American+Government

"The learner will . . ." || **Standard(s)** || **No. of Days** || **Vocabulary Terms** || **Resources** || **Student Learning Activities** || **Assessment** || 2. outline the four most influential theories of the origins of the state. 3. explain the purposes for which government exists. 4. outline the characteristics of unitary, federal, and confederate systems of government. 5. describe differences between presidential and parliamentary systems of government. 6. compare dictatorship and democracy. 7. understand the basic concepts on which American democracy is built. 8. analyze how the operation of American government illustrates these basic concepts. 9. understand the basic ideas about government that English colonists brought to America. 10. examine how governments first developed in the 13 colonies. 11. explain how the relationship between the colonies and Great Britain changed during the pre-Revolutionary period. 12. understand why the Declaration of Independence is considered a revolutionary document. 13. describe what government was like in the newly independent United States. 14. demonstrate an understanding of the basic provisions and major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. 15. Explain reasons why the 1780s are known as the Critical Period in American history. 16. examine the steps that led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. 17. describe how the Constitution was written. 18. explain why compromises were necessary. 19. list three major compromises incorporated into the Constitution. 20. state Anti-Federalists objections to ratification of the Constitution. 21. describe how the Constitution was ratified. || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 10 ||  || student text
 * Teachers **** : ** (list)
 * Textbook: ** (//Magruder's// //American Government//, Prentiss Hall, 1997)
 * ~ (1) ||~ (2) ||~ (3) ||~ (4) ||~ (5) ||~ (6) ||~ (7) ||~ (8) ||~ (9) ||
 * **Obj #** || **Unit** || **Objective:**
 * || Ch. 1-2 || 1. describe the four characteristics of a state.

various news sources

in-depth resources || discussion

"bell ringer" activity

reading and rewriting primary sources || section quizzes

Ch. 1 and 2 Test || 2. Analyze the operation of the of the system of checks and balances. 3. Explain how the principle of federalism came t be embodied in the Constitution. 4. Determine how the Constitution has been able to endure more than 200 years of extraordinary change and growth in this country. (3.2) 5. Examine the Bill of Rights and the reason it was added to the Constitution. 6. Explain the processes by which formal changes can be made in the Constitution. 7. Examine the reasons why the informal amendment process is the real key to two centuries of constitutional development. 8. Determine the several means of informal change to the Constitution. 9. Define the concept of federalism. (4.1) 10. Identify the powers delegated to the National Government and reserved to the States. 11. Identify the powers denied to the National Government and the States. 12. Understand the obligations of the National Government to the States under the Constitution. (4.2) 13. Identity the kinds of aid the National Government grants to the States. 14. Identify the kins of aid the States provide the National Government. 15. Analyze how provisions of the Constitution promote cooperation between and among the States. (4.3) || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 10 ||  || student text
 * || Ch. 3-4 || 1. Examine the six principles upon which the US Constitution is built. (3.1)

various news sources

in-depth resources || discussion

"bell ringer" activity

reading and rewriting primary sources || section quizzes

Chapter 3-4 Test || 2. Identify the functions of political parties. 3. Explain why the US has a two-party system. 4. Compare the characteristics of one-party and multi-party systems. (5.2) 5. Describe the nature of party membership. 6. Describe how political parties have developed in this country. (5.3) 7. Name the two political parties that have dominated the nation's politics for more than 125 years. 8. Describe the different types of minor parties. (5.4) 9. Explain the importance of minor parties. 10. Describe the factors that make the major parties highly decentralized. (5.5) 11. Explain how the major parties are organized. 12. Analyze the three elements of a major party. 13. Understand the factors that explain the current state of parties and the party system. || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 10 ||  || student text
 * || Ch. 5 || 1. Define political party. (5.1)

various news sources

in-depth resources || discussion

"bell ringer" activity

reading and rewriting primary sources || section quizzes

form political party

-design a poster for party -make a commercial introducing the party || 2. Determine what the Constitution currently says about the right to vote. 3. Determine who may vote in the United States. (6.2) 4. Examine the ways in which States have restricted voting rights in the past. 5. Examine reasons why civil rights laws were necessary to secure the right to vote for African Americans. (6.3) 6. Determine what have been the effects of civil rights laws on qualifications for voters. 7. Determine the scope of the nonvoter problem in the United States. (6.4) 8. Examine reasons why people do not vote. 9. Examine how sociological and psychological factors work to determine how a person will vote. (6.5) 10. Determine how much party identification affects voter behavior. || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 10 ||  || student text
 * || Ch. 6 || 1. Examine the ways in which the right to vote evolved in the United States. (6.1)

various news sources

in-depth resources

political party affiliation quiz (online) || discussion

"bell ringer" activity

reading and rewriting primary sources

political party affiliation quiz || section quizzes || 2. Examine the reasons why the caucus gave way to the convention as the dominant nominating method. 3. Determine the different forms of direct primary. 4. Examine the ways in which petitions are used in the nominating process. 5. Examine the reasons why the details of the election process are so important. (7.2) 6. Determine where and when elections take place. 7. Understand what a ballot is and determine the many forms it takes. 8. Examine the reasons why money is an indispensable campaign resource. (7.3) 9. Determine the problems that money poses in the election process. 10. Examine the ways in which the use of money is regulated in elections today. || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 5 ||  || student text
 * || Ch. 7 || 1. Determine the importance of the nominating stage in the electoral process. (7.1)

various news sources

in-depth resources || discussion

"bell ringer" activity

reading and rewriting primary sources || section quizzes || 2. Outline the major factors that shape public opinion. 3. Explain how public opinion is measured. (8.2) 4. Analyze the reasons for measuring public opinion. 5. Outline the major forms of mass media. (8.3) 6. Analyze the impact of mass media on politics. || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 10 ||  || student text
 * || Ch. 8 || 1. Define public opinion. (8.1)

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in-depth resources

//Wag the Dog// || discussion

"bell ringer" activity

reading and rewriting primary sources || section quizzes

student editorials || 2. Identify positive and negative influences of interest groups. 3. Identify different types of interest groups. (9.2) 4. Examine the bases for categorizing interest groups. 5. Identify the relationship between interest groups and public opinion. (9.3) 6. Explain the role of interest groups in the election process. 7. Describe how interest groups actually apply pressure on the policy-making process. || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 10 ||  || student text
 * || Ch. 9 || 1. Explain what interest groups are. (9.1)

various news sources

in depth resources

//Manchurian Candidate// || discussion

"bell ringer" activity

reading and rewriting primary sources || section quizzes

student editorials || 2. Identify the main idea in any complicated message. 3. Understand what analogies and symbols in cartoons are. 4. Understand why analogy and symbols are essential ingredients that make cartoons thought provoking forms of expression. 5. Understand the use of satire and humor in cartoons. 6. Understand how satire and humor help to make the point of a cartoon more effectively. 7. Understand the role exaggeration, visual hyperbole, and excessive understatement play in helping a cartoon to get its point across. 8. Understand the way in which exaggeration and the relative proportions of objects in a cartoon can be used to visually illustrate many kinds of relationships. 9. Appreciate the role of caricature and stereotypes in editorial cartooning. 10. Recognize the value of stereotypes in a cartoon, as well as their limitatins and their potential to reinforce simple-minded and harmful prejudices. 11. Understand that words can be used in cartoons in many ways. 12. Understand how words in a cartoon can reinforce its nonverbal features. 13. Become aware of the basic artistic techniques and rules of thumb that go into producing an effective editorial cartoon. 14. Understand the potential difficulties of trying to create an editorial cartoon. 15. Become aware of the wide range of historical, literary, and cultural materials cartoonists draw on for symbols and analogies. 16. Explain why these materials provide the most powerful and economical images cartoons employ. 17. Appreciate editorial cartoons as valuable sources of information about earlier periods of history. 18. Become aware that editorial cartoons are a popular art form with mass appeal that can evoke the spirit or temper of a time better than many other primary historical sources. || 12.1.1 12.1.2  12.2.1  12.2.2  12.2.3  12.2.4  12.2.5  12.2.6  12.2.10  12.2.11  12.2.12  12.3.1  12.3.2  12.3.4  12.3.5  12.3.6  12.4.1-US 12.4.2-US 12.4.3-US 12.4.4-US 12.4.5-US 12.4.1-W 12.4.2-W 12.4.3-W 12.4.4-W 12.4.5-W || 20 ||  || student text
 * || editorial cartoons || 1. Understand the editorial cartoon is a unified, visual expression of a single opinion or idea about a public issue in the news.

various news sources

//Understanding and Creating Editorial Cartoons// || discuss and create editorial cartoons || create editorial cartoons ||