Length of course:  1 semester

•    Prerequisites:  While Government is a state mandated course for graduation, AP Government is a Junior elective. Students must have successfully completed World History and U.S. History with a recommended grade of B or higher in previous social studies courses; two core course teacher recommendations; signed AP contract; strong work ethic; and regular attendance.  

•    Course Description:  This course explores both the political theory and everyday practices that shape our government and establish its policies on our behalf. The purposes of this course are to prepare students to take the AP US Government and Politics exam in May and to prepare them to be active members in our republic.

This course is taught in a manner consistent with a college class, and reading and preparation are both substantial and requisite. This class goes beyond the basic nuts and bolts of our system in an attempt to illustrate its strengths and weaknesses. Further still, students examine their rights, responsibilities, and duties as American citizens.

This course is designed to assist students in improving their skills of:
1.    time management and organization
2.    critical reading of primary and secondary sources
3.    historical interpretation and analytical writing
4.    drawing historical analogies
5.    inductive and deductive reasoning