Course Syllabus and Objectives

Instructor:
Chief Justice Richard Barajas
Texas Court of Appeals
500 E. San Antonio Street, Suite 1203
El Paso, Texas 79901-2408
Voice: (915) 546-2240
Fax: (915) 546-2252
Home: (915) 581-1739
E-Mail: irish@whc.net
Office and Tutoring hours: Room 205, 7:15 to 8:15 a.m., M-F, by
appointment, via e-mail, and/or by telephone.
Government Class Internet Web Page:
http://www.whc.net/irish/government/ap
Course Description:
This senior level course in Advanced Placement United States Government
and Politics is a one-half unit course. It meets during first period in
Room 205. The course is designed to teach the mature student how American
government is
structured and how it operates, with the goal of taking and successfully
passing the College-Level
Examination Program (CLEP) Test or the Advancement
Placement Test both of which will entitle the student to college
credit upon successful completion. Emphasis will be placed on the United
States Constitution, state and local government and their interaction with
other branches of government, and the student's responsibility as citizens
of the United States in general, and of the State of Texas and the community
of El Paso, in particular. Your are encouraged to view the Course
Outline; Course
Syllabus; Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS); and the Lesson
Plan for this course. Room 205 has been technologically integrated
with high-speed Internet access, 36" color monitor for class viewing of
the Internet, presentations and movies, and computer systems with a full
compliment of applications for use in the course.
NOTE: For the 2001-2002 academic year, this course will operate
on a "post-secondary" schedule, with Advanced Placement Macroeconomics.
Classes will meet M-W and T-Th, with Fridays being the "swing" day to catch
up in either subject.
Course Objectives:
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To fashion the mature student into responsible citizens for a new century
by identifying the principles on which American government is founded,
how government is structured and administered and how the American electoral
process operates;
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To enhance communication skills through thoughtful discourse, study groups,
conversations, both formal and informal, and through electronic and print
media, where available. The student will develop an understanding of how
legislatures are comprised and how they operate in conjunction with the
executive branch of government;
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To focus the mature student on thinking critically, listening with discernment,
and communicating with power, authority and precision. The student will
focus on the powers and authority of our nation's judiciary;
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To empower the mature student, through listening, speaking, reading, and
writing more carefully, to be civically empowered. In so doing, the student
will be introduced to the organization of state and local government and
its relationship to the concept of federalism and states' rights;
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To develop the ability to distinguish between authentic and fraudulent
political rhetoric. In so doing, the student through discussions, will
address contemporary political thought and its effect of the everyday lives
of themselves and their families'.
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To develop the student's analytical abilities in order to successfully
take the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP®) Test and/or the
Advanced Program United States Government and Politics Test. Successful
completion of either examination generally entitles the student to college-level
credit, thereby realizing a cost savings in tuition during the student's
first year of college.
Topics to be Addressed:
Principles of American government, national, state and local; origins
of the federal government; the Constitutions of the United States and of
the State of Texas; federalism; political parties and the electoral system;
the three branches of government, both state and federal; the financing
of government; and, individual constitutional rights. Precise topics, associated
with book chapters to be covered, may be view by proceeding to the Course
Outline.
Reading and Instructional Materials:
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Textbook: Cummings, Milton C. and Wise, David, Democracy Under Pressure:
An Introduction to the American Political System. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt
Brace & Company, 1997
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Readings: Woll, Peter, American Government, Readings and Cases,
New York, NY; HarperCollins College Publishers, 1996.
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Readings: Lewis, Charles, The Buying of the President 2000, Avon
Books (Pap Trd); ISBN: 0380795191 (2000)
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Computer applications, in particular Microsoft Powerpoint®,
Microsoft Access®, Microsoft Excel®, Adobe Acrobat®.
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Use of the Internet, as assigned
Class Deportment:
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In General: My biographical data can be accessed via this Internet web
site. I take the responsibility to instruct each of you in this Advanced
Placement United States Government and Politics Course as seriously as
I take my duties as the highest ranking state judicial officer in West
Texas. In that regard, you will be treated with the same candor and respect
to which licensed attorneys who appear before the Texas Court of Appeals
are treated. Consequently, in addressing your instructor, speaker, lecturer
or visitor, you will be required to address them by their formal title,
if any. As Chief Justice of the Eighth Court of Appeals, I am customarily
addressed as "Chief." You will be permitted to leave the classroom only
in the event of an emergency. Independent of the above guidelines, each
student is expected to comply with the various provisions and code of conduct
as found in the Cathedral High School Student Handbook.
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Tardiness: Punctuality is demanded, is expected, and is your responsibility.
Tardiness seriously interferes with class progress and is clearly a disturbance
for the instructor as well as the class. As a result, you are expected
to be in the classroom and at your desk when the second, i.e., the tardy
bell rings. It is my custom to direct that the doors to the classroom be
closed upon the ringing of the second bell; consequently, your failure
to be in class when the "tardy" bell rings will result in a detention slip
being issued. In my world, court starts on time, and ends on time. Class
will also.
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Morning Announcements: You are expected to be absolutely
quiet and listening during the brief morning announcements.
Grading Method:
First Quarter Grade: The grade you receive during the
first semester course will be derived and determined using the following
criteria:
Daily Grade, to include but not be limited to quizzes, political cartoons
and assigned collateral materials (20%);
Group Presentations (10%);
Internet Assignment(s) (10%);
Conciseness of both textbook and lecture notes (5%);
Class Participation (5%);
Chapter Tests (25%);
First Quarter Examination (25%).
TOTAL: 100%
First Semester Grade (Including Second Quarter): The
grade you receive during the first semester course will be derived and
determined using the following criteria:
Daily Grade, to include but not be limited to quizzes, political cartoons
and assigned collateral materials (25%);
Internet Assignment(s) (5%);
Conciseness of both textbook and lecture notes (5%);
Class Participation (5%);
Chapter Tests (20%);
First Quarter Grade (15%)
First Semester Examination (25%)
TOTAL: 100%
Third Quarter Grade: The grade you receive for the third quarter
of the course will be derived and determined using the following criteria:
Daily Grade, to include but not be limited to quizzes, political cartoons
and assigned collateral materials (20%);
Conciseness of both notebook and lecture notes (5%);
Class Participation (5%);
Chapter Tests (25%);
First Semester Grade (25%)
Third Quarter Examination (20%)
TOTAL: 100%
Final Grade: The grade you receive for the entire semester will
be derived and determined using the following criteria:
Daily Grade, to include but not be limited to quizzes, political cartoons
and assigned collateral materials (15%);
Conciseness of both textbook and lecture notes (5%);
Class Participation (5%);
Chapter Tests (25%);
Third Quarter Grade (15%);
Final Examination (CLEP®) (35%).
TOTAL: 100%
Make-up Tests/Quizzes:
Make-up work for scheduled tests/quizzes will be allowed for excused
or requested absences. You will be unable to make up unscheduled pop-quizzes.
It is YOUR responsibility to contact
your professor for all make-up tests/quizzes. Absent prior approval, your
failure to make up any assigned tests/quizzes or homework on your first
day
back to school will result in a failing grade for that work. Make-up tests/quizzes
will be given in the classroom at 7:45 am
your first day back. Make-up work will not be permitted for an unexcused
absence. Consequently, an "F" or a failing grade of "0" will be recorded
for any work for which a grade was given during the unexcused absence.
Tardy Assignments:
Scheduled assignments not accounted for by the designated time will
result in a reduction of no more than 25% of the maximum grade allowed
for that particular assignment, exclusive of the merit of the assignment.
Tardy assignments, with the above reduction, will be accepted up to and
including the day on which the succeeding chapter lecture commences. Scheduled
assignments which are tardy as a result of an excused absence must be accounted
for on the day of your return. Total failure to account for a tardy scheduled
assignment will result in an "F" or a failing grade of "0" for that particular
assignment. It is YOUR responsibility
to insure that all assignments have been submitted.
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Chief Justice Richard Barajas
Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics
Cathedral High School, El Paso, Texas
Last updated: July 2001