Civics Syllabus Certificated Teacher: Date: 2017-2018 Desired Results Course Title/Grade Level: Civics Credit: X one semester (.5) two semesters (1) Estimate of hours per week engaged in learning activities: 5 hours of class work per week. Prerequisites and/or recommended preparation: None Instructional Materials All learning activity resources and folders are contained within the student online course. Online course is accessed via login and password assigned by student s school (web account) or emailed directly to student upon enrollment, with the log in website address. Course Overview: Civics is a one semester course designed to give you knowledge of the American political system and an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course will include both the study of general concepts used to interpret US politics and the analysis of specific examples. Throughout the course of the semester, you will become familiar with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute US politics. You will also become familiar with a variety of political perspectives and their explanations for various political behaviors and outcomes. Resources: To achieve goals listed above, the following resources will be used: 1. Curriculum Pathways: SAS in School: interactivities, lessons, and document analyses (http://www.sasinschool.com/) 2. C-Span Classroom 3. Primary Source Readings, charts, Polls, etc. taken from a variety of sources including the National Constitution Center, From Revolution to Reconstruction - an.html project, US National Archives and Records Administration, The Constitution Society Library of Constitutional Classics, USA.gov, Close Up Foundation, & The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. 4. Current newspaper and magazine articles: you will have access to 13 online periodicals that provide newsfeeds that are updated every 4 hours.
Goals: Upon successful completion of this course, you will have achieved the following goals: 1. To know important facts, concepts, and ideas pertaining to US government and politics; 2. To understand typical patterns of political behavior and their consequences (including the components of political behavior, the principles used to explain or justify various government structures and procedures, and the political effects of these structures and procedures); 3. To analyze and interpret basic data relevant to US government and politics, including but not limited to charts, graphs, written documents, maps, demographic data, and visual sources. All Coursework is aligned with Washington State EALRS Grade Level Expectations: Civics: 1.1.1: Analyzes and evaluates the ways in which the US Constitution and other fundamental documents promote key ideals and principles 1.1.2 (11): Evaluates how well court decisions and government policies have upheld key ideals and principles in the United States 1.1.2 (12): Evaluates the effectiveness of federalism in promoting the common good and protecting individual rights. 1.2.2: Evaluates the effectiveness of the system of checks and balances during a particular administration, court, Congress, or legislature. 1.2.3: Compares and contrasts different forms of government. 1.2.4: Analyzes the political system of the United States. 1.3.1: Evaluates the impact of international agreements. 1.4.1: Analyzes and evaluates ways of influencing local, state, and national governments to preserve individual rights and promote the common good. Economics: 2.2.1: Analyzes and evaluates different economic systems. 2.2.2: Analyzes and evaluates global trade. 2.3.1: Evaluates the role of the US government in regulating a market economy in the past or present History: 4.2.2: Analyzes unity and division through cultural identity.
4.2.3: Analyzes the impact of technology both past and present. 4.4.1: Uses history to evaluate current issues. Social Studies Skills: 5.2.2: Evaluates breadth of research to determine the need for new or additional information when researching an issue or event. 5.3.1: Analyzes one s own position on an issue. 5.4.1: Analyzes point of view and writes/presents materials. Geography: 3.2.2: Analyzes and evaluates cultural interaction. Themes and Essential Questions by Unit: I. Constitutional and Economic Underpinnings of American Government, Weeks 1 3 Themes: Important influences on the Constitution (Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, etc.) The Constitution & the Amendments Principles of the Constitution: Separation of Powers, Checks & Balances, & Federalism Capitalism (Adam Smith s influence on the founders) Essential Questions: What is the purpose of government? What was the founders view of the purpose of government and the role of the citizen in the American Republic? Are these views still relevant at the close of the millennium? What are the principles of the Constitution? How do these constitutional principles form the basis of U.S. government? Why did the Anti-Federalists fear this new system? Did this new system strengthen or weaken the concept of separation of powers? Explain. What are the powers of state and local governments? What influence should the federal government have over state and local issues such as education, affirmative action, abortion, and the environment?
II. Institutions of Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts, Weeks 4-6 Themes: The organization of and the major formal and informal powers of political institutions in the US: the Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Court System Relationships among these four institutions, varying balances of power, and the ways that power balances and relationships between these institutions either evolve gradually or change dramatically as a result of crises Powers of each institution, functions performed by each, implications of this arrangement Conflicting interests and powers of the institutions Linkages between institutions and between the institutions and each of the following: Public opinion and voters Interest groups Political parties The media Sub-national governments Essential Questions: How does Congress represent and reflect the interest and desires of the nation? Is Congress representative of the nation as a whole? Is the American legislative system the most efficient and effective way to make policy? Compare and contrast the makeup and operations of the House and Senate. What are the formal and informal powers of the presidency? How does the president use these powers to influence policy? Is the president too powerful or not powerful enough when compared to the legislative and judicial branches? What role do the courts play in interpreting the Constitution and implementing public policy? What is the proper role for the judicial branch in the public policy process? What is the relationship between the three branches of government? III. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Weeks 7-8 Themes: The development of individual rights and liberties and their impact on citizens
The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation, such as freedom of speech, assembly, and expression, the rights of the accused, rights of minority groups and women Understanding of the workings of the US Supreme Court and familiarity with its most significant decisions; legal, social, and political evolutions as a result of court decisions Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties The impact of the Fourteenth Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and liberties Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of Supreme Court decisions as tools of social change Essential Questions: What constitutes free speech? How does the national Bill of Rights apply to states? What is equal protection under the law? How does it affect Americans? What is procedural due process? Is there a right to privacy? What do property rights mean in relation to community interests? IV. Political Beliefs and Behaviors, Weeks 9-10 Themes: US political culture & beliefs that citizens hold about their government, its leaders, and the US political system Formation of political beliefs, processes by which citizens learn about politics, & reasons why US citizens hold certain beliefs about politics Ways that families, schools, and the media act to perpetuate or change citizens beliefs The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion Ways that political culture affects and informs political participation The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life and the reasons why individuals engage in various forms of political participation Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors, including demographic features of the American population, & beliefs and behavior systems held by specific ethnic, minority, or other groups in America Effects of citizens political participation on the political system Essential Questions: How do we come by our political beliefs? What are the sources of public opinion? What is the political spectrum? How do political beliefs define who we are as citizens?
What are the privileges and responsibilities of a citizen? How can citizens get involved in the American political process? What is the relationship between individual rights and the needs of the larger community? V. Political Parties, Interest Groups, the Mass Media, and the Electoral Process, Weeks 11-13 Themes: Political parties and elections; their functions and structures, organization, historical development, and their effects on the political process Ideological and demographic differences between the two major parties and third
Political party reform, campaign strategies, and campaign financing in the electronic age Elections, electoral laws and systems on the national and state levels Party and individual voting behavior The development of and role of PACs in elections, activities of PACs and interest groups The effects of interest groups on the political process and public policy; roles played by a variety of lobbying and interest groups; reasons why some interest groups have more power than others The mass media s role in the political system The impact of media on public opinion, voter perceptions, campaign strategies, electoral outcomes, agenda development, and the images of officials and candidates Analysis of the relationship among candidates, elected officials, and the media Essential Questions: What is the difference between a Democrat and a Republican? Are there other options beyond these two choices? Political parties and interest groups are not mentioned in the constitution yet they play a critical role. How? Why? Do they serve our democracy or are they an obstacle? How do interest groups and political parties influence government decisions and policy making? Should the present campaign system be overhauled and reformed? What role do the media play in elections and shaping public opinion? Is the media an impartial observer or an active participant in political elections and in the formation of public policy? VI. Public Policy, Weeks 14-16 Themes: Policy making in a federal system The formation of policy agendas The role of Congress and the President in the enactment of public policy The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation Policy making at the state and local level
Essential Questions: What are the specific issues addressed in public policy making? Define an Iron Triangle. Does it exist, and if so how does it influence policy implementation? Who controls the bureaucracy: The president? Congress? The people? Who sets policy agendas for our nation? Who sets policy agendas for our communities? Evidence of Assessment What evidence will be collected to determine whether or not the understandings have been developed, the knowledge and skill attained, and the state standards met? Unit Assessments 1 st Quarter Assessment: WA State CBA: Constitutional Issues 2 nd Quarter District Assessment: Create Your Own PAC Performance Tasks: To achieve these goals, this course will be organized into the following six units. The readings and the major assignments for each unit are listed below; other timely readings may be added at any point in the course. Smaller assignments do not appear on this syllabus but must be completed. I. C o n s t i t u t i o n a l a n d E c o n o m i c Underpinnings and Documents of American Government, Weeks 1 3
Readings: Declaration of Independence The Constitution Bill of Rights Articles of Confederation Selected Assignments: SAS In School: The Influence of John Locke SAS In School: Constitutional Convention National Archives Investigation SAS In School: Constitutional Slideshow Jigsaw Current Events Journal Entries: Federalism in the News Unit Assessment: Constitutional Amendments and their Impact II. Institutions of Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts, Weeks 4-6 Readings: The Imperial Presidency, Schlesinger, excerpts Supreme Court Power Play: Assessing the Appropriate role of the Senate in the Confirmation process, Washington and Lee Law Review Foreign Policy Roles of the President and Congress, USA.gov Selected Assignments: SAS In-School: Congressional Committee Simulation using Wimba Classroom SAS In-School: How do leaders in the House and Senate Influence Legislation? SAS In-School: The Supreme Court SAS In-School: Presenting the Executive Departments--Jigsaw Who s Got the Power? An analysis of relationships among the four institutions and their varying balances of power, Discussion Board Debate Current Events Journal Entries: Congress, the President, the Bureaucracy, & the Courts Unit Analysis: SAS In-School The War Powers Act
III. Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Weeks 7-8 Readings: Balancing Security and Liberty, Washington Post The Right to Privacy, Brandeis and Warren US Constitution, 14 th Amendment Race and the Death Penalty, ACLU Landmark Supreme Court Cases, Selected cases Selected Assignments: Balancing Liberty and Security in a time of war, PATRIOT Act Response SAS In-School: How did the case of Ernesto Miranda affect arrest procedures in America? Visual Literacy Race and the Death Penalty o Statistical Analysis: Imposing the death penalty by state o Graphical Analysis: Race of the Defendant and the Death Penalty o Graphical Analysis: Percentage of each race in the overall population on Death Row as convicted murderers AND Race of murder victims AND Percentage of Inmates on Death Row by race of victim o Graphical Analysis: Support for the death penalty Is there a racial bias in the imposition of the death penalty? Discussion Board Debate Current Events Journal: Civil Liberties in Today s World Unit Assessment: SAS In School: Which Speech is Protected by the Constitution? IV. Political Beliefs and Behaviors, Weeks 9-10 Readings: Harris Polls Washington Post Polls 20 Questions Journalists Should Ask About Poll Results Polls: What do the Numbers Tell Us? Beyond Red vs. Blue
Selected Assignments: SAS Project - Margin of Error: Polls and Public Opinion o Evaluation of recent Harris &/or Washington Post polls o Critique of the accuracy and validity of polls, Analytical Response o Evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of polls and their role in political contests and decisions Political Ideology Typology Are you a liberal or a conservative? A Survey Current Events Journal Entries: Political Socialization; Public Opinion, Ways that citizens vote and participate in public life Unit Assessment: SAS In-School: How has the electorate changed since the Constitution was first written? V. Political Parties, Interest Groups, the Mass Media, and the Electoral Process, Weeks 11-13
Readings: Federalist Paper #68 It Pays to Win the Small States, New York Times The Electoral College, Don t Drop Out, National Review Making Voices Count; Abolish the Electoral College, New York Times Selected Assignments: Electoral College Discussion Board Debate SAS In-School: The Electoral College Announcing the New Party (create your own political party) Political Party Issues Comparison Political Action Committees, Create your own PAC Current Events Journal Entries: Political Parties, PACs, the Media Unit Assessment: SAS In-School: Voting Rock Getting out the Vote homepage/video activity
VI. Public Policy, Weeks 14-16 Readings: Executive Order 13132, Bill Clinton Acquiring Financial Assets to Fund Future Entitlements, Congressional Budget Office Selected Assignments: Entitlement Programs and the National Government Is the government responsible for the welfare of its citizens? Discussion Board Debate Current Events Journal Entries: Public Policy and the Courts, Domestic and Foreign Policy Unit Assessment: SAS-In-School: Our Town.gov, interview/collaborative newspaper creation
Types of Learning Activities: WHERE Wiggins and McTighe Direct Instruction X Structured Overview Mini presentation Drill & Practice Demonstratio ns Other (List) Indirect Instruction X Problembased X Case Studies Inquiry Reflective Practice X Project X Paper Concept Mapping Other (List) Experiential Learning X Virt. Field Trip Experime nts X Simulatio ns X Games Field Observ. Roleplaying Model Bldg. X Surveys X Other Interviews Independent Study X Essays Self-paced computer Journals Learning Logs Reports Directed Study X Research Projects Other (List) Interactive Instruction X Discussion X Debates Role Playing Panels Peer Partner Learning Project team Laboratory Groups Think, Pair, Share Cooperative Learning Tutorial Groups X Interviewing Conferencing Other (List) Civics Learning Activities Week 1 - Welcome Unit Blog and E-mail - Constitutional Convention Search - SAS In-School: The Influence of John Locke Week 2 - SAS In-School: Constitutional Convention Interactivity - Separation of Powers - Checks and Balances - Structure of Government
Week 3 - Federalism icivics Lesson - Constitutional Slideshow Jigsaw - Current Events Analysis for Federalism Week 4: - Comparative Economic Systems - Unit 1 Assessment - Unit 1 Self Reflection Week 5 - Legislative Process Chart - Congressional Leadership - Presidential Roles - Current Events and the Presidency Week 6 - Reforming the Bureaucracy - The Executive Departments - Choosing a Cabinet Week 7 - SAS In-School: The Supreme Court - You Be the Justice - Unit 2 Assessment; Unit 2 Self-Reflection Week 8 - Changing Court Views - Spying on the Homefront - Smith vs. the US - 14th Amendment Analysis - Justice Talking Week 9 - Constitutional Issues CBA - Unit 3 Reflection Week 10 - Current Events Journal: Beliefs that Citizens Hold About their Leaders - Political Socialization Interview Project - Margin of Error: Polls and Public Opinion
Week 11 - Fairness in Voting - Beyond Red and Blue: Political Ideology Typology - Unit 4 Assessment - Unit 4 Self Reflection Week 12 - Political Party Scramble - Create Your Own Political Party - Platform Issues Chart Week 13 - History of Political Parties Project - Discussion: The Effects of Political Parties Week 14 - SAS In-School: The Electoral College - Electoral College Investigation and Quiz - What is a PAC? - PAC Current Event Week 15 - Political Advertisement Analysis - Unit 5 Performance Assessment - Unit 5 Self Reflection Week 16 - Public policymaking in America: Article Analysis - Heat - Federal Farm Subsidies - Income Tax and Fairness Discussion Week 17 - Monetary Policy Problem Solving Investigation - Ten Trillion & Counting: American Budget Analysis - The Fish Trade Week 18 - Unit 6 Assessment - Unit 6 Self Reflection