of PACs in the political process.
Mass Media
1. The functions and structures of the news media
2. The impact of the news media on politics
3. The news media industry and its consequences
IV. Congress, Presidency, Federal Courts, Bureaucracy
A.
B.
C.
1-3
Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders
Processes by which citizens learn about politics
The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion
The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life
Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors
III. Political Beliefs, Interest Groups, and Mass Media
A.
TEST
Considerations that influenced the formation and adoption of the Constitution
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Federalism
Theories of Democratic Government
II. Political Beliefs and Behaviors
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
5-15%
AP
5-15%
Development of civil rights and liberties by judicial interpretation
Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties
Impact of 14th Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and liberties
4-5