American Government
(half-year credit)

Grade Level: High School (9th-12th grades)

Prerequisites: None

Text: Exploring Government by Ray Notgrass

Curriculum Publisher: Notgrass History

Course Description:
This is a one-semester course on American government for students in grades nine through twelve. The student will study Biblical teachings about government and leadership, definitions and historical examples of different forms of government, and the background to the American constitutional system. The course provides a thorough study of the U.S. Constitution and the workings of the federal government today. The student will also study state and local government, the revenue and budgeting process, international relations, specific issues that government faces today, and ways that the individual citizen can be involved in government. The student will read a significant number of original source documents and essays about government while studying the narrative of lessons.

Course Content/Goals/Outline:
The Biblical basis of government
The idea of government and its various forms
The founding of the United States
Congress
The President and executive departments
The Supreme Court
Amendments to the Constitution
State government
Local government
Taxes and spending
International relations
Contemporary issues (economics, immigration, health care, education, and abortion)
Citizenship

Types of Assessment Used:
Projects, Review questions, Quizzes, Tests
English: American Biography and Composition
(half-year credit)

Grade Level: High School (9th-12th grades)

Prerequisites: None

Text: Exploring Government by Ray Notgrass

Curriculum Publisher: Notgrass History

Course Description:
This is a one-semester course for students in grades nine through twelve. The student will read two biographies and two autobiographies/memoirs of important American political figures. The student will read literary analysis of the books and discuss them in writing. The student will also complete a project each week, either an essay or another creative project related to the study of government. Note: A student does not have to utilize this English course while studying Exploring Government if he or she is enrolled in another English course. The government course is complete in itself, and this English course is parallel to that course.

Literature Assignments:
Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough
The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge by Calvin Coolidge
Born Again by Charles Colson
God and Ronald Reagan by Paul Kengor

Types of Assessment Used:
Writing assignments
Literary analysis and review