U.S. Government and Civics Self-Paced

Do you want to learn more about your local, state, and national government? Maybe you’ve even wondered how you could get involved in local government and make changes in your community. If so, this is the course for you. By definition, Social Studies courses have the primary goal of preparing active citizens, but this course will place special emphasis on what makes an active citizen and the many ways that all people can exercise their civic duties.

Students will engage in the study of civic processes, rules, and laws; examine civic and political institutions; and apply civic virtues and democratic principles. Students will also study the structure and function of federal, state, and local governments in the United States. Students will participate in a civics project which will allow them to practice affecting change in their communities and taking informed action.

About the Self-Paced Course Model

Self-Paced courses are designed for students who need flexibility in their academic schedule. Teachers answer questions and interact with students in Private Topics, provide feedback on work, and host weekly office hours. Students work independently on course activities; the course does not include class discussion assignments or other collaborative work.

This course has start dates on each Wednesday throughout the year. Students must maintain enrollment for a minimum of 4 weeks and have up to 16 weeks to complete all assignments in the course. It is expected that students will work for approximately 90 hours to complete this course, though the amount of time may vary depending on a student’s work habits and comfort with the material.

Acknowledgements

This course contains an end-of-course proctored exam. Instructions for students to identify an appropriate adult proctor are included in the course lessons.
I acknowledge that this is a self-paced course.

Course Objectives

Course Essential Questions:

What does it mean to be a citizen?
How could I take part in civic life?
How do laws both shape and reflect the characteristics of a society?
In what ways does the American political system provide for choice and opportunities for participation?
Are deliberation and compromise necessary for political decision-making?

Course Learning Objectives:

Identify the values and attributes of an active citizen.
Evaluate the role of citizens in influencing public policy.
Compare the founding principles of America with the current lived reality of the country.
Create a plan to participate in democracy.

Additional Requirements

None