AP U.S. Gov/Politics (12th)
Enrichment Activities
Journal Instructions
Angel
Your Enrichment Activities Journal is due on Wednesday, Dec. 9th 2015 (Fall Semester) or
Wed., May 4th 2016 (Spring Semester)
You may begin these activities (see the next page) during the summer prior to the year you are taking
AP U.S. Gov/Politics. You may contact me at [email protected] over the summer at any time
if you have questions. I’ll be checking my email on a regular basis.
Your journal entries should be typed.
You should include a cover/title page with your name, class period, date, and a table of contents that looks
like this:
Jane Doe
5th period
Activities:
City Council Meeting
CNN Center
Carter Library and Museum
Martin Luther King Center
West Wing episode
Total Points
Points attempted:
20
25
25
25
10
105
The pages following the cover page should be your actual journal, written using the format below. For
every activity in which you participated and expect to receive points, you should have a journal entry written
in the following format:
A journal should be kept of your activities as you complete them. Each time you participate in any
of the enrichment activities, you should complete a journal entry using the following format (typed,
12 pt. font):
A. the activity in which you participated and point value
B. the date and time contributed
C. personal reflection--a detailed account focusing on what you did, what was learned, any
insight
into government, politics, and/or history that you gained from the experience and how this
might impact you going forward. This should include more than just a listing of what you
did.
D. documentation of participation for some activities (noted by # next to the activity) which will include
handouts, assignments, written summaries that go with the specific activity (attached to this packet)
Late Work—Social Studies Dept. Policy
Assignments turned in late will receive points off the grade. This includes reasons such as computer/printer
problems, work schedules, last minute conflicts, etc. For each day late, 10% of maximum points possible
will be deducted from earned grade for a maximum of 5 school days. On the 6th day, the grade becomes
a zero.
This rule may be relaxed due to extended illness and/or extenuating circumstances that will be determined
on a case by case basis by the teacher.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
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100 points—goal_____________
Attend a City Council meeting (required), 20 pts.: answer the attached questions during the
meeting; meeting schedules for Milton can be found at www.cityofmiltonga.us , for Alpharetta at
www.alpharetta.ga.us , for Roswell at www.roswellgov.com #
Work on a political campaign*, 25 pts.: minimum participation is 10 documented hours #
Participate in a job shadow program* with a City of Milton employee or at the North Fulton
Chamber of Commerce 25 pts.: Documentation required; must be scheduled through me #
Attend a political party/club meeting, 5 pts. per meeting: write a summary of the meeting as
part of journal entry #
Visit the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, 25 pts.: write a summary of the exhibits as part
of journal entry; http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/
Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, 25 pts.: write a summary of the exhibits in your
journal; http://www.thekingcenter.org/
Visit the Atlanta History Center, 25 pts.: Sometimes there are pertinent government exhibits;
see me for permission; write a summary of the exhibits in your journal;
http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/cms/Atlanta+History+Museum/148.html
Visit the Atlanta Federal Reserve Monetary Museum, 25 pts. Write a summary of the exhibits
in your journal; http://www.frbatlanta.org/about/tours/museum.cfm
Visit the Centers for Disease Control Museum, 25 pts.: Write a summary of the experience in
your journal http://www.cdc.gov/museum/
Visit the CNN Studio Tour, 25 pts.: write a summary of the experience in your journal;
http://www.cnn.com/tour/
Visit the Center for Civil and Human Rights, 25 pts.: Write a summary of the exhibits in your
journal; www.civilandhumanrights.org
Booth Western Art Museum, Presidents Gallery, 25 pts.: attached questions to be answered
while viewing the exhibit; http://boothmuseum.org/ #
Attend a political/historical lecture* at a college/university, 25 pts: write a summary of the
lecture as part of journal entry. This can be done during a college visit also.
Attend a political book discussion/signing*, 15 pts.: write a summary of the experience
Interview* an elected politician/government worker, 15 pts.: turn in a written transcript or video
as part of journal entry; minimum of 15 questions #
Write a letter to the editor of a periodical you read regarding a political issue of concern, 10
pts.: a copy of the email message or letter must be attached to journal entry #
Invite a guest speaker* to address our class (elected official, government worker, lobbyist, etc.),
15 pts.: Do a pre-interview so you can introduce him/her to the class; collect and type questions
from class in advance; pre-approval through me required
Create a political cartoon notebook, 10 pts.: compile a notebook with 10 current political
cartoons with analysis for each cartoon; follow instructions attached below #
Write a movie or TV program analysis, 10 pts.: choose from attached list; use attached format
as part of journal entry; instructions attached below #
Write a book summary from the attached list, 35pts.: use the attached format below #
Participate in a mock city council meeting* at the Milton City Hall, if offered. More explanation
given out in class; points determined at time of assignment
Participate in a moot court* in class, if offered: research your role, participate in activity, write a
summary of your participation—pts. to be determined at time of assignment
Design your own activity* #
*prior permission from teacher required before you begin
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CITY MEETINGS
20 ENRICHMENT POINTS
ANGEL
Attend a City Council meeting at Milton or Alpharetta City Hall. Stay for the entire meeting, or
at least 1 – 1 hour. You should take notes on this page during the meeting and include in your
enrichment notebook.
1. When and where was the meeting held?
2. What board met? (city council, zoning, recreation, etc.)
3. What issue (s) were discussed? Were there concerns having importance to members of the
community brought up that were not on the agenda? Explain the issues that were
discussed.
4. Who was involved in presenting points of view to the board?
5. How did the officials react to the comments and presentations made?
6. Did the board come to a decision at the meeting? If so, what was the decision? Do you agree
or disagree with the decision? Why or why not?
7. If the board did not render a decision, how do you think the board will decide at a later date?
Why do you think this?
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AP Gov/Politics
Letter to elected representative
Pre-writing exercise
Angel
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Letter topic: ________________________________________ (federal issue)
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Person writing to: ___________________________________ (Congressman Tom
Price or Senators Johnny Isakson or Saxby Chambliss)
Address the person appropriately—use their title--Dear Congressman Price, for example.
Close appropriately also—use sincerely or respectfully, then your full name and address.
Be sure to choose a current bill/issue that you know something about or can find info about.
Letter should be sent as an email. Write the actual letter in the body of the email. Attachments
are discouraged. Be sure to print a copy for your journal.
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Very brief introductory information about yourself:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
This should be brief. Do not say you are writing the letter as an assignment. You are a constituent
of the representative and you are communicating your thoughts.
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Concerns about the topic:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Support for your opinion, with specific information for each supporting argument:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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BOOK LIST
The Reagan Diaries by Ronald Reagan
My Life by Bill Clinton
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman
Hot, Flat, and Bothered by Thomas Friedman
Peace, Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter
All’s Fair by Mary Matalin and James Carville
My Grandfather’s Son by Clarence Thomas
The Supreme Court by William Rehnquist
Nine by Jeffery Toobin
The Right to Privacy by Caroline Kennedy
The Courage of Their Convictions by Peter Irons
Hardball by Chris Matthews
Life’s a Campaign by Chris Matthews
Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
Decision Points by George W. Bush
A More Perfect Constitution by Larry Sabato
The Surge by Larry Sabato
*Use the attached book review format for your journal
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Book Review
Non-Fiction
Your book review should be typed, using the following format.
Before beginning each section, type the heading for each Roman numeral as
stated on this form. Sections should be single-spaced, with double-spacing between
each section. Use 1” margins and 12 point font.
I.
Title
II.
Author
III.
Copyright date; number of pages
IV.
Make up a title that you think fits the book and would be as appropriate as
the one the author chose.
V.
List 10 vocabulary terms that relate to government and politics. Include the
word, page number, definition, and context in which the term is being used.
VI.
Write a brief summary of the book. Write no more than one full page,
including details from each chapter.
VII. A thesis is a point to be proved by showing evidence in defense of the thesis.
What do you think is the author’s thesis? Explain how the author supports
the thesis. In your estimation, does he adequately make his point? Why or
why not?
VIII. Explain, using specific examples, 3 things you now know or understand
better about the U.S. government.
IX.
Critical evaluation: What are the merits and/or weaknesses of this book?
Does the book seem balanced and objective or biased? Support your answer
with specific examples.
X.
What was your favorite part of the book? Your least favorite part? Why?
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TV/FILM SUGGESTIONS
Use the attached format for analyzing the film you choose.
Movies
All the Kings Men
All the President’s Men
The Insider
Wag the Dog
Journeys with George
The War Room
The Candidate
JFK
campaigns and political power
Watergate and the media
Tobacco lawsuit and the media
Campaigns and the media
Bush 2000 presidential campaign
Clinton 1992 presidential campaign
campaigns
Oliver Stone assassination conspiracy theory
Nixon
Truman
Primary Colors
Thirteen Days
The American President
Apollo 13
The Right Stuff
A Civil Action
Dead Man Walking
Ghosts of Mississippi
presidency
presidency
Fictionalized account of Clinton campaign
Cuban Missile Crisis; presidential power
lobbying influences; conflict of interest
NASA; bureaucracy
NASA; bureaucracy
pollution lawsuit
the death penalty
delayed trial of civil rights murder
Mississippi Burning
Thank You for Smoking
Frost/Nixon
Recount
The Ides of March
Argo
Lincoln
1960s civil rights murder
lobbying
Watergate
2000 Presidential Election
political campaigns
Intl. politics, CIA
Presidency/Congress, amendment process
Television Shows
The West Wing
***Some of these films are rated R and may have objectionable content—mostly bad language.
If parents object, then student should choose from the other available activities to gain points. If
parents have questions—these movies all have content related to the government that students can
learn from—some are inspiring, some are critical, and some use sarcasm to get the message across.
Students should think critically about the political content in addition to enjoying the movie for
its entertainment value.
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AP Gov/Politics
TV/Film Reaction
Angel
Complete the following as you watch the film/program. Notes can be taken on this sheet and then
typed to be attached to your enrichment journal.
1. Title:
2. Political theme:
3. Plot summary, using details:
4.
Examples of political/governmental/legal concepts either expressed or implied in the
film/program. Explain each concept and how it was developed/used in the film. Be
specific.
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AP Gov/Politics
Political Cartoons Compilation
Angel
Directions: Choose 10 cartoons from any medium. Include a copy of the cartoon on the page with
your written analysis--one cartoon per page. Each entry should be typed.
Answer the following questions:
1. What do you see? Describe the elements listed below.
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Symbols
Historical images
Stereotypes
Caricatures
Captions
Humor
2. Explain what is happening in the cartoon.
3. Connect the cartoon to current political topics and events.
4. Explain what the cartoonist is trying to say, and how he/she is trying to get his/her point
across.
5. Do you agree with the sentiments of the cartoonist? Why or why not?
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“Looking for the President”
Booth Western Art Museum
Presidential Gallery (attach a ticket as documentation)
1.
What was George H. W. Bush awarded for his service in WWII?
2.
Eisenhower served his country in what way other than being president?
3.
Teddy Roosevelt was the first president to win………………………………….?
4.
Who was the first son of a president to also be elected president?
5.
Who is the most recent president’s son to be elected president?
6.
Who was president when the size of the U.S. doubled as a result of the Louisiana Purchase?
7.
Alaska was purchased from Russia for $7.2 million during which president’s administration?
8.
What did John Q. Adams keep in the East room of the White House?
9.
During his term in office, who was arrested and had to pay a fine? What was he arrested for?
10. Harry Truman was the only president to not have …………………………….in the White House.
11. Which president served the shortest amount of time in office?
12. James Madison was the first president to wear…………………………………
13. Who was the tallest man elected president? How tall was he?
14. Calvin Coolidge was the only president born on……………………………………..
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15. Who was the first president to be born in a hospital?
16. Andrew Jackson was the first president to be born in………………………………….
17. Who was the only bachelor president?
18. Who was Lyndon Johnson sworn in by?
19. Where was Chester Arthur sworn in?
20. Who was the first president to live in the White House?
21. Millard Fillmore was the first president to install ………………………………..at the White House.
22. Franklin Pierce was the first president to have a ……………………………………in the White House.
23. Who had the first daughter to be married at the White House?
24. What was installed in the White House during James Polk’s term?
25. Who was the oldest person ever elected president?
26. Who was the youngest person ever elected president?
27. Who was the youngest to person to serve (though not elected) as president?
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