Government

COURSE TITLE: Government

PROJECT MANAGER: Holly Anthony

PHONE: 505-891-0757

COURSE DESCRIPTION: In this course, scholars will develop an understanding of the ideals, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship and the content and history of the major government documents at the federal and state level, and how governments function at the local, state, and national levels.

CLASS EXPECTATIONS: Respect your project managers, the learning community, the learning space,

and yourself. Therefore, you will be expected to:

● Be respectful of all ideas talked about in class. The classroom is a JUDGMENT-FREE Zone.

● Come to class prepared, on time, and ready to learn.

● Be ACTIVE and FOCUSED in your participation and learning.

● OWN your learning: take responsibility for your attitude, skills, and knowledge.

● Be willing to learn from your mistakes.

● Use technology and equipment wisely and appropriately. Remember you/your parents entered into a written technology agreement with The ASK Academy.

● Use manners, clean up after yourself and put things back where you found them.

● Plagiarism, Cheating, use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), ghostwriters, and any and all other academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Consequences for choosing this behavior are outlined in the student handbook.

● Scholar cell phones will be turned off and put in your pockets or backpacks in the learning space unless you are directed touse your cell phone for classwork.

● For focus/noise reduction, CORDED earbuds or headphones only, and they must NOT be plugged into any other electronic device (CELL PHONE).

● Reach out for help; I promise I care and want you to be your best person.

● Other expectations may be added as situations arise throughout the year.

Scholars can expect from ME:

● Create an intellectually challenging and fun learning environment.

● Be prepared to teach every day.

● Be fair, consistent, and considerate.

● Make mistakes and learn from them.

● Be available to help you on Fridays from 8:00 to 10:00 or at a prearranged time.

STANDARDS: This course is aligned with the New Mexico Public Education Standards.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION:

Quarter Grades:

Semester Grades - Scholar’s semester grades will be calculated as follows:

Quarter 1 – 40% Quarter 2 – 40% Semester Final – 20%

Quarter 3 - 40% Quarter 4- 40% Semester Final - 20%

GRADING SCALE: The grading scale will follow the ASK Academy standards:

A+ = 96-100 %

A = 90-95 %

B = 80-89 %

C = 70-79 %

N/C(No credit) = Below 70 %

HOMEWORK POLICY: you can expect to have homework multiple times per week. It is imperative that you complete all homework assignments completely and on time. You will be expected to be prepared for each day’s work. If you do not complete classwork in the time allotted, you will have assigned yourself homework.

LATE WORK POLICY:I understand that circumstances happen. Late work will be accepted only after consultation with me. A grade of “0” will be put into PowerSchool as a place marker until the work is turned in. You must communicate your situation to me. I will not seek you out for an explanation. You will explain why the work is not done and exactly when the work will be turned in.

ABSENCES: When you are absent, it is your responsibility to complete the work for each day you are absent. The week’s work will be located in Google Classroom with instructions in the Week at a Glance (WAG) also located in Google Classroom. If you have questions or need help, it is your responsibility to contact me as soon as possible either by email or upon return.

PROJECT EXPECTATIONS: Scholar work should be original. Grading for projects will be based on a rubric that includes dates for completion of specific benchmarks to keep scholars on track for successful completion. Grades for benchmark due dates will follow the policy listed above for Late Work and Absences. Because feedback and reflection are essential skills for scholars to develop, a component of the grade will be given on feedback and reflection techniques that we will practice in class. Grades for group projects will include a collaboration component determined by a peer evaluation rubric

2024-2025 SEMESTER 1*: (Include a list of the major due dates and schedule from the curriculum map here:

August	Learning local, county, state, and federal representatives’ offices, their duties, and who they currently are. Learning about the fluidity and ambiguities within the terms radical, liberal, moderate, conservative, and reactionary. Learning about specific provisions of the DOI, the background of events (refresher), influences, and the document’s continu- ing relevance, and how some passages may embarrass us in our current culture. Learn- ing how Hob es is relevant in a society where people no longer feel secure, how Locke and Rousseau have glaring contradictions in their own philosophies, and the limits of Lockean conceptions of property in a world of financiers and international corporations.
September	Analyze various provisions of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights; evaluate argu- ments over the extent of Congress’ power (enumerated powers, and whether there are implied powers, etc.); limits of democracies, republics, and issues in our Constitution, including the Electoral College and First Amendment and money in an election.
October	Analyze the NM Constitution and consider how it differs from the U.S. Constitution and specific relevant or material provisions. Analyze voting procedures, referenda, and recall and state laws regarding voting rights and procedures, referenda, and recall. Analyze tribal government, sovereignty, and various issues arising from the same.
November	Propaganda and Corporate Media Oligopoly
December	Public Citizen Guide - Learn how to communicate with lawmakers effectively, how to find information as to who is funding the lawmakers, and how to deal with the media if trying to influence lawmakers and the public.

*Subject to change