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Concept Formation: Democracy
Directions: Read the following documents and decide if whether each one is an example or non example of democracy. Fill out the corresponding chart with summaries of examples/non examples.
1. The Origins of the Stalinist Political System, 1990
2. Address by Adolf Hitler, September 1, 1939
3. U.S. Constitution, 1787
4. Constitution of South Africa, 1996
5. Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008
Note Packet- Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings (Selected Pages Corresponding to Lesson Plans)
Essential Questions:
Key Terms: Government:
Public goods:
Politics:
Political participation:
Single-issue groups:
Policymaking system:
Linkage institutions:
Policy agenda:
Political issue:
Policymaking institutions:
Public policy:
Policy impacts:
Democracy:
Majority rule:
Minority rights:
Representation:
Pluralism:
Elitism:
Hyperpluralism:
Policy gridlock:
Political culture:
Constitution:
Declaration of Independence:
Natural rights:
Consent of the governed:
Limited government:
Articles of Confederation:
Theories of Democracy
List the key characteristics for a democracy.
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Identify Challenges to American Democracy.
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Identify the key functions of government and explain why they matter.
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Define politics in the context of democratic government.
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American Political Culture and the Scope of Government
Outline the central arguments of the debate in America over the proper scope of
government.
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What are the characteristics of American political culture
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The Constitution
Describe the main cause of the American Revolution.
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Describe the ideas behind the American Revolution and their role in shaping the
Constitution
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Analyze how the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation led to its failure.
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Timeline Blog
Due Date: End of the Unit
Directions: During this unit you will keep track of your learning through a blog. This blog will be create on Google Blogger. For chapter studied during this unit, you will choose 3-5 events, ideas, people or concepts that you feel are the most important in the unit. Each event or idea that you pick should have an individual blog post. You will be required to comment on other student’s post. To earn full points you must utilize multiple forms of media including videos, audio and primary documents.
Rubric:
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Required Elements
The student completed the project. Requirements are exceeded.
Required elements are met. Requirements are met but do not exceed standards.
Some of the required elements are not included in project.
Several required elements were missing.
Ideas & Content The student has many original and nuanced ideas and expresses them clearly. All ideas presented are related to the subject matter.
The student expresses some original ideas. The majority of ideas are related to the subject matter.
The student expresses ideas that are not necessarily original and are not usually connected to the subject matter.
The ideas expressed are not original, often confused and are not connected to the subject matter.
Writing Quality Posts are well written, and are characterized by elements of a strong writing style. The content demonstrates that the student is well read, analyzes content and constructs new meaning.
Posts show average writing style. The content demonstrates that the student reads moderately, and attempts to analyze the information and form new meaning.
Posts show a below average writing style. The content shows that the students pays little attention to material learned and mostly reiterates previous personal views.
Posts are very poor quality. There is little to no evidence of knowledge of learned material and no attempt to form new meanings of the subject matter.
Mechanics/Neatness
The project is exceptionally neat. Posts are well layout and flow from one idea into the next in an advanced manner.
There majority of posts are neat and organized. Could use some revision of layout.
The majority of posts are unorganized and do not fit together to form a unified picture.
Posts are unorganized and erratic in layout.
Community The student participated actively in the blogging community via multiple comments on other classmates blogs. Students show citation sources.
The student somewhat participated in the blogging community. There was some evidence of comments on other student\'s blog.
Students rarely participated in the blogging community. Most research was not citied.
Students doe no show evidence in any participation in the blogging community and do not cite others for their research.
Use of Enhancements
The student greatly enhanced their blog using video, audio and images.
The student used a minimal about of enhancement on their blog. Included 4-5 less videos, audio or images.
The student\'s blog was primarily text based. Used 3 or less videos, audio or image links.
The student did not use enhancements on their blog.
Participatory Citizenship in Democracy
Directions: Working in groups of 2-3 you will create a list of ways citizens are involved in the American democracy (at least 5). You will then visit two websites and pick one article from each website. You will then write one-two paragraphs about the article and how it relates to the concepts of democracy studied in class today.
Websites: www.realclearpolitics.com, www.politicalwire.com
Governments Around the World
Due: Tomorrow at the beginning of class
Directions: Choose 3 other countries in the world, with different types of governments (can not include the United States). Research the characteristics of these countries governments and political culture (Include at least 5). Summarize your findings in a 1-2 brief.
Ideas of the Enlightenment
Directions: Choose one enlightenment thinker. Research that thinker’s ideas and concepts. Find 1-2 primary documents by the thinker that support those ideas. Relate those ideas and concepts to the founding documents and ideas of the American nation. Summarize your findings in a 1-2 page paper.
Ideas of the Enlightenment Worksheet
Who:
Essays/Books:
1.
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Main Ideas:
1.
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Connection to Founding of American Nation
1.
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4.
End of Unit Performance Assessment Task and Rubric
Be Your Own Delegate
Task: You will be assigned a delegate that actually existed during the Constitutional Convention. You will research that delegate and how they approached the convention. You will have to speak on behalf of the individual state that delegate represented and argue, as the delegate would have. In addition to an oral debate, you will complete a series of journals, chronicling your journey to the Convention and the day’s proceedings. You will analyze the actions of your delegate based on ideological beliefs about the role of government. You will then complete a concluding journal, in which you will state your own conclusions about the government formed at the Constitutional Convention.
Role: Beginning a delegate at the Constitutional Convention
Audience: Your fellow delegates at the Constitutional Convention
Format: In class debate and historical journals
Topic: Constitutional theory
Criteria: Journals Rubric: (70 points- Individual Grade)
Category 4 3 2 1Content-Accuracy
All content throughout the
journals accurate.
There are no factual errors.
Most of the content is
accurate but there is one
piece of information that seems inaccurate.
The content is generally
accurate, but one piece of
information is clearly
inaccurate.
Content confusing or
contains more than one
factual error.
Level of student knowledge and Understanding
Student selected and implements
relevant concepts from
the class in journals.
Student selected and
implemented 2-3 relevant
concepts from the class in
journals
Student selected and
implemented 1 relevant
concepts from the class in journals.
Student did not select nor
implement any relevant
concepts from the class in journals.
Sequencing of Information
Information is organized in a clear, logical
way.
Most information is organized in a clear, logical
way.
Some information is
logically sequenced.
There is no clear plan for
the organization of
information.Effectiveness Journals
included all material
needed to give a good
understanding of the
Constitution Convention. The journals are consistent
with the essential question.
Journals are lacking one or
two key elements.
Journals are consistent with
the essential question most of the time.
Journals are missing more than two key
elements. It is rarely
consistent with the essential
question.
Journals are lacking several key elements
and has inaccuracies. Journals are completely inconsistent
with the essential question.
Spelling and Grammar
Journals have no misspellings or grammatical
errors.
Journals have 1-2
misspellings or grammatical
errors.
Journals have 2-4
misspellings or grammatical
errors.
Journals have 4 or more
misspellings or grammatical
errors.
Name:_____________________________________
Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings Test
Instructions: Please answer three of the following short answer questions.
Short Answer:
1. There are several different approaches to representation within a democratic political system.
a. Define direct democracy.
b. Define republican form of government.
c. Describe one reason the framers of the United States Constitution chose a republican form of government over a direct democracy.
d. Describe the ways in which citizens participate in both republican and democracy forms of government.
2. The founding documents of the American nation were influenced by the ideas from the Enlightenment Era.
a. Define the Enlightenment Era
b. Identify two Enlightenment thinkers that influenced the founding documents.
c. Describe the Enlightenment thinkers influence on the founding fathers. Use specific quotes and references to the founding documents.
3. The United States Constitution has endured for more than two centuries as the framework of government. However, the meaning of the Constitution has been changed both by formal and informal methods.
a. Identify two formal methods for adding amendments to the Constitution.
b. Describe two informal methods that have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution. Provide one specific example for each informal method you described.
c. Explain why informal methods are used more often than the formal amendment process.
4. The Framers of the United States Constitution created a federal system.
a. Define federalism
b. Select two of the following and explain how each has been used to increase the power of the federal government relative to the states.
a. Categorical Grants
b. Federal mandates
c. Selective Incorporation
c. Select two of the following and explain how each has been used to increase the power of the states relative to federal government.
a. Welfare Reform Act of 1996
b. Block Grants
c. Tenth Amendment
DemocracyNon examplesExamples
CharacteristicsDefinition
Source: College Board (some questions are modified from past AP Exams)
