| Course: Principles of Government and Public Administration | |||
| 1st Nine Weeks | 2nd Nine Weeks | 3rd NineWeeks | 4th Nine Weeks |
| Unit(s): 1, 2, 3 | Unit(s): | Unit(s): | Unit(s): |
-Detailed Unit Explanation and Topics
Unit 1 Professional Standards and Employer Expectations • Examine textbook and OER (Open Educational Resources) to evaluate Government and Public Administration • Demonstrate positive, productive work ethic and willingness to be a team member • Assessment: Class Discussion
Unit 2 Forms of Government • Define the terms politics, government, order, liberty, authority and legitimacy • Explain major political ideas in history such as natural law, natural rights, divine right of kings and social contract theory • Compare and contrast the US system of government with other systems and discuss the conflict that can occur between liberty and order and liberty and equality • pp. 3-16 • Assessment: Quiz
Unit 3 Constitutional Government • Analyze the principles that underlie the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution • Explain the purpose of the federal government as set forth in the US Constitution • Explain the Constitutional limits of republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty and individual rights • pp. 46-54 and 65-69 • Assessment: Short Answer Essay: Students will choose three amendments they believe are most important to them and explain their reasoning
Case Study #1 Domestic Policy: Why did LBJ's War on Poverty Fail? • Analyze opposing viewpoints and perspectives of historians on the major US Domestic Policy of President Lyndon B. Johnson • Analyze primary source documents • Summarize each viewpoint and explain their argument • Textbook Correlation - History in Dispute Volume 2: American Social and Political Movements, 1945-2000: Pursuit of Liberty • Assessment: In a class discussion and individual short answers, students will answer the question: Why did LBJ's War on Poverty Fail?
Case Study #2 Foreign Policy: Is Chinese Nationalism a Threat to World Peace? • Analyze China's growing economy, relationship with the United States, the Issue of Taiwan and Chinese Nationalism • Examine 2-3 primary source documents that support answering the case study question • Create an argument to answer the case study question • Textbook pp. 46-48 and various OER sources • Assessment: In a class discussion and individual short answers, students will answer the question: Is China's Nationalism a Threat to World Peace?
Case Study Presentations • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a large team • Demonstrate professionalism by conducting a formal presentation • Demonstrate time management skills • Previous case study materials • Assessment: Complete an audience peer review for the other presenters and meet to collaborate on strengths and weaknesses
Roles and Departments of the Federal Government • Examine the roles and responsibilities of the Executive Branch departments • Describe the various types of departments, agencies and individuals that make up the Presidential Cabinet • Textbook pp. 338-340 and 349-361 • Assessment: Students will vote to accept or revise briefing notebooks with class discussion
Cabinet Level Presentations • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Demonstrate professionalism by conducting a formal presentation • Demonstrate time management skills • Various OERs • Assessment: 5 minute team presentation with questions from the audience
-Safety Exams or Certifications | -Detailed Unit Explanation and Topics
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Analyze how current real-world situations impact their cabinet-level position • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will present their findings in a mock Presidential Cabinet meeting
Cabinet Meeting #1 • Demonstrate time-management skills by tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working with others in a professional environment • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will conduct a professional cabinet meeting simulation and discuss the process and delivery in a debriefing (Class members only); Student contributions to the briefing binders
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Analyze how current real-world situations impact their cabinet-level position • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will present their findings in a mock Presidential Cabinet meeting
Cabinet Meeting #2 • Demonstrate time-management skills by tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working with others in a professional environment • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will conduct a professional cabinet meeting simulation and discuss the process and delivery in a debriefing (Class members and invited guests); Student contributions to the briefing binders
Unit 4 The Bill of Rights • Identify rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights • Identify and recognize issues addressed in critical cases that involve the US Supreme Court and their interpretations • Explain the importance of due process rights to the protection of individual rights • Textbook pp. 87-109 • Assessment: Students will complete a Google Form evaluation of their Supreme Court case and how it relates to Due Process Rights
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Analyze how current real-world situations impact their cabinet-level position • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will present their findings in a mock Presidential Cabinet meeting
Cabinet Meeting #3 • Demonstrate time-management skills by tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working with others in a professional environment • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will conduct a professional cabinet meeting simulation and discuss the process and delivery in a debriefing (Guest President with Invited Guests); Student contributions to the briefing binders
Semester Finals - Fall CCA
-Safety Exams or Certifications | -Detailed Unit Explanation and Topics
Unit 5 Personal and Civic Responsibilities • Recognize the importance of voluntary individual participation in the US democratic society • Recognize the difference between personal and civic responsibilities • Investigate the role of Interest Groups • Textbook pp. 181-190 • Assessment: Quiz
Unit 5 Personal and Civic Responsibilities • Evaluate various leadership styles and their impact on participation • Analyze the consequences on society of political decisions and actions • Textbook pp. 191-201 • Assessment: Short answer essay on how Citizens United v. FEC (2010) affected corporations and ideological interest groups
Unit 6 Government Policies and US Culture • Recognize the relationship between government policies and the culture of the US • Summarize the historical situation of how the separate-but-equal doctrine was abolished and describe the consequences of the civil rights movement • Textbook pp. 117-124 • Assessment: Record an oral presentation from the activity on how African Americans utilized the Constitution and Court System to gain civil rights
Unit 6 Government Policies and US Culture • Discuss changes in American culture brought about by government policies such as the GI Bill • Identify a contemporary public policy or decision that resulted in changes to American culture • Evaluate the rights and status of juvenile citizens • Textbook pp. 143-145 • Assessment: Class discussion
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Analyze how current real-world situations impact their cabinet-level position • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will present their findings in a mock Presidential Cabinet meeting
Cabinet Meeting #4 • Demonstrate time-management skills by tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working with others in a professional environment • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OERs and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will conduct a professional cabinet meeting simulation and discuss the process and delivery in a debriefing (Guest President with Invited Guests); Student contributions to the briefing binders
Unit 7 Geography's Influence • Identify the influence of geography on governmental and public administrative functions • Draw conclusions about the geographic characteristics of critical regions such as oil fields • Examine the Immigration Debate • Textbook 413-422 and various OERs • Assessment: Quiz
Unit 7 Geography's Influence • Interpret geographical influences on requirements for international, national, state and local governments • Analyze how geographic considerations impact regional policies over time • Examine Natural Resources and International Policies • Textbook 413-422 and various OERs • Assessment: Small group presentations on natural resource policies and their effects
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Analyze how current real-world situations impact their cabinet-level position • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will present their findings in a mock Presidential Cabinet meeting
Cabinet Meeting #5 • Demonstrate time-management skills by tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working with others in a professional environment • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will conduct a professional cabinet meeting simulation and discuss the process and delivery in a debriefing (Guest President with Invited Guests); Student contributions to the briefing binders
-Safety Exams or Certifications | -Detailed Unit Explanation and Topics
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Analyze how current real-world situations impact their cabinet-level position • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will present their findings in a mock Presidential Cabinet meeting
Cabinet Meeting #6 • Demonstrate time-management skills by tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working with others in a professional environment • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will conduct a professional cabinet meeting simulation and discuss the process and delivery in a debriefing (Guest President with Invited Guests); Student contributions to the briefing binders
Unit 8 Government Functions and Public Policy • Interpret and apply concepts of governance to assess functions of government and public administration in society • Summarize key differences between the policies and supporters of the major parties • Explain why the two-party system has endured and evaluate its impact on public policy • Textbook pp. 217-231 • Assessment: Quiz
Unit 8 Government Functions and Public Policy • Analyze the ways in which support for the parties can change and the increase in independents • Explore the impact of third parties on public policy and elections • Textbook pp. 217-231 • Assessment: Short Answer Essay answering: Why should you care about political parties?
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working on a small team • Analyze how current real-world situations impact their cabinet-level position • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will present their findings in a mock Presidential Cabinet meeting
Cabinet Meeting #7 • Demonstrate time-management skills by tending to goal-relevant activities in a way that uses time wisely • Demonstrate collaboration skills through working with others in a professional environment • Communicate in oral and written professional presentation • Various OER's and student produced materials • Assessment: Students will conduct a professional cabinet meeting simulation and discuss the process and delivery in a debriefing (Guest President with Invited Guests) Student contributions to the briefing binders
STAAR Testing
Unit 9 Communication and Structures • Describe the different types of media and the various roles they play in American society • Summarize the impact of the media on the political process • Explain the relationship between the government and the media, in particular the internet • Textbook pp. 267-282 • Assessment: Class discussion on media coverage and presidential debates
Unit 10 Technology and Innovation • Analyze recent scientific advancements and the public policies surrounding them • Assess how government is used to regulate competition and entrepreneurship with pubic policies • Textbook pp. 195 • Assessment: Students will plan a trip around San Antonio using either Uber or Lyft to preassigned points of interest and will compare costs and debate if 'surge pricing' should be allowed
Final Reviews/Exams
Final Exams
-Safety Exams or Certifications
Spring CCA |
Required Project:
Title: Presidential Cabinet
Description: Students will research the various departments and leaders that participate in the Presidential Cabinet. Students will contribute to creating a briefing notebook for the cabinet stakeholder with roles and responsibilities. These briefing binders will be utilized and updated throughout the year as students participate in Presidential Cabinet simulations. | Required Project:
Title: Who's Behind the Information?
Description: This project introduces students to lateral reading, a strategy for investigating who's behind an unfamiliar online source by leaving the webpage and opening a new browser tab to see what trusted websites say about the unknown source. Students watch the teacher model lateral reading and then have a chance to practice the strategy to determine who is behind a website and, ultimately, whether that website is trustworthy. | Required Project:
Title: What's the Evidence?
Description: To avoid falling prey to digital rogues, students must hone their ability to evaluate the relevance and reliability of evidence. This project helps students develop skills for evaluating the varied forms of evidence that exist online. Students complete a task about analyzing evidence and then work together to generate the most important questions to ask about online evidence. Students use these questions to practice analyzing evidence in groups. | Required Project:
Title: What do other sources say?
Description: This project introduces students to click restraint, a strategy that involves resisting the urge to immediately click on the first search result. Instead, students scan the results to make a more informed choice about where to go first. |
Additional Activities:
Unit 1 • Examine Career Opportunities in Political Science and Public Administration. • Ice Breaker Activities
Unit 2 • Create a set of looping flashcards for terms. • Answer Critical Analysis Question on pp. 12
Unit 3 • Create an argument: Was a Bill of Rights Necessary? Students will argue both in favor of and against the drafting of the Bill of Rights. • Students will examine the Periodic Table of Constitutional Amendments
Case Study #1 • Create an argument: Was a Bill of Rights Necessary? Students will argue both in favor of and against the drafting of the Bill of Rights • Students will examine the Periodic Table of Constitutional Amendments
Case Study #2 • In small groups, students will use a giant post it note to summarize the arguments and main ideas • In a gallery walk, students will vote on ideas they think best represent
Case Study Presentations • In a large group, students will create a presentation on one of the previous Case Study Questions • Students will utilize a round table format or cabinet meeting style presentation format
Roles and Departments of the Federal Government • In small groups, students will examine one of the Presidential Cabinet stakeholders • Students will contribute to creating a briefing notebook for the cabinet stakeholder with roles and responsibilities
Cabinet Level Presentations • Students will utilize cabinet briefing notebook to locate current topics of interest for their stakeholder • Students will design a 5 minute oral presentation to the class on their cabinet stakeholder | Additional Activities:
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Introduction to Problems/Topics, Teams, Roles and Work Assignments • Library Research, Discussions and Mock Cabinet Meeting
Cabinet Meeting #1 • Research follow-up, Briefing books are drafted, Peer-Reviews • Final updates, Materials and meeting prep/set-up, Cabinet Meeting simulation, Debriefing
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Introduction to Problems/Topics, Teams, Roles and Work Assignments • Library Research, Discussions and Mock Cabinet Meeting
Cabinet Meeting #2 • Research follow-up, Briefing books are drafted, Peer-Reviews • Final updates, Materials and meeting prep/set-up, Cabinet Meeting simulation, Debriefing
Unit 4 The Bill of Rights • Students will review the Bill of Rights and their work completed in Unit 3 • Students will research a Supreme Court case that is based on Due Process rights
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Introduction to Problems/Topics, Teams, Roles and Work Assignments • Library Research, Discussions and Mock Cabinet Meeting
Cabinet Meeting #3 • Research follow-up, Briefing books are drafted, Peer-Reviews • Final updates, Materials and meeting prep/set-up, Cabinet Meeting simulation, Debriefing
Semester Finals | Additional Activities:
Unit 5 Personal and Civic Responsibilities • Students will create a class database of Interest Groups with basic characteristics, leadership and goals • Students will email Interest Groups for materials and information
Unit 5 Personal and Civic Responsibilities • Students will examine the Supreme Court Case Citizens United v. FEC (2010) • Discussion on the pros and cons of lobbying
Unit 6 Government Policies and US Culture • Create a presentation on how African Americans utilized the Constitution and Court System to gain civil rights
Unit 6 Government Policies and US Culture • Research court cases affecting children below the age of 16 • Present and discuss research on the rights and status of juvenile citizens
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Introduction to Problems/Topics, Teams, Roles and Work Assignments • Library Research, Discussions and Mock Cabinet Meeting
Cabinet Meeting #4 • Research follow-up, Briefing books are drafted, Peer-Reviews • Final updates, Materials and meeting prep/set-up, Cabinet Meeting simulation, Debriefing
Unit 7 Geography's Influence • Compare and contrast Arizona's immigration policies vs. the Obama Administration's policies vs. the Trump Administration's policies
Unit 7 Geography's Influence • Students will research various natural resources and the impact of international policies affect local economies
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Introduction to Problems/Topics, Teams, Roles and Work Assignments • Library Research, Discussions and Mock Cabinet Meeting
Cabinet Meeting #5 • Research follow-up, Briefing books are drafted, Peer-Reviews • Final updates, Materials and meeting prep/set-up, Cabinet Meeting simulation, Debriefing | Additional Activities:
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Introduction to Problems/Topics, Teams, Roles and Work Assignments • Library Research, Discussions and Mock Cabinet Meeting
Cabinet Meeting #6 • Research follow-up, Briefing books are drafted, Peer-Reviews • Final updates, Materials and meeting prep/set-up, Cabinet Meeting simulation, Debriefing
Unit 8 Government Functions and Public Policy • Crash Course video on The Two Party System • Compare and contrast the 2020 Election Party Platforms
Unit 8 Government Functions and Public Policy • Political Party Selector survey • Create a chart of the policies of Third Parties since the Civil War
Cabinet Meeting Prep • Introduction to Problems/Topics, Teams, Roles and Work Assignments • Library Research, Discussions and Mock Cabinet Meeting
Cabinet Meeting #7 • Research follow-up, Briefing books are drafted, Peer-Reviews • Final updates, Materials and meeting prep/set-up, Cabinet Meeting simulation, Debriefing
STAAR Testing
Unit 9 Communication and Structures • Students will examine various political advertising from presidential elections and evaluate their effectiveness • Students will evaluate the Kennedy-Nixon television debate
Unit 10 Technology and Innovation • Students will examine the question: Should we let Uber and Lyft pick up passengers? • Students will debate whether Uber and Lyft should be allowed to use 'Surge Pricing' during certain events
Final Reviews/Exams
Final Exams |
| Employability Skills:Located in Main Curriculum Folder | |||
Employability Skills: -Professionalism -Ethics | Employability Skills: Teamwork-Problem Solving | Employability Skills: -Self Management Skill -Conflict Resolution-Leadership | Employability Skills: Communication Skills |
| CCMR: CTE CO Will Complete | CCMR: CTE CO Will Complete | CCMR: CTE CO Will Complete | CCMR: CTE CO Will Complete |
