Standard 1: What is Civics?

    Covers the understanding of media literacy, bias, public opinion, political socialization, voting rights, voter registration, and the electoral process.

Standard 2: What are the Foundations of American Democracy?

    Discusses the impact of historical events on public opinion and policy changes in the United States, including examples such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and Stonewall.

Standard 3: How does the Government established by the Constitution embody the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy?

    Explores elections, parties, primaries, caucuses, conventions, the Electoral College, fundraising, campaigning, and the role of technology in voter decision-making.

Standard 4: What is the Relationship of the United States to Other Nations and to World Affairs?

    Tackles persuasive writing on low voter turnout and researches approaches other democracies have used to address this issue, potentially implementing similar strategies in the United States.

Standard 5: What are the Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy?

    Engages students in a voting and election simulation, encourages the understanding of the media's impact on democracy, and explores regulations on the media, media literacy, evaluating advertisements, framing, propaganda, and the development of a campaign around a single issue for the final project.

Standard 6: What is the Importance of Law in the American Constitutional System?

    Although not explicitly mentioned, this standard may be touched upon during discussions about regulations on the media and their role in the democratic process.

 I have had the privilege of serving as a peer tutor and teacher's assistant for a  college-level American Government course, which provided me with a strong foundation in the subject. In addition, my graduate school studies delved into civil rights from a disability history perspective, led by a lawyer associated with the United Nations. This experience deepened my understanding of civil rights issues. I have actively participated in various student government roles, gaining practical insights into the workings of government and governance structures and becoming the most prolific student senator at multiple institutions. Furthermore, I was selected as a partner in policy for the state of Tennessee, focusing on disability civil rights. These experiences have equipped me with a multifaceted perspective on American government, policy, and civil rights, which I am excited to share with students. 

Homework Offered
Homework includes reading, digital activities, and projects. Learner homework will be reviewed and discussed in class, learners will receive written feedback on projects. 
1 - 2 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Student projects can be used for formal assessments.
Grades Offered

This class uses American Government 3e by openstax education as it's core text.  This is an open source college textbook that includes a variety of primary sources and has been used at many universities and approved for AP classes.
ICivics.Org material used with permission. 
Students explore a variety of sources including open source art, primary documents, and other historical artifacts to build understanding and support historical inquiry. 
- United States Constitution
- Bill of Rights
- Newspaper Articles including the New York Times and Washington Post
- Supreme Court Cases and Writings
Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement
Harvard Institute of Politics
US Census Data
National Park Service
NPR
Gallup
Pew Research Center
Text used in development but not directly used in class
V. O. Key, Jr. 1966. The Responsible Electorate. Harvard University: Belknap Press.
19. David Easton. 1965. A Systems Analysis of Political Life. New York: John Wiley.
Angus Campbell, Philip Converse, Warren Miller, and Donald Stokes. 2008. The American Voter: Unabridged Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Michael S. Lewis-Beck, William G. Jacoby, Helmut Norpoth, and Herbert F. Weisberg. 2008. American Vote Revisited. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.