Helpful Items

Along with posting major assignments and links to needed documents, I will also use this space to help you find useful items for study and understanding.

Below you will find useful videos for Unit 1, sometimes these are required viewing (you will have some assignment to go along with them then) and sometimes they are highly suggested viewing. This first set comes to you from Crash Course, yes the Crash Course of John Green fame - but alas no John Green for Government. They are still very informative and funny, so we will use them.

Enjoy

This first video is an introduction to the host and the course as well.




Now starts the heavier lifting - below you will find a video on the Bicameral Congress and then on the Separation of Powers, both very good viewing for understanding Ch. 2.

Federalist 51: It's Socratic Time!

Socratic seminars are a great way to look at and dig into a primary document, and discuss your thoughts and opinions on a topic using that document as text evidence. And this is exactly what we will do with Federalist 51 (link will open the document).



To help you prep for this Socratic, that we will be running on Wed Aug. 2nd in class, I am providing you with some guiding questions to answer (with text evidence) while reading the document. Once you have prepped these questions, you need to also write and answer (with text evidence) TWO questions of your own to use during the seminar. These questions need to be of quality that they can lead to discussion with your classmates, maybe even some debate.

Your grade for the seminar will be 70% your prep work, the answering of the questions (with text evidence) and the writing and answering of your TWO questions. the other 30% will be based upon your participation (asking your original questions, guiding that discussion, and participating in the discussion of other questions). Using text evidence during the discussion to support your opinions and thoughts will greatly enhance your grade.
Again 70% - Guiding questions + TWO questions of your own; 30% active, quality participation


Do you need another copy of the guiding questions for Federalist 51? Well your in luck - here you go.

Articles v Constitution: Federalist 51

To help us look at the framework for the structure of our US Government system, we will be using Federalist Paper 51 in a Socratic seminar. I will give you a handout in class to help guide you in prepping for the Socratic, and you can access the Federalist Paper at the link below.

Federalist Paper 51

If you need a paper copy, please come see me.

Welcome Class of 2016

So here we are once again - it's August, time to begin the journey through your senior year. I'm really excited about this year. We have lots of possibilities this year, especially in AP Gov - there is a local election, the Republican Primary (or media circus), and the Democratic Primary (a circus in it's own right).
This semester we will not just read about government and politics, we will participate. How you ask, well by running a mock Supreme Court, a mock school-wide election, a mock Senate, having both informal and formal debates in class - so there will be lots going on.

This blog will serve the purpose of keeping you updated on class. Look here for project details, reading assignments, links to videos (or embedded videos), links to articles, updates on tests/quizzes. In short this will be your go to spot for class information (along with Twitter and Instagram @theMrMoulden). We will also use Google Classroom to help keep us organized in getting digital reading packets and turning in digital assignments.

Looking forward to a good semester, and prepping for the AP test in May, but more importantly helping you realize the importance of active citizenship in our government structure.