Course Syllabus

American Electoral Politics

Course Syllabus

Fall 2020

 

Curriculum: Essential Questions

 

  • What systems facilitate American campaigns and elections?  What are the benefits and flaws of these systems?
  • To  what extent do Americans have a voice in the US electoral system?
  • What drives people’s motivations, or lack thereof, to participate in American democracy? 
  • What makes an effective political campaign?. 

A Community-Oriented Approach

Values to Live By

  • Diversity: We value our differences as they allow us to see the world through varied perspectives.  
  • Kindness: We treat one another with patience, respect, and empathy.  We hold each other to high standards while actively supporting one another’s efforts to grow.   
  • Integrity: The work and ideas we present are our own.  We give credit to the scholars who help us shape our understanding.  We support one another in developing our own ideas while respecting our ability to think and succeed as individuals.  
  • Resilience: We lean into challenges and persevere when we face something new or difficult.  We build strategies that help us be successful when we struggle.  
  • Humility: We celebrate our strengths and we openly reflect in order to recognize and improve upon our weaknesses. 

 

Making a restorative community:

We will regularly engage in community-building activities using a Restorative Practices curriculum.  Restorative Practices is a social science discipline that strives to build engaged, healthy, and safe communities through guiding protocols.  Restorative Practices will help us learn about one another as people, build foundational relationships that will support our academic collaborations, and if necessary, help us work through difficult conversations as a group.  





Studentship: Getting the most out of our time together

 

Supplies to bring to class daily:

  • Pens/pencils 
  • Spiral notebook or loose leaf paper in a binder
    • yes! You might want to WRITE things down even when we’re meeting over video!
  • Laptop and charger 
  • Headphones

 

Getting the most out of your remote learning days

  • Keep your workspace organized and free of distractions.  If you work in a room with a TV, hide the remote.  Keep your phone out of arm's reach during class.  
  • Dress for the part! It’s ok to stay comfortable, but putting on real-human clothes made to be worn in places other than your house can set the right tone!
  • Find a neutral or professional background.  The reality is you might have to work from your bed or couch, but sit up so that we can’t see the pillows! 
    • Check out our available WHS digital backgrounds!
  • As much as possible, go cameras ON! Class becomes much more meaningful and memorable when we can interact interpersonally.  While we understand there may be times that you need to go camera off, try to let us see your face when you can! 

 

Policies and Expectations: How is class run?

 

Standards Based Grading

In an effort to foster a growth-mindset and facilitate an authentic learning experience, we use a standards-based grading model.  You will get feedback on each assignment you submit this year, but no A-F grade.  At the end of each semester, your grade will be determined based on the extent to which you have demonstrated “proficient” or “exemplary” quality products for each of our skill-based standards.  I will update powerschool once a month to give you a sense of how you’re doing overall, and you will always have access to feedback on every assignment on Canvas.  We will spend time at the beginning of the year reviewing this practice, and the philosophy behind it, in more detail.  

 

Honors/ACP Credit

American Electoral Politics is offered for both Honors and ACP credit.  Assignments for all students are weighted the same (see above), regardless of course level.  The expectations of each individual assignment will be expanded for students taking the course for honors credit. 

 

Academic Integrity Policy

Students are expected to abide by the Wellesley High School Handbook standards of academic integrity at all times.  Students who violate the academic integrity policy in any capacity will be subject to the appropriate Wellesley High School Handbook disciplinary procedure. 

Late-work and Make-up Policy

  • Makeup work: Students have the same number of class days as they were absent to submit makeup work (ex: if you are in Cohort A and are absent on Monday, participate in class on Tuesday, then your makeup work is due the following Monday.  If you are in Cohort B and are absent on Friday, participate in class the following Thursday, your makeup work is due on Friday).  Students are still expected to submit major assignments on the due date, even if they are absent.  All assignments can be submitted electronically. 

 

    • Late Work Policy: In order to align with restorative practices, this late-work policy offers intervention supports rather than punitive consequences.  Students can submit late work without grade penalty if they participate in the following interventions.  Students who do not participate will not receive credit for late work. 
      • First late submission: No intervention (everyone gets one mulligan!)
      • Second late submission: Meeting with Ms. Giddings to reflect on the assignment process to diagnose reasons for late submission and plan for next assignment submission.
      • Third late submission: Meeting with Ms. Giddings, guidance counselors, and parents/guardians to problem solve

 

  • Fourth late submission: Mandatory regular working sessions scheduled in Ms. Giddings’ room. 

 

 

Technology

  • Canvas:
    • All of our class materials will be on Canvas.  When possible, students will also get paper copies in class.  I encourage you to do all of your readings on paper with available. 
    • Students will submit major text-based assignments to Canvas, and in hard copy.  Submissions to Canvas will also automatically run through TurnItIn.com, a tool that checks for plagiarism or unoriginal work. 
  • PowerSchool: 
  • The standard categories will be updated on Powerschool monthly.  
  • Students will get major assignments with feedback returned before it is reflected in the Powerschool grade.
  • I encourage students and parents to have open conversations about the best way for your family to use PowerSchool.  It can be a great tool that can also sometimes distract us from our larger learning goals.  
  • Cell Phones:
    • Technology provides us with some extremely powerful resources, but it can also lead to great distractions. The Wellesley High School Student Handbook states “In order to prevent disruption in classrooms and to respect the academic environment the use of handheld electronic devices is prohibited during class time without express teacher approval.”
    • You are not permitted to have your phone on your person during class (this means both at WHS and when you are logging on for remote classes) unless expressly permitted by your teacher.  If your device is not placed in the parking lot and is visible during class time (this includes bathroom and water breaks), then the phone will be confiscated and consequences will follow those stated in the Student Handbook.
  • Laptops:
  • Laptops may be used only for the academic purpose of class time.
  • Students should supplement computer-use with hand-written notes.
  • When in school, Students using laptops for social media, to do work for other classes, to visit websites that are irrelevant to the topic of class, for messaging, etc. will be asked to put their computers away for the remaining duration of that class period.  Any work that they cannot complete as a result will need to be completed on their own time.
    • Students will be asked to forego bringing their computer to class if there are multiple instances of misuse of laptops during class time.