Civics, American Government, and Political Science
| There are two sets of materials here.
The first set of materials is centered around the NYSDE
Regents curriculum and standards, but can be used with any state's
Civics or American Government course. The second set is a more
historically-based approach. |
| Materials Based on NYSDE Regents American Government Course |
| UNIT A: PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS AND COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES |
| Purposes and Principles of Government,
Politics, and the Law Question: What are the purposes and principles of government, politics, and the law? |
| HANDOUT: "A.1. Comparing Countries' Constitutions" - Students complete a chart answering questions related to the constitutional preambles of India, Ireland, Russia, Suriname, and the United States. |
| WEBSITE LINK: Constitution Finder of Richmond University |
| WEBSITE LINK: National Constitutions |
|
WEBSITE LINK: The White House |
| WEBSITE LINK: The Judicial Branch |
| WEBSITE LINK: The Legislative Branch |
| UNIT B: CITIZENSHIP IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE |
| Roles and Rights of Citizenship Question: What are the roles and rights of citizenship? |
| Becoming a Citizen Question: How does someone become a citizen of the United States? |
| UNIT C: CITIZENSHIP, PARTICIPATION, AND THE ELECTORAL PROCESS |
| Does Your Vote Count? Question: Does your vote count? |
| Political Party System Question: How does the political party system enable choice and opportunity for participation? |
| Preparing to Vote Question: How do you prepare yourself to vote? |
| Seeking Public Office Question: Why would someone seek public office? |
| Campaigns and Elections Question: How do campaigns and elections enable choice and opportunities for participation? |
| Becoming an Effective Media Consumer Question: How do you become a more effective media consumer? |
| UNIT D: LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF CITIZENSHIP |
| Registering for the Selective Service Question: Why are males ages 18 to 26 expected to register with Selective Service? |
| WEBSITE LINK: Selective Service System |
| Civic Implications of Taxation Question: What are the civic implications of taxation? |
| Responding to Jury Duty Question: How should you respond to a call for jury duty? |
| Place of the Jury in a Democratic System Question: What is the importance of the jury in a democratic system? |
| UNIT E: PUBLIC POLICY AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION |
| Doing Public Policy Research Question: How do you find and evaluate information on public issues of interest? |
| Distribution of Federal, State, and Local
Powers in the Federal System Question: Which government(s) should respond to a particular public policy issue? |
| Workings of the Public Policy Process Question: How does the public policy process work? |
| Purposes, Principles, and Values Reflected in
the Policy Process Question: How does the public policy process reflect the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy? |
| Becoming More Involved in the Policy Process Question: How do citizens become more involved in working on a public issue or for a political organization? |
| UNIT F: LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES |
| Legal Rights and Responsibilities in Civic
Life, and in the Workplace and School Question: What are the legal rights and responsibilities of the individual in civic life, the workplace, and school? |
| How Rights Can Vary from Place to Place Question: How do your legal rights and responsibilities change as you move about in the international arena? |
| HANDOUT: Major Political Systems Word Search Puzzle | Answer Key |
| UNIT G: SELECTING A CULMINATING QUESTION |
| Question: What type of public issue can be selected for a culminating project? |
| Traditional American Government: Historical Focus |
| 1. FOUNDATIONS OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT |
| 2. CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES |
| 3. UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT |
| 4. EXECUTIVE BRANCH |
| WEBSITE LINK: The White House |
| 5. JUDICIAL BRANCH |
| WEBSITE LINK: The Judicial Branch |
| 6. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH |
| WEBSITE LINK: The Legislative Branch |
| 7. CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN THE AFFAIRS OF GOVERNMENT |
| 8. STATE GOVERNMENTS |
| 9. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS |
| 10. GOVERNMENT REFORM |
| 11. POLITICAL SCIENCE |
| 12. INTERNATIONAL LAW, THE UNITED NATIONS, AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS |
| MISCELLANEOUS TEACHING MATERIALS AND INTERNAL WEBSITE LINKS | |
| New York Times Educational Crossword Puzzles (Arranged by Topic, e.g., "Civics") |