Do you wish you understood more about how the United States government works? Are you intrigued by the U.S. elections process? Do you want to be able to watch or read the news and understand the context and the history of what is going on? Then this class is for you!

This class is a fascinating combination of history, politics, economics, sociology, critical thinking, and media analysis. Each week, using current news events, we will explore different aspects of the U.S. government, U.S. politics, and U.S. elections. Topics will vary week by week, depending on the headlines in the news. After an overview of the headline or article that is driving our discussion, we will look beyond the headline to learn more. For example, if Congress is debating a funding bill, we might look at the content of the bill, information about the bill's sponsor, and information about why a finance bill has to start in the House of Representatives. If the President is giving a foreign policy speech, we might discuss the tools and goals of foreign policy, why foreign policy is the responsibility of the Executive branch, and what the speech is about and its history. If the Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case, we might talk about the history of the case, the appeals process in federal courts, and the history of similar decisions. During election season, we will examine how campaigns and elections work.

The class will be both lecture and discussion. No prior knowledge is required to take part in the class. Curiosity and questions are welcomed and encouraged! The more a student brings to the class, the more they will take away. If a student is interested in a particular news article, I encourage them to let me know that in advance so that their interest can be incorporated into the discussion.

As in all of my social studies classes, I strive to help students find the answer to the "so what" question. Why does all of this matter? How does this puzzle piece fit with all of the other pieces I can already see and understand? I work to help students develop critical thinking skills including how to find the links between ideas and events, and how to identify errors or inconsistencies in thinking. I encourage learners to apply what we are learning to what they already know.

Articles and topics will come from a variety of news sources, including Reuters, The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, Forbes, and more. 

Students will regularly be provided with additional information after class to allow additional in-depth exploration of issues touched on in class.