This is the textbook that we primarily use in class, and students are expected to participate in nightly reading assignments. I understand that students can be busy with other classes, athletics or extracurricular activities; therefore, I recommend each student think about purchasing a supplemental workbook that can be used to review or add to material taught in class.
This is just one of the many supplemental study guides that students can purchase to help them in their journey through AP Government and Politics. Books by Kaplan, Barrons, Princeton Review, MyMax score and 5 Steps to a 5 are all good review books that students may find helpful. Each book will have notes, practice questions, and practice exams that are designed to aid student learning.
Click on icon to download a copy of the syllabus
Click here to download a copy of the Pre-Class Notecard Assignment that is due on the first day of class.
AP Government Assesments
Writing Free Response Questions
Half of the College Board Final Exam is based on 4 Free Response Questions. These are usually the most difficult portion of the class because students must provide the answer rather than choose an answer from a list. Students also must answer each of 4 FRQ's, rather than choosing from several possible essays as they do on some of the AP Exams.
Click on the picture to the right to download a handout with tips on writing FRQ's
AP Midterms
The second portion of the College Board Final Exam is a 60 question Multiple Choice Test to be completed in 45 minutes; therefore, our 3 Midterm Exams will follow the same format. Students will be made aware of the topics to be covered through homework, classwork, and reading assignments, then the test will be 60 randomly selected multiple choice questions to be completed in the appropriate time. Because the questions will be selected from a test bank, created through the website quia.com, each test will cover the same material, yet will be different. The Midterm Exam grades will be then be generated by converting the score on the Midterm to the corresponding predicted grade on the College Board Final Exam.
To view the Midterm Grading Scale, click on the icon to the right.