AP Government & Politics with Honors Civics/Economics 2013-2014

Unit 6: The Legislative Branch (Congress)

INTRODUCTION
For the next three units, our focus will be on the three branches of government beginning with the Legislative
Branch (Congress). During the unit on Congress, you will have a choice of two projects:
1)

Worth One Civics Test Grade: Create a comprehensive board game that reflects the content of

Congress. In groups of two to three (no more than three), your game should include a minimum of 50
concepts and 5 short answer questions from the posted review guide for this unit. Your final project
should include directions/rules, the game board itself, pieces, and any additional resources necessary to
play the game. No more than 4 players should be able to play. We will present and play these games
as part of our review for this unit test! It must be colorful, creative, and reflect the expectations of a
class of this caliber. More information will be discussed in class.
2) Worth One AP GoPo Test Grade: Write a formal a book review for How Congress Works
and Why You Should Care, by Lee Hamilton). As of December 29, there were 55 used copies,
starting at $.55, available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/offerlisting/0253216958/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&sr=8-1&qid=1388358565.
The formal assignment and instructions are at the end of this unit plan. For more detailed suggestions
on writing a book review, see the webpage link Writing & Research on Mr. McDonalds webpage.

Simulation: During this unit, we will conduct a committee hearing on a proposed bill (topic TBA). Some of you
will be members of Congress, while some of you will represent interest groups testifying for or against the
proposed legislation. Everyone will have a speaking part. This assignment will count as 2 Civics quiz grades
and will go on the second-quarter grade.

AP EXAM REVIEW
During this unit, we will also begin our formal review for the AP Exam. One of the
ways you will be doing this is through CONCEPT CARDS, self-created review cards
that you will be creating as a study resource. Each concept card must have a
minimum of 3 pieces of information on the back. They should NOT be done in
complete sentences and must be your original work. Consider the following
examples:
o

Unit 1 Duties (front), Pay taxes, obey laws, attend school, serve in court, defend
the nation (back)
Unit 4 Voting Amendments (front), 15 suffrage for black males, 19 suffrage
for women, 26 minimum age to eighteen (back)
d

With the exception of Unit 1 (25) and Unit 7/8 below (100), you should create
FIFTY concept cards. They will be collected on the following dates, each for a
Civics quiz grade.
Tuesday, January 14th Unit 1: American Government & Civics (Chapters
1, 3)
Tuesday, January 28th Unit 2: History & Constitutional Underpinnings
(Chapters 3,4, 16)
Tuesday, February 11th Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (Chapters
5, 6)
Tuesday, February 25th Unit 4: Political Beliefs and Behaviors (Chapters
2, 11, 14)
Tuesday, March 11th Unit 5: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Media
(Chapters 12, 13, 15)
Tuesday, March 25th Unit 6: Legislative Branch (Chapter 7)
Tuesday, April 8th Unit 7: Executive & Bureaucracy (Chapters 8, 9)

AP Government & Politics with Honors Civics/Economics 2013-2014

Unit 6: The Legislative Branch (Congress)

Tuesday, April 22th Unit 8: Judicial Branch (Chapters 10)

UNIT OBJECTIVES
1.
Explain the differences between Congress and Parliament.
2.
Delineate the role that the Framers expected Congress to play.
3.
Pinpoint the significant eras in the evolution of Congress.
4.
Describe the characteristics of members of Congress.
5.
Discuss the relationship between ideology and civility in Congress in recent years.
6.
Identify the factors that help to explain why a member of Congress votes as she or he
does.
7.
Outline the process for electing members of Congress.
8.
Identify the functions of party affiliation in the organization of Congress.
9.
Explain the effect of committee reform on the organization of Congress.
10.
Describe the formal process by which a bill becomes a law.
11.
Explain the ethical problems confronting Congress.
Monday, January 6th
Discussion: Midterm Results & Analysis, Unit 6 Introduction
Homework: 284-289 (including Consider the Source)
Tuesday, January 7th
Discussion: Representation and Lawmaking
Homework: 290-294
Wednesday, January 8th
Discussion: Powers and Responsibilities
Homework: 295-304
Thursday, January 9th
Discussion: Video: The Congress
Homework: 304-309
Friday, January 10th
Discussion: Congressional Elections: Choosing the Members
Homework: 309-314
Monday, January 13th
Discussion: How Congress Works, Part I: Party and Leadership
Homework: 314-319
Tuesday, January 14th
Discussion: How Congress Works, Part II: Committees and Resources

Concept Cards Due

Homework: 319-326

Wednesday, January 15th

Discussion: How A Bill Becomes A Law (Schoolhouse Rocks!)

AP Government & Politics with Honors Civics/Economics 2013-2014

Unit 6: The Legislative Branch (Congress)
Homework: 326-330
Thursday, January 16th
Discussion: How A Bill Becomes a Law: The Final Challenge
Start Movie: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Receive Bill Simulation Roles
Homework: 330-334
Friday, January 17th
Movie:
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Homework: Prepare for Bill Simulation/Work on Review Guide, Game,
Book Review
Monday, January 20th NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Tuesday, January 21st NO SCHOOL (Teacher Workday)
Wednesday, January 22nd
Discussion: Congress: Power, Perks, and a Post 9/11 World
Criticisms of Congress
Homework: Prepare for Bill Simulation/Work on Review Guide, Game,
Book Review
Thursday, January 23rd
Discussion: State and Local Government
Activity:
Bill Simulation
Homework: Review for test
Friday, January 24th

Book Review Or Congress Game Due

Discussion: Finish material; review for test (maybe Jeopardy)
Homework: Study for test
Monday, January 28th
TEST: CONGRESS
BOOK REVIEW ASSIGNMENT
A book review tells not only what a book is about, but also how successful it is
at what it is trying to do. Professors often assign book reviews as practice in
careful analytical reading. As a reviewer, you bring together the two strands of
accurate, analytical reading and strong, personal response when you indicate
what the book is about and what it might mean to a reader (by explaining what
it meant to you). In other words, reviewers answer not only the WHAT but the
SO WHAT question about a book. Thus, in writing a review, you combine the
skills of describing what is on the page, analyzing how the book tried to
achieve its purpose, and expressing your own reactions. After a brief review of
reading the book you will find two charts with things to consider as you
complete your review.

AP Government & Politics with Honors Civics/Economics 2013-2014

Unit 6: The Legislative Branch (Congress)
READING THE BOOK
You must submit no less than 8 and no more than 10 written pages of notes
to go along with your final book review (staple notes to the back of the
review). See the links on the webpage for more information to the following
questions before you begin your book:
1. What are the authors viewpoint and purpose?
2. What kind of evidence does the author use to prove his points? Is the
evidence convincing?
3. What are the most appropriate criteria by which to judge the book?
How successful do you think the author was in carrying out the
overall purposes of the book?
WRITING THE BOOK REVIEW
Your review should be four typed pages (double spaced, TNR font, 1-inch margins)
with no more than two pages of your review being summary. While there should
be no title page, your info (Name, Date, and Class, and Period) should appear,
single-spaced, in the top right hand corner, followed by one space, a correct
citation heading (see below), another space, and then begin your introduction. You
should use no more than 2-3 quotes per page in your final review this
requirement should force you to find the most pertinent, analytical, and effective
quotes possible.

Title. Author. Place of publication: publisher, date of publication. Number of pages.

Like most pieces of writing, the review
itself usually begins with an
introduction that lets your readers
know what the review will say. The first
paragraph usually includes the author
and title again, so your readers dont
have to look up to find the title. You
should also include a very brief
overview of the contents of the book, the
purpose or audience for the book, and
your reaction and evaluation.
Reviews then generally move into a
section of background information
that helps place the book in context and
discusses criteria for judging the book.
Next, the review gives a summary of
the main points of the book, quoting and

Introduce the subject, scope, and

type of book
Identify the book by author, title, and
sometimes publishing information.
Specify the type of book (for example,
fiction, nonfiction, biography,
autobiography). Help your readers to
review with perspective.
Mention the book's theme.
Briefly summarize the content
Provide an overview, including
paraphrases and quotations, of
the book's thesis and primary
supporting points.

AP Government & Politics with Honors Civics/Economics 2013-2014

Unit 6: The Legislative Branch (Congress)
paraphrasing key phrases from the
author.
Finally, reviewers get to the heart of
their writingtheir evaluation of the
book. In this section, reviewers discuss
a variety of issues:

how well the book has achieved

its goal,
what possibilities are suggested
by the book,
what the book has left out,
how the book compares to others
on the subject,
what specific points are not
convincing, and
what personal experiences youve
had related to the subject.

It is important to carefully distinguish

your views from the authors, so that
you dont confuse your reader.
Like other essays, book reviews usually
end with a conclusion which ties
together issues raised in the review and
provides a concise comment on the
book.

Provide your reactions to the book

Describe the book: Is it interesting,
memorable, entertaining, instructive?
Why?
Respond to the author's opinions:
What do you agree with? And why?
What do you disagree with? And why?
Explore issues the book raises: What
possibilities does the book suggest?
Explain. What matters does the book
leave out? Explain.
Relate the book to larger issues:
How did the book affect you? How have
your opinions about the topic changed?
How is the book related to your own
course or personal agenda?
Conclude by summarizing your ideas
Close with a direct comment on
the book, and tie together issues
raised in the review. Briefly
restate your main points and your
thesis statement if your teacher
requires it. If you like, you can
offer advice for potential readers.