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Mr. Busbin's

American Government Class

Auburn High School 2011-2012

12th Grade American Government and Civics

DAY	TOPICS	ASSIGNMENTS/ACTIVITIES	HOMEWORK
1 (1/4; 1/5)	Class Introduction	syllabus; personal survey; student contract	Have syllabus signed
2 (1/5; 1/9)	Why Elections?	Civic Knowledge Reading; Elections Concept Map ; Why Elections (Notes)	Get necessary supplies; Election Interview Project
3 (1/6; 1/11)	Course Essential Question Introduction	BCS Article and role-playing (Is the BCS the most fair way to choose the top two teams?); Introduction of Democratic Elections (lecture); value analysis	Election Interview Project
4 (1/9; 1/13)	What is Democracy?	Five Schools-What is a democracy?; Democracy Notes	Election Interview Project
5 (1/10; 1/18)	Voting and Demographics	Political Spectrum Typology Quiz; Conservative v. Liberal	No homework
6 (1/11; 1/20)	Voting and Demographics	You be the Political Scientist: Demographics and Ideology (Note sheet; provided charts)	Looking at the Issues
7 (1/12; 1/24)	Voting and Demographics	Article and questions; Voting Trends and Behavior	No homework;
8 (1/13; 1/26)	Voting and Demographics	Article on compulsory voting; turnout analysis	Increasing Voter Turnout Proposal
9 (1/17; 1/30)	Voting and Demographics	Design a Voter Culminating Activity	Finish voter profile
10 (1/18; 2/1)	Just v. Unjust Laws: Who Votes?	History of Suffrage Expansion in Pictures (Picture Analysis); Introduction to Letter from a Birmingham Jail	Letter From a Birmingham Jail excerpt and ticket
11 (1/19; 2/3)	Just v. Unjust Laws: Who Votes?	Letter from a Birmingham Jail Socratic Seminar	No homework
12 (1/20; 2/7)	Just v. Unjust Laws: Who Votes?	Decision-making groups on just or unjust laws (Case Studies)	Letter to Representative Rogers Reflective Writing Assignment
13 (1/23; 2/9)	Voting Technology	Introduction to Elections and Federalism	No homework
14 (1/24; 2/13)	Voting Technology	Voting Technology Webquest	Voting Technology Graphs
15 (1/25; 2/15)	Voting Technology	Voting Technology and the States Persuasive Campaigns (Group Info)	No homework
16 (1/26; 2/17)	Voting Technology	Group Presentations; Essay Introduction	Policy Paper Writing Assignment
17 (1/27; 2/22)	Political Parties	Unit Introduction; What are political parties? (Note sheet); articles and questions on pro/con presence of third party	Finish Essay
18 (1/30; 2/24)	Political Parties	Third parties in America (Note sheet); You be the Judge (Williams v. Rhodes; AETC v. Forbes)	No homework
19 (1/31; 2/28)	Political Parties	Talk Show Prep	Finish preparation
20 (2/1; 3/1)	Political Parties	Congressional Committee Hearing	Justify Your Vote
21 (2/2; 3/5)	Presidential Election Process	Nomination Phase	Election Cartoon Analysis; begin studying for midterm
22 (2/3; 3/7)	Presidential Election Process	What is the Electoral College?; Fed. 68; math activity with voting systems	begin studying for midterm
23 (2/6; 3/9)	Presidential Election Process	Electoral College Jigsaw	Election System Comparison
24 (2/7; 3/14)	Presidential Election Process	Review Day-4 Corners Activity; pre-planning for essay; vocabulary review	Finish jigsaw writing
25 (2/8; 3/16)	Midterm	Midterm [Essay next day]	Prepare for midterm (essay brainstorm)
26 (2/9; 3/20)	Midterm	Finish Midterm Essay; Congressional Term Limits; Incumbency Advantage	Finish essay; work on Voter Awareness Project
27 (2/10; 3/22)	Gerrymandering	What is Gerrymandering?; Computer Lab-Gerrymander the Game	No homework; work on Voter Awareness Project
28 (2/13; 4/2)	Term Limits		No homework; work on Voter Awareness Project
29 (2/14; 4/4)	Media and Elections	To what extent should the media be held responsible for voter knowledge?; History of the Media (Grabber: How much do you know?)	No homework; work on Voter Awareness Project
30 (2/15; 4/6)	Media and Elections	What is News?; Attack Journalism	Voters and Media Knowledge
31 (2/16; 4/10)	Media and Elections	Design Your Own Public Opinion Poll	"Public Opinion Polls" Reading and Questions
32 (2/17; 4/12)	Media and Elections	Culminating Activity	No homework; work on Voter Awareness Project
33 (2/21; 4/16)	Media and Elections	Propaganda and Campaign Ads Analysis	Negative Ad Political Cartoon Analysis
34 (2/22; 4/18)	Media and Elections	Structured Academic Controversy: Negative Campaigning	Negative Ad Situation Brainstorming
35 (2/23; 4/23)	Judicial Elections: Should We Vote for Judges?	Should We Elect Judges?
36 (2/24; 4/25)	Campaign Finance	Campaign Finance: What's the Fuss About?; What are interest groups? (Notes' Chart)	History of Campaign Finance reading (questions)
37 (2/27; 4/27)	Campaign Finance	Citizen's United v. FEC
38 (2/28; 5/1)	Campaign Finance	Political Corruption v. Freedom of Speech Socratic Seminar
39 (2/29; 5/3)	Campaign Finance	Reform Options Jigsaw	Political Cartoon Brainstorming
40 (3/1; 5/7)	Campaign Finance		Bring all notes, etc. to class
41 (3/2; 5/9)	Campaign Finance		Continue work on project
42 (3/5; 5/11)	Culminating Activity	Presidential Commission on Election Reform Preparation (websites to refer to)	Work on culminating activity preparation
43 (3/6)	Culminating Activity	Presidential Commission on Election Reform Preparation (websites to refer to)	Election Essay (Complete brainstorming)
44 (3/7)	Culminating Activity	Presidential Commission on Election Reform Preparation (websites to refer to)
45 (3/8)	Culminating Activity	Presidential Commission on Electoral Reform Presentations (Commission Data Retrieval Chart)
46 (3/9)	Culminating Activity	Final Exam-Comprehensive	Have a great senior year!

Contact Information:

Email: wbbusbin@auburnschools.org

Phone: 334.887.4970

Fax: 334.887.4177