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.

http://www.whc.net/irish/government/ap

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.

• 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;
• 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;
• 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;
• 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;
• 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'.
• 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.

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.

• Textbook: Cummings, Milton C. and Wise, David, Democracy Under Pressure: An Introduction to the American Political System. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1997
• Readings: Woll, Peter, American Government, Readings and Cases, New York, NY; HarperCollins College Publishers, 1996.
• Readings: Lewis, Charles, The Buying of the President 2000, Avon Books (Pap Trd); ISBN: 0380795191 (2000)
• Computer applications, in particular Microsoft Powerpoint®, Microsoft Access®, Microsoft Excel®, Adobe Acrobat®.
• Use of the Internet, as assigned

• 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.
• 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.
• Morning Announcements: You are expected to be absolutely quiet and listening during the brief morning announcements.

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