Principal - Higley Unified School District



Advanced Placement American Government2016-17Instructor Information:Mr. KotselasPhone: 480-279-7462E-mail: George.Kotselas@An Advanced Placement Course Description & Objective:AP United States Government and Politics is a one-semester, college level course offered to students who wish to be academically challenged and plan to take the AP exam in the spring. It is a survey course that provides an introduction into the operation of American national government. As such, we will examine the American system of government and its origins, political opinions, interests, and behaviors, political organizations, to include parties, interest groups and mass media, the institutions of government and their role in making and enforcing public policy, civil liberties and civil rights, and finally, primary source materials and contemporary news analyses; ultimately, exposing you to these areas, it is our goal to foster the development of the analytical perspectives for interpreting, understanding, and explaining the political processes and events in our country.Mr. Kotselas’ Course Description & Objective:This course is a one-semester, transformative experience that will start to prepare you for college, whether bound for it or not. We will meet for one period a day (M-F) and will collectively study the political, economical, religious, social, geographical, philosophical, and cultural perspectives within our government’s infrastructure. We will also study what our government is not by exploring different political ideologies, current or historical. You will think politically and continue to build all of the cognitive and writing skills that come with it, e.g., thinking objectively, if it is even possible. Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.-SocratesAlso, you will continue to develop your ability to write well-constructed-English compositions. You will be reviewing the writing process, examining the proper tense in writing objectively, and focusing on the skills to produce reports, summaries, essays, and evaluations. Ultimately, our curriculum through speech, debate, writing, research, and seminar skills, as well as interpretive reading and critical written analysis of significant events and works of political thought will develop essential life skills such as listening, speaking, and language concepts, while developing your abilities to understand, interpret, and respond to significant evidence and opinions. Completion of this course fulfills your American Government requirement for graduation. Mr. Kotselas’ Expectations:Follow all school policies within the Student Handbook. This class will acknowledge all the policies setup by the Maricopa Unified School District’s Board of Education and the Advanced Placement College Board. All of these policies are articulated in the MUSD Student Handbook and the website . Outside of the student handbook, common sense will be your guide for the specific expectation within the classroom. You are an AP student, you are in this class for a reason; anymore explanation of the expectations should not be an issue for us. Required Materials, Assignments, & Assessments:Textbook: O’Connor, Karen; Sabato, Larry. American Government Continuity and Change, Pearson Longman. Copyright 2006. Stewart, Joseph. AP United States Government and Politics: Test Prep. Pearson Education, 2009.We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution, Center for Civic Education. Calabasas, CA, Copyright, 2009.Suggested Reading:Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States (New York: Harper Perennial, 2005)Daily Journals – Every day you walk into my classroom you will have an inquiry-prompt question you must answer in your Daily Journal (notebook). Every entry needs to be written in complete sentences. Finally, at the end of the hour we will have the reflective part of the day (not every day). You will take five minutes to reflect on what we have just thought about.Free-Response Questions & Document-Based Questions – Every unit in this course will be accompanied by a Free-Response Question (FRQ) and a Document-Based Question (DBQ). These are prompts that must be answered using credible-outside sources within your desired thesis/concept. The purpose of these essays is to exercise thoughtful evaluating skills within a given framework of information and prepare you for writing portion of the AP test. The prompts for these essays will come from AP Gov’t test prep materials. Assessments – All exams/midterms/finals will be announced in advance and criteria will be specifically detailed ahead of time. In other words, you will have plenty of notice and have the opportunity to review for the test. You may not use your notes on exams or midterms/finals! My quizzes are pop-ups, but you may use your notes on them. The purpose of a pop quiz is to let you know if your note taking and study skills are effective; expect them all the time so make a serious effort to be a good note-taker. We will review good-note-taking strategies at the beginning of the semester. Midterm Exam – A midterm will be given at the end of the quarter. Completely organized notes will be the most useful study guide. They will cover an entire quarter’s worth of information. Final Exams – Final exams will be given at the end of the semester. These exams will be cumulative to the entire semester. Special emphasis will be placed on preparing students for the Advanced Placement American Government & Civics Test (scheduled in May) through the acts of Socratic seminars, note-taking, speech, debate, research, critical- interpretive reading and written analysis of significant events with works of United States History, the fine arts, and literature. MLA Format (Modern Language Association) – All assignments will have your first and last name, period, date with month and day switched, and title of the assignment located in the upper left hand corner of the page to conform to MLA format. MLA format is the chosen format for this class and in college until you choose a professional field. The purpose of this is to pay attention to details. Each assignment may have allotted points just for your heading or it could be worth 10% of the assignment’s value. The example below will always be written on the board for you to see: George KotselasPeriod 312 January, 2017Farewell Address Questions*OWL at Purdue’s online website will be your guide for MLA: *Anything you turn in without the above heading can be docked 10% of the assignment’s total or the allotted MLA heading point value within the assignment. Homework – Within this syllabus are most of the expected readings and assignments throughout the course of the semester. The syllabus is the beating heart of this course; make sure you hold on to it so you know what knowledge is expected from you. I am not going to tell you how much homework every night you will have, certain students learn faster than others, so you will have to start reflecting on how much time you personally need to accomplish each assignment. I will assign work with a due date. From there you are on your own to finish it on time. Media – A major skill in today’s world revolves around being able to filter and analyze the media today. This course will give you the opportunity to read newspaper articles, research on the internet, interpret the news, and monitor the current political scene. We will discuss the bias agenda and significance of the media. In the end, politicians probably haven’t changed much over time, but the media has, and that has changed the way we see them. Tutoring – I am all about helping students after school! If you need something cleared up or you need a place to do homework, please come talk to me so we can setup a day after school, I am flexible. Grades:Classwork10%Homework & Projects10%Essays30%Quizzes/Tests/ 30%Semester Finals/Midterm20% *Extra Credit– Do not expect this!*This class is designed to prepare you for college. Often times in college your readings and studies will not affect your grade directly, only your essays and assessments will. You must learn to not expect a grade for everything you do. You must build your knowledge on your own to be prepared for the testable materials. A = 90-100% Excellent achievementB = 80-89% Above-average achievementC = 70-79% Average achievementD = 60-69% Below-average achievementF = 0-59% Failure to meet acceptable standards of achievementGrade Policy – All assignments are due immediately at the beginning of your class period the day they are due. There is no such thing as late work in my class. Failure to turn in any assignment at that time is automatically a zero grade. If you were absent, then you need to come and talk to me about an extension of time. Legally, you are given the exact amount of time you were absent to make up the work. *Make sure any work that requires printing is pre-printed before the day it is due. DO NOT show up to my class asking me to print out a paper the day it is due. I WILL NOT PRINT IT and I will not let you go to the library to print it either. Failure to be prepared the minute you walk into my class will result in a zero. Graded Work – HOLD ON TO ALL OF YOUR GRADED WORK! If for whatever reason my grade book has errors in it, you need to be able to prove to me that you completed the assignment(s). This means you must physically have the graded work to show me. It is just like the court of law, you must have evidence. If Mother Teresa didn’t have graded evidence, I wouldn’t change my grade book for her, so that means I won’t change it for you either! No Cell Phones, iPods, CD Players, Pagers, or Radios. In fact, this includes all electronic devices. If I see headphones sticking out of your shirt, I’ll take them. I MUST confiscate all electronic devices that I see, and you can pick them up from the front office at the end of the day. Finally, if you continue to use the device, then you will be put on the electronics list which means you must surrender your electronic device to me every day for possibly the rest of the year. It will be put on the teacher’s desk in front of the classroom. If you are on the list and you do not surrender your phone and you are caught with it (having lied), then it is automatic insubordination referral for possible Saturday school. Student Parent Expectation Agreement: Failure to turn in the attached Student Parent Expectation Agreement signoff sheet will result in a zero-grade percentage. Essentially, your grade doesn’t start until I have parental and student signatures with legitimate and current contact information. If you are 18 years of age, you need to give me a copy of the official emancipation paper work from the front office. General Course Overview:Units will be based upon the textbook and chapter outlined in the syllabus. Throughout the course, additional materials such as handouts and worksheets will be distributed. Please use the syllabus as a guide for core concepts that will be discussed throughout the course. Also, this schedule will help you know what homework needs to be completed if you find yourself absent for a long period of time. I reserve the right to change the curricular schedule as necessary for time issues. Quarter/Unit ContentSkills/Activities/ Reading/WritingAssessment Notes1st QuarterCourse OverviewSyllabusExpectationsSupplies neededStudent Handbook ReviewTime ManagementGoals & DreamsStudy habits How to use a textbook First textbook assessments chapter 1.1 (classwork)Calculating gradesMicrowave Mentality article (class discussion). Rhetoric skills discussion & presentationMetacognitive writing exercise Bias interpretation (class activity)Your Politics Today(writing)Online gov’t pretestSyllabus & Student Handbook signoffClass participationDaily JournalsReflective writingDiscuss your politics today Introduction Activity Chapters 1 & 2 Foundation of American Gov’t & The ConstitutionGreek direct democracy Roman RepublicTerritory, sovereignty, and governmentJohn Locke and social contractMinority and the majority rightsMonarchies, dictatorship, theocracy, oligarchy, parliamentary, unitary, proportional electionsMagna Carta, English Bill of RightsFederalist and Anti-Federalist The ConstitutionRepresentative government Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances Judicial ReviewAmendment ProcessPreamble to the ConstitutionConstitutional AmendmentsDiscuss right to work lawsVoting rightsNative American citizenship Chapters 1 & 2 Key Terms pg. 30 & 67.Socratic discussionsAmerican Revolution DocumentaryLord of the Flies PowerPoint presentationFramers simulation (class activity)Western philosophical and political thinkers (group activity in class)Chapter 3 Critical Thinking assessment questions for each section in each chapter along with identified vocabulary for all chapter(s)Constitution reading (class activity)Class Constitution writing(class activity)Relevant chapter section assessments, all questionsSocratic discussionsRelevant documentaryPowerPoint presentationThomas Hobbes, excerpts from Leviathan (1651) ? John Locke, excerpts from Two Treatises onGovernment (1690)Antifederalist, excerpts from Centinel I Antifederalist, excerpts from Brutus I Articles of Confederation U.S. Constitution (see Wilson text) The Bill of Rights (Amendments #'s 1-10) (seeWilson Text)Daily JournalsClass participationChapter AssessmentsCurrent events analysisPop QuizSignificant Facts sheetVocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsStudents Teach Students project presentation. Daily JournalsClass participationClass Constitution Current events analysisPop QuizVocabulary checkSignificant Facts sheetClass ConstitutionVocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsFRQ To introduce students to the many complexities ofgovernment in the U.S. arising from the adoptionof the federal system and how the nature andeffects of federalism have changed throughouthistory and continue to change todayFRQChapters 3 FederalismNational government State governmentsPowers of the peopleImplied and inherent powers“The Supreme Law of the Land”Cooperative federalism Examine Interstate relations and cooperation “Full Faith and Credit,” Extradition, Privileges and ImmunitiesLocal governmentChapters 3 Key Terms pg. 122.Relevant chapter section assessments, all questionsSocratic discussionsRelevant documentaryPowerPoint presentation political ideologies and Traidic Model of FreedomDivision of Power simulation (class activity)James Madison, Federalist # 10 James Madison, Federalist #51 Alexander Hamilton, excerpts from Federalist #84Daily JournalsClass participationChapter AssessmentsCurrent events analysisPop QuizVocabulary checkSignificant Facts sheetVocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsFRQChapters 7 & 16Congress & Interest GroupsStructure & powersRoles of the legislative Competing factions political partiesQualificationsRepresentationsHouse of Representatives SenateOverriding function Article 1 Expressed, implied and inherent powersInfluence the taxes,commerce, & currencyForeign relationsWar & naturalizationPostal, copyrights, & patentsWeights and measuresAmendmentsElectoral dutiesImpeachment, executive powers, and investigatory powersDifferent positions in Congress CommitteesBill becomes a lawPassing or vetoing Bill in the SenateLegislative staff, lobbyists, special interest groups, and political action committees (PACS).PropagandaLobbyingPolitical partiesDomestic policies Plight of Social Security consumer protection, environment, health, labor, transportation, and communication.Chapters 7 & 16 key terms pgs. 274 & 609Socratic discussionsRelevant documentaryPowerPoint presentationPassing the bill Congress simulation (class activity)SB1070 analysis and interpretation. PETA Organization JournalsClass participationChapter AssessmentsCurrent events analysisPop QuizVocabulary checkSignificant Facts sheetParticipation in Congress simulationResearch paper and presentation Vocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsReflectionsFRQMid-TermsChapters 1,2,3,4,13 & 14Study Guide Review JeopardyMid-Term Essay &Mid-Term Exam2nd QuarterChapters 8 & 9The Presidency& Executive Branch & the Federal BureaucracyPowers and roles of the president Article 11 of the ConstitutionQualifications & termExecutive branchCabinet andfederal bureaucracyElection process PrimariesCaucusesNational conventionsElectoral collegeSteps to remove a presidentVeto powerReprieve & clemencyChapters 8 & 9 Key Terms pg. 310 & 340.Socratic discussionsRelevant documentaryPowerPoint presentationPresident’s speechWashington’s State of the Union to Congress.Daily JournalsClass participationChapter AssessmentsCurrent events analysisPop QuizVocabulary checkSignificant Facts sheetOpinion of President’s speech paperVocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsReflectionsFRQChapter 10 JudiciaryStructure of the judicial branch federal courts, Supreme Court, and inferior courtsJurisdictionTypes of inferior courts Marbury v. MadisonMcCulloch v. Maryland Gibbons v. Ogden How a court operates including the procedures Trial system Chapters 10 pg. 382Socratic discussionsPowerPoint presentationTrial simulation (class activity)Case readings (group activity and presentation) Casey Anthony Mock TrialCourt Decision readings and analysis. JournalsClass participationChapter AssessmentsCurrent events analysisPop QuizVocabulary checkSignificant Facts sheetParticipation in Trial simulation & verdictVocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsCasey Anthony VerdictFRQChapter 4Local Government and Finance&Arizona Government(NO CHAPTER IN TEXTBOOK)Structure, power, and organization Arizona ConstitutionInitiative, referendum, and recall processesRedistricting gerrymandering, clean electionsVoter registration and primaries.Arizona’s legislatureGovernor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Attorney General, and Superintendent of Public Instruction.Election of judgesRoles of local governmentof county governments, boards of supervisors, sheriffs, county attorneysMayor, council, city managerSchool, sanitation, water, fire, library, community collegeChapters 4 pg. 155. Socratic discussionsRelevant documentaryPowerPoint presentationDebate about Arizona’s current propositions/laws AZ Constitution readings and analysis.Daily JournalsClass participationCurrent events analysisPop QuizVocabulary checkSignificant Facts sheetVocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsReflectionsFRQChapters 19 Foreign & Defense Policy,Independent Agencies, &Organized CrimeWorld governmental and non-governmental organizationsSecurity alliances such as NATO, United Nations, & European UnionNon-profit organizations, Red CrossTrade, political tensions, sanctions, & terrorism that influence United States foreign policyCivil Rights review and historical context with case studies.Chapter 19 on pg. 728Socratic discussionsRelevant documentaryPowerPoint presentationCreating an interest group and lobbying (group activity)Your Politics then and now writing assignment. Daily JournalsClass participationChapter AssessmentsCurrent events analysisPop QuizVocabulary checkSignificant Facts sheetYour Politics then and now writing assignmentVocab Identification & Critical Thinking questionsReflectionsSemester Final ExamsAll Assigned chapters throughout the semesterStudy GuideReview JeopardyFinal Exam&Final Essay-163195-3492500 Maricopa High School 45012 W. Honeycutt Avenue Maricopa, Arizona 85239 Phone: (520) 568-8100 Fax: (520) 568-8119 1890395101600Student and Parent Expectations Agreement:“Going on the Account”Student- I have read the entire syllabus for the AP American Government course with Mr. Kotselas. I understand it is my responsibility to follow the expectations described in the Student Handbook and this World Studies syllabus in order to acquire a passing grade. Student’s Name (print): _______________________________________Student’s Signature:__________________________________________Date of Signature:____________________________________________Parent/guardian: Thank you for taking the time to read through the syllabus. I have tried to make this course as transparent as possible so that you may assist your student in being successful in such a challenging class. It will not be easy since I will incorporate college-level reading outside of their standard textbook. I will stay vigilant to maintain these standards detailed in this syllabus and push your student to their full potential academically and behaviorally, then push even more. There will be plenty of mental growing pains for them as my consistency to these standards will be absolute. They, in turn, will have a profound sense of accomplishment at what they will become capable of by the end of the year. If you have any questions about the syllabus, any materials, or assignments your student brings home throughout the year, please know I am here and happy to assist you and your student to the best of my abilities. I am asking that you sign this agreement and provide an email address and phone number so that we can communicate as efficiently as possible. My contact information is on the first page of the syllabus, and your student needs to keep the syllabus with all of their work and notes for this class. Thank you, - Mr. Kotselas Parent/Guardian’s Name (print): ______________________________________________Parent/Guardian’s Signature & Date: __________________________________________Contact number & Email: ___________________________________________________00Student and Parent Expectations Agreement:“Going on the Account”Student- I have read the entire syllabus for the AP American Government course with Mr. Kotselas. I understand it is my responsibility to follow the expectations described in the Student Handbook and this World Studies syllabus in order to acquire a passing grade. Student’s Name (print): _______________________________________Student’s Signature:__________________________________________Date of Signature:____________________________________________Parent/guardian: Thank you for taking the time to read through the syllabus. I have tried to make this course as transparent as possible so that you may assist your student in being successful in such a challenging class. It will not be easy since I will incorporate college-level reading outside of their standard textbook. I will stay vigilant to maintain these standards detailed in this syllabus and push your student to their full potential academically and behaviorally, then push even more. There will be plenty of mental growing pains for them as my consistency to these standards will be absolute. They, in turn, will have a profound sense of accomplishment at what they will become capable of by the end of the year. If you have any questions about the syllabus, any materials, or assignments your student brings home throughout the year, please know I am here and happy to assist you and your student to the best of my abilities. I am asking that you sign this agreement and provide an email address and phone number so that we can communicate as efficiently as possible. My contact information is on the first page of the syllabus, and your student needs to keep the syllabus with all of their work and notes for this class. Thank you, - Mr. Kotselas Parent/Guardian’s Name (print): ______________________________________________Parent/Guardian’s Signature & Date: __________________________________________Contact number & Email: ___________________________________________________-8509098425PrincipalJune CelayaAsst. Principal, General Facilities Krista BarrettAsst. Principal, AthleticsCory NenaberAsst. Principal, CTERick NeilsonDean of StudentsBrian EwingCounselors:9th Gia Renfroe10th Donna Wittwer11th Larry Veltrie12th Tara RoyAk-Chin: Teresa ValistoAttendance:Brittanie ZetsRegistrar:Jill Crick00PrincipalJune CelayaAsst. Principal, General Facilities Krista BarrettAsst. Principal, AthleticsCory NenaberAsst. Principal, CTERick NeilsonDean of StudentsBrian EwingCounselors:9th Gia Renfroe10th Donna Wittwer11th Larry Veltrie12th Tara RoyAk-Chin: Teresa ValistoAttendance:Brittanie ZetsRegistrar:Jill Crick -22860011430000 ................
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