Dahlke POLS 101 Fall 2010/Spring 2011
CREDIT HOURS
Semester/year: 2010-11
Instructor: Polly Dahlke
Office Location: Bear Lake High School
Office Hours: 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Office phone: 208 847-0294
E-Mail Address: pdahlke@blsd.net
The CSI Mission Statement
The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides quality
educational, social, cultural, economic, and workforce development opportunities that meet the
diverse needs of the communities it serves. CSI prepares students to lead enriched, productive
and responsible lives in a global society.
General Education Criteria: This course satisfies all eight criteria for general education. It is
designed to:
1.
provide a broad-based survey of a discipline and show the interconnectedness of knowledge.
2.
develop a discerning individual.
3. practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills
4.
promote awareness of social and cultural diversity in order to appreciate the commonality of
mankind.
5. foster the balance between individual needs and the demands of
society.
6. reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and/or quantitative skills.
7. encourage and inspire life-long learning.
8.
encourage creativity.
Social Science Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Social Science Department is to provide educational, social, and cultural
opportunities which encourage enriched, productive and responsible lives primarily by
instructing students to understand, interpret, and apply Social Science discipline coursework.
Social Science Department Goals: This course addresses the following Social Science
Department goals:
1.
help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.
2.
help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.
3.
help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
4.
teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.
5.
teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences to make better-informed
decisions
6.
help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.
7.
prepare students to transfer to a university.
Political Science Mission Statement
The Political Science Program provides the opportunity for the students to examine the
American political system and politics
Relevant Program Goals: The student will:
1.
demonstrate…the understanding of political theories, structures and processes
2.
gain mastery of…thinking, integrating and logical organizing political information
3.
become well practiced at…interpreting political situations
4.
become well-prepared through…the study of political science, to understand and discuss
local, state, national and international developments.
Pre-requisites and Prerequisite skills
American Government and PolS 101 Course Description
This course…challenges the student to achieve an understanding of the American political
system; such as the different parts and functions of our government, student’s rights, and their
responsibilities as a citizen. The course topics that are introduced and discussed will be
presented in a way to make the study of government a part of the students’ world.
Course Outcomes (CO) Aligned with GE Criteria (GE), and Social Science (SS) and Political Science
(POLS)
Students will…
CO1. demonstrate understanding of…the basic structure of
American Government
CO2. demonstrate understanding of…Comparative Political and
Economic systems
CO3. demonstrate the ability to…use critical thinking to
analysize and interpret American Government and Politics
CO4. demonstrate the ability to…apply course concepts in a
personal and everyday context
GE
1, 2, 3
SS
1, 2, 3, 4
POLS
1, 2, 3, 4
1, 2, 3, 6
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
1, 2, 3, 4
1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
1, 2, 3, 4
1, 2, 3, 4
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3, 4
7
Assessment Methods: Alignment of Course Outcomes (CO) with course assessment methods,
such as:
CO1
CO2
CO3
CO4
Multiple
Choice/Short
Answer
Exams
X
X
X
Essay
Papers
X
X
X
X
Class
Vocabulary
Assignments
Terms
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Quizzes
Community
Service
X
X
Policies and Procedures
a.
Attendance policy…1. Students who are absent more than six (6) periods
may lose credit for that class. 2. Students who lose credit because they
failed to meet the attendance policy may appeal to the high school
attendance committee. The committee will determine if extenuating
circumstances exist. Appeals must be made in writing within seven days
after the semester ends. 3. For this policy, no distinction will be made
between excused absences, un-excused absences or truancies. SCHOOL
EXCUSED ABSENCES DO NOT APPLY TO THE ATTENDANCE
POLICY. 4. A tardy of more than ten minutes is considered an absence.
5. Three tardies will equal one absence. 6. All decisions by the
attendance committee may be appealed to Superintendent and/or the
School Board.
b.
Hours of lecture each week…eighty hours
c
Required assignments…five community service hours
e.
Late policy…docked 20% per day late
f.
Plagiarism statement…Intentional will result in failing the class
Grading Practices:
a.
b.
Homework assignment, daily quizzes, activities
30%
Essay Papers-assigned each unit
30%
Unit Exams
10%
Final Exam
20%
Participation
10%
Grading Scale
A
100 - 92.5
C
76.4 - 72.5
A- 92.4 - 89.5
C- 72.4 - 69.5
B+ 89.4 - 86.5
D+ 69.4 - 66.5
B
86.4 – 82.5
D
66.4 – 62.5
B- 82.4 – 79.5
D- 62.4 – 59.5
C+ 79.4 – 76.5
F 59.4
Library Use if Applicable:
Topical Outline for the Course:
Fall Semester
(American Government A)
American Political Culture
Chapter 1
Week 1-3
Constitutional Democracy
Chapter 2
Week 4-6
Federalism: Forging a Nation
Chapter 3
Week 7-8
Political Parties
Chapter 8
Week 9-10
Political Participation
Chapter 7
Week 11
Public Opinion and Political Socialization
Chapter 6
Week 12-13
Interest Groups
Chapter 9
Week 14-15
The News Media
Chapter 10
Week 16
The Legislative Branch
Chapter 11
Week 17-18
Mid Term Final
Spring Semester
Week 18
(American Government B)
The Presidency
Chapter 12
Week 1-3
The Federal Bureaucracy
Chapter 13
Week 4-5
The Federal Judicial System
Chapter 14
Week 6-8
Civil Liberties
Chapter 4
Week 9-12
Equal Rights
Chapter 5
Week 13-14
Economic and Environmental Policy
Chapter 15
Week 15
Welfare and Education Policy
Chapter 16
Week 15
Foreign and Defense Policy
Chapter 17
Week 16
State and Local Politics
Chapter 18
Week 17
Debates and Final
Week 18
CSI E-mail
E-mail is the primary source of written communication with all CSI students. Students
automatically get a CSI e-mail account when they register for courses. Messages from
instructors and various offices such as Admission and Records, Advising, Financial Aid,
Scholarships, etc. will be sent to the students€™ CSI accounts (NOT their personal email accounts). It is the students’ responsibility to check their CSI e-mail accounts
regularly. Failing to do so will result in missing important messages and deadlines.
Students can check their CSI e-mail online at http://students.csi.edu. Student e-mail
addresses have the following format: username@students.csi.edu. At the beginning of
each semester free training sessions will be offered to students who need help using their
CSI e-mail accounts.
On-line course evaluation statement:
Students are strongly encouraged to complete evaluations at the end of the course.
Evaluations are very important to assist the teaching staff to continually improve the
course. Evaluations are available online at: http://evaluation.csi.edu. Evaluations open
up two weeks prior to the end of the course. The last day to complete an evaluation is the
last day of the course. During the time the evaluations are open, students can complete
the course evaluations at their convenience from any computer with Internet access,
including in the open lab in the Library and in the SUB. When students log in they should
see the evaluations for the courses in which they are enrolled. Evaluations are
anonymous. Filling out the evaluation should only take a few minutes. Your honest
feedback is greatly appreciated!
Disabilities:
Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related
accommodations. To determine eligibility and secure services, students should
contact the coordinator of Disability Services at their home high school...