UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT CURRICULUM

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This one semester course provides a framework for understanding the purposes, principles, and practices of American government as established by the United States Constitution. Students are expected to understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens and how to exercise these rights and responsibilities in local, state, and national government.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

DESIRED RESULTS Students will be able to:  Identify, define, compare, and contrast ideas regarding the nature of government, politics, and civic life, and explain how these ideas have influenced contemporary political and legal systems. They will also explain the importance of government, politics, and civic engagement in a democratic republic, and demonstrate how citizens participate in civic and political life in their own communities.

 Identify and define ideas at the core of government and politics in the United States, interpret founding-era documents and events associated with the core ideas, and explain how commitment to these foundational ideas constitutes a common American civic identity. They will also analyze issues about the meaning and application of these core ideas to government, politics, and civic life, and demonstrate how citizens use these foundational ideas in civic and political life.

 Explain how purposes, principles, and institutions of government for the American people are established in the United States Constitution and reflected in the Indiana Constitution. They will describe the structures and functions of American constitutional government at national, state, and local levels, and practice skills of citizenship in relationship to their constitutional government.

 Analyze the interactions between the United States and other nations and evaluate the role of the United States in world affairs.

 Explain the idea of citizenship in the United States, describe the roles of United States citizens, and identify and explain the rights and responsibilities of United States citizens. They will also examine civic dispositions conducive to the maintenance and improvement of civil society and government, and describe and demonstrate how citizens can participate responsibly and effectively in the civic and political life of the United States. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS  What is the United States role in world affairs?  How can citizens participate in politics and government in the United States?  What is the structure and function of the federal government?  What is the structure and function of state and local government?  What are the core ideas of the United States Constitution?  How has government changed from our founding fathers to contemporary politics?

INDIANA STATE STANDARDS  Standard 1 – The Nature of Citizenship, Politics, and Government  Standard 2 — Foundations of Government in the United States  Standard 3 — Purposes, Principles, and Institutions of Government in the United States  Standard 4 — The Relationship of the United States to Other Nations in World Affairs  Standard 5 — Roles of Citizens in the United States

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS  Amendment  Article  Bicameral  Bill  Bureaucracy  Cabinet  Capitalism  Constitution  Democracy  Federalism  Concurrent, Expressed, Implied Powers  Jurisdiction  Law  Ratify  Suffrage  Unitary and Federal System of Government  Describe the purposes and functions of government  Analyze and interpret central ideas on government, individual rights, and the common good in founding documents of the United States  Compare and contrast unitary, confederate, and federal governments  Compare and contrast the structure and organization of various forms of political systems and describe how they interact in world affairs APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY  Internet for research UNITS OF INSTRUCTION (STATE STANDARDS) 1. Foundations of American Government (Standard 2) 2. The Legislative Branch (Standard 3) 3. The Executive Branch (Standard 3) 4. The Judicial Branch (Standard 3) 5. Liberty and Justice for All (Standards 1 and 5) 6. Participating in Government (Standards 1 and 5) 7. State and Local Government (Standard 3) 8. Political and Economic Systems (Standard 4)

COURSE ASSESSMENTS

STUDENT PRODUCTS FOR ASSESSMENT  Daily preparedness for class discussion  Daily 3 questions  Vocabulary exercises  Section Review Activities  Binder  Study Guides  Tests  Final Exam

TIMELINE Weeks 1, 2, and 3 – Foundations of American Government  Introduction to course, read chapter 2, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, complete daily 3 questions, complete vocabulary, complete study guide, test. Standards 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.10  Read chapter 3, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, Discuss Constitution and Amendments, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete section review activity, complete study guide, test. Standards 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.11 Weeks 4 and 5 – The Legislative Branch  Read chapter 5, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-5, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete section review activity, complete study guide, test. Standards 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.10, 3.11, 3.14  Discuss How a Bill becomes a Law 3.14, 3.17 Week 6 – The Executive Branch  Read chapter 8, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete section review activity, complete study guide, test. Standards 3.3, 3.4, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10 Week 7 – The Judicial Branch  Read chapter 11, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-3, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete study guide, test. Standards 3.6, 3.10, 3.12, 3.13, 3.15, 3.16, 3.17, 3.18, 3.19 Weeks 8 and 9 – Liberty and Justice for All  Read chapter 13, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-5, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete section review activities, complete study guide, test. Standards 1.9, 1.11, 5.3, 5.8  Read chapter 14, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-5, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete section review activities, complete study guide, test. Standards 1.7, 5.1, 5.2, 5.6, 5.9 Weeks 10, 11, and 12 – Participating in Government  Read chapter 16, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-3, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete study guide, test. Standards 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 5.7, 5.10  Read chapter 17, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-3, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, research Internet for candidates/incumbent’s views on issues, complete study guide, test. 1.1, 1.7, 5.2, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.11  Read chapter 18, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete section review activity, complete study guide, test. Standards 1.2, 5.2, 5.4, 5.10 Weeks 13 and 14 – State and Local Government  Read chapter 23, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete section review activities, complete study guide, test. Standards 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.12, 3.13, 3.19  Read chapter 24, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-3, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete compare/contrast of structure of state and federal government, complete study guide, test. Standards 3.13, 3.19 Weeks 15, 16, and 17 – Political and Economic Systems  Read chapter 25, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, complete vocabulary, complete daily 3 questions, complete study guide, test. Standards 4.1, 4.2, 4.5, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.14  Read chapter 26, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, complete vocabulary, complete section review activity, complete study guide, test. Standards 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, 4.10, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14  Read chapter 22, discuss and copy notes for sections 1-4, complete vocabulary, complete study guide, test. Standards 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 4.6, 4.10, 4.11, 4.13 Week 18 – Comprehensive Final Exam

COURSE MATERIALS: MAJOR TEXTS, PRINCIPAL MATERIALS AND FILMS

KEY TEXTS:

United States Government: Democracy in Action Publisher: Glencoe, McGraw-Hill

* Parents should contact the teacher or department chair to discuss concerns with texts. If required, the teacher will provide a substitute text of comparable length that approximates the stated academic purpose. Selected articles will be used to teachers to augment major units.

COMMERCIAL FILMS/VIDEOS: Teachers may select from the following:  Selected videos from Safari Montage

*A parent may excuse his/her child from the viewing of a commercial film/video. The parent should contact the teacher or Department Chair to discuss his/her concerns. The teacher will provide any excused student an alternative assignment of comparable length that is relevant to the stated academic purpose.