Social Studies Department

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The Advanced Placement program in Government & Politics is an introductory college-level course that emphasizes the following areas of study: the government and politics of the United States; comparative politics, focusing on the political systems of Great Britain, Russia, China, Mexico, Iran and Nigeria; basic theories of economics and the techniques of personal financial planning as outlined in the Utah curriculum in General Financial Literacy; and the ethical-moral questions associated with political and economic life. The course stresses detailed, in-depth knowledge, critical thinking, and expression through strong rhetorical skills. The content of the course follows the guidelines in the Advanced Placement Course Description provided by the College Board. The course prepares students for intermediate and advanced college courses by making demands upon them equivalent to a full-year introductory college course.

Indicators of Student Learning

Upon the completion of this course, students will:

Content

•Identify the constitutional underpinnings of United States Government.

•Understand the development and relationship between the institutions of the U.S. National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts.

•Understand how Public Policy is formulated and implemented in the United States.

•Demonstrate an understanding of the development of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the United States.

•Demonstrate an understanding of the methodology and scope of Comparative Politics.

• The following concepts and areas will be applied to the political systems of Britain, Russia, Peoples Republic of China, Mexico, Nigeria, and Iran: the impact of sovereignty, authority and power, citizens and society and their relationship to the State, political and economic change, structure and function of political institutions, public policy formation and implementation.

Communication

• Build a rich and extensive political science vocabulary, and express political ideas in oral and written form using correct terminology.

• Synthesize information to answer questions, solve problems, and communicate ideas.

• Connect prior knowledge and new information to expand understanding of political concepts.

• Share ideas and information in small group discussions, panel discussions, and general class discussion.

• Participate in simulations, i.e. mock legislative hearings, hypothetical’s

• Use writing as a learning tool, e.g., journals, learning logs, paraphrasing, summarizing, research reports, and notebooks.

• Write cohesive, comprehensible essays using AP rubrics

• Apply political science concepts to contemporary events

Technology

• Use a word processor to produce well-formatted papers.

• Create individual projects using appropriate production software.

• Use the Internet to monitor current events

• Examine polls and research on the Internet

• Use the Internet as a research tool

Assessment

Upon the completion of this course, students will:

• Demonstrate competency in content by passing various written exam formats, including true and false, multiple choice, identification, and short-answer questions, and essays.

• Demonstrate competency in communication by using correct terminology, expressing ideas clearly, writing cohesive essays, presenting ideas and information in visual formats, and giving oral presentations.

• Demonstrate competency in analyzing and interpreting political data exhibited in graphs, charts, and tables.