COURSE OVERVIEW
Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics
U.S. Government and Politics is a year-long course that not only seeks to prepare students for success, but also provide students with the political knowledge and reasoning processes to participate meaningfully and thoughtfully in discussions and debates that are currently shaping American politics and society. It is important to note that this course is not a history course; it is a political science course that studies the interconnectedness of the different parts of the American political system and the behaviors and attitudes that shape this system and are the byproduct of this system. U.S. Government and Politics accomplishes these goals by framing the acquisition of political knowledge around enduring understandings and big ideas about American government and politics that can be applied to a set of disciplinary practices through the use of a set of reasoning processes. Through the development of this set of political knowledge, disciplinary practices, and reasoning processes, by the end of the course, students will be able to analyze current and historical political events like a political scientist and develop factually accurate, well reasoned, thoughtful arguments and opinions that acknowledge and grapple with alternative political perspectives.
The course will be organized around the following units of study:
Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy
Unit 2: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Unit 3: Toward Collective Action: Part 1
Unit 4: Toward Collective Action: Part 2
Unit 5: Delivering Collective Action
Unit 6: The Outputs of Government
Weekly Current Events Assignment
The course consists of a one-class period review day in each unit and a unit exam.
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