Week 1: Foundations of American Democracy
Objectives: Deep dive into the philosophical foundations, analyze the structure created by the Constitution, and understand federalism.
Detailed Activities:
Day 1-2: Analyze The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. Discuss the principles of democracy they establish.
Day 3: Examine Federalist No. 10 and Brutus No.1, focusing on the arguments for and against a large republic.
Day 4-5: Study Federalism through McCulloch v. Maryland, exploring the balance of power between state and federal governments. Create a Venn diagram to visualize shared and exclusive powers.
Skills Development: Critical analysis of documents, developing arguments, understanding the impact of federalism on American politics.
Week 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government
Objectives: Explore how the Constitution structures the U.S. government, the powers and limitations of each branch, and their interactions.
Detailed Activities:
Day 1-2: Investigate the legislative process, including case studies on significant legislation. Role-play Congress to understand bill passage.
Day 3-4: Examine the presidency's roles, including executive orders, with a case study on a significant presidential action (e.g., Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation).
Day 5: Analyze the judiciary's role, focusing on judicial review established in Marbury v. Madison. Hold a mock trial to understand the Court's functioning.
Skills Development: Applying constitutional principles to real-world scenarios, evaluating the effectiveness of checks and balances.
Week 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Objectives: Assess the evolution of civil liberties and rights, focusing on landmark Supreme Court cases.
Detailed Activities:
Day 1-2: Discuss the First Amendment rights through case studies like Tinker v. Des Moines. Create posters on freedoms protected.
Day 3-4: Analyze the impact of Brown v. Board of Education on civil rights and segregation. Debate its effects on today's education system.
Day 5: Study the rights of the accused through Gideon v. Wainwright. Simulate a court proceeding to understand due process.
Skills Development: Assessing the impact of judicial decisions on American society, understanding the balance between individual rights and societal needs.
Week 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
Objectives: Explore how political ideologies and beliefs influence American politics and policy.
Detailed Activities:
Day 1-2: Survey American political ideologies, examining how they influence party politics. Create ideology spectrums with current political issues.
Day 3-4: Discuss the role of media in shaping political beliefs and ideologies. Analyze media coverage of a recent political event.
Day 5: Explore the impact of social movements on American political beliefs through case studies (e.g., Civil Rights Movement, Tea Party Movement).
Skills Development: Identifying biases, understanding the influence of ideologies on policy, analyzing the role of media and social movements in shaping political beliefs.
Week 5: Political Participation
Objectives: Investigate the various forms of political participation and their impact on American democracy.
Detailed Activities:
Day 1-2: Study voting rights and behavior, including the effects of laws and demographics on voter turnout. Analyze recent election data.
Day 3-4: Examine the role and influence of political parties and interest groups, including a case study on a major lobbying effort.
Day 5: Investigate campaign finance and its effects on political campaigns and elections, focusing on Citizens United v. FEC.
Skills Development: Evaluating the effectiveness of different forms of political participation, understanding the influence of money in politics.
Week 6: Review and Exam Preparation
Objectives: Consolidate knowledge, refine essay-writing and argumentation skills, practice exam questions.
Detailed Activities:
Day 1-3: Review sessions covering major themes, foundational documents, and Supreme Court cases. Use flashcards for key terms and cases.
Day 4-5: Timed practice essays and multiple-choice question sets. Peer review essays to provide feedback and discuss multiple-choice answers in small groups.
Skills Development: Enhancing test-taking strategies, refining argumentation skills, applying knowledge in exam-style questions.