Syllabus Week 3

Mr. Ditzenberger, American Government
Time: 5 Periods
Unit 1Lesson: Foundations of American Government
Week: 3 Dates: August 27-31
Objectives:
1. Students will give examples of the essential functions of government.
2. Students will assess the strengths and weaknesses of each type of republican government.
3. Students will summarize the primary source, The Federalist Papers.
4. Students will analyze the role of government in terms of a controversial current event in the U.S.-public vs. private health care.
Standards:
1.5 – Students know the fundamental democratic principles inherent in the U.S. concept of a Constitutional Democratic Republic
1.3.1 – Students can analyze the political thought that influenced the development of the U.S. Constitution
Materials:
Textbook, http://ditzenberger.blogspot.com/index.html
August 27, M
Opener: discuss your current event with one or two other people. Summarize and tell them what purpose of government it fulfills.
Orally review homework-fed, confed, unitary; parliamentary and presidential
Finish Functions of Government. (25 minutes)
Finish Machiavelli video.
August 28, T
1. Opener: Supreme Court Case (10 min)
2. In groups, evaluate four forms of government by writing at least two pros and one con for each form that you choose. (20 minutes). Then answer the question: Why do you think the form of government has succeeded when and where it has?
3. Dictator exercise if time permits.
August 29, W
Opener:
Read Federalist Paper #10 and summarize Madison’s arguments. Divide into groups and give individuals sections. Students summarize arguments (identify 3 arguments for each section). (18 minutes)
Read health care articles and prepare for debate.

August 30, Th
How do you think your home country (or Singapore, if you are Singaporean or are more familiar with SG than your psprt country) could improve health care for its citizens? (10 min)
Debate. Does public health care need to be included in what Lincoln described as, “whatever they need to have done but cannot. . . do so well.” (20 min).
Read “Analyzing Primary Sources” on pg 19 of your book. Answer the questions (3 and 4) that follow. Be thorough and answer in complete sentences.
August 31, F.
Opportunity Quiz (10 min)
Review. From pg 18, Group A completes section 2 (#s 3 and 4); Grp B, Thinking Critically 1; Grp C, Thinking Critically 2; Grp D, Thinking Critically 3. Each group reports on its answers.
Study for unit test on Tuesday.