Waynesville High School 2015-16
AP U.S. Government & Politics
Grade Level: 11-12
Course Duration: 2 Semesters
Prerequisite: None
Credit: 1 (Quality Point)
Instructor: Kelly Tillott
Conference: 6th period
Email: ktillott@waynesville.k12.mo.us
Phone: (573) 842-2400 ext. 3143
Course Design
Advance Placement U.S. Government and Politics is an in-depth and demanding review of the American
government system. Since students will be reading and assessing college level material, the course requires
a high level of competence and interest. A thorough review of the structure, powers, and influences of the
U.S. government system will be covered. This course will meet three graduation requirements of the
Waynesville R-VI School District and of the state of Missouri: (1) successful completion of a government
course, (2) the passage of the U.S. Constitution test, and (3) the passage of the Missouri Constitution test.
Students will also be required to take the U.S. Government End-of-Course Exam.
Course Objectives
1. Know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. government and politics
2. Understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences (including
the components of political behavior, the principals used to explain or justify various government
structures and procedures, and the political effects of these structures and procedures)
3. Be able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to U.S. government and politics
4. Be able to critically analyze relevant theories and concepts, apply them appropriately, and develop
their connections across the curriculum
Curricular Requirements
1. The course includes the study of the basic principles of the U.S. Constitution, the
constitutional system, and major events, individuals, and concepts important in the
development of the American governing system.
2. The course includes the study of how political beliefs are formed, how they evolve, and the
process by which they are communicated.
3. The course includes the study of the structure, powers, and responsibilities of the major
political institutions of the United States: Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy, and the
federal courts.
4. The course includes the study of constitutional provisions that guarantee civil liberties and
rights to all citizens.
5. The course includes the study of the impact that political parties, interest groups, and media
have on formulating government policy.
6. The course includes the study of key components of the government’s public policy process,
and the impact of government policy on domestic and foreign policy areas.
7. The course includes the study of the major components of Missouri’s state government system
as provided in its constitution.
8. The course provides students with practice in analyzing and interpreting data and other
information relevant to U.S. government and politics.
9. The course includes supplemental readings, including primary source materials and
contemporary news analyses that strengthen understanding of the curriculum
10. The course provides students with frequent practice in writing analytical and interpretive freeresponse questions.
Course Textbooks
Wilson, James Q., Dilulio, John J., Jr, and Bose, Meena, American Government: Institutions & Politics,
13th edition. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2013.
Other Material
Assigned and used in class: articles from current newspapers, such as the New York Times or Washington
Post, St. Louis Post Dispatch; news magazine excerpts from Time, Newsweek, or U.S. News and World
Report; news footage and documentaries; C-SPAN’S coverage and current events materials; numerous Web
sites; political cartoons from various sources; charts, graphs, and polling data from various sources.
Assessment
Evaluation will include formative and summative objective quizzes and tests, written free-response
questions, concept identification and application, and projects. Students will be given the Missouri End of
Course Exam for U.S. Government. This exam will be 10 percent of the final grade for second semester.
Course Plan: Units of study are not in order. This is a 36 week course. (2 Semesters)
Unit of Study Timeline Topics
Foundations of 4 weeks Founding the Constitution
U.S.
*Primary Source: Declaration of Independence
government
(1st draft, and final draft)
Articles of Confederation
Compromise in the Constitution
Bill of Rights
Federalism and Separation of Powers
* Students will read and analyze
the Federalist, Number 51 and 10
Types of federalism
AP Free Response Question (93.5)
“It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard society against the
oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of society against the injustice of
the other part. Different interests necessarily exist in different classes of
citizens. If a majority be united by a common interest, the rights of the minority
will be insecure.”
James Madison
The Federalist, Number 51
Using the quotation above and your knowledge of United States politics,
perform the following two tasks.
A. Explain the central point that Madison is making about popular
government and power.
B. Explain two constitutional provisions the framers devised to guard
against the problems that Madison is addressing.
Test over Unit
Political Beliefs 4 weeks Public Opinion
and Behavior
Formation of political opinion
Polling
Elections
Regulation in electoral process
Voter choice
Elections: 2002, 2004, 2006
Students will analyze and interpret data on voting trends in the 2002, 2004,
and 2006 elections. Data will come from text sources and polling data from the
elections.
Campaign Finance & Reform
Decline in voter participation
Free Response
1. Specific political attitudes develop from a number of sources. Identify three
of these sources, and explain how they affect political ideology.
2. Identify and explain three reasons for the incumbency advantage.
Political Parties, 6 weeks 2 party system
Interest Groups,
Students will analyze political cartoons from various media outlets using
and Mass Media
procedures from the National Archives.
Third parties in the United States
Types of Interest Groups
Role of Media in government
Free Response
1. Identify and describe three kinds of third parties, and explain their role in a
two-party system.
2. While interest groups and political parties each play a significant role in the
United States political systems, they differ in their fundamental goals.
a. Identify the fundamental goal of interest groups in the political
process.
b. Identify the fundamental goal of major political parties in the political
process.
c. Describe two different ways by which interest groups support the
fundamental goal of political parties in the political process.
d. For one of the forms of support you described in (c), explain two
different ways in which that form of support helps interest groups to
achieve their fundamental goal in the political process.
Missouri State 2 weeks Missouri state constitution Review and exam.
Constitution
RSMO 170.011
Public Policy
3 weeks Policy making
- setting political agenda
- costs, benefits, and policy
- business regulation
Domestic policy: Social and Environment
- social welfare politics and policy
o students will analyze and interpret data on Social Security and
Medicare benefits from the last decade. Data will come from
text book and other government sources.
- politics and environmental protection
Foreign policy
- Constitutional and legal context
- Foreign policy-making since World War II
Economic policy
- economic health
- economic policy making
o students will analyze and interpret economic trends throughout
U.S. history. Data will come from the text and other government
sources
- budget
Free Response
1. Sometimes policies are adopted that provide benefits to most of society and
impose substantial costs on a small group. For EACH of the following, identify
a policy that has been adopted, and describe who benefits and who bears the
cost.
A. environmental policy
B. consumer protection policy
2. Social Security and Medicare are in need of reform if they are to continue for
future generations. For each program, identify the problem it is facing and
explain one possible solution to that problem.
Institutions
9 weeks Congress (Legislative Branch)
- bicameral legislature
- organization
- law making process
- checks and balances
Presidency (Executive Branch)
- powers of the president
- staff and cabinet positions
- duties of the president
- succession of the president
Bureaucracy (Executive Branch)
- federal agencies
- iron triangles
Federal Court System (Judicial Branch)
- development of the federal courts
- impact on public policy
- selection of federal judges
- jurisdiction of federal courts
- powers of the Supreme Court
Free Response
Congress exercises control over both the judiciary and the bureaucracy.
a. Identify and explain two checks that Congress has over the judiciary.
b. Identify and explain two checks that Congress has over bureaucracy.
The federal courts have played a larger role in our government over time. With
respect to TWO of the following issues, explain how the court enlarged the role
of federal government:
a. slavery
b. the economy
c. civil liberties
Test over Unit
Civil Rights and 4 weeks Civil Liberties: Bill of Rights, Fourteenth Amendment,
Civil Liberties
Court Cases: Gitlow v. New York
Near v. Minnesota, Mapp v. Ohio,
Gideon v. Wainwright, Miranda v. Arizona, Roe v. Wade,
Civil Rights: Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
Kansas and Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
Affirmative Action
Free Response
1. Civil Liberties include the right of criminal defendants to be treated fairly
during investigation, arrest, and trial. Rules against illegal search and seizure
and self-incrimination protect a defendant’s right to due process.
a. Identify one rule regarding illegal search and seizure, and explain how that
rule operates to protect a defendant’s right to due process
b. Identify one rule regarding self-incrimination, and explain how that rule
operates to protect a defendant’s right to due process
2. Both Brown v. Board of Education and Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Board of Education deal with school desegregation: For each case,
a. Discuss the Court’s ruling and its impact.
b. Identify and discuss one limitation on school desegregation.
U. S.
2 weeks U.S. Constitution Review and exam.
Constitution
RSMO 170.011
End of Course 2 weeks
Exam/AP
testing
allowance
TOTAL
36
WEEKS
Grading:
a. Late Assignments will be taken until the last day of the grading period for no more than 75% credit in
value. After that time, assignments will be taken according to the homework policy set by the high school.
Assignments for SAVE or OSS will be given based from regular academic assignments and must be
returned to the teacher on the first day back to class or the student will receive a zero for all work not
completed. Due to the nature of this class, it is important that students complete assignments in a timely
manner.
b. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students who are caught cheating will be given a zero on
the assignment or exam and parents and administrators will be notified.
c. Grades will be updated weekly on powerschool..
90 - 100
A
80 - 89
B
70 - 79
C
60 - 69
D
Below 60%
F
I do not round grades.
Grades will be based on the following breakdown.
*Tests, unit quizzes, projects and unit FRQ’s = 80% of final grade
Online and in class assignments = 20% of grade
During second semester students will be required to take the Missouri End of Course Exam
and it will be worth 10% of the final grade.
d. Academic Assistance will be available after school by appointment - Tuesday and Thursday. Students
are required to sign up for academic assistance before 7th period each day. Students are able to attend
the Academic Support room for additional assistance.
e. Tiger Time is available for students who need assistance during the academic day. Students should
sign up for Tiger Time before school begins Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Students will be
given a pass for the day.
VIII.
Classroom behavioral expectations
1. Be on time and prepared to work.
2. Absolutely no foul language and all class conversations must be civil.
3. Turn assignments in on time.
4. Have fun while learning.
5. All school rules apply in this class. (Handbook will be followed.)