Thursday, May 21, 2020

Late Test - Possibility



If you missed the May 11th Exam you have the possibility of making up the AP Gov Test. However, this is NOT mandatory. Please click the link below and sign up to let Mrs. Smith know that you would like to make up the AP Gov Test on June 1st.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScH9uwoB5qdaelaIBhdNiqJXCbS80O8aprMUNS6kxe4lg3F5A/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Tuesday 5/12: End

Congrats everyone! Course is complete. I am going to begin working on your final grade this week & next.

I am focusing on completing Senior grades first, then getting to Juniors. If you took yesterday's test, email me and let me know if you had problems, or what you thought of the test.

Thursday, May 7, 2020

5/7: Exam Information & Last Review!

Information:

1) This post is the last post before the AP Exam. Remember, it is only if you want to take exam. I will be working on updating grades very soon so you can actually see your updated letter grade in class.

2) Below is what I posted on Tuesday about taking the exam, please don't wait until an hour before the exam to begin review on how to log in.. take time now, so you won't have to later.

3) Just letting everyone know, if you signed up for AP Comparative Government, I will not be teaching AP Comparative Government next year. I will be teaching College Government / College US History (New*) / American Cit. Sorry..

4) AP Test Info for next Monday, May 11th 3:00 pm. We are less than a week away from the AP Test.

5) Please watch the video - AP 2020 Exam - It will cover everything coming up about how to take the exam. I will also post some more information on Thursday about taking the exam.

6) Many of you have asked about your grades.. This is what I am going to do. After this week, I am not going to assign any more assignments. Instead, we will have time to work on anything "missing". Next week, I will provide more details about when is the last day I will be grading items, and when I will have your final grade in the grade book.

7) Seniors taking College Gov, I will have your grade done first. If you are missing anything, please turn it in ASAP so I can finalize your grades by Monday.

8) Getting ready for exam day 

Activity # 1:


Students will receive their AP Exam ticket in their email 2 days prior to their test. It will look similar to the one below. It will have your AP ID on it and you will click on the yellow bar to get to your exam. Please make sure you get into your exam 30 min before your scheduled time. This will only be good for the May exam dates. If you have not been getting emails from College Board about your test, please login to myap.collegeboard.org and update your email address. 



There will be 3 different ways to submit your test.

  1. Type your responses in a different document then copy and paste it into the exam browser. You will not be able to type directly into the browser.
  2. Save a document and attach it. If your test has 2 questions you will need to attach 2 different documents.
  3. Hand write your response in pencil or pen on white lines paper and upload of photo of your writing.

For all 3 options your AP ID and your initials will need to be at the top of every page.

You don’t need the complete the test, but you do need to submit before time runs out. There will be a timer going and you will receive a 5 minute warning to start uploading your response if you haven’t already.

If you qualify for extended time, that time will automatically be added on to your timer.

Please reach out to Molly Smith at molly.smith@nkcschools.org or your Mr. DeRose with further questions.


Test Review Materials:

Constitution Outline Document - Use on the Exam

AP Required Cases Document - Use on the Exam

Practice Writing Response - These are examples where you practice writing from previous responses.

Practice Writing Response w/ Chief Reader - This video will take you through the responses you worked on above and you will get insight into the Chief Reader. If you don't understand, it is my boss when scoring exams. You will get insight into the thinking going into the exam.




Monday, May 4, 2020

Tuesday 5/5: AP Test Info & Supreme Court


Information:

1) Just letting everyone know, if you signed up for AP Comparative Government, I will not be teaching AP Comparative Government next year. I will be teaching College Government / College US History (New*) / American Cit. Sorry..

2) AP Test Info for next Monday, May 11th 3:00 pm. We are less than a week away from the AP Test.

3) Please watch the video - AP 2020 Exam - It will cover everything coming up about how to take the exam. I will also post some more information on Thursday about taking the exam.

4) Many of you have asked about your grades.. This is what I am going to do. After this week, I am not going to assign any more assignments. Instead, we will have time to work on anything "missing". Next week, I will provide more details about when is the last day I will be grading items, and when I will have your final grade in the grade book.

5) Seniors taking College Gov, I will have your grade done first. If you are missing anything, please turn it in ASAP so I can finalize your grades by next Monday.

Activity # 1:

Students will receive their AP Exam ticket in their email 2 days prior to their test. It will look similar to the one below. It will have your AP ID on it and you will click on the yellow bar to get to your exam. Please make sure you get into your exam 30 min before your scheduled time. This will only be good for the May exam dates. If you have not been getting emails from College Board about your test, please login to myap.collegeboard.org and update your email address. 



There will be 3 different ways to submit your test.

  1. Type your responses in a different document then copy and paste it into the exam browser. You will not be able to type directly into the browser.
  2. Save a document and attach it. If your test has 2 questions you will need to attach 2 different documents.
  3. Hand write your response in pencil or pen on white lines paper and upload of photo of your writing.

For all 3 options your AP ID and your initials will need to be at the top of every page.

You don’t need the complete the test, but you do need to submit before time runs out. There will be a timer going and you will receive a 5 minute warning to start uploading your response if you haven’t already.

If you qualify for extended time, that time will automatically be added on to your timer.

Please reach out to Molly Smith at molly.smith@nkcschools.org or your Mr. DeRose with further questions.


Activity # 2:

Watch the following video and answer the questions that are listed below in your notebook




  1. The Constitution says that there shall be a Supreme Court, who makes and creates all other courts and rules about the courts?
  2. How are the Federal Courts structured? 
  3. What does Judicial Review mean and what case did it come from?
Activity # 3:

Review Materials that can be used on the Test:













Thursday, April 30, 2020

Thursday 4/30: Scenario Practice

Scenario Practice

Remember back to our discussion about the new format for the AP Test; an argumentative essay, and the scenario essay.  We have already practiced the argumentative essay, and we will one more time next week.  Today, we are going to practice the second essay which is the Scenario Question. 

We are going to do this by furthering the scenario that we talked about last week involving that "virus" that spread to the United States from East Asia.  The situation has evolved now.  A company has a cure, but there is a problem...

Activity #1: Scenario Practice

Answer the following prompt in your notebooks...
Consumers complained after vaccine maker Gilead Pharmaceuticals “hiked the price of the emergency vaccine for COVID-19 by $100 in recent months for no obvious reason. The price has increased 450 percent since 2008, when a dose cost $100 in today’s dollars, to its current price of more than $600. . . . The medication itself isn’t expensive. Analysts calculate that the dosage contained in a single vaccination is worth about $1.”
-Washington Post, April 23, 2020 

After reading the scenario, respond to A, B, and C below: 

(A) Describe a power the Bureaucracy could use to address the comments outlined in the scenario. 

(B) In the context of the scenario, explain how the use of Bureaucratic power described in Part A can be affected by its interaction with the Judiciary (Federal Courts including the Supreme Court). 

(C) In the context of the scenario, explain how the interaction between the Bureaucracy and the Judiciary can be affected by linkage institutions.  (Remember: Linkage institutions are the things that connect people to the government, interest groups, media, political parties, voting etc...)

Monday, April 27, 2020

Tuesday 4/28: Bureaucracy Review`

Bureaucracy and Scenario Question Practice

Today, we are going to split our lesson into two parts.  First we will review the Bureaucracy and the Iron Triangle (or Sub-Government or Issue Network).  Then, we will use that information to practice another Scenario FRQ on Thursday!...

Activity #1: Bureaucracy and Iron-Triangle

First, let's review what the Bureaucracy is and answer a few questions in your notebooks.


  1. What is the job of the Bureaucracy, and what do they issue (Think R and R) to get their job done...
  2. Where do the heads of the agencies generally come from? (Make sure to explain "patronage")
  3. Where do the rest of the employees come from? (Make sure to explain "merit")

Activity #2: The Iron-Triangle (or sub-government or issue network)

Take a look at the following website.  Scroll down to the section titled "Iron Triangle."  Once there, complete the following tasks...
  1. Diagram the Iron Triangle in your notebooks...
  2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages to the iron triangle (or issue network).  
On Thursday, we will use this information to work on the second FRQ, the scenario...

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Thursday 4/23: Executive Branch

Activity #1 Expanding Presidential Power


An argument, going all the way back to the constitutional convention, says that in the end, most people want a single leader (king, dictator, emperor, etc.) even if they are not willing to admit it, or even aware that they wanted it. Since the convention in 1787, there is no doubt that the power and scope of the president has grown. Watch the video (embedded above), and then answer this question:

To what extent have presidents used past and/or current crises, to expand executive authority? How so?

Activity #2: What did the founder originally intend?

Below are excerpts from Article II of the US Constitution that describe the office of the president as the framers saw it in 1787, as well as a couple of amendments that we have since added that affect the executive branch.

For each line, identify what you believe to be the intended purpose of this clause and how it has shaped the office of the president (its effect). The first one has been completed for you as an example... (Feel free to copy and paste the prompts to your notebook)
  • The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term
Purpose: To allow presidents time to implement policies, but still hold them accountable by requiring election/reelection every 4 years.

Effect: Presidents have used executive orders and executive agreements when they feel that there is no other way to "leave their mark" and change policy in such a short period of time.
  • No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
Purpose:

Effect:
  • The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
Purpose:

Effect:
  • He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States
Purpose:

Effect:
  • He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information on the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper.
Purpose:

Effect:

  • No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice (22nd Amendment)
Purpose:

Effect:

  • Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or Congress that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President (25th Amendment)
Purpose:

Effect: