US/VA GOVERNMENT COURSE OUTLINE 2000 - 2001 MR. ADDIE
COURSE OBJECTIVE - THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED TO GIVE STUDENTS A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS COURSE INVOLVES BOTH THE STUDY OF GENERAL CONCEPTS USED TO INTERPRET UNITED STATES POLITICS AND THE ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC CASE STUDIES. IT ALSO REQUIRES FAMILIARITY WITH THE VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS, GROUPS, BELIEFS AND IDEAS THAT MAKE UP THE UNITED STATES POLITICAL REALITY. THE ACQUISITION OF A THOROUGH AND SYSTEMATIC COMPREHENSION OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS REQUIRES THAT THE STUDENT LEARN FACTS AND CONCEPTS AND UNDERSTAND TYPICAL POLITICAL PROCESSES. FURTHER, THE STUDENT LEARNS TO USE SPECIFIC INFORMATION CRITICALLY TO EVALUATE GENERAL PROPOSITIONS ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS. STUDENTS ALSO LEARN TO PRESENT BASIC DATA RELEVANT TO GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS IN SUSTAINED WRITTEN ARGUMENTS. IN ADDITION, THE STUDENT WILL ALSO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD’S DIVERSE POLITICAL STRUCTURES AND PRACTICES BY THE STUDY OF BOTH SPECIFIC COUNTRIES AND OF GENERAL CONCEPTS USED TO INTERPRET THE KEY POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS FOUND IN VIRTUALLY ALL NATIONAL POLITICS.
TEXT - UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BY REMY - COST $52.00
COURSE TOPIC OUTLINE -
1ST QUARTER - PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT - WORLD POLITICAL SYSTEMS - PARTICIPATING IN GOVERNMENT- CAMPAIGN ‘2000’ PORTFOLIO PROJECT
2ND QUARTER - CONSTITUTION - FEDERALISM - THE CONGRESS - STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT - MODEL GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROJECT
3RD QUARTER - THE PRESIDENCY - FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY - PUBLIC POLICIES AND SERVICES - MODEL CONGRESS PROJECT (PUBLIC POLICY POSITION PAPERS /BILLS/ PRESENTATIONS)
4TH QUARTER - THE FEDERAL COURTS - CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS - LAW AND CITIZENSHIP - MODEL SUPREME COURT PROJECT -
GRADING AND
ASSESSMENT - YOUR FINAL COURSE GRADE WILL CONSIST OF FOUR
SEPARATE QUARTER AVERAGES PLUS YOUR FINAL EXAM SCORE. THESE FIVE GRADES WILL BE AVERAGED TOGETHER TO DETERMINE THE
FINAL GRADE FOR THE YEAR.
QUARTER GRADES - EACH QUARTER GRADE WILL BE DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS; EACH PART BASED ON A 100 PT. SCALE.
1. CHAPTER TESTS - 60% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE - ESSAY AND MULTIPLE CHOICE TYPE QUESTIONS - MAKEUP’S WILL BE IN CLASS THE DAY YOU RETURN OR AFTER SCHOOL WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE MAKEUP TIME. MAKEUP TESTS REQUIRE ALL ESSAYS PLUS THE MULTIPLE CHOICE!
2. PROJECT GRADE - 25% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE - SEE ASSIGNMENT SHEETS EACH QUARTER - ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION WILL BE PART OF YOUR ASSESSMENT
3. HOMEWORK - 15% OF YOUR QUARTER GRADE - CHECKED IN CLASS FOR POINTS - MINUS POINTS FOR MISSING OR INCOMPLETE ASSIGNMENTS
GRADE CALCULATION EXAMPLE:
1. CHAPTER TEST AVERAGE = 92 x .60 = 55.2
2. PROJECT GRADE = 89 x .25 = 22.25
3. H.W. AVERAGE = 100 x .15 = 15.0
TOTAL = 92.45 (B+)
ADDITIONAL GRADES -
1. FINAL EXAM - 10% OF THE COURSE GRADE - AVERAGED IN WITH YOUR FOUR QUARTER GRADES - COMPREHENSIVE - COVERS THE TEXT MATERIAL (KEY CONCEPTS/ MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS) FROM ALL CHAPTER TESTS - GIVEN DURING EXAM DAYS IN JUNE - YOU WILL HAVE 90 MINUTES TO ANSWER 100 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS, TAKEN FROM YOUR PAST CHAPTER TESTS AND CORE QUESTIONS FROM OAKTON'S GOVERNMENT TEAM OF TEACHERS - SAVE EACH CHAPTER'S KEY CONCEPTS FOR USE ON THE FINAL EXAM!
2. EXTRA CREDIT - POLITICAL CARTOONS AND/OR SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS - SEE ME FOR DETAILS - DOES NOT REPLACE REQUIREMENTS!
3. DAILY PREPARATION - BRING ALL REQUIRED TEXTS, BOOKS, NOTEBOOKS, PEN/PENCIL, ETC. EACH DAY! 5 PTS OFF YOUR HOMEWORK GRADE FOR EACH THAT IS MISSING!
4. LATE WORK AND MAKEUP POLICY - PROJECTS AND OTHER LONG RANGE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE MARKED DOWN ONE LETTER GRADE FOR EACH SCHOOL DAY LATE (INCLUDES BURGUNDY AND GOLD DAYS). MAKEUP WORK WILL COME UNDER THE COUNTY POLICY (ONE DAY FOR EACH DAY ABSENT UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 10 DAYS) - DUE TO THE ALTERNATING DAY STRUCTURE OF THE BLOCK SCHEDULE, STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO MEET AND ARRANGE MAKEUP ( BY APPOINTMENT - MON. THRU FRI.) WITH THE INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO THE NEXT CLASS MEETING IF POSSIBLE. MAKEUP CHAPTER TESTS REQUIRE ALL ESSAYS PLUS THE MULTIPLE CHOICE! STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE THE MAKEUP TEST THE DAY THEY RETURN TO MY CLASS DURING THAT CLASS PERIOD OR AFTER SCHOOL.
I HAVE READ THE ABOVE AND UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS AND REQUIREMENTS.
STUDENT - ______________________________________________
PARENT - ______________________________________________