Now that the rains have returned it feels a bit easier to get down to business.
Government Class Overview
I teach this course in order to educate and empower citizens (that's you!). The importance of civil engagement as well as the constitutional, legal, and theoretical underpinnings of why this engagement are vital are central to the course.
Contemporary issues of race, gender, and economic inequality are examined.
The course will be divided into six basic sections.
Introduction to Government: Values; Parties and Politics; History and Theory of Governments. This unit will include a
summative vocabulary test.
United States Constitutional History: Rejection of English Rule; Rationale for Rebelion; Articles of Confederation; The Great Compromise. This section will include a
summative essay.
Federalism -- The Structure of the United States: Understanding the structure and nature of the governmental systems of the United States; Checks and Balances; Limits of Authority; States versus Federal Rights and Responsibilities. This section will include a
summative project.
Our Freedoms -- The Bill of Rights & 14th Amendment: this unit will be focused on the constitutional and legal under pinnings of freedoms in the United States. SCOTUS (The Supreme Court of the United States). This section will be evaluated by both
test and essay or project.
Empowerment and Action the Citizens Role in Politics: How to effect change or support the laws, liberties, and candidates you value. This section will include
role play and project evaluations.
Street Law: A practical guide to enjoying the freedoms of the United States.
Evaluation TBD.
Final Exam: The course will have a summative
final exam.
The class also received the following handout and began discussing how it relates to the values lines we created and discussed in class.
Name ______________________________________
Date _____________________ Period _____
Generalized Table of
Political Beliefs
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TOPIC
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LEFT
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RIGHT
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Government
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A strong government is a good way to help people and society.
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Government should be as small as possible to allow for individual
freedom.
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Taxes
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The wealthy should pay more in order to provide for the less
fortunate.
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Taxes should be kept low for everyone; the money a person earns is
theirs to spend as they choose.
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Jobs
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Jobs are created by educating citizens, spending on public projects
like schools and roads.
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Entrepreneurs will create jobs if government stays out of their way.
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Economic Success
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The government should pass rules to allow everyone a good chance at
success.
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Success is simply a matter of working hard; the government should stay
out of peoples’ lives.
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Environment
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We need to protect the world we live in; climate change is a threat to
the world and to humans.
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People will protect the environment if there is profit to be made.
Natural resources are best used to grow our economy.
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