Syllabus
This is the general order of topics that we will cover this year. It is subject to change.
1.WHAT IS CIVICS?
2.FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT
3.CREATING THE US CONSTITUTION
4.POLITICAL PARTICIPATION:
5.MONITORING GOVERNMENT:
6.ORGANIZATION OF US CONSTITUTION
7.BRANCHES OF GOVT. (Articles 1-3)
8.CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
9. IMPACTS OF LAW
10.FEDERALISM
11. PUBLIC POLICY
12. FORMS VS SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT
13.GLOBALIZATION
CIVICS EOC Review (1 week for each of the following)
14. Origins and Purposes of Law and Government
15. Organization and Function of Government
16. Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities of Citizens
17. Government Policies and Political Processes
18. BEING AN ECONOMICALLY RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN
· Personal Budget Planning
· Financial Literacy
· Rational Choices
· Taxes (key terms)
- Purpose of Government and rule of law
- U.S. Citizenship
- Civic Roles, Rights and Responsibilities
2.FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT
- Enlightenment ideas of John Locke and Montesquieu
- Influence from England’s early government (Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, Mayflower Compact, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense)
- Declaration of Independence
- Colonial Complaints
- Specific Grievances vs. Natural Rights
3.CREATING THE US CONSTITUTION
- Articles of Confederation (debt, Shay’s Rebellion, Weaknesses)
- Constitutional Convention
- Plans and Compromises
- Federalists vs Anti-Federalists
4.POLITICAL PARTICIPATION:
- Current Political Party ideals (Communist, Democratic, Libertarian, Republican, and Socialist)
- Qualification, experience, issue-based platforms of candidates for political office
- Election/Voting process (mock election)
5.MONITORING GOVERNMENT:
- Media Influence
- Interest Group Influence (Political Action Committees, Special interest groups and lobbying)
- Individual Influence (watchdog)
- Media/ Political Communication (Bias, symbolism and propaganda )
6.ORGANIZATION OF US CONSTITUTION
- Basic Structure (Preamble, Articles, Amendments)
- Checks and Balances
- Separation of Powers
7.BRANCHES OF GOVT. (Articles 1-3)
- Structure (Court levels, lawmakers, Presidential Cabinet, etc.)
- Processes (Lawmaking process, trial process and juries)
- Function (legislative, executive, and judicial)
- Powers (concurrent, enumerated, reserved, delegated)
8.CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
- Amendment process
- Bill of rights
- Voting Amendments
- Social, political, and economical evaluation of rights
- How constitution limits/protects rights
9. IMPACTS OF LAW
- Sources of law
- Landmark cases
- Rule of Law = US Constitution
10.FEDERALISM
- Comparing constitutions (State vs. Federal)
- Basic Structure comparison (preamble, articles, and amendments)
- Amendment Process of state government
- Obligations and Services
- Supremacy Clause
11. PUBLIC POLICY
- Addressing community issues
- Research public policy
- Develop a resolution plan
- Service Learning/ Volunteerism
12. FORMS VS SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT
- Forms of government (direct vs representative democracy, socialism, communism, monarchy, oligarchy, autocracy)
- Systems of government (parliamentary, federal, confederal and unitary systems)
13.GLOBALIZATION
- US Domestic vs foreign policy
- Global Interdependence
- International Organizations
- International Conflicts
CIVICS EOC Review (1 week for each of the following)
14. Origins and Purposes of Law and Government
15. Organization and Function of Government
16. Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities of Citizens
17. Government Policies and Political Processes
18. BEING AN ECONOMICALLY RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN
· Personal Budget Planning
· Financial Literacy
· Rational Choices
· Taxes (key terms)