Concept Formation: Democracy

Directions: Read the following documents and decide if whether each one is an example or non example of democracy. Fill out the corresponding chart with summaries of examples/non examples.

1. The Origins of the Stalinist Political System, 1990 2. Address by Adolf Hitler, September 1, 1939 3. U.S. Constitution, 1787 4. Constitution of South Africa, 1996 5. Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2008

Note Packet- Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings (Selected Pages Corresponding to Lesson Plans) Essential Questions: Key Terms: Government: Public goods: Politics: Political participation: Single-issue groups: Policymaking system: Linkage institutions: Policy agenda: Political issue: Policymaking institutions: Public policy: Policy impacts: Democracy: Majority rule:

Minority rights: Representation: Pluralism: Elitism: Hyperpluralism: Policy gridlock: Political culture: Constitution: Declaration of Independence: Natural rights: Consent of the governed: Limited government: Articles of Confederation:

Theories of Democracy List the key characteristics for a democracy. o o o o o

Identify Challenges to American Democracy. o o o

o o

Identify the key functions of government and explain why they matter. o o o o

Define politics in the context of democratic government. o

American Political Culture and the Scope of Government Outline the central arguments of the debate in America over the proper scope of government. o o o o o

What are the characteristics of American political culture o o o o o

The Constitution Describe the main cause of the American Revolution. o o o

Describe the ideas behind the American Revolution and their role in shaping the Constitution o o o o

Analyze how the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation led to its failure. o o o

Timeline Blog Due Date: End of the Unit Directions: During this unit you will keep track of your learning through a blog. This blog will be create on Google Blogger. For chapter studied during this unit, you will choose 3-5 events, ideas, people or concepts that you feel are the most important in the unit. Each event or idea that you pick should have an individual blog post. You will be required to comment on other students post. To earn full points you must utilize multiple forms of media including videos, audio and primary documents.

Rubric:
CATEGORY Required Elements 4 The student completed the project. Requirements are exceeded. The student has many original and nuanced ideas and expresses them clearly. All ideas presented are related to the subject matter. Posts are well written, and are characterized by elements of a strong writing style. The content demonstrates that the student is well read, analyzes content and constructs new meaning. The project is exceptionally neat. Posts are well layout and flow from one idea into the next in an advanced manner. The student participated actively in the blogging community via multiple comments on other classmates blogs. Students show citation sources. The student greatly enhanced their blog using video, audio and images. 3 Required elements are met. Requirements are met but do not exceed standards. The student expresses some original ideas. The majority of ideas are related to the subject matter. 2 Some of the required elements are not included in project. The student expresses ideas that are not necessarily original and are not usually connected to the subject matter. 1 Several required elements were missing.

Ideas & Content

The ideas expressed are not original, often confused and are not connected to the subject matter.

Writing Quality

Posts show average writing style. The content demonstrates that the student reads moderately, and attempts to analyze the information and form new meaning.

Posts show a below average writing style. The content shows that the students pays little attention to material learned and mostly reiterates previous personal views.

Posts are very poor quality. There is little to no evidence of knowledge of learned material and no attempt to form new meanings of the subject matter.

Mechanics/Ne atness

There majority of posts are neat and organized. Could use some revision of layout.

The majority of posts are unorganized and do not fit together to form a unified picture. Students rarely participated in the blogging community. Most research was not citied.

Posts are unorganized and erratic in layout.

Community

Use of Enhancements

The student somewhat participated in the blogging community. There was some evidence of comments on other student\'s blog. The student used a minimal about of enhancement on their blog. Included 4-5 less videos, audio or images.

Students doe no show evidence in any participation in the blogging community and do not cite others for their research.

The student\'s blog was primarily text based. Used 3 or less videos, audio or image links.

The student did not use enhancements on their blog.

Participatory Citizenship in Democracy Directions: Working in groups of 2-3 you will create a list of ways citizens are involved in the American democracy (at least 5). You will then visit two websites and pick one article from each website. You will then write one-two paragraphs about the article and how it relates to the concepts of democracy studied in class today. Websites: www.realclearpolitics.com, www.politicalwire.com

Governments Around the World Due: Tomorrow at the beginning of class Directions: Choose 3 other countries in the world, with different types of governments (can not include the United States). Research the characteristics of these countries governments and political culture (Include at least 5). Summarize your findings in a 1-2 brief.

Ideas of the Enlightenment Directions: Choose one enlightenment thinker. Research that thinkers ideas and concepts. Find 1-2 primary documents by the thinker that support those ideas. Relate those ideas and concepts to the founding documents and ideas of the American nation. Summarize your findings in a 1-2 page paper.

Ideas of the Enlightenment Worksheet Who: Essays/Books: 1. 2. 3. Main Ideas: 1. 2. 3. Connection to Founding of American Nation 1. 2. 3. 4.

End of Unit Performance Assessment Task and Rubric Be Your Own Delegate Task: You will be assigned a delegate that actually existed during the Constitutional Convention. You will research that delegate and how they approached the convention. You will have to speak on behalf of the individual state that delegate represented and argue, as the delegate would have. In addition to an oral debate, you will complete a series of journals, chronicling your journey to the Convention and the days proceedings. You will analyze the actions of your delegate based on ideological beliefs about the role of government. You will then complete a concluding journal, in which you will state your own conclusions about the government formed at the Constitutional Convention. Role: Beginning a delegate at the Constitutional Convention Audience: Your fellow delegates at the Constitutional Convention Format: In class debate and historical journals Topic: Constitutional theory

Criteria: Journals Rubric: (70 points- Individual Grade) Category ContentAccuracy 4 All content throughout the journals accurate. There are no factual errors. 3 Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of information that seems inaccurate. Student selected and implemented 23 relevant concepts from the class in journals Most information is organized in a clear, logical way. Journals are lacking one or two key elements. Journals are consistent with the essential question most of the time. 2 The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information is clearly inaccurate. Student selected and implemented 1 relevant concepts from the class in journals. Some information is logically sequenced. Journals are missing more than two key elements. It is rarely consistent with the essential question. 1 Content confusing or contains more than one factual error.

Level of student knowledge and Understanding

Sequencing of Information

Student selected and implements relevant concepts from the class in journals. Information is organized in a clear, logical way. Journals included all material needed to give a good understanding of the Constitution Convention. The journals are consistent with the essential question. Journals have no misspellings or grammatical errors.

Effectiveness

Student did not select nor implement any relevant concepts from the class in journals. There is no clear plan for the organization of information. Journals are lacking several key elements and has inaccuracies. Journals are completely inconsistent with the essential question.

Spelling and Grammar

Journals have 1-2 misspellings or grammatical errors.

Journals have 2-4 misspellings or grammatical errors.

Journals have 4 or more misspellings or grammatical errors.

Name:_____________________________________ Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings Test Instructions: Please answer three of the following short answer questions. Short Answer: 1. There are several different approaches to representation within a democratic political system. a. Define direct democracy. b. Define republican form of government. c. Describe one reason the framers of the United States Constitution chose a republican form of government over a direct democracy. d. Describe the ways in which citizens participate in both republican and democracy forms of government.

2. The founding documents of the American nation were influenced by the ideas from the Enlightenment Era. a. Define the Enlightenment Era b. Identify two Enlightenment thinkers that influenced the founding documents. c. Describe the Enlightenment thinkers influence on the founding fathers. Use specific quotes and references to the founding documents.

3. The United States Constitution has endured for more than two centuries as the framework of government. However, the meaning of the Constitution has been changed both by formal and informal methods. a. Identify two formal methods for adding amendments to the Constitution. b. Describe two informal methods that have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution. Provide one specific example for each informal method you described. c. Explain why informal methods are used more often than the formal amendment process.

4. The Framers of the United States Constitution created a federal system. a. Define federalism b. Select two of the following and explain how each has been used to increase the power of the federal government relative to the states. a. Categorical Grants b. Federal mandates c. Selective Incorporation c. Select two of the following and explain how each has been used to increase the power of the states relative to federal government. a. Welfare Reform Act of 1996 b. Block Grants c. Tenth Amendment

Source: College Board (some questions are modified from past AP Exams)

Definition

Characteristics

Democracy
Examples Non examples