AP United States Government and Politics
The Advanced Placement Government and Politics course is taught as a year-long, every other day
course in block schedule format. Each class period is ninety minutes. Students will be expected to
watch weekly news programs and visit the online course Wiki Page.
All students must sit for the AP Government & Politics exam in the spring in order to receive credit for
the course.
Teaching Strategies
The course is primarily lecture driven with some guided discussion. Students are expected to remain up
to date on the latest current events. Supplemental readings and primary sources are also used on a
regular basis to provide students with further information. Further, students have access to a course
Wiki Page that will provide a space for discussion, review material, etc.
Course Overview/Description
AP Government and Politics explores political theory and the operation of American Government. The
course is taught at the college level. All materials and text are geared towards a college experience. The
AP Government exam requires rigorous preparation in order to succeed. In order to attain this level of
success, students are expected to go beyond the basic understanding of how the United States
government works. A successful AP Government student will be able to critically analyze the American
government using current events and primary source information. Upon completion of this course,
students should expect to be challenged in their political beliefs and have a deeper understanding of
their rights and responsibilities as a citizen.
Course Readings:
Wilson, James Q., and John J. DiLulio Jr. American Government: Institutions and Policies. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.
Grading and Course Requirements
Each unit students are expected to take an AP like exam which will include rigorous multiple choice and
free response questions (FRQ’s). Student’s grades are based primarily on these tests. However,
students are expected to participate in a current event program. Students will additionally have to
comprehend and interpret political cartoons (shown almost daily in class) and a diverse collection of
charts and graphs that appear in class and on tests and quizzes. Further, students are expected to take
vocabulary quizzes and participate in graded-guided discussions on-line. There are also four simulations
for this course. For example students will run a mock U.S. Supreme.
Grade Break Down:
Test: 42%
Midterm/final: 20%
Discussions: 5%
Simulation: 20%
Current Events: 5%
On-line Homework 8%
The course will roughly follow the recommended AP U.S. Government and Politics Curriculum Outline.
The outline has six major categories and percentage goals of the multiple choice section of the test.
Class time will be roughly corresponding with these percentages. The content areas and percentages
include:
1. Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government…………. 5-15%
2. Political Beliefs and Behaviors………………………………………..10-20%
3. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media……………………10-20%
4. Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency,
Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts………………………………35-45%
5. Public Policy……………………………………………………………5-15%
6. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties………………………………………...5-15%
UNIT 1 CONSTITUTIONAL UNDERPINNINGS
Day 1
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Day 2
Probe #1 MC
10 Questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity:
Debate
decision made
by Founding
Fathers
Lecture: Intro
to American
Government
HW: Read
Chapter 1 Do
one online
activity.
Day 5
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Day 3
Probe# 1.2 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity: Divide
the house.
Should classes
have syllabi?
Lecture:
Constitution
Part1
HW: Read
Chapter 2 Do
one online
activity.
Day 6
Probe #3 MC
10 Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity Debate
the 10th
Amendment:
Lecture:
Federalism Part
2
HW: Read
Chapter 3 Do
one online
activity.
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Day 4
Probe#2 MC 10
Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Document
Analysis:
preamble to
Constitution.
Lecture:
Constitution
part II
HW: Read
Chapter 2 Do
one online
activity.
Day 7
Probe #3.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
UNIT PROJECT:
Position
paper/debate
HW: Test Prep
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
Probe#2.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity Debate:
Who should be
supreme the
Federal or State
Government.
Lecture:
Federalism Part
1
HW: Read
Chapter 3 Do
one online
activity.
Day 8
Video: Ted Talk
Review
Question
Round Up. 20
key questions
from Cornell
Notes
Lecture: test
review & unit
summary.
HW: Study for
Unit Test
TEST #1
60 Multiple Choice
Questions
2 FRQ’s
UNIT 2 POLTICAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS
Day 1
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Day 2
Probe #4 MC
10 Questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity: 911
Dispatcher
what is more
important?
Lecture:
American
Political Culture
part 1
HW: Read
Chapter 4 Do
one online
activity.
Day 5
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Day 3
Probe# 4.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Discussion why
are Americans
comfortable
with economic
disparity?
Lecture:
American
Political Culture
part 2
HW: Read
Chapter 7 Do
one online
activity.
Day 6
Probe #8 MC
10 Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity Pose
Question For
Notebook
responsibility
Lecture:
Political
Participation
Part 1
HW: Read
Chapter 3 Do
one online
activity.
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Day 4
Probe#7 MC 10
Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity Group
Work explain
why Founding
fathers public
opinion should
not matter.
Lecture: Public
Opinion part 2
HW: Read
Chapter 7 Do
one online
activity.
Day 7
Probe #8.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
UNIT PROJECT:
run a political
opinion poll.
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Probe#7.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity Debate:
Who should be
supreme the
Federal or State
Government.
Lecture:
Federalism Part
1
HW: Read
Chapter 8 Do
one online
activity.
Day 8
Activity
Discussion
what method
of political
participation
would help
college age
citizens be
more involved?
Lecture Political
Participation
part 2
HW: Study for
Unit Test
TEST #2
60 Multiple Choice
Questions
2 FRQ’s
UNIT 3 POLTICAL PARTIES, INTREST GROUPS, ELECTIONS AND MEDIA
Day 1
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Day 2
Probe #9 MC
10 Questions.
Review
political
cartoon/graph
Activity:
Computer Lab
Political
Compass
Lecture:
American
Political Parties
part 1
HW: Read
Chapter 9 Do
one online
activity.
Day 5
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Day 3
Probe# 9.1
FRQ Review
political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Discussion why
has the party
system
persisted in
America?
Lecture:
American
Political Parties
part 2
HW: Read
Chapter 10 Do
one online
activity.
Day 6
Probe #11 MC
10 Questions
Review
political
cartoon/graph
Activity Group
Work 4 types
of Interest
Groups-who
joins them and
why
Lecture:
Interest
Groups
HW: Read
Chapter 3 Do
one online
activity.
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Day 4
Probe#10 MC
10 Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Demonstration
how the
Electoral
College works.
Video:
Mathology of
the Electoral
College
Lecture:
Elections
HW: Read
Chapter 10 Do
one online
activity.
Day 7
Probe #12.0
political MC 10
Questions
cartoon/graph
Activity Watch
4 newscasts.
Which one was
Liberal and
why?
Lecture: Media
part 1
HW: Read
Chapter 12
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
Probe#10.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity TED talk
Lecture:
Campaigns
HW: Read
Chapter 11 Do
one online
activity.
Day 8
Probe #12.1
FRQ
Activity Twittergreat political
events in 135
characters.
Lecture Media
part 2
HW: Study for
Unit Test
TEST #3
60 Multiple Choice
Questions
2 FRQ’s
UNIT 4A INSTITUTIONS OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
Day 1
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Day 2
Video: Ted Talk
Activity:
Discussion
what did the
framers see as
the duties of
Congress?
Lecture:
Congress part 1
HW: Read
Chapter 13 Do
one online
activity.
Day 5
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Day 3
Probe# 13 MC
10 Questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Discussion Is
Congress
broken?
Lecture:
Congress part
2
HW: Read
Chapter 13 Do
one online
activity.
Day 6
Probe #14 MC
10 Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Videoalternative to
electoral
College
Lecture:
Presidency My
favorite
president and
why.
HW: Read
Chapter 14 Do
one online
activity.
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Day 4
Probe#13.1 FRQ
Questions Review
political
cartoon/graph
Activity Group
Work split class
into 4 groups &
list differences
between senate
and congress
(knock out)
Lecture: How a
bill becomes a
law.
Day 7
Activity
Discussion
what are the
outlined
powers of the
president?
Activity List
your top ten
presidents and
why.
Lecture:
Presidency part
1
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Activity Skit
what if your
teacher acted
like congress.
Cornell Note
Round Up.
Video West
Wing
Stackhouse
Filibuster
HW Read 14
Do one online
activity
Day 8
Probe #14.1 FRQ
Activity
Demonstration
structures of
leadership.
Lecture
Presidency part 2
HW: Study for
Unit Test
TEST #4
60 Multiple Choice
Questions
2 FRQ’s
UNIT 4B INSTITUTIONS OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
Day 1
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Day 2
Probe #16 MC
10 questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity:
Advanced
Organizer The
Court System
Lecture:
Supreme Court
part 1
HW: Read
Chapter 13 Do
one online
activity.
Day 5
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Day 3
Probe# 16.1
FRQ Questions.
Review
political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Demonstration
judicial review?
Lecture:
Supreme Court
part 2
HW: Visit OyezOyez generate
top 10 list of
cases
Day 6
Probe #15 FRQ
Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Scavenger Hunt
Lecture:
Bureaucracy part
2.
HW: Prepare for
Supreme Court
Simulation
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Day 4
Activity
Generate to 24
court cases of
all time
bracket
Bracket
Discussion.
HW read 15
Do one online
activity
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Day 7
Activity
Supreme Court
Simulation

Probe # 15 MC
10 questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Video opening
scene to Brazil
Discussion on
aspects of video
and bureaucracy
Lecture Bur.
Part1
HW Read 15 Do
one online
activity SCAV
Hunt
Day 8

TEST #4B
Activity
Supreme Court 60 Multiple Choice
Questions
Simulation
2 FRQ’s

HW Prepare
for unit test
UNIT 5 PUBLIC POLICY
Day 1
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Day 2
Probe #17 MC
10 questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity:
Discussion
government
regulation
diagram
Lecture:
Domestic
Policy part 1
HW: Read
Chapter 17 Do
one online
activity.
Day 5
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
Probe #19 10
MC Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Lecture:
Foreign Policy
part 2.
HW: Read 19
Do one on line
activity.
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Day 3
Probe# 17.1
FRQ Questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Problem
Solving
Perceived Cost
v. Perceived
Benefit?
Lecture:
Domestic part
2
Day 6
 Probe# 19.1
FRQ Questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
 Activity Split
the room
which world
view to you
have and why?
 Lecture: War
Powers Act
Day 4
MACRO
ECONOMICS
DAY!
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Lecture 1: DEBT
Lecture 2: GNP
Lecture 3: Budget
Lecture 4: how
the FED works.
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HW Take home
FRQ
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Day 7
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Activity
Debate- Should
the US trade
for hostages?
Video scene
from Pearl
Harbor FDR’s
decision
Lecture:
Foreign Policy
HW Read 19 Do
one online
activity
Day 8
Activity Visit the
US Army web
page.
Discussion:
Should there be a
draft?
Lecture:
Perceived cost
and benefit of
wars
HW Prepare for
unit Test
HW Prepare for
unit test
TEST #5
60 Multiple Choice
Questions
2 FRQ’s
UNIT 6 CIVIL RIGHTS CIVIL LIBERTIES
Day 1

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

Day 2
Probe #1 MC
10 Questions.
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity:
Debate
decision made
by Founding
Fathers
Lecture: Intro
to American
Government
HW: Read
Chapter 1 Do
one online
activity.
Day 5








Day 3
Probe# 1.2 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity: Divide
the house.
Should classes
have syllabi?
Lecture:
Constitution
Part1
HW: Read
Chapter 2 Do
one online
activity.
Day 6
Probe #3 MC
10 Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity Debate
the 10th
Amendment:
Lecture:
Federalism Part
2
HW: Read
Chapter 3 Do
one online
activity.







Day 4
Probe#2 MC 10
Questions
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity
Document
Analysis:
preamble to
Constitution.
Lecture:
Constitution
part II
HW: Read
Chapter 2 Do
one online
activity.
Day 7
Probe #3.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
UNIT PROJECT:
Position
paper/debate
HW: Test Prep








Probe#2.1 FRQ
Review political
cartoon/graph
Activity Debate:
Who should be
supreme the
Federal or State
Government.
Lecture:
Federalism Part
1
HW: Read
Chapter 3 Do
one online
activity.
Day 8
Video: Ted Talk
Review
Question
Round Up. 20
key questions
from Cornell
Notes
Lecture: test
review & unit
summary.
HW: Study for
Unit Test
TEST #1
60 Multiple Choice
Questions
2 FRQ’s
AP EXAM
?