American Government and Politics (Civics) - Semester Course
A semester course designed to introduce students to the principles behind American government and current political practices in the United States.
Nathaniel Gilbert
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(373)
What's included
16 live meetings
16 in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Students will have a graded weekly quiz and a graded weekly homework assignment, which will reinforce and expand upon the classroom discussions. Assignments mostly involve reflection questions to be answered in a few sentences. There may be couple essays as well. Additional work and textbook reading is provided, but is optional for student enrichment (not graded). There is a final quiz and final assignment that are due after the final live class.Assessment
Student work will be graded (the weekly quiz and assignment) and a final grade (percentage system) will be issued. There is also a participation grade, which hinges on student’s attentiveness, use of video, and contributions to the class discussion. The final grade is based approximately on 47% Quizzes, 47% Assignments, and 6% Participation.Letter Grade
1 after class completionClass Experience
US Grade 9 - 12
Intermediate Level
The course objective is to introduce students to the principles behind the United States’ government and political institutions and to enable students to interact with various viewpoints. Students will understand the historical development of our current political situation, analyze the political process, and describe how various political groups function today. The goal is for students to become familiar with public policies, our Constitutional underpinnings, and political behavior in our society. Students should then be able to appropriately apply their understanding to evaluate how just and appropriate various political actions are. The course will include engaging group discussions in the weekly live session. Students should use video and audio during the live class, which helps encourage smoother discussions and more engagement. Parents may request an exception to this requirement. Current events will occasionally be discussed if relevant to the class topic. This class is designed to satisfy typical 1/2 credit high school government requirements. Parents need to make their own judgement based on the regulations is their state / country. I recommend this class for the 10th grade level (or higher). Students in younger grades (8th and 9th) should do fine if they are somewhat advanced. Some weekly course concepts include: - What is legitimate government and how did the Founders envision it? - The historical development of our governing system - What different types of federalism have been debated and utilized in American government? - The three branches of national government (their functions, original design and current practices) - Political parties and their role in American government - Elections and the electoral college - The policy-making process and influential groups - What is the role of the bureaucracy? - The Constitution and the limits it places on government activities - How does the media shape perceptions? - America's role in the world (past and present) - How Americans can participate in our government
Learning Goals
To introduce students to the principles behind the United States government and political institutions and to enable students to interact with various viewpoints.Students will understand the historical development of our current political situation, analyze the political process, and describe how various political groups function today.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum3 Units
16 Lessons
over 16 WeeksUnit 1: Unit One: Foundations of Government
Lesson 1:
Legitimate government - The Declaration of Independence
A. Key Concepts: Consent of the Governed, Natural Rights, Republic, Rule of Law, Constitution, Common Law
B. Key Documents: Declaration of Independence, Common Sense, Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Declaratory Act
C. Key People and Events: John Locke, Thomas Paine, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Government Types and the Articles of Confederation
A. Key Concepts: Federalism, Unitary, Confederation, Sovereignty, Liberty vs. Order
B. Key Documents: The Articles of Confederation, Circular Letter to the States
C. Key People and Events: George Washington, Shay's Rebellion 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Constitution (Compromises and Structure)
A. Key Concepts: Representative Democracy, Direct Democracy, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, Compromise, Politics
B. Key Documents: The Constitution
C. Key People and Events: Convention of 1787, Great Compromise, 3/5 Compromise, Commerce Compromise, Charles de Montesquieu, John Adams, James Madison, Gouverneur Morris, Benjamin Franklin 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Federalists vs. Anti-federalists
A. Key Concepts: Dual federalism, Cooperative federalism, Antifederalists, Federalists, Enumerated Powers, Reserved Powers, Partisanship, Political Discourse
B. Key Documents: The Federalist Papers, 10th Amendment
C. Key People and Events: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, Patrick Henry, Roberts Yates 60 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The course will occasionally touch on current events and topics of controversial nature. However, discussion will be kept at an age appropriate level.
Supply List
All materials/texts will be provided by the teacher in the form of website links or documents. Students will be required to submit homework in a standard file format. Every class is recorded and I post the recording for viewing after each class. Therefore, students can catch up if they happen to miss the live session.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined August, 2016
4.9
373reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Ohio Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Cedarville University
I am passionate about our political system and helping students understand its foundations and importance in our everyday lives. My approach is to get students thinking about and discussing how government relates to their lives by using examples and historical illustrations. Reviews
Live Group Course
$16
weekly or $256 for 16 classes1x per week, 16 weeks
60 min
Completed by 486 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-18
2-12 learners per class
