Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics
Instructor Information
Jennifer Hoefler
Email: hoeflerj@pearlandisd.org
Website:
www2.pearlandisd.org/webpages/jhoefler
Tutorials: Wed & Fri 2:15-2:45 or by appt
Phone: 281.997.7445
Conference Period: 5th (11:02-12:27)
Edmodo Group Code: _______________
Purpose:
This is a college-level course designed to enhance your understanding of the United States’
system of government and build your critical thinking skills. The purpose of this course is twofold. First, the main goal of any Advanced Placement course is to prepare you for collegelevel academics. Second, this course is intended to prepare you specifically for the AP U.S.
Government and Politics Examination given May 10, 2016 at 8:00am. The AP exam is the
culminating assessment for this course, and a satisfactory score on the AP examination may
award you college credit for this class. State schools in Texas are now required to accept a
score of 3 or higher for college credit; however, it is your job to independently verify your
chosen university’s requirements to receive credit.
The goal and the focus of social studies is to promote a deeper and richer understanding of
the human experience and encourage greater civic awareness and responsibility. Effective
citizenship requires knowledge of political and economic structures and institutions, methods
of participation, and tools for problem solving. It is also the goal of this course to prepare
each student for success in college and the workforce. Course requirements will align with
the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards to ensure student preparedness beyond
high school.
Student Expectations:
(1) Bring proper materials. This includes a spiral; notebook paper; writing utensil; and Woll
reader (see supplementary readers)
(2) Read. This course is reading intensive. You will be expected to read all textbook
readings independently as well as all supplemental readings provided by the teacher.
You must read and internalize each assignment before you come to class, and be
prepared for quizzes over the reading material. Your teacher will keep you informed
of the reading assignments.
(3) Attend class. Due to time restrictions, it is critical that you be in class and prepared
each day.
(4) Keep up to date on current events. Major news stories will be discussed and analyzed
in class as they pertain to the content material. Be sure to keep up to date on political
events.
(5) Students will not use any electronic devices in class (including, but not limited to, cell
phones and IPODs).
(6) Students are expected to engage in political debates in a positive, respectful, and
thoughtful manner.
Cornell Notes
You will be expected to take notes over your readings and over lecture. Though you will
have some discretion over the arrangement of your notes, you will be expected to follow the
Cornell style of note taking. More specific information on this style of note taking will be
distributed in the future, but please note that the instructor will be reviewing and grading
your notes at various and randomly selected times throughout the semester.
Text:
Edwards, George C. III, Martin P. Wattenberg, and Robert L. Lineberry.
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy, 10th ed. New York:
Longman, 2002.
Supplemental Readings: Additional readings will come from the following sources
and will be provided to you by the instructor:
Serow, Ann and Everett Ladd. The Lanahan Readings in the American Polity,
3rd ed. Baltimore: Lanahan Publishers, Inc. 2003.
Stinebrickner, Bruce. Annual Editions: American Government 08/09.
Boston: McGrawHill, 2009.
Woll, Peter. American Government: Readings and Cases, 15th ed. New York:
Longman, 2003.
Course Outline:
I. Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government
Lesson Topic
Article/Table/Graph
Text Ch
Types of governments
Democratic Thought
Social Contract Theory
The Articles of Confederation and weaknesses
Constitutional Convention and Compromises
The Declaration of Independence (Woll)
“Second Treatise of Civil Government”
Locke (Woll)
Articles of Confederation (handout)
Ch 1
Principles of the Constitution – including
separation of powers and checks and
balances
Constitution
Federalist #47, 48, 51
Brutus Essay 18 October 1787
Constitutional Debates over
Amendments
Ch 2
TENATIVE UNIT TEST – MC ONLY – JAN. 15
Federalism
National and state government relationships
How to Answer FRQs
TENATIVE UNIT TEST – JAN 26
“American Federalism” Elazar (Lanahan)
Graph: Fiscal Federalism: Federal Grants
to State and Local Govts
Ch 3
II. Political Beliefs and Behaviors and Mass Media
Political participation
Socialization: Agents of Political Socialization
How public opinion is measured; How to
conduct and read public opinion polls
Voting behavior
Graph: “Political Participation by Family
Income,” “Turnout Increases with Age”
Interpreting Political Data: Exercise 3
Trust in Government
“Democratic Practice and Democratic
Theory” Berelson (Woll)
Ch 6
Defining Ideology
Groups and ideological thinking
Table: “Stories Citizens Have Tuned in
and Stories They Have Tuned Out”
“Starting Over” Eastland (AE)
“Let the Blowhards Blow” Economist
(AE)
Activity: “Media in American
Democracy” Bill of Rights Institute Equal
Time pgs 3-15
Ch 7
Introduction to political parties Development
of Political parties
Effects of Parties on the Political Process
National Party Conventions
“Federalist 10” Madison (Woll)
“Divided We Govern” David R. Mayhew
(Woll)
“The Governmental Process” David B.
Truman (Woll)
Ch 8
Effects of interest groups
Characteristics & roles of PACs in the political
process; Range of interests
The Misplaced Obsession with PACs” L.
Sabato
Interpreting Political Data: Exercise 6
Political Action Committees
Ch 11
“The Responsible Electorate“ V.O. Key
(Woll)
Buckley v. Valeo (Woll)
“The Right to Spend” Rosen (Annual
Editions)
Ch 9
Ch 10
Function and structure of news media
Media impact on agenda setting, candidates,
elections, public opinion
TENATIVE UNIT TEST – FEB 5
III. Political Parties and Interest Groups
TENTATIVE UNIT TEST – FEB 19
IV. Nominations and Elections
Electoral laws and systems;
Nominations
Elections (inc. Presidential Elections)
Campaign Finance and McCain-Feingold
TENTATIVE UNIT TEST – MAR 1
Court Case Project due – March 7
Court Case Test (tentative) – March 10
V. Institutions of National Government: The Congress
Introduction to Congress; House v. Senate;
Membership
Congress’ Constitutional powers
How the legislative process works; Committees
“Congressional Government” Wilson
(Woll)
Interpreting Political Data: Exercise 11
Demographics of U.S. Congress
Ch 12
Political Parties and Congress; Party
Polarization
Congressional Elections & Incumbency
advantage
Interest Groups And Congress
“If…Congress is ‘The Broken Branch,’
How Come We Love our Congressmen
So Much” Fenno (Woll)
Interpreting Political Data: Exercise 12
Congressional Incumbency and
Reelection
TENTATIVE UNIT TEST – MAR 24
VI. Institutions of the National Government: The Presidency and Bureaucracy
Intro to the Presidency
Roles of the President
Constitutional Powers of the President Growth
of Presidential Power and the development of
the Presidency Organization of the Executive
branch; The President and his cabinet
Congress and the Presidency
Introduction to Bureaucracies – how
bureaucracies are organized
Who are the bureaucrats?
Iron triangle
TENATIVE UNIT TEST – APR 5
The Federal Budget
“The Presidency – Focus of Leadership”
C. Rossiter (Woll)
“The Presidential Character” Barber
(Woll)
Federalist #70
“Presidential Power” Richard Neustadt
(Lanahan)
“When Congress Stops Wars” Howell
(AE)
“Constitutional Democracy and
Bureaucratic Power” (Woll)
Ch 13
Interpreting Political Data: Exercise 15
The Federal Budget
Ch 14
Ch 15
TENTATIVE UNIT TEST – APR 11 NO FRQ This test
may be removed depending on time in which
case the Supreme Court test will be April 19
VII. Institutions of the National Government: The Courts
Structure of the Federal Judicial System
The Supreme Court & how it works Interpreting
the Constitution
Federalist #78 Hamilton (Woll)
“How the Supreme Court Arrives at a
Decision” W. Brennan (Woll)
Marbury v. Madison (Woll)
“Const. Liberty and the Right to
Abortion” O’Connor (Woll)
“Liberty and Abortion: A Strict
Constructionist View” Scalia (Woll)
US v. Nixon DBQ
Ch 16
T he Bill of Rights
Ch 4&5
Supreme Court & the President; Nomination
and confirmation
TENATIVE UNIT TEST – APR 21
VIII: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Public Opinion and the Supreme Court
US v. Nixon
What are our rights & liberties
Development of civil liberties and civil rights by
judicial interpretation
Exs of some court cases: Texas v.
Johnson, Adarand Constructors v.
Pena, Shaw v. Reno, Brown v. Board
Video: “One Man Changes the Constitution”
(Annenberg Classroom)
Incorporation and Court Cases
14th Amendment
Gideon v. Wainwright
TENATIVE UNIT TEST – MAY 2
PRACTICE AP EXAM – APRIL 29
May 2-May 13 – AP Testing
AP United States Government and Politics Exam – Tuesday May 10 @ 8:00 am
VII. Public Policy
Public policy formation and implementation
Executive branch, bureaucracy, and public
policy enforcement;
Social Welfare Policies – good or bad
Taxes and Government expenditures
Public policy will also be integrated
into the Institutions unit.
PROJECT: INFLUENTIAL INDIVIDUALS IN
GOVERNMENT
Due date: TBD
More information will be given
regarding this project as the date
nears; project will count as a test
grade
Ch 17
Ch 18
“The Tax-Cut Con” Krugman (AE)
Notice
The instructor reserves the right to alter or change the above schedule at any time to
accommodate unforeseen circumstances, but will not do so without proper notification.
Grading Policy
Per Pearland ISD grading policy, 60 percent of each six weeks grade will be based on tests or
assignments deemed equivalent to tests. Each test administered at the close of a unit will be
set up in the AP style to acquaint you with what you will see May 14th on the exam. Tests will
contain multiple choice items as well as free-response questions. Time will be taken before
the first major test to explain these test items and how to be successful on them.
The remaining 40 percent of a six weeks grade will be based on daily grades. Throughout
the course you will see assignments such as: critical thinking questions over readings, reading
interpreting, analyzing data, and formal class discussions.
Test Retake Policy
Pearland High School’s grading policy permits students to prove mastery of content by
retaking failed tests. In this class, test retakes will be formatted as an FRQ question that can
cover any of the content from the test in question to ensure mastery. You must request and
complete the retake within one week of receiving your test grade. As an Advanced
Placement student, policy only allows you to retake two exams in a given grading period.
Make-up Policy
Students absent from class are responsible for meeting with the teacher before or after
school to discuss any missing assignments, tests, or other material.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity free from fraud and deception and is an
educational objective of this institution. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to,
cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic
dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of
another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with
the academic work of other students. Any violation of the above will be punished to the
fullest extent permitted by district policy and may result in removal from the advanced
placement program.