Advanced Placement American Government
Summer Assignment
To: Students of AP Government and Politics
From: Mrs. Stewart (stewarka@pwcs.edu)
Re: Summer Preparation Assignment
Dear Students,
Welcome to AP U.S. Government and Politics. You will have the opportunity to earn college
credit through the College Board at the end of the year for this course by taking the AP Exam in May of
2014. This is a very rigorous and fast-paced course. It is important that you are aware of the year long
commitment you are about to undertake as a student of this course in your Senior Year of high school.
Please make sure to read the assignment completely and carefully so that you will be ready to fully and
successful participate when class begins for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year.
AP Government requires different thinking and writing skills than you used in U.S. History.
Writing for government requires the understanding and analysis of abstract concepts and principles. You
will depend less on the study of chronology of facts and events than on your interpretation of facts and
events. You will have the added benefit of taking the course during a gubernatorial election year (if you
don’t know what this means…look it up!) and a recent presidential election. Throughout the year you
will become aware of politics in general and specifically, have an opportunity to explore your political
self, and where you fit into our political world. This summer assignment is designed to help you to
transition from thinking historically to thinking and writing from a political perspective.
There are three parts to this summer assignment and each one is described below. Assignments
should be prepared and completed for the first day of class.
Assignment #1: Follow the News and Plunge into Politics!!!!
Your first assignment is to be a news sponge this summer! Read and watch as much news as possible.
This will tune your ear to the vocabulary and concepts we will be discussing all year long. During the
school year, you be required to complete analysis/review of a variety of political news programs. (ie.
O’Reilly Factor, Reliable Sources, CBS Sunday Morning, Hardball with Chris Matthews, The Five, meet the
Press, State of the Union, etc.) as well as political cartoons and print editorials on a regular basis. So get
hooked on the news now- it will pay off big as we apply government to the real business of life. This
assignment requires you to keep a journal to track major news stories that are national and
international in scope. A note or two regarding the news sources used to stay informed, clippings of
interesting political cartoons and print editorials are required for the journal to be complete. Also, you
will need to include your personal thoughts and feelings to the news that is reported.
You should have at least 50 entries into your journal of various news. Each entry should include
a brief summary of the main ideas and a personal reaction. This allows for about 10 entires a
week. *You must include the date and the source for each article so that I can recognize that
you are paying attention to the news the entire summer and not just the week before class
starts!!!
o Example: If you watch CBS Sunday Morning and you briefly summarize the news
reported during that hour and then your personal reactions to the stories discussed and
covered.
o Example: You come across an interesting article on MSNBC.com or CNN.com and
summarize the article and your personal reaction.
Assignment #2: Get to Know the U.S. Constitution
This course will include an in-depth study of the United States Constitution. Check your basic knowledge
of this fundamental founding document by perusing a website listed below or one of your choosing.
Take the online check tests provided. Be ready to report the website you used to study the Constitution
and note your score on the check tests you completed when you return for class. There are many good
websites which provide annotated versions and back check tests of Constitutional knowledge. Feel free
to use any site that fits the bill for the purpose of this assignment. In addition to reporting on your
chosen website and your check test scores, be ready to share something you didn’t know, something
that perplexes you, and something that you just think is really cool or interesting about the amazing
document when we begin class. You will be having a basic Constitutional test the first week of school to
test you on this part of the summer assignment.
http://billofrightsinstitute.org
www.constitutionfacts.com
http://www.america.gov
Assignment #3: Get to know the Vocabulary of Politics
Lastly, while you are completing the other two assignments you will run into many terms of vocabulary
that you will most likely be very unfamiliar to you or confusing. Each time you run into one of these
terms it is important that you try to find the meaning and understanding so that you can better
comprehend your assignments and the upcoming course. You will be required to keep a log of
vocabulary over the summer. Upon your return you must have a minimum of 100 valid political
vocabulary words that you have defined while completing your other assignments.
Example: While listening to an interview between Speak Boehner (do you know who this is?) and David
Gregory (Do you know who this is?) you hear the term bipartisan but don’t’ know what it means… write
it down, look it up, define it, learn it! 
If at anytime you have questions regarding the assignments please do not hesitate to contact
me via email at stewarka@pwcs.edu. I check my email often and will quickly get back to you. Have a
wonderful summer…read the paper, watch the news, discuss what you are learning with your parents.
Government is something that is a part of your life every single day. I’m looking forward to getting to
know you!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Stewart
P.S. Reading directions completely is a basic strategy for success in every class. Send me an e-mail of
introduction when you have reached this point in the assignment. I’ll build a class email group so that if
something important and exciting happens in the news, I can let you know! The email and introduction
will be considered your first grade of the first quarter of the last first day of your last year of your high
school career.