HPISD CURRICULUM
(SOCIAL STUDIES, AP US GOVERNMENT)
EST. NUMBER OF DAYS:15 DAYS __
UNIT NAME
Unit Overview
LINKAGE INSTITUTIONS
UNIT 2A: PUBLIC OPINION AND POLITICAL ACTION
UNIT 2B: MASS MEDIA AND THE POLITICAL AGENDA
UNIT 2C: INTEREST GROUPS
Unit 2 looks at the various methods and linkage groups that the public may use to
influence the political agenda.
A:
Students will learn about how American public opinion is formed, how it is
measured, the ideologies of most Americans, and how Americans participate in
politics.
Generalizations/Enduring Understandings
B:
The students will learn how Mass Media is a key component of the political agenda.
C:
Students will learn about interest groups-the many private organizations that seek
to influence the shaping of American public policy.
A:
 Demographic shifts have important economic and political consequences
 Americans gain their political beliefs through many agents of
socialization
 Public opinion is measured through various methods and its findings are
important to the American political climate.
 American political ideologies are unique as compared to other democratic
nations.
 There are various degrees of political participation that are designed to
encourage public involvement in the political process.
B:
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Politics uses the media to influence the political agenda.
The media is referred to as the “fourth branch of government” because of
its vast link to the policymaking institutions.
The electronic mass media has changed the political landscape of American
politics.
C:
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Interest groups provide an important avenue for Americans to use to
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Concepts
influence government policies.
Americans are “a nation of joiners”.
Interest groups use various techniques to influence political parties and
public policy.
A:
The American people, political socialization, measuring public opinion, political
ideologies, participation in politics
B:
Development of mass media, reporting the news, news and public opinion, media and
political agenda
Guiding/Essential Questions
C:
Roles and reputation of interest groups, theories of interest group politics,
interest group success, interest group explosion, interest groups and the shaping
of public policy, types of interest groups, interest groups and the role of
government
A:
 How has political change in the U.S. led to a new minority-majority?
 What is the importance of demographics to Congressional reapportionment and
redistricting?
 What are the contributions of the various major minority groups to the American
political and economic agendas?
 How will the increase of an elderly population change the political agenda?
 What are the primary agents of political socialization?
 Why is public opinion important to the evaluation of political agenda?
 What are the components of conducting an accurate political opinion poll?
 How can the American political system work well if there is a lack of knowledge
about politics?
 How do the political beliefs of a liberal differ from those of a conservative?
 What methods may be used by a citizen to participate in politics?
 How can Americans be considered as “ideological conservatives but
operational liberals”?
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B:
 How has the evolution of the mass media been used by Presidents throughout
the history of the U.S.?
 How has investigative journalism added to the public cynicism and negativism
about politics?
 What are the major sources that people rely on for their news?
 How do journalists define what is newsworthy, where they get their
information, and how to present their information as news?
 Why is the media charged with having a liberal bias in their stories?
 How can political activists get their ideas placed high on the government’s
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policy agenda?
How can the media act as a key linkage institution between the people and
the policymakers?
What functions of the media help keep government small and what functions
encourage big government?
Why has the rise of the “information society” not established an “informed
society”?
How has the internet and cyberspace changed American politics?
C:
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Learning Targets
What are the big differences between interest groups and political parties?
How do the three basic theories of American democracy relate to interest
group politics?
How is interest group liberalism promoted by subgovernments?
What factors make an interest group successful?
How do interest groups shape and influence public policy?
What are the various forms of interest groups?
How and why do interest groups promote bigger government?
What is the appropriate role of interest groups within a democracy?
Performance Level
PREREQUISITES:
The student will be able to define the vocabulary found
in Section A of the Language of instruction component
of the curriculum Template for Unit 2A. The student
will also be able to explain, interpret, translate, or
extend the concepts found in Section A of the Topics
Component of the Curriculum Template for Unit 2A
LEARNING TARGET:
The student will analyze the impact of public opinion
and political participation on public policy and the
public agenda.
Learning Progression
K - Students take a pre-test to determine the amount of
background knowledge they have for this unit.
 K - Students learn the vocabulary that is needed
for this unit.
 K - Students learn and interpret the major
concepts needed for this unit
 K & S - Have students interpret different
polling graphs or charts taken by the Gallup
organization based on politics today.
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K - Students become aware of current events
that will be necessary for future application of
certain concepts in this unit
K – Students discover the various methods a
citizen may use to participate in politics and
discuss the motivations behind a citizen’s
political participation.
K - Students identify various ideological beliefs
by taking an ideological test that measures their
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PREREQUISITES:
The student will be able to define the vocabulary found
in Section B of the Language of Instruction component
of the curriculum Template for Unit 2B. The student
will also be able to explain, interpret, translate, or
extend the concepts found in Section B of the Topics
Component of the Curriculum Template for Unit 2B
own political ideological belief.
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D* - Vocabulary assessment of chapter 6
vocabulary and concepts by using a quick write
activity. Each student receives points for
correct answer.
D* - Quiz on Chapter 6 and any additional facts
not listed in chapter but on vocabulary and
concept list.
D* - After the quiz is graded, check for
muddiest points.
LEARNING TARGET:
The student will be able to explain why the media is
considered the “Fourth branch of government” and its
influence on the political agenda: they will also analyze
how the media has changed the political landscape of
American politics.
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PREREQUISITES:
The student will be able to define the vocabulary found
in Section C of the language of instruction component of
the curriculum Template for Unit 2C. The student will
also be able to explain, interpret, translate, or extend
the concepts found in Section C of the Topics
Component of the Curriculum Template for Unit 2C.
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D* –Vocabulary assessment of chapter 7
vocabulary and concepts by using either a
Crossword puzzle or scavenger hunt.
D* - Quiz on chapter 7 and any other
vocabulary and concepts not found in chapter
but on the vocabulary and concept list.
D* - After the quiz is graded, check for
muddiest points.

K – Review vocabulary and concepts on
Chapter 11 by using a crossword puzzle or the
game popcorn.
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S – Review research and internet skills by
having students go to the internet and research
certain interest groups to see how they influence
public policy.
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D* - Quiz on chapter 11 and any other
vocabulary and concepts not found in chapter
but on the vocabulary and concept list.
D* - After the quiz is graded, check for
muddiest points.
LEARNING TARGET:
The student will be able to analyze why citizens form
interest groups and how interest groups use a variety of
techniques to influence political parties and public
policy.
K – Optional review or discussion of most
missed questions on previous quiz.
S – Analyze and evaluate different articles from
different periodicals.
S- Students will compare and contrast editorial
bias in certain articles from different
periodicals.
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K – Review students on the vocabulary and
concepts for this unit. Use student group
activities or short quizzes.
K - Have students interpret Federalist # 10 and
analyze how the Framers of the Constitution felt
about factions.

S – Discuss expectations on essays or timed free
responses that will be administered during the
class year.
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Summative – Timed Essay or Free response
will be taken.
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Summative – Multiple choice test
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S- Analyze test and essay
Formative Assessments
Summative Assessments
TEKS (Grade Level) / Specifications
TEKS
(2) History. The student understands
the roles played by individuals,
political parties, interest groups, and
the media in the U.S. political system,
past and present.
(A) give examples of the
processes used by individuals,
political parties, interest
groups, or the media to affect
public policy;
(B) analyze the impact of
political changes brought about
by individuals, political
parties, interest groups, or the
media, past and present.
(7) Government. The student understands
the American beliefs and principles
reflected in the U.S. Constitution and
Specifications
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Lobbying (Pearson)
Litigation (Pearson)
Electioneering (Pearson)
Grass Roots Mobilization (Pearson)
Polling (Pearson)
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Watergate (Pearson)
Elections of 1800, 1828, 1860, 1932, 1968, 2000
(Pearson)
Buckley v Valeo (Pearson)
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Federalist # 70 (Pearson)
Federalist # 78 (Pearson)
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why these are significant.
(C) analyze how the Federalist
Papers such as Number 10 , Number
39, and Number 51 explain the
principles of the American
constitutional system of
government;
(11) Government. The student
understands the role of political
parties in the U.S. system of
government.
(C) identify opportunities for
citizens to participate in
political party activities at
local, state, and national
levels.
(14) Citizenship. The student
understands the difference between
personal and civic responsibilities.
(A) explain the difference
between personal and civic
responsibilities;
(15) Citizenship. The student
understands the importance of voluntary
individual participation in the U.S.
constitutional republic.
(A) analyze the effectiveness of
various methods of participation
in the political process at
local, state, and national
levels;
(B) analyze historical and
contemporary examples of citizen
movements to bring about
political change or to maintain
continuity;
(B) analyze historical and
contemporary examples of citizen
movements to bring about
political change or to maintain
continuity;
(16) Citizenship. The student
understands the importance of the
expression of different points of view
in a constitutional republic.
(A) examine different points of
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19th amendment (Constitution)
Civil rights (Pearson)
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Iron triangles (Subgovernments) (Pearson)
Issue Networks (Pearson)
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Processes and Skills
Topics
view of political parties and
interest groups such as the
League of United Latin American
Citizens (LULAC), the National
Rifle Association (NRA), and the
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) on important contemporary
issues;
(19) Science, technology, and society.
The student understands the impact of
advances in science and technology on
government and society.
(B) evaluate the impact of the
Internet and other electronic
information on the political
process.
(20) Social studies skills. The student
applies critical-thinking skills to
organize and use information acquired
from a variety of valid sources,
including electronic technology.
(D) analyze and evaluate the
validity of information,
arguments, and counterarguments
from primary and secondary
sources for bias, propaganda,
point of view, and frame of
reference;
(E) evaluate government data
using charts, tables, graphs, and
maps;
(F) use appropriate mathematical
skills to interpret social
studies information such as maps
and graphs.
A:
Defining public opinion, demographic changes, contributions of major groups of
cultures, congressional reapportionment, regional changes, rise of the elderly,
political socialization and its agents, public opinion, polling examples, purpose
of polls, difference between ideologies, ideology and methods of voting,
unconventional and conventional political participation, class system and
inequality, public attitudes towards government
B:
Mass media today, evolution of the mass media, reporting and presentation of the
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news, news and influence on public opinion, media influence on government’s policy
agenda, media as the “fourth branch of government”, watchdog function of the media
C:
Reasons for the organization of interest groups, positives and negatives of
interest groups, how interest groups manipulate policy based on pluralism,
elitism, and hyperpluralism, organization of interest groups, the members and
nonmembers of interest groups, monetary resources, rise of interest group
politics, influence of interest groups through lobbying, electioneering,
litigation, and grassroots lobbying, many different types of interest groups,
Madison’s viewpoint on interest groups, relationship between interest groups and
the role and shape of government
Facts
Language of Instruction
A:
Public opinion, demography, census, reapportionment, redistricting, Wesberry v
Sanders, Baker v Carr, melting pot, minority majority, sunbelt, reapportionment,
gray power, political socialization, agents of socialization, public opinion,
polling, sample, universe, random sampling, random digit dialing, bandwagon
effect, exit poll, political ideology, ideologues, group benefits voters,
political participation, protest, civil disobedience, gender gap, conservatism,
liberalism, political culture, watchdog
B:
High-tech politics, mass media, investigative journalism, print media, broadcast
media, chains, presidential debates, policy agenda, watchdog function, media
events, press conferences, yellow journalism, Watergate, sound bites,
C:
Interest group, faction, collective good, selective benefits, single-issue group,
lobbyists, electioneering, PACs, litigation, public interest groups, ideological
groups, union shop, right-to-work laws, Taft-Hartley Act, agribusiness, amicus
curiae, class action lawsuits
State Assessment Connections
National Assessment Connections
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy 10th Ed., George C. Edwards
III, Martin P. Wattenberg, Robert L. Lineberry: Longman Publishers, Inc. 2002.
American Government:
Education, 2004.
Resources
Readings and Cases 15th Edition, Peter Woll:
Pearson
www.census.gov
www.demographics.com/publication/ad/index.htm
www.gallup.com
www.washingtonpost.com
C-SPAN
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Any reputable news magazine or program (CNN.com or MSNBC.com)
www.people-press.org
www.appcpenn.org
www.onpolitics.com
www.aarp.org
www.alfcio.org
www.nea.org
www.greanpeace.org
www.naacp.org
www.usgovinfo.about.com/blorgs.htm
Federalist #10 – James Madison
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