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U.S. Government and Politics Literacy Advantage

Unit 1: The Need to Read

Lesson 1.1: Reading and Vocabulary

Activity 1.1.1: Study - Active Reading

(Documents: Study Sheet)

Learn skills and strategies that will help you be an active reader in this and other courses.

Duration: 45 min

Activity 1.1.2: Quiz - Active Reading

Take a quiz to check your understanding of what you have learned.

Duration: 10 min Scoring: 10 Points Earned: _____

Activity 1.1.3: Study - Building a Vocabulary


Learn how to use words to express a variety of ideas and study a few helpful vocabulary words and tips.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 1.1.4: Quiz - Building a Vocabulary



Lesson 1.2: Getting Started in the Course

Activity 1.2.1: Study - Reading Strategies in the Course


Learn how the eight reading strategies will be useful in this course.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 1.2.2: Quiz - Reading Strategies in the Course



Lesson 1.3: The Need to Read Wrap-Up

Activity 1.3.1: Review - The Need to Read

Get ready for the unit test by reviewing important ideas and skills.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 1.3.2: Test (CST) - The Need to Read

Take a computer-scored test to check what you have learned in this unit.


Activity 1.3.3: Test (TST) - The Need to Read

Take a teacher-scored test to check what you have learned in this unit.

Duration: 30 min Scoring: 20 Points Earned: _____ (optional)

Lesson 1.4: Diagnostic

http://courses.apexlearning.com/apps/AceWeb/courseOutline.do?enrollmentID=15757263



Activity 1.4.1: Diag - The Need to Read

Take a diagnostic test that will create a study plan based on your answers.


Unit 2: Principles of Government

Lesson 2.1: The Purposes and Origins of Government

Activity 2.1.1: Discuss - Who Are You?

(Documents: Discussion)

Tell the other students in your class who you are and why you are taking this course.

Duration: 20 min Scoring: 10 Points Earned: In Progress (optional)

Activity 2.1.2: Study - The Purposes of Government


Consider some basic purposes of government.

Duration: 40 min

Activity 2.1.3: Quiz - The Purposes of Government



Activity 2.1.4: Journal - Government in Your Daily Life

(Documents: Journal)

Observe the way government works in your daily life. Which purposes of government do you see in action?


Activity 2.1.5: Checkup - Purposes and Origins of Government

Check your understanding of the lesson.

Duration: 10 min

Lesson 2.2: Power and Government

Activity 2.2.1: Study - Power and the Nation-State


Learn about nation-states the most powerful human institutions on earth.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 2.2.2: Quiz - Power and the Nation-State



Activity 2.2.3: Study - Theories of Power


Consider elite and pluralist theories of power.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 2.2.4: Quiz - Theories of Power








Activity 2.2.5: Read - Power Reading

(Documents: Reading Guide, Reading Materials)

Read part of Politics Among Nations an important work on power and international politics.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 2.2.6: Quiz - Power Reading



Activity 2.2.7: Practice - Examining Power

(Documents: Practice Assignment)

Examine the way that nation-states use power.


Activity 2.2.8: Checkup - Power and Government


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 2.3: Types of Government

Activity 2.3.1: Study - Types of Government


Learn different ways to group governments.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 2.3.2: Quiz - Types of Government



Activity 2.3.3: Discuss - Indirect Democracy


Discuss the difference between government run by a few people and government run by representatives of the

people.


Activity 2.3.4: Checkup - Types of Government


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 2.4: Principles of Government Wrap-Up

Activity 2.4.1: Review - Principles of Government


Duration: 30 min

Activity 2.4.2: Test (CST) - Principles of Government



Activity 2.4.3: Test (TST) - Principles of Government









Activity 2.5.1: Diag - Principles of Government



Unit 3: The U.S. Constitution

Lesson 3.1: Origins of American Government

Activity 3.1.1: Study - Enlightenment Ideas


Learn about the ideas that shaped the Constitution.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 3.1.2: Quiz - Enlightenment Ideas



Activity 3.1.3: Journal - Your Favorite Ideas


Describe the people and ideas that you find most interesting from the Enlightenment.


Activity 3.1.4: Study - Revolutionary Consequences


Learn how the American Revolution changed American governments.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 3.1.5: Quiz - Revolutionary Consequences



Activity 3.1.6: Checkup - Origins of American Government


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 3.2: Creating and Ratifying the Constitution

Activity 3.2.1: Study - The Constitutional Convention


Learn how and why leading Americans met to create a new Constitution.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 3.2.2: Quiz - The Constitutional Convention



Activity 3.2.3: Practice - The Great Compromise







Explain why the Great Compromise is so important.


Activity 3.2.4: Study - Ratifying the Constitution


Learn how the states changed the Constitution when they voted for it.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 3.2.5: Quiz - Ratifying the Constitution



Activity 3.2.6: Checkup - Creating and Ratifying the Constitution


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 3.3: The Constitution

Activity 3.3.1: Study - The Parts of the Constitution


Understand how the structure of the Constitution shows the Founders'' vision for our government.

Duration: 40 min

Activity 3.3.2: Quiz - The Parts of the Constitution



Activity 3.3.3: Read - Reading the Constitution

(Documents: Reading Guide)

Read the U.S. Constitution.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 3.3.4: Quiz - Reading the Constitution



Activity 3.3.5: Study - Principles of the Constitution


Identify the lasting principles of the Constitution and apply them to modern life.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 3.3.6: Quiz - Principles of the Constitution



Activity 3.3.7: Study - Constitutional Amendments


Learn how the Constitution has changed over time.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 3.3.8: Quiz - Constitutional Amendments








Activity 3.3.9: Checkup - The Constitution


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 3.4: Federalism

Activity 3.4.1: Study - The Division of Powers


Understand how power is divided in a federal system of government.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 3.4.2: Quiz - The Division of Powers



Activity 3.4.3: Study - Federalism in Action


Find out how relations between the state and national governments have changed over the years.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 3.4.4: Quiz - Federalism in Action



Activity 3.4.5: Discuss - The Constitution Rap


Write the words to a song about the Constitution. Share your song with other students.


Activity 3.4.6: Checkup - Federalism


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 3.5: The U.S. Constitution Wrap-Up

Activity 3.5.1: Review - The U.S. Constitution


Duration: 30 min

Activity 3.5.2: Test (CST) - The U.S. Constitution



Activity 3.5.3: Test (TST) - The U.S. Constitution







Activity 3.6.1: Diag - The U.S. Constitution



Unit 4: Institutions of Government

Lesson 4.1: Congress

Activity 4.1.1: Study - The Organization of Congress


Learn about the committee system and the internal organization of Congress.

Duration: 40 min

Activity 4.1.2: Quiz - The Organization of Congress



Activity 4.1.3: Study - The Powers of Congress


Discover what Congress is capable of and how it executes its powers.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 4.1.4: Quiz - The Powers of Congress



Activity 4.1.5: Study - How a Bill Becomes a Law


Learn how Congress creates legislation.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 4.1.6: Quiz - How a Bill Becomes a Law



Activity 4.1.7: Study - Congressional Issues


Learn why some people think Congress has problems.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 4.1.8: Quiz - Congressional Issues



Activity 4.1.9: Checkup - Congress


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 4.2: The Presidency





Activity 4.2.1: Study - The President


Examine what it takes to fill the leading position of power in our nation.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 4.2.2: Quiz - The President



Activity 4.2.3: Practice - Presidential Power Presidential Roles


Examine presidential power and presidential roles.


Activity 4.2.4: Read - Being the President


Read about the experiences of our nation''s leaders.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 4.2.5: Quiz - Being the President



Activity 4.2.6: Study - The Vice Presidency and Presidential Succession


Learn about the vice presidency.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 4.2.7: Quiz - The Vice Presidency and Presidential Succession



Activity 4.2.8: Checkup - The Presidency


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 4.3: The Executive Branch and the Bureaucracy

Activity 4.3.1: Study - Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy


Learn about the people and institutions that make government work.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 4.3.2: Quiz - Understanding the Federal Bureaucracy



Activity 4.3.3: Study - The Structure of the Federal Bureaucracy


Learn about the offices and organizations that make up the federal bureaucracy.








Duration: 30 min

Activity 4.3.4: Quiz - The Structure of the Federal Bureaucracy



Activity 4.3.5: Discuss - From the Government and Here to Help You


Discuss the difference between what government workers do and how they are perceived.


Activity 4.3.6: Checkup - The Executive Branch and the Bureaucracy


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 4.4: The Judicial Branch

Activity 4.4.1: Study - Understanding the Justice System


Examine the components of the American system of justice.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 4.4.2: Quiz - Understanding the Justice System



Activity 4.4.3: Journal - Levels of Justice


Explain which level of the justice system has the largest effect on the American people.


Activity 4.4.4: Study - The Supreme Court


Study the judicial body that has the final say.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 4.4.5: Quiz - The Supreme Court



Activity 4.4.6: Study - Follow a Case


Follow a landmark case through the federal judicial system.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 4.4.7: Quiz - Follow a Case



Activity 4.4.8: Checkup - The Judicial Branch







Duration: 10 min

Lesson 4.5: Institutions of Government Wrap-Up

Activity 4.5.1: Review - Institutions of Government


Duration: 30 min

Activity 4.5.2: Test (CST) - Institutions of Government



Activity 4.5.3: Test (TST) - Institutions of Government




Activity 4.6.1: Diag - Institutions of Government



Unit 5: Political Beliefs and Behaviors

Lesson 5.1: Political Participation

Activity 5.1.1: Study - The Expansion of Voting


Learn how people have gained and lost the right to vote over the years.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 5.1.2: Quiz - The Expansion of Voting



Activity 5.1.3: Read - Susan B. Anthony


Read Susan B. Anthony''s description of her challenge to voting laws.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 5.1.4: Quiz - Susan B. Anthony



Activity 5.1.5: Study - Other Types of Political Participation


Discover different ways of getting involved in politics.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 5.1.6: Quiz - Other Types of Political Participation







Activity 5.1.7: Discuss - Young People and Political Participation


Discuss how America''s youth should get involved in politics.


Activity 5.1.8: Study - Levels of Political Participation


Learn about why people vote.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 5.1.9: Quiz - Levels of Political Participation



Activity 5.1.10: Checkup - Political Participation


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 5.2: Political Opinions

Activity 5.2.1: Study - The Origins of Political Opinions


Learn about the origins of political opinions.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 5.2.2: Quiz - The Origins of Political Opinions



Activity 5.2.3: Practice - Summarizing Political Opinions


Explain how personal factors affect the way people make political decisions.


Activity 5.2.4: Checkup - Political Opinions


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 5.3: American Political Beliefs

Activity 5.3.1: Study - The Political Spectrum


Learn about the models used to study political opinions.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 5.3.2: Quiz - The Political Spectrum








Activity 5.3.3: Study - Understanding Liberals and Conservatives


Take a closer look at the two most important American political beliefs.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 5.3.4: Quiz - Understanding Liberals and Conservatives



Activity 5.3.5: Journal - The Liberal and Conservative You


Examine your own political opinions. In what ways are you liberal? In what ways are you conservative?


Activity 5.3.6: Study - Measuring Public Opinion


Learn how to measure public opinion.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 5.3.7: Quiz - Measuring Public Opinion



Activity 5.3.8: Checkup - American Political Beliefs


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 5.4: Political Beliefs and Behaviors Wrap-Up

Activity 5.4.1: Review - Political Beliefs and Behaviors


Duration: 30 min

Activity 5.4.2: Test (CST) - Political Beliefs and Behaviors



Activity 5.4.3: Test (TST) - Political Beliefs and Behaviors




Activity 5.5.1: Diag - Political Beliefs and Behaviors



Unit 6: Linkage Institutions

Lesson 6.1: Political Parties

Activity 6.1.1: Study - Explaining Political Parties





Compare American political parties with political parties in other nations.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 6.1.2: Quiz - Explaining Political Parties



Activity 6.1.3: Study - Party History


Learn the history of American political parties.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 6.1.4: Quiz - Party History



Activity 6.1.5: Study - Minor Parties


Discover the many small political parties.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 6.1.6: Quiz - Minor Parties



Activity 6.1.7: Practice - H. L. Mencken


Plan an essay about political parties.


Activity 6.1.8: Checkup - Political Parties


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 6.2: Elections and Campaigns

Activity 6.2.1: Study - How Elections Work


Learn how elections work.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 6.2.2: Quiz - How Elections Work



Activity 6.2.3: Study - Presidential Campaigns and Elections


Take a look at how the nation chooses its president.

Duration: 40 min







Activity 6.2.4: Quiz - Presidential Campaigns and Elections



Activity 6.2.5: Discuss - Should the Electoral College Be Replaced?


Discuss whether the Electoral College should be replaced.


Activity 6.2.6: Read - Electoral Advertising


Read items from the 2008 presidential election.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 6.2.7: Quiz - Electoral Advertising



Activity 6.2.8: Checkup - Elections and Campaigns


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 6.3: Interest Groups

Activity 6.3.1: Study - Interest Groups


Discover organizations that represent people who have a common goal or care about a particular issue.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 6.3.2: Quiz - Interest Groups



Activity 6.3.3: Journal - Working for an Interest Group


Choose an interest group that represents your goals.


Activity 6.3.4: Study - Interest-Group Actions


Examine the methods that interest groups use to influence policy.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 6.3.5: Quiz - Interest-Group Actions



Activity 6.3.6: Checkup - Interest Groups


Duration: 10 min







Lesson 6.4: The Media

Activity 6.4.1: Study - What Is Media?


Learn about the organizations that show information to the public.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 6.4.2: Quiz - What Is Media?



Activity 6.4.3: Study - The New Media


Take a close look at the Internet and other new media.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 6.4.4: Quiz - The New Media



Activity 6.4.5: Checkup - The Media


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 6.5: Linkage Institutions Wrap-Up

Activity 6.5.1: Review - Linkage Institutions


Duration: 30 min

Activity 6.5.2: Test (CST) - Linkage Institutions



Activity 6.5.3: Test (TST) - Linkage Institutions




Activity 6.6.1: Diag - Linkage Institutions



Unit 7: The Art of Policymaking

Lesson 7.1: Understanding Policymaking

Activity 7.1.1: Study - The Purpose of Policymaking


Learn about the steps in policymaking.




Duration: 30 min

Activity 7.1.2: Quiz - The Purpose of Policymaking



Activity 7.1.3: Discuss - Your Policy Proposal


Make a policy proposal. Discuss proposals made by other students.


Activity 7.1.4: Practice - Using the Policy Cycle


Write the first and last paragraphs of an essay about the policy cycle.


Activity 7.1.5: Checkup - Understanding Policymaking


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 7.2: Policy in Action

Activity 7.2.1: Study - Economic Policy


Learn about economic policy and the business cycle.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 7.2.2: Quiz - Economic Policy



Activity 7.2.3: Read - A Radio Speech


Read former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt''s first radio address to the people of the United States.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 7.2.4: Quiz - A Radio Speech



Activity 7.2.5: Study - Social Policy


Learn about policies that deal with the well-being of the people.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 7.2.6: Quiz - Social Policy



Activity 7.2.7: Study - Foreign Policy









Learn how the United States deals with other nations.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 7.2.8: Quiz - Foreign Policy



Activity 7.2.9: Checkup - Policy in Action


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 7.3: Policymaking at the State and Local Levels

Activity 7.3.1: Study - State Governments


Learn about state governments. How do their powers connect to their policies?

Duration: 30 min

Activity 7.3.2: Quiz - State Governments



Activity 7.3.3: Study - Local Governments


Take a close look at the most common form of government in America.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 7.3.4: Quiz - Local Governments



Activity 7.3.5: Journal - My State and Local Governments


Describe the state and local governments of the place where you live.


Activity 7.3.6: Checkup - Policymaking at the State and Local Levels


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 7.4: The Art of Policymaking Wrap-Up

Activity 7.4.1: Review - The Art of Policymaking


Duration: 30 min

Activity 7.4.2: Test (CST) - The Art of Policymaking



Activity 7.4.3: Test (TST) - The Art of Policymaking







Activity 7.5.1: Diag - The Art of Policymaking



Unit 8: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

Lesson 8.1: American Rights

Activity 8.1.1: Study - Basic Rights


Find out what rights the Founders sought to protect in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

Duration: 45 min

Activity 8.1.2: Quiz - Basic Rights



Activity 8.1.3: Study - The Bill of Rights


Examine the amendments that protect individual rights.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 8.1.4: Quiz - The Bill of Rights



Activity 8.1.5: Journal - The Most Important Rights


Select the most important rights protected in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.


Activity 8.1.6: Study - The Fourteenth Amendment


Examine three important clauses that have increased the protection of civil liberties and civil rights.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 8.1.7: Quiz - The Fourteenth Amendment



Activity 8.1.8: Checkup - American Rights


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 8.2: First Amendment Liberties

Activity 8.2.1: Study - The Freedom of Religion






Learn how the First Amendment protects government from religion and religion from government.

Duration: 45 min

Activity 8.2.2: Quiz - The Freedom of Religion



Activity 8.2.3: Study - The Freedom of Speech


Describe the elements of the First Amendment that guarantee the right to say what you think.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 8.2.4: Quiz - The Freedom of Speech



Activity 8.2.5: Discuss - Flag Burning


Discuss whether burning the American flag is a proper form of political speech.


Activity 8.2.6: Study - Assembly and the Press


Learn about the right to communicate in print and in groups.

Duration: 45 min

Activity 8.2.7: Quiz - Assembly and the Press



Activity 8.2.8: Checkup - First Amendment Liberties


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 8.3: Privacy Rights and Rights of Due Process

Activity 8.3.1: Study - The Right of Privacy


Learn what has shaped your right to privacy.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 8.3.2: Quiz - The Right of Privacy



Activity 8.3.3: Practice - Making Sense of Rights


Write a three-paragraph essay about rights and liberties.








Activity 8.3.4: Study - Due Process and the Law


Take a close look at what the courts mean by due process of law.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 8.3.5: Quiz - Due Process and the Law



Activity 8.3.6: Checkup - Privacy Rights and Rights of Due Process


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 8.4: Rights for Minorities and Women

Activity 8.4.1: Study - Equal Rights for Minority Groups


Discover how the modern black civil rights movement set the stage for the expansion of civil rights for all racial and

ethnic groups.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 8.4.2: Quiz - Equal Rights for Minority Groups



Activity 8.4.3: Read - Radical Rights


Read a famous civil rights speech from the 1960s.

Duration: 20 min

Activity 8.4.4: Quiz - Radical Rights



Activity 8.4.5: Study - Equal Rights for Women


Learn about movements that helped to guarantee equal rights for women.

Duration: 30 min

Activity 8.4.6: Quiz - Equal Rights for Women



Activity 8.4.7: Study - Equal Rights for All


Take a close look at the status of individual rights for all Americans today.

Duration: 40 min

Activity 8.4.8: Quiz - Equal Rights for All









Activity 8.4.9: Journal - Going Over Your List


Select the most important rights protected in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. Has your list changed?


Activity 8.4.10: Checkup - Rights for Minorities and Women


Duration: 10 min

Lesson 8.5: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Wrap-Up

Activity 8.5.1: Review - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights


Duration: 30 min

Activity 8.5.2: Test (CST) - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights



Activity 8.5.3: Test (TST) - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights




Activity 8.6.1: Diag - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights



Unit 9: Final Review and Exam

Lesson 9.1: Final Review and Exam

Activity 9.1.1: Review - Prepare for the Exam

Get ready for the exam by reviewing important ideas and skills covered in this course.

Duration: 45 min

Activity 9.1.2: Exam - Computer-Scored Exam

Take a computer-scored exam to show what you have learned in this course.


Activity 9.1.3: Final Exam - Teacher-Scored Exam

Take a teacher-scored exam to show what you have learned in this course.

Duration: 1 hr 30 min Scoring: 100 Points Earned: _____

Appendix B: Additional Activities

B.1: Extra Credit

Scoring: 15 Points Earned: _____
