Welcome Letter and Government Syllabus

12th Grade CP Government Syllabus and Welcome Letter

Instructor: Mr. Hehir – Room 212

School: Sierra Vista High School

Telephone: (626) 960-7741 Ext. 2212

Hi Students and Parents,

Welcome to your 12th grade Government class. I am excited to be your teacher and look forward to the “Best” school year ever. I want to help every student be a high achiever and prepare for their future college/career. Please read the Syllabus as we will discuss in class the first day. Please email or call me if you have questions or ways that I can help you learn.

Materials that are required and must be brought everyday: The GOVT textbook or we will use the online book in classs, a notebook dedicated to this class only, and something to write with.

Students in grade twelve pursue a deeper understanding of the institutions of American government. They compare systems of government in the world today and analyze the history and changing interpretations of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the current state of the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches of government. An emphasis is placed on analyzing the relationship among federal, state, and local governments, with particular attention paid to important historical documents such as the Federalist Papers. These standards represent the culmination of civic literacy as students prepare to vote, participate in community activities, and assume the responsibilities of citizenship. (Reprinted from www.cde.ca.gov

California State Standards

12-1 Students explain the fundamental principles and moral values of American democracy as expressed in the U.S. Constitution and other essential documents of American democracy.

12-2 Students evaluate and take and defend positions on the scope and limits of rights and obligations as democratic citizens, the relationships among them, and how they are secured.

12-3 Students evaluate and take and defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of civil society are (i.e., the autonomous sphere of voluntary personal, social, and economic relations that are not part of government), their interdependence, and the meaning and importance of those values and principles for a free society.

12-4 Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government as established by the U.S. Constitution.

12-5 Students summarize landmark U.S. Supreme Court interpretations of the Constitution and its amendments.

Grading Criteria & Assignments For This Semester:

Late work will be accepted, but is subject to a 20% reduction for each school day that it is late. (Example: 2 days late = 40% reduction)

Grading Scale

A= 100% - 90%, B= 89% - 80%, C = 79% -70%, D= 69% - 60% F= 59% and below

How Grades are Earned

Tests & quizzes = 50 to 200 pts each

Projects, papers, homework = 20 to 200 pts each

Current events/summaries of articles = 40 to 50 pts each

Positive participation, note taking, doing classwork = 200 to 225 pts per semester.

Disrupting class, and/or failure to bring materials and do work in class will cause you to lose up to 10 pts per day.

Warning - extra credit may be given but is not guaranteed

Student Instructional Support:

Students will find several resources for support. Among them are the following: after-school tutoring, computer labs, the internet and members of the class. In addition, Mr. Hehir is always available for extra help if the student asks and I am usually here from 3pm to 4pm most Tuesdays and Thursdays

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I have read and discussed the syllabus with my student/Guardian for Mr. Hehir’s class

Student Name (Print) _______________________________ signature: ________________________

Guardian’s Name (Print) ___________________________________ signature: _________________

Guardian’s phone: __________________________ and Email: _____________________________