Welcome to Mr. Tredinnick's United States Government Class
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This semester long course will examine the democratic foundations, structures, and institutions of American government at local, state, and national levels. Students will study the political processes to gain understanding of the role of the individuals in the decision-making process of American government. Students will also learn about the rights and responsibilities of the citizens of the United States. By investigate American government though a variety of methods, including examining primary source documents, conducting research projects, class discussion, and written essays students will gain a deeper understanding of the function of the United States Government.
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Unit IV - The Political Process and Policy
Unit IV Course Schedule
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Week 16 - Other Influences on Government
(Nov 28-Dec 2) Monday: State, City, and County Governments - Forum 4.1 - Redefine Federalism - Government at the Local Level (Notes) HW: Researching Your Local Government (Assignment) Tuesday: No Class "A" Day Wednesday: Corporate and Special Interests - Forum 4.2 - Positives of Interest Groups - Political Parties and Lobbyists (Notes) HW: Lobbying for Zoos (Assignment) + Associations of Zoos and Aquariums Thursday: No Class "A" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day Week 18 - Democratic Citizenship
(Dec 12-16) Monday: No Class "A" Day Tuesday: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens - Forum 4.5 - Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship - Pathways to Citizenship (Notes) - The Role of Citizens (Notes) + Rights, Responsibilities, and Duties (Assignment) HW: Finish Thought Questions Wednesday: No Class "A" Day Thursday: End of Unit Review - Unit IV Study Guide: The Political Process and Policy (Review) - Unit IV Honors Essay Due Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day |
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Week 17 - Policy
(Dec 5-9) Monday: Domestic Policy - Forum 4.3 - Most Pressing Issue? - Addressing Public Policy: Domestic Policy (Notes) HW: Researching an Issues (Assignment) + GovTrack: Bills and Resolutions + Domestic Policy Council Honors HW: Unit IV Essay - Ouline Due Monday Tuesday: No Class "A" Day Wednesday: Foreign Policy - Forum 4.4 - Biggest Threat to World Peace? - Setting Foreign and Military Policy (Notes) HW: Neglecting Rwanda (Assignment) + The Guardian: The US Chose to Ignore Rwanda Thursday: No Class "A" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day Week 19 - Semester End
(Dec 19-22) Monday: Finish Unit IV Unit IV Test - The Political Process and Policy - 1A Final Dec 19th, 7:30 - 9:15 - 3A Final Dec 19th, 11:45-1:00 Tuesday: B Day Finals Unit IV Test - The Political Process and Policy - 3B Final Dec 20th, 11:45-1:00 Wednesday: No School - Winter Recess OPS Students Report to Zoo Academy Thursday: No School - Winter Recess OPS Students Report to Zoo Academy Friday: No School - Winter Recess |
Unit IV Notes
Unit IV Review
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Unit IV Assignments
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Unit IV Additional Resources
Unit III - The Branches of Government
Unit III Course Schedule
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Week 11 - The Branches of Government
(Oct 24-28) Monday: The Presidency - Forum 3.1 - The Presidency - The Executive Branch (Notes) HW: Presidential Trivia (Assignment) + Animaniacs - The President Song + Colbert Helps Obama With His Resume + 25 Things The President Can't Do Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Introducing the Supreme Court - Forum 3.2 - Issues in the Court - The Judicial Branch (Notes) HW: Monumental Cases (Assignment) Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day Week 13 - The Election Process & Projects
(Nov 7-11) Monday: Predicting the Election Forum 3.6 - Congressional Districts - Prediction the 2016 Election (Assignment) + NARA: The Electoral College + 270 to Win + YouGov + Real Clear Politics: Electoral Map HW: PapLV - Prepare for the CSA, OPS - Have idea for Bill Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Gov CSA and RSP - PapLV: Unit I CSA Exam - OPS: Work time for RSP Pt 1 Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day |
Week 14 - The Judicial Branch
(Nov 14-18) Monday: Gov CSA and RSP - PapLV: Unit II CSA Exam - OPS: Work time for RSP Pt 2 & 3 Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Study Day - Review for Unit III Test - The Branches of Government HW: OPS Students RSP Due 11/21 Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day |
Week 12 - The Branches of Government
(Oct 31-Nov 4) Monday: Enforcing the Laws - Forum 3.3 - Presidential Approval - The Executive Bureaucracy (Notes) HW: Crash Course: How Presidents Govern (Assignment) + Crash Course: How Presidents Govern Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Congress - Forume 3.4 - Governmental Effectivness - The Legislative Branch (Notes) + Bill to Law Flow Chart (Notes) PapLV: CSA 1 OPS: Begin Bill to Law RSP (Assignment) + Schoolhouse Rock: I'm Just A Bill + Use Patchwork Nation website to help you find issues related to your area HW: Prepare Bills Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day Week 15 - Finish Unit III
(Nov 21-25) Monday: Finish Unit III - Unit III Test - The Branches of Government + Monday November 21st, 2016 Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: No School - Teacher Work Day Thursday: No School - Thanksgiving Break Friday: No School - Thanksgiving Break |
Unit III Notes
Unit III Review
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Unit III Assignments
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Unit III Additional Resources
Unit II - The Constitution and its Amendments
Unit II Course Schedule
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Week 6 - Introducing the Constitution
(Sept 19-23) Monday: Constitution Day Activity Constitution Day is September 17th - Quizlet Live Competition - US Citizenship Test HW: The Constitution's Influence (Assignment) + Rights Around the World Honors HW: Unit II Honors Essay (Due Oct 17th) Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Introducing the Six Big Ideas - The Six Big Ideas of the Constitution (Notes) - Six Big Ideas Discussion (Assignment) HW: Six Big Ideas Discussion Debrief + On back of Assgnment Paper Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day Week 9 - The Bill of Rights
(Oct 10-14) Monday: The Bill of Rights - Bill of Rights Reference (Notes) - Bill of Rights Poster (Assignment) Honors HW: Bill of RIghts Matching Quiz Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Unpacking the Bill of Rights - Final Preparations/Honors Matching Quiz - Present Posters - The First Ten Amendments (Notes) Honors HW: Unit II Honors Essay Due next class Thursday: No Class "B" Day Half Day - Parent Teacher Conferences Friday: No School - Teacher Work Day |
Week 7 -The Principles of the Constitution(Sept 26-30)
Monday: The Six Big Ideas in the Constitution - Finding the Six Big Ideas (Assignment) HW: Matching Quiz on the Six Big Ideas HW: Finding the Six Big Ideas Reflection (Assignment) Honors HW: Finding an Example (Assignment) Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Explaining Federalism - Six Big Ideas Quiz - Understanding Federalism (Assignment) + The Founders and Federalism - State, National, and Concurrent Powers (Assignment) + Crash Course Government: Federalism Honors HW: TED Talk: Bill Gates (Assignment) + TED Talk: Bill Gates Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day 
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Week 8 - Checks and Balances
(Oct 3-7) Monday: Checks and Balances Project - Checks and Balances Presentation (Assignment) - Work Time and Presentations Honors HW: Presidential Vetoes (Assignment) + Summary of Bills Vetoed Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Examining the Separation of Powers - Limitations on the Government (Notes) + CBS News: Good Guys With Guns - Election/Current Events Update HW: Understanding Checks and Balances (Assignment) + TEDEd - How is Power Divided? Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day Week 10 - Finish Unit II
(Oct 17-21) Monday: The Later Amendments - Unit II Honors Essay Due - Amendments 11-27 (Notes) - Election/Current Events Update HW: Unit II Test Next Class + Unit II Study Guide (Unit II Review) Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Finish Unit II - Unit II Test - The Constitution and its Amendments + Wednesday Oct 19th, 2016 Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day |
Unit II Notes
Unit II Review
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Unit II Assignments
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Unit II Additional Resources
Unit I - Foundations of the United States Government
Unit I Course Schedule
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Week 1 - Zoo Introduction
(Aug 15-19) Monday: No School - Summer Vacation Tuesday: No School - Summer Vacation Wednesday: No Class - Zoo Orientation Thursday: No Class - Zoo Orientation Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day 
Week 4 - Building a Nation
(Sept 5-9) Monday: No School - Labor Day Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: National Structure - Core National Structures (Assignment) - The Daily Show: 9/11 Episode HW: The American "Nation" (Assignment) + Up in Arms Honors HW: Unit I Essays due next class Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day |
Week 2 - Foundations of Our Democracy
(Aug 22-26) Monday: Roots of Democratic Government - All About Me (Assignment) - Preconceptions about Government (Assignment) - Defining Governments (Assignment) HW: The Magna Carta (Assignment) Honors HW: Unit I Honors Essay (Due 9/12) Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Contemporary Inspirations - Foundations Democratic Government (Notes) - The Mayflower Compact (Assignment) - European Inspirations (Assignment) HW: Common Sense (Assignment) + Non-Honors Only! Honors HW: The Iroqois Confederacy (Assignment) Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day 
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Week 3 - Creating an American Nation
(Aug 29-Sept 2) Monday: Forming the Country - The Path to Revolution (Notes) - Analyzing a Primary Document: The Declaration of Independence (Assignment) HW: Symbols of the Nation (Assignment) Honors HW: Thomas Paine Thesis and Outline Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Forming the Government - Analyzing a Primary Document: The Articles of Confederation (Assignment) - The Constitutional Convention (Notes) HW: Bring Electronic Devices Next Class HW: Crash Course: The Constitutional (Assignment) + Crash Course: The Constitution, The Articles, and Federalism Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No Class - Zoo Project Day 
Week 5 - Finish Unit I
(Sept 12-16) Monday: The "American Identity" - Unit I Honors Essays Due - Socratic Discussion - The American "Nation" - Core American Values (Assignment) HW: Unit I Test - The Foundations of the United States Government Next Class Tuesday: No Class "B" Day Wednesday: Finish Unit I - Review Time - Unit I Test - The Foundations of the United States Government + Wednesday September 16th, 2016 HW: TED Talk: Lawrence Lessig (Assignment) Thursday: No Class "B" Day Friday: No School - Staff Work Day |
Unit I Notes
Unit I Review
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin |
Unit I Assignments
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Unit I Additional Resources
U.S. Government Course Resources
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US Government Course Forum
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Helpful Websites
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Political News Sources
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