Note:  While not required, it would be helpful for students to participate in High School Government Flex Sessions 1, 2, 3, and 4 prior to this class.

In this six week flex course, students will go beyond the basic 'government by the people' concept of democracy.  The core principles of democracy, society's expectations of it, and the four faces of democracy will be studied.  Students will learn the ways in which democracy can contradict itself and ten conditions that foster democracy and make its long term existence more likely.  The political parties that exist within America's democracy will be explored, and learners will ponder how they contribute (or don't contribute) to democracy.

Lecture videos utilizing power point slides will be posted weekly for students to view.  Some lectures will have worksheet study guides to fill in, and some will require learners to practice note taking skills.  Students will receive outside homework and quizzes via the class discussion stream to help reinforce class lessons and solidify the information they are learning.  An end of session evaluation will be provided to parents upon request for your student's portfolio/records.

Students will be asked to contribute to thought discussions posted in the classroom twice a week.  This dialogue will allow students the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills as they work on articulating views and listening to the ideas and opinions of others. 
Students will engage collectively in a 'Democracy Report Card' project where they grade the United States on different aspects of democracy and present their evaluations via the class stream.


Session 1 - What is Democracy?
                   Rule of Law, Inclusion, and Equality: The Core Principles

Session 2 - Society's Expectations of Democracy
                   Democracy's Contradictions
   
Session 3 - Four Faces of Democracy

Sessions 4 and 5 - Conditions That Encourage Democracy

Session 6 - Political Parties and Democracy

Students should have the ability to do basic writing in order to take notes, do the in class worksheets, and complete short answer questions.  The age range for this class is 14-18 year olds and is best geared towards high school age students.