US Government Course Guideline and Syllabus

Mrs. Jacobson
Fall 2022
U.S. Government is required for seniors to successfully complete before graduation from
Topeka West and USD 501. It covers a variety of topics listed below.
Textbook:
Hart, Dianne, Government Alive! Power, Politics and You, Teachers’ Curriculum Institute,
2020. The complete textbook is available to students online through their Clever login.
Materials:
▪ For each class period have ready:
▪ Pen or pencil.
▪ Notebook paper to write on.
▪ YOUR CHROMEBOOK - charged up!!
o Additional materials you may choose to use to stay organized and be
successful
▪ 3-ring notebook.
▪ dividers for your notebook (have extras in the classroom).
▪ Highlighter (have extras in the classroom).
▪ Post-Its (have extras in the classroom).
Class expectations:
● Students should do the following during their Seminar Class regularly.
1. Check the US Government Classroom (the codes are below).
2. Check your USD 501 email.
3. Check Tyler SIS gradebook.
4. BE KIND. BE RESPECTFUL.

5. THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT

THING YOU CAN DO TO PASS THIS
CLASS IS TO SHOW UP, SHOW UP,
AND SHOW UP!!!!!!
Assignments:
▪ Points in the class used to calculate course grade will be determined from the following:
o Tests/quizzes.
o Assignments/ if not completed then it is homework.
o Participation - students must be present and complete activity
during the class period to earn credit.
o Group and/or Class Activities.
o Semester Final.
o Other assigned work.
▪ All homework assignments are to be turned in on the due date unless other
arrangements have been made with the teacher. See Makeup or Late work below ⇓.

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Grading:
▪ THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN
DO TO PASS THIS CLASS IS TO SHOW UP, SHOW
UP, AND SHOW UP!!!!!!
▪ The following grading scale will be used for this course:
o A – 90% to 100%
o B – 80% to 89%
o C – 70% to 79%
o D – 60% to 69%
o F – 50% and below

Makeup or Late Work:

▪ Students are responsible for making arrangements to complete any work not turned in
at the due date. Refer to the Student Handbook HERE. See Class Expectations
above.
▪ When a student misses any assignments, they will have one calendar week after the
due date to make it up,and after one week,a grade of zero will be entered into
Gradebook. For example, if an assignment is due on Thursday, August 18, 2022, then
you have until Thursday August 25, 2022 to complete the missing work for full credit –
(or whatever credit you earn). There are FIVE US Government classes for Fall 2022.
1st hour has a BLUE folder hanging on the back blackboard, 2nd hour has a GREEN
folder hanging on the back blackboard, 4th hour has a YELLOW folder hanging on the
back blackboard, 7th hour has a RED folder hanging on the back blackboard, 8th hour
has a GREEN folder hanging on the back blackboard. This is where paper assignments
that students miss will be placed with their name on it. Students are to pick up missed
paper assignments, complete them and turn them in within the one week deadline.
Periodically, students may get an email about missing and/or late work. Students are
encouraged to check their USD 501 email account on a regular basis. See Class
Expectations above.
▪ Students must use the Google Classroom created for this class to find information about
missing work and announcements. See Class Expectations above. You must join the
Classroom using the correct code provided below. Use the Classroom as a website or
blog to keep up with the class. The class code to join the classroom is:
o 1st hour is hdwgrlu
o 2nd hour is 74mgafx
o 4th hour is mfycfw6
o 7th hour is 7eez6qt
o 8th hour is uet7mik
o Please note that there are 5 different US Government classes for the Fall
2022 semester.
▪ This class will end at the end of the semester and all work must be turned in on or
before the last day of class to receive a grade. The Google Classroom will be
deleted at the end of the semester once grading is complete and access to assignments
will end and students will be removed from the Google Classroom.

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Classroom Behavior:
▪ Students will respect one another and the instructor in exactly the same manner in which
they would want to be respected. Every student will conduct themselves with maturity
and self-control. See Class Expectations above.
▪ Students must use in-class work time given to them during the class period.
▪ STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THEIR ASSIGNMENT(S) ON THEIR OWN UNLESS
INSTRUCTED BY THE TEACHER. There is no need to share assignments with other
students at all.
▪ Please set your cell phones aside and remove earbuds during class.
▪ NOW RELAX!!! I have high expectations from everyone, and I am very confident that
each and every one of you will meet and exceed them.
TENTATIVE Course outline:
Unit 1: Power, Authority and Government
Lesson 1 - The Nature of Power, Politics and Government
Lesson 2 - Comparing Forms of Government
Unit 2: Foundations of American Government - Project
Lesson 3 - The Roots of American Democracy
Lesson 4 - The United States Constitution
Lesson 5 - The Bill of Rights and Civil Liberties
Lesson 6 - Federalism: National, State and Local Powers
Unit 3: Political Participation and Behavior
Lesson 7 - Citizen Participation in a Democracy
Lesson 8 - Parties, Interest Groups, and Public Policy
Lesson 9 - Public Opinion and Media
Lesson 10 - Political Campaigns and Elections
Unit 4: The Legislative Branch
Lesson 11 - Lawmakers and legislatures
Lesson 12 - Congressional Lawmaking
Unit 5: The Executive Branch
Lesson 13 - Chief Executives and Bureaucracies
Lesson 14 - The Federal Budget
Unit 6: The Judicial Branch
Lesson 15 - Courts, Judges, and the Law
Lesson 16 - The Criminal Justice System
Unit 7: The United States and the World
Lesson 17 - Creating American Foreign Policy
Lesson 18 - Confronting Global Issues
FINAL ASSESSMENT