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U.S. Government

In this class, students will learn about the different types of government along with the United States government. It will cover the foundations of our government, the three branches, and the United States Constitution!
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What's included

40 live meetings
36 hrs 40 mins in-class hours
Projects
2-4 hours per week. There will be culminating projects for a few of the units, specifically the units on the three branches of the government.
Letter Grade
At the end of the class you will receive your grade the encompasses everything that you have completed, but your grade will be updated and available on a weekly basis so that you understand how you are performing in the class.

Class Experience

US Grade 10 - 12
Intermediate Level
This course provides an in-depth exploration of the structure, functions, and principles of the U.S. government. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of various types of government systems, with a focus on democracy and the federal system of the United States. The course emphasizes the three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—and how their separation of powers and checks and balances ensure a functioning democracy.

Key topics include:

-Types of Government: Comparative analysis of democratic, authoritarian, and totalitarian systems, highlighting the unique features of the U.S. federal system.
-Three Branches of Government: Examination of the roles, responsibilities, and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
-Checks and Balances: Understanding the mechanisms that prevent any single branch from gaining too much power and how they maintain accountability.
-Foundations of the U.S. Government: Analysis of key historical events, philosophical influences, and foundational documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Federalist Papers.
-The U.S. Constitution: Detailed study of the Constitution's structure, amendments, and the principles it embodies, including federalism, popular sovereignty, and individual rights.

Through interactive discussions, critical analyses, and case studies, students will explore how these elements shape the political landscape and impact citizens' lives. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to critically engage in civic life and understand their role in sustaining democracy.

Learning Goals

Students will be able to differentiate between various types of government systems, with an emphasis on the characteristics of democracy and federalism in the U.S.
Students will be able to analyze how different government structures affect citizens' rights and responsibilities.
learning goal

Syllabus

Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created Curriculum
Standards
Aligned with State-Specific Standards
6 Units
40 Lessons
over 8 Weeks
Unit 1: Types, Structure, and Ideologies of Government
Lesson 1:
Oligarchy
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Autocracy
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Theocracy
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Monarchy
55 mins online live lesson

Other Details

External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
We will be using websites such as constitution.congress.gov and whitehouse.gov to refer to regularly. They will be used to reference the founding documents and to explore the different branches of the United States government. I will also be uploading copies of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers throughout the course during the unit on the Foundations of the U.S. Government. https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/brutus-i/ https://education.cfr.org/learn/learning-journey/forms-government-introduction/what-is-government https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution https://www.congress.gov/ https://constitution.congress.gov/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Joined February, 2025
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Michigan Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
I am currently a certified teacher in the state of Michigan. I have been teaching for two years and have taught this class each of the four semesters I have taught. In all, I have taught this class 8 times between the three finished semesters of teaching, and I have 3 sections of it currently. I also teach AP Government, so I teach a deeper understanding of the content. 

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Live Group Course
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$32

weekly

5x per week, 8 weeks
55 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 15-18
1-14 learners per class

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