LEARNING & UNLEARNING: MR. MCDONALD'S CLASSROOM
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ABOUT
Mr. McDonald
Jordan High School History
JHS Distinguished Speaker Series
JHS Courses
American History: Founding Principles, Civics and Economics
Government & Politics (Advanced Placement)
Independent Study Program
Multicultural Studies
Personal Financial Literacy
Poverty in America
Seminar - AP Capstone (Advanced Placement)
Duke Courses
EDU 495: Teaching High School
EDU 496: Secondary School Issues
EDU 703A: Effective Teaching Strategies
EDU 703B: Teaching Social Studies
OMS Soccer
Publications
Resources
For Students
For Families
For Teachers
Service
Contact
Advanced Placement Government & Politics w Civics & Econ
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Instructional Reminders
Summer Enrichment Opportunities will be available on school website
No required Summer Assignments for AP classes
Grading Guidance
Final Grading Guidance
(Grades 9-11) - Read Carefully!
Graphic: What Should You Do About Your Grades?
(EdNC)
Support Resources:
5 Minute Meditation
and
3 Minute Mindful Breathing
JHS Ignite at Home Learning Program
- All the school info you need!
Social and Emotional Health
- Your health is priority #1
Course Documents
COURSE OVERVIEW
COURSE DESCRIPTION, 2019-2020
Summer Assignment, 2019-2020
Video:
Growth Mindset
Online Textbooks - Civics and Economics
UNIT PLANS
Unit 1 - American Democracy, An Introduction & History
Proper Role of Government
Worksheet
Image Assignment
&
Analysis Worksheets
13 American Arguments:
Racial Rhetoric
(CNN)
Authority and Legitimacy Questions
Democracy
Readings
&
Questions
Video:
Immigration History of the United States
Citizenship Test
Unit 2 - Constitution & Federalism / Review Guide
Video:
Economic Interpretation of the Constitution
Interactive Constitution
(Nat. Con. Center)
Article:
The Constitution & America's Destiny
Constitution
Test #1
and
Test #2
Unit 3 - Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Presentations:
Civil Liberties
/
Civil Rights
Bill of Rights Scenarios Worksheets
Video:
Equality-A History of the Women's Movemen
Gay Rights in the United States, State by State
Literacy Tests:
Alabama
and
Louisiana
Supreme Court Case Study Workbook
Unit 4 - American Political Culture
Presentation:
Culture, Ideology & Elections
Interactive:
2016 Election
(New York Times)
How Many Households Look Like Yours?
(NY Times)
Political Ideology Survey
and
Political Typology Quiz
Article:
Red State, Blue City
Article:
Public Opinion & American Democracy
Exit Polls
(New York Times)
Unit 5 - Linkage Institutions
Presentations:
Parties
,
Interest Groups
, &
Media
Article:
Critical Elections and the Mainsprings...
The Moral Roots of Liberals & Conservatives
Contribution Limits
(FEC)
Political Parties
(Pew Research Center)
Directory of US Political Parties
(Politics1)
Unit 6 - Legislative Branch
Presentation:
Congress
Article:
Homestyle
(Richard Fenno)
Video:
Congress & Partisanship
Redistricting Game
(Annenberg Center)
Assignment:
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Unit 7 - Executive Branch and Bureaucracy
Presentations:
Presidency
and
Bureaucracy
Article:
Paradoxes of the American Presidency
Article:
Power & the Presidency
(and
assignment
)
Article:
The Bureaucracy
Unit 8 - Judicial Branch with Law & Justice
Presentations:
Judicial Branch
,
American Legal System
,
Criminal and Civil Law
Article:
The Pursuit of Justices
(
Assignme
nt)
Article:
The Supreme Court & Precedent
(CNN)
Interactive:
Which Supreme Court Justice Are You
?
Article:
Storm Center
Resource:
Justice Learning
Unit 9 - Public Policy (Domestic and Foreign)
PowerPoint Presentations:
Public Policy
and
Domestic
Policy
Foreign Policy
Documentary:
10 Trillion and Counting
and
Optional Assignment
Unit 10 - Economics & State/Local Government
Economics Packets:
Economic Principles
,
Supply & Deman
d and
Financial Literacy
Presentation:
Personal Financial Literacy
Reading:
Supply and Demand
State/Local Government:
Packet
and
"State and Local Government Reading
(White House)
Personal Financial Literacy
Personal Finance and Economics
(Chapter)
Personal Financial Literacy
(Textbook)
Article:
NC's Teacher Diversity Gap
Resources
PRIMARY SOURCES (REQUIRED)
Declaration of Independence
Articles of Confederation
Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Federalist Papers:
#10
(
annotated
),
#51
,
#70
, and
#78
Anti-Federalist Paper:
Brutus No. 1
(
with annotations
)
Letter From a Birmingham Jail
-
Assignment
and
Video
SUPREME COURT CASES (REQUIRED)
Marbury v. Madison
, 1803
McCulloch v. Maryland
, 1819
Schenck v. US
, 1919
Brown v. Board of Education
,1954
Baker v. Carr
, 1961
Engel v. Vitale
, 1962
Gideon v. Wainwright
, 1963
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District
, 1968
New York Times Company v. US
, 1971
Wisconsin v. Yoder
, 1971
Roe v. Wade
,1973
Shaw v. Reno
, 1993
United States v. Lopez
, 1995
Citizens United v. FEC
, 2009
McDonald v. Chicago
, 2010
REVIEW VIDEOS (for modified exam)
Separation of Powers and Checks & Balances
Federalism
Civil Liberties & Civil Rights
Equal Protection
Due Process of Law
Congressional Decisions
Gerrymandering Explained
How a Bill Becomes a Law
How Presidents Govern
Presidential Powers
Part 1
and
Part 2
Bureaucracy Basics
Structure of the Court System
Judicial Decisions
Monetary and Fiscal Policy
FREE RESPONSE QUESTIONS
Concept Application:
Overview
,
Video #1
,
Video #2
Data Analysis
Supreme Court Case Comparison
Argumentative Essay:
this PowerPoint
(from class)
EXAM REVIEW
AP Exam Review Document
(J. Milner)
Midterm Review Guide Compilation
(2020)
Massive AP Government Review Guide
(155 pages)
College Board -
Practice Exam Sample Responses (2019)
Resources:
3 Branches
/
Branches
,
Terms and Presidents
50 Supreme Court Cases That You Need To Know
Midterm Review Guide
and
Powerpoint
(JHS Social Studies)
College Board - Government & Politics
(AP Central)
Podcasts, Unit Summaries, Vocabulary
(Mr. Farshtey)
Review Questions & Vocabulary
(Mrs. Newmark)
Practice Test, Unit Summaries
(Textbook Website)
AP Government Review Packet
(Shaker.org)
Crash Course: US Gov & Politics
(Crash Course Videos)
Final Exam Review Video
(Adam Norris)
Past
College Board Essays
(College Board)ADDITIONAL LINKS
National Constitution Center
Supreme Court Case Study Workbook
The Living Room Candidate
(Campaign Ads)
Classroom Deliberations
(C-Span)
270 to Win
(Electoral College Results)
Pros & Cons of Controversial Issues (ProCon.org)
Oyez
(Supreme Court Database)
FiveThirtyEight
(Nate Silver)
Simulations and Games
(iCivics)
All Sides
(Balanced News)
OpenSecrets
(Center for Responsive Politics)
White House
,
Congress
, and the
Supreme Court
(official government websites)
Political Party Project Video Samples:
click
HERE
NORTH CAROLINA FINAL EXAM (NCFE) RESOURCES
NC Public Schools Resource
- Info & Released Tests
NCFE Released Practice Questions