AP
Public Policy
Instruction
This unit will be designed for a 12th grade AP United States Government & Politics
course.
1.
Unit Goals (long range—how does this unit fit with year-long goals?)
The long-range goal of a unit on Public Policy is to teach students both the rules of policymaking and
the role of the three branches of government and linkage institutions involved in the policymaking
process.
2.
Specific ways to relate goal(s) to curriculum (team/department, system and
state frameworks)
Public Policy is specifically identified in the AP course description through Standard V. It is also
addressed in a variety of the Government GPS (Georgia Performance Standards).
AP Standard #V:
Public Policy
Public policy is the result of interactions and dynamics among actors, interests,
institutions, and processes. The formation of policy agendas, the enactment of public
policies by Congress and the president, and the implementation and interpretation of
policies by the bureaucracy and the courts are all stages in the policy process with
which students should be familiar. Students should also investigate policy networks
and issue networks in the domestic and foreign policy areas. The study of these will
give students a clear understanding of the impact of federalism, interest groups,
parties, and elections on policy processes and policymaking in the federal context.
Students should be familiar with major public policies.
Georgia Performance Standards:
SSCG4
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the organization and powers of the national
government.
SSCG12
The student will analyze the various roles played by the President of the United States; include
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, chief executive, chief agenda setter,
representative of the nation, chief of
state, foreign policy leader, and party leader.
SSCG15
The student will explain the functions of the departments and agencies of the federal
--Compare and contrast the organization and responsibilities of independent
agencies, government corporations, and executive agencies.
--Explain the functions of the Cabinet.
3.
bureaucracy.
regulatory
Characteristics of the students for whom this unit is intended (needs in the
cognitive, affective, physical, and social areas)
This unit will be designed for a 12th grade AP United States Government & Politics course.
Students have either been recommended for the course by previous teachers, invited based on PSAT
scores or waived in on student/parent preference for a more rigorous course. Students meet for 90
minutes every other day for an entire year. Students will take a College Board released practice exam
as their final evaluation for my individual course which will be scaled in the same manner that the AP
Exam itself is. The true evaluation for students, however, is the national AP Exam administered in
May for potential college credit and consists of equally weighted multiple choice and free response
portions. Not all students will take the exam and not all of those who do will earn the college credit,
but the rigor of the course itself and the actual practice of sitting for a high stakes exam like that will
only help prepare them for college. There will be a mix of gifted students, traditional honors
students, and AVID students (a college preparation program for traditionally first to college students
who have not traditionally taken advanced courses). All of the students will be the same grade and
approximate age level but their exposure to the advanced curriculum, study expectations and critical
thinking skills will vary greatly. There are rarely students with a special education IEP in the course
but there may be students with continuing ESOL support or 504 accommodations for medical issues
(most often ADHD).
4.
Student’s Present Level of Performance and Knowledge (Do the students
have the adequate knowledge to complete the unit successfully? What
prerequisite skills must the students have to complete the unit content?
Include technology skills.)
This is the culminating unit for most AP Government courses. Students will have come in with little
prior knowledge about the politics of policymaking. Over the course of the class they will have
learned about each of the "pieces" like the branches of government, interest groups, the media, the
bureaucracy, etc. Assessments along the way should determine level of content readiness but this is
often a difficult unit conceptually for students. Using these assessments, I can adjust instruction to
determine whether or not students need more instruction on the process and players or whether I can
go on to case studies that show the principles in action. There are no prerequisite skills but a strong
grasp of critical, higher order thinking skills will make the processes and players in this unit much
easier to comprehend.
5.
Classroom Layout and grouping of students (Where will the learning take
place? How will the room be organized? How will students be grouped
(whole group, individuals, pairs, small groups, etc.)
This is not the traditional classroom layout. Students are at tables rather than desks. Approximately 3
- 4 students are at each table. Students have a home base (seat of their choosing) but are moved
around often for group or partner discussions and learning activities. Groupings during these
instructional activities are either random (number them off, draw for matching group cards, etc) or
teacher assigned (based on data from pre-test or formative assessment, learning styles or ability
levels).
6.
Introductory procedures (How will you introduce the unit and the goals?)
Each unit is introduced by the teacher and begins with an overview and discussion of the Unit Page.
The Unit Page contains all of the standards that will be addressed in the unit; reading and other
relevant assignments; key vocabulary terms, legislation and court cases; and political cartoons related
to the unit. After the unit page overview, this unit begins with the showing of the PBS Frontline
special "The Storm" about the policy failures in response to Hurricane Katrina (about 45 minutes).
Teacher led discussions follow and lead into the content related to policymaking. Over time different
examples can be used to be sure the policy area is not too dated for students (ex: other Frontline
specials on the banking or housing crisis, healthcare policy or documentaries like Food, Inc.)
7.
Materials and media (any resource, persons or materials: be as specific as
possible. Identify resource, its availability, how it is to be used and why).
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Teacher created materials including unit page, instructor created PowerPoint presentation
with embedded links and videos are used to guide instruction
PBS materials - DVD "The Storm", Teacher Resource Guide, PBS website for lesson
materials referenced in the Teacher Resource Guide - are used as an opening case study for
the unit
MyPoliSciLab - Textbook companion with simulations and videos - used for clarification
and enrichment with quizzes available for each activity (formative assessment)
Roundtable: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
Hurricane Katrina was not the biggest storm ever to hit the Gulf Coast, but the particular damage it caused in
New Orleans set in motion a series of events—political and structural—that resulted in the most destructive
natural disaster in the history of the United States. The consequences speak to bureaucratic failure; the
limitations of federalism; state and local government responsibilities; poverty in America; and more.
Roundtable: Bureaucratic Reform
A common complaint directed at government in general is that it is too slow, too complicated, and involves too
much "red tape." However, calls for bureaucratic reform often ignore the multitude of government services and
programs that operate smoothly and efficiently to improve our lives in countless ways.
Debate: Merit System
Most federal, state, and local government employees are protected by civil service rules and regulations related
to hiring, promotions, and termination. Civil service protections were intended to both professionalize the
bureaucracy and shield it from political interference thus rendering it more stable and effective. Some people
believe that the civil service system, also known as the merit system, actually discourages efficiency and
productivity by protecting incompetent and unmotivated employees.
ABC News Video: Internal Problems at the FDA
This report looks at the FDA and problems related to understaffing and lack of funds.
ABC News Video: Homeland Insecurity
The Department of Homeland Security is scrutinized due to its low employee morale, waste, and inefficiency.
Simulation: You Are the President of MEDICORP
When you purchase a prescription drug, you expect it to help you get or stay healthy. But what if the benefits of
the medication were unknown or unproven, or overshadowed by potentially deadly side-effects? How confident
would you feel about filling your next prescription? Enter this bureaucracy simulation to explore the intricacies of
the FDA's approval process for new drugs.
Simulation: You Are a Federal Administrator
When it comes to passing laws, Congress is the top dog. Sometimes, however, Congress delegates some of its
authority to the bureaucracy, who can then implement rules to help enforce these laws. In this exercise, you'll
play the role of a federal administrator trying to implement a new rule. Make sure to follow the correct channels
of government or your rule will never carry the force of law.
Timeline: Evolution of the Federal Bureaucracy
With so much criticism swirling around the bureaucracy, it's amazing it hasn't undergone a major overhaul since
its inception. It has, however, seen its fair share of changes throughout history. In this timeline, you'll examine
just how much the federal bureaucracy has changed since the administration of George Washington all the way
through the administration of the current president, George W. Bush.
Visual Literacy: The Changing Face of the Federal Bureaucracy
When things go wrong in the federal government, all fingers point to the bureaucracy, America's traditional
scapegoat. Ever since the Carter administration, talk of widespread reform of the bureaucracy has run rampant.
In this exercise, you will examine some of the attempts made to reform a bureaucracy that many have criticized
as "ever-expanding."
Participation: Who Wants To Be a Bureaucrat?
What do you want to be when you grow up? How about a bureaucrat? In this exercise, you'll respond to a series
of questions about the federal bureaucracy and then compare your answers with those taken from surveys of the
general public. Will you find yourself working for a government agency one day?
Comparative: Comparing Bureaucracies
In this exercise, you'll examine how the bureaucracies in three foreign nations (Great Britain, France and Japan)
compare and contrast to the federal bureaucracy in the United States. What does this say about how the public
administration systems are run in each respective country?
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8.
Visuals (although this is part of the materials and media, I want this to be a
specific part of your plan). Identify at least EIGHT static graphic visuals
that you will be creating and use, their purpose, and design.
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9.
Websites - Bureaucratic departments and agencies (links to each of the 15 departments are
available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet), branches of government,
interest groups, etc. - to demonstrate real life examples of the groups/people involved in the
process
News - Smartphone apps, websites, newspaper/magazines or TV news for current examples
Policy Issues - word cloud representing top public policy issues of 2011
Policymaking Process - flow chart of the 5 stages of the policymaking process
Stages of Policymaking - flow chart to build on previous with descriptions of actions at each
stage
Executive Departments - Picture of current Cabinet as well as photos of the current head of each
department to show who is helping formulate and implement the policy
Congressional oversight - Diagram showing the functions and actions involved in Congressional
oversight of the policymaking implementation of the bureaucracy
Linkage Institutions - Table describing how linkage institutions (media, interest groups, political
parties) connect the electorate and the government
Issue Network - Example diagram showing groups involved in a health care issue network
Iron Triangle - Example diagram showing groups involved in an environmental iron triangle
Assessment and evaluation of learner understanding (Identify the methods
the teacher will use to identify student learning levels and needs. Describe
when these will be used during the unit)
Formative assessments will be used at the end of each learning activity or at the completion of a
concept. Formative assessments include participation in Socratic seminar, Tell me in 20 (student
summary of lesson in exactly 20 words), parking lot questions (poster on the wall where students post
questions on a post it note during lesson for me to integrate into the lesson where appropriate),
objective quizzes, and online simulation results. As stated earlier, formative assessments guide my
remediation and tell me when we can move on to enrichment case studies.
A summative assessment will be used at the end of the unit to fully assess what the student learned in
the unit (multiple choice and Free Response Questions). Questions for the exam are either written by
the instructor or taken from exams released by the College Board, instructor test banks that
accompany the college level text, and AP Review/Practice Books.
10.
Relate assessment instruments to the outcomes stated in the goals.
The summative assessment will address the standards identified above. This standards-based
assessment will show how well the student met the goals stated at the completion of the unit.
Barb Beyke