S+Brennick+Christopher


 * //__ American Government and Civics Syllabus __//**


 * Teacher:** Chris Brennick
 * Office:**
 * Office Phone:**** 555-5447
 * Office Hours:** MWF 9 AM - 12 PM
 * E-mail:** Christopher.Brennick@maine.edu

= Summary of Unit = The United States government is run by the people of this country and positive change only comes about when people become involved and take action to create the world and polices they wish to see. The goal of this unit is to inform students of the ways they can become involved in their government at the local, state, and national level. This unit will show ways that people can influence government. Uncovered in this unit will be how interests groups effect the government. This unit will also look at the world around us to see how the government is currently affecting us. This unit will seek to compare the role of American citizens in their government to role other of citizens in other countries. This unit will also seek self-reflection on what the current role student’s play in their community and the world.


 * Establish Goals:**

B. Civics and government B2. Students understand the constitutional and legal rights, the civic duties and responsibilities and roles of citizens in a constitution democracy and the role of citizens living under other forms of government in the world. Grade 9 – diploma “ Citizens role in government” e. Evaluate how people influence government and work for the common good including voting, writing to legislators, performing community service, engaging in civil disobedience.
 * Maine Learning Result**: Social Studies

•How do the rights, duties, and responsibilities allow citizens to influence their government? •How does the role of an American citizen in their government differ from a citizen from another country? •In what ways can American citizens influence their government and create positive change? //Students will know//
 * Essential Questions:**

•Vocabulary: Representative democracy, direct democracy, levels of government, initiative, referendum, interest groups, lobbyist, constitution, elections, branches of government •Critical details: Founders intent and fears •Sequence and time lines: How a bill becomes a law, election time line

//Students will be able to://

•show how they have influenced their government •e. evaluate how people influence government and work for the common good including voting, writing to legislators, performing community service, engaging in civil disobedience. • use knowledge to influence the government •analyze the constitutional principle and how the guide citizens role in government •relate the role of Americans role citizens in their government to citizens of another country in the world •self assess their level of involvement in government


 * Performance Task:**

The United States Government has found your site online and they are very impressed by the work your political consulting firm has done. Your knowledge of government and citizen’s involvement is so well developed they have decided to contract you to build either a podcast, Imovie, or an interactive Wiki as a lesson during naturalization course that all new immigrants must take to become American citizens. This information in this lesson needs to tell all new citizens what rights, duties and responsibilities they have in the American governmental system and what ways they can become involved effecting change in the world around them. The government wants this information to be highly personalized for new citizens so they are going to give a country and you must tailor this information to that country as a point of reference for new immigrants. The government would like these to either be podcast, movie, or interactive website for new citizens to use. The government said that the winning firm will get the big contract to build he rest of the information and this will produce revenues for your firm. Getting the contract will produce major revenues for your firm and your team will get a promotion and salary bump.

= Expectations =
 * I expect students to keep a neatly organized 3 ring binder with all handouts and assignments in order from oldest to newest. This class will be a building process where each assignment builds off from the last so it will be curial to keep all materials so they can be quickly referenced in your binder.


 * I expect all students to be active and respectful members of our learning community. This class will rely heavily on class discussion and projects that will require sharing of knowledge by all students because of this your participation is required. This course will deal with a wide range of issues that many may have deep feelings on and I expect passionate debate, but I also expect all students to remain respectful and listen to all points of views on all issues.


 * I expect all students to complete all assignments on time for class. All assignments should be done before the stated dateline. Students who turn in late assignments will have points deducted from their work habits grade. Students who are not satisfied with a grade may resubmit an assignment as many times as they would like before the end of the grading period


 * I expect all students to follow the polices listed in our school handbook and district handbook.


 * I expect all students come to class on time and prepared to learn.


 * I expect all students to do their own work. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and anyone caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a zero for that assignment and will not be allowed to resubmit that piece of work. Anyone caught cheating or plagiarizing will also be reported to the office.

= Benchmarks = Each project and assignment you undertake during this unit will have requirements that you must meet for those assignments. Each one of the requirements is a standard for this course and meeting each of these requirements will earn you one point toward your final grade for this course. Along with all of these requirements you will be a graded for your work habits, class and two quizzes. The points for each of these assignments along the requirements are listed below. Your final grade will be based the percentage of points you earn out on 116.


 * Quizzes (10 points)**

You will take two quizzes over the vocabulary and concept sheets I hand out at the start of the unit. These quizzes will be open binders so you can use any class notes or graphic organizers that you have in your binders. These quizzes will both be ten questions with each question being worth a half a point.


 * Performance task: Lesson for United State Nasalization Class (36 points)**

Your final task for the unit will be to show your knowledge of Americans role in government by creating lesson for the immigration class, all new citizens will have to take, explaining to new citizens of the United States their rights, duties, and responsibilities in government along with examples of how they can become involved in government. You will also be required to personalize this lesson by comparing the information to citizens of origin.


 * Requirements for interest group presentation (7 points)**

A. Group makes recommendations to use at least three different types of ideas to effect change B. Group has an inspiration brain storm chart as a supporting document C. Group states why they are recommending each idea to interest group D. Group uses graphics that are appropriate and attractive E. Presentation is free of spelling and grammatical mistakes F. Presentation is no shorter then five minutes and no longer then fifteen minutes G. Groups adds in at least one link to each side of their issue and a at least one video about their issue


 * Requirements for rights, duties, and responsibilities comic book (8 points)**


 * 1) The comic book is addressed at educating college students on their rights involving government
 * 2) The comic book has images that appropriate for the content in that subject
 * 3) Comic book addresses all the parts of the first amendment
 * 4) Comic book talks about why the first amendment is important to American citizens
 * 5) Comic book address the reason why founders put the first amendment into the constitution
 * 6) Comic book tells reader about Americans right to vote
 * 7) Comic book tells reader who has the right to vote
 * 8) Presentation is free of spelling and grammatical mistakes


 * Requirements for Blog on level of involvement (5 points)**


 * 1) Entry is titled civics resume
 * 2) Entry reflects on what level of involvement student has in government and how much they take advantage of their rights, duties and responsibilities
 * 3) Blog entry is printed off and given to teacher
 * 4) Blog is free of spelling and grammar mistakes
 * 5) Student posts a comment on a classmates Blog


 * Requirements for influence piece project (8 points)**


 * 1) Letter is targeted towards the correct audience
 * 2) Advertisement and letter are on the correct topic
 * 3) Letter is easy to read and follow
 * 4) Advertisement is targeted at the correct group of people
 * 5) Information in groups advertisement and letter is correct
 * 6) Student presents their self evaluation at the end of their presentation
 * 7) Students includes their fact vs. opinion chart with their project
 * 8) Letter is free of spelling and grammatical mistakes


 * Requirements for Wiki portfolio (9 points)**

Portfolio is free of spelling and grammatical mistakes
 * 1) Students include their rights, duties, and responsibilities comic book
 * 2) Students include their interest group presentations
 * 3) Students include their level of involvement Blog entry
 * 4) Students include their government influence piece
 * 5) Students include a sales statement with government influence piece that reflects back on that project
 * 6) Students include a sales statement with level of involvement Blog entry
 * 7) Students include a sales statement with interest group presentations
 * 8) Students include a sales statement with rights, duties, and responsibilities comic book


 * Current Event blogs (20 points)**

Students will post five current events blogs throughout this unit. These blogs will be due at 5 pm the night before students present their immigration class lesson. The current events you response to will be posted prior to the start of the first day of class on the class Wiki under current events.

Requirements for current events Blog


 * 1) Summarizes one of the ten articles posted in the class Wiki
 * 2) Student states how the article posted in the class Wiki affects them
 * 3) Student provides a link that allows students to dive deeper into a topic
 * 4) For every Blog a student post they comment on another students Blog


 * School Board Meeting Response (3 points)**

Student states how what happened at the meeting affects them
 * 1) Student attends a school board meeting and has agenda signed by a member of the board
 * 2) Students post a Blog summarizing what was said at the meeting and what actions were taken


 * Work Habits** ** (20 points)**

Part of your learning in this class will be sharing with one and other what knowledge you have so it will be curial for you pass on what you know already and find out from your research. It will also be as equally important for you participate in class by asking ANY question that you have during this unit. This part of your grade will also include how well you were able to meet the timeline set forth on each project. This portion will also account for how well you worked with others.

= Grading Scale = A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82), C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59). A grade of a C- is required for passing this course.