Instructor: Mr. Alex Massengale
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.woodscharter.org/massengale
Required Texts:
We will use two textbooks. The first is Basic Principles of American Government and we will
use that for units on government and politics. The second is Civics Today: Citizenship,
Economics & You and we will use that for units about economics.
Sanford, William R., and Carl R. Green. Basic Principles of American Government
Perfection Learning, 2015.
Remy, Richard, PhD et al. Civics Today: Citizenship, Economics, & You. Glencoe/McGraw Hill
Publishing, Columbus, Ohio. 2003.
Course Description
There are three main goals of this course. The first is to help students develop an understanding
of the economic, judicial, and governmental systems of the United States and of North Carolina.
The second is to help students develop a basic understanding of the economic and political
systems of other nations and how they compare to those of the United States. The third is to help
students develop the written communication, oral communication, and analytical skills needed to
excel in social sciences courses at the college level.
Expectations
Woods is a school with a tradition of academic success and an excellent student body. Because
of that I have high expectations. Students are expected to:
o Show respect to each other and to the instructor.
o Maintain academic integrity.
o Stay engaged and participate in class.
o Come to class ready to discuss assigned readings.
o Complete assignments on time.
o Take good notes.
Honors
o Honors students periodically have additional assignments or readings.
o Honors students have different tests from regular students. These tests require a
deeper level of analysis and a deeper understanding of course material
o Honors students are required to write one additional paper per trimester.
o Expectations: Honors students are expected to demonstrate a high level of content
knowledge, writing ability, and level of analysis. Because of this a paper that might
have earned an ‘A’ in standard Civics may only earn a ‘B’ in Honors.
Grade Calculations (Trimester)
 Class Participation: 10%
 Essays, Projects, Presentations, and Tests: 70%
 Homework and Quizzes: 20%
Grade Calculations (Year)
• Each Trimester (25%)
• Midterm Exam (10%)
• Final Exam (15%)
Contacting me: A good relationship between students, teachers, and parents is central to the
success of Woods Charter School and I am available to help with any concerns. Please email
[email protected] with any questions or to schedule an appointment.
Out of class help: I am happy to help students with questions about course material, questions
about study strategies, and questions about papers, tests, and projects. If you need help please
schedule an appointment ahead of time to ensure that I will be able to help you. Before and after
school appointments are best but, depending on my course and school duty schedules, I may be
able to help you during the school day.
Google Classroom: I am using a Google Classroom page this year to give out assignments and
homework. In order to access the page, you will need to use your Woods Charter School Gmail
account. You may access our class page by using the code pg8wer. You can find instructions for
joining a Google Classroom at https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6020297?hl=en
.
Policies
Plagiarism and Cheating: Academics at Woods Charter are based around trust between
teachers and students. I do not tolerate cheating or plagiarism. Students caught cheating or
plagiarizing will be turned into the Woods Administration. In addition to any penalties imposed
by the Woods Administration students will receive a ZERO on the assignment.
Plagiarism is passing off another person’s work or ideas as your own without proper citation or
acknowledgment.
For a detailed definition of plagiarism please see:
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/plagiarism/
Make up Tests/Work: If a student has a legitimate reason such as illness, school obligations, or
family obligations to miss a test or turn in an assignment late he or she should talk to me as soon
as possible and, if possible, before the assignment is due. We can set a new testing time or due
date.
Late Work: Students are expected to turn work in on time. There is a 10% penalty per day for
late work for the first five days. After five days you may still turn in an assignment but will not
earn a grade above 50%. Because a 50% grade is much better for your overall grade than a zero
you are encouraged to turn in all late work. If I have given you permission to turn in an
assignment late the penalty does not begin until after your new due date.
Electronic Submission: Papers, presentations, and projects may be submitted online via Google
Classroom and are due by the beginning of class on the day the assignment is due. Do not use
email.
Food and Gum: Food and gum are not permitted in my classroom.
Drinks: Students are welcome to bring water into class but all other liquids are prohibited.
iPods and phones: You are not allowed to use iPods, other music players, or cell phones without
permission. If you are caught using one of these in class it will be confiscated and turned over to
either Ms. Berg or the office. Additional punishments may apply if a student has multiple
infractions.
Notes on Different Types of Assignments:
Homework and Quizzes:
Homework assignments are short and are generally based on readings. Quizzes are based on
assigned readings and take no more than a few minutes. Both help keep you honest with the
readings and help to ensure that you understand the concepts we study. Taking your homework
seriously will help you tremendously when it comes to studying for tests.
Papers: One of the goals of this course is to help you to develop your written communication
skills, your research skills, and your reasoning skills. Because of this you will have to write
several short research papers over the course of the year. I am always available to help with
drafts.
Tests and Exams: The goal of tests and exams is to assess your knowledge of course content
and your ability to analyze this content. Tests and exams may include multiple choice questions,
short answer questions, and essay questions. Tests and exams cover both assigned readings and
the materials discussed in class so take good notes!
Course Units
Trimester One
 Course introduction, expectations, and policies.
 Primaries, general elections and the Electoral College.
 The party system in the United States.
 Citizenship: Duties versus responsibilities
 Pre-revolutionary colonial American history.
 The American Revolution
Trimester Two
 The United States Constitution, its creation, and its ratification
 Amendments to the United States Constitution.
 Congress and the legislative process
 The powers and responsibilities of the executive branch.
 The judicial branch and important Supreme Court cases.
Trimester Three
 Introduction to the criminal justice system
 State and local government.
 Introduction to economics.
 Taxes
 Money and personal finance.
 Types of economies and political systems.
 Globalization
Note: Typically the earliest units in Civics and Economics deal with a basic introduction to the
concepts of citizenship and with American History up until the ratification of the United States
Constitution. I have changed up the order of units this year. The units on the party system, the
electoral system, and the political process have been moved up to the start of the year to allow us
to better follow the presidential election. This is an imperfect approach in many respects but one
that I believe will be beneficial for students during a year with a presidential election.