AP US Government

2011-12 School Year

Methacton High SchoolMrs. Ladson

Agenda/Topics to Be Covered

• Personal Background

• Course Goals

• Resources (texts, etc.)

• What have we done so far this year?

• Curriculum Units

• Classroom Policies/Grading

• Preparation for the AP Test

Personal Background - Education

• Methacton School District Grad (1986)

• Penn State University Undergraduate degree in Secondary Education Social Studies (1990)

• Chestnut Hill College – Master’s Degree in Technology in Education (1998)

• Numerous continuing education classes on politics and government

Personal Background – Work Experience

• Christina School District, Delaware 1991-1993.– Taught 7th and 8th grade American history and a criminal law elective.

• Arcola Intermediate School from 1993-2005.– 7th grade ancient world history.

• Chestnut Hill College from 2002-2004– Taught undergraduate education classes focusing on technology use.

• Methacton High School 2005- present– Currently teaching AP US and Honors level Government classes.

Class Goals• Provide an overview of how the US

government/democracy functions.• Take part in “political labs” activities to develop a

stronger understanding of concepts discussed in class and the text.– Budget simulation– Mock city council– Mock political parties– Mock elections– Mock Congress– Debates and Seminars

• Students will further develop their own personal ideology on various topics discussed in class and become a more knowledgeable and active citizen.

• Prepare students for the AP US Government exam that takes place in May.

Texts and Readings

• American Government – 2 texts that stay at home for homework

assignments (1 is brand new this year, other is about 10 years old)

– Both are AP College Board approved texts

• Lanahan Reader on American Politics– Collection of various articles – recent and classic -

that coordinates with our curriculum– AP approved

• Various up-to-date articles on topics being discussed in class.

Additional Resources

• Annual Editions Reading series– American Government– Local and State government

• (2) Mobile labs are shared between 4 government teachers.

What have we done so far this year?

• Domestic Policy– Social Security– Medicare– Unemployment– Aid to low income families

• Welfare, medicaid, food stamps, housing assistance, Head Start, etc.

– Education Policy (charters, vouchers, No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top)

– Environmental Policy

What have we done so far this year?

• Economic Policy– Tax revenues for local, state and national governments

• Income taxes• Capital gains• Sales• Property tax

– Federal government budget process (fiscal policy)• Deficit spending• Budget simulation

– How does the government try to regulate the economy in general? (monetary policy)

• Federal Reserve (Interest rates, reserves, bond rates)• Economic Theories (Keynesian, Reaganomics, supply-side tax cuts,

etc.

What have we done so far this year?

• “Super Committee Project”– 40 point group project– Create 3 goals for the country and spend

money to meet those goals– Cut 1.5 trillion from deficit (even after

increased spending)Federal Budget Challenge – Concord Coalition

http://www.federalbudgetchallenge.org/budget_challenge/sim/budget_master.html

New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/11/13/weekinreview/deficits-graphic.html

White House Budget Information 2012

What have we done so far this year?

• Currently working on our Constitution unit– Primary documents that influenced the writers of our

constitution• Political philosophers (Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu)• British documents (Magna Carta, British Bill of Rights 1600’s)• Early American documents (Declaration of Independence,

Articles of Confederation, state constitutions from 1770s and 1780’s)

– Analysis of US Constitution• Articles 1-7• Amendments• Formal and Informal methods to amend US

Constitution

Major Units - Semester 1• Policy Unit

– Economic– Domestic/Social

• Constitution• Judicial Branch• Civil Liberties and Rights• Federalism• Political Participation, Ideology, Public Opinion• Political Parties

A full class syllabus is available on-line through my teacher website.

Major Units – Semester 2

•Campaigns and Elections•Congress •Interest Groups•Media•Presidency•Bureaucracy (federal departments and agencies)•Intensive AP Test Prep

After the AP Test

• Criminal Law– Jury duty– Possible mock trial project

• Personal Finance– Credit ratings and borrowing money– Personal investments

Grading Policy• Grading

– 80% - quizzes, tests, projects• Tests and quizzes need to be made up within one week.• Late projects lose a letter grade, every day they are late.

– 10% Homework• No late work unless student is sick – then only two days

per day absent.

– 10% Class participation• 5% verbal which is tracked at least 3X a week by

teacher.• 5% is written assignments completed in class and

handed in to the teacher.

• MHS Academic Code will be enforced.

Classroom Policies

• Biggest concern is make up work from missed classes.– Two days make up for every day sick.– “Educational travel” includes trips to visit colleges,

field trips, etc. – All work needs to be gathered ahead of time and is due when the student returns.

– MHS official limit for educational travel is one week.– Will be flexible within reason.– Please be aware of cumulative effect of missed

school days.

My teacher website:

• Go to Methacton High School web page

• Choose teacher sites

• Choose Cathy Ladson

• Quiz, test, project, and HW dates are posted on-line

Preparation for AP Test

• Entire curriculum was approved through a College Board (AP) audit.

• Text assignments for most of the chapters in the AP approved text.

• Tests and essays are in AP style• Review sessions and practice tests in the spring.• Parents will receive a letter around February from me

regarding registering for the test and advice about purchasing additional review books.– March – students must register for test

2010-2011 AP US GOV Test Results

• Students taking the test (Ladson) 47• Average score was a “4” (4.043)• MHS (Ladson) students % passing (3 or higher) =

96%• MHS students National %• 5’s-22 (47%) not available (around 10%)• 4’s-7 (15%) not available (around 10-15%)• 3’s-16 (34%) not available (around 25%)• 2’s-2 (4%) not available (around 25%)• 1’s-0 not available (around 25%)

• 62% of my students earned a 4 or 5 on the test.

2009-2010 AP US GOV Test Results

• Students taking the test – 66• Average score was a “4”• MHS students % passing (3 or higher) = 93%• MHS students PA % National %• 5’s-23 (35%) 16% 12%• 4’s-15 (23%) 15% 13%• 3’s-23 (35%) 28% 26%• 2’s-5 21% 24%• 1’s-0 19% 25%

• 58% of my students earned a 4 or 5

2008-2009 AP US GOV Test Results

Methacton • 5’s— 27 (59%)• 4’s— 15 (33%)• 3’s —3 (7%)• 2’s— 1 (1%)

• * 92% of my students earned a 4 or 5

Students taking the test– 46

2007-2008 AP US GOV Test Results

Methacton Students vs. State Average• 5’s—26 (%46) %15• 4’s— 4 (%7) %17• 3’s—22 (39%) %28• 2’s— 4 (7%) %24

Students taking the test– 56