TAMISCAL HIGH SCHOOL
INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSE AGREEMENT

STUDENT ________________________________ COURSE 20050: AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

I. Student Learning Outcomes
All Tamiscal courses share the purpose of helping the student read, write, speak, and solve problems effectively. All courses within the Social Studies Department work toward developing the student’s ability to learn from the events, ways of life, and ways of thinking of peoples from different times and places. Emphasis is on using lessons from history to understand the present and to develop personal philosophies rather than on isolated memorization of fact.

II. Activities
Students will prepare projects, portfolios, papers, letters, simulations, oral presentations, and take tests. Students will participate in or observe community activities or events. This may include working on an election campaign, attending local government meetings, serving as precinct workers at the polls etc.
Students will research a domestic or foreign policy issue and write a specific proposal for government action. This may take the form of a “Presidential White Paper,” a letter to a government official, a newspaper editorial, or a letter to the editor.

Students will participate in Mock Senate.
Students will be able to describe the structure of the United States government as enumerated in the Constitution.

III. Resources
In addition to the textbook, students are expected to utilize Tamiscal Homepage links, the Internet, District and County libraries, CDs, videos, and relevant media.
Text books: American Government, Perspectives: Readings on American Government, We the People.
Supplemental texts: In Our Defense, The Bill of Rights in Action, Alderman & Kennedy; The Basics of American Politics, Wasserman; We the Students, Supreme Court Cases for and about Students, Raskin; Eyes on the Prize, Americaís Civil Rights Years 1954-1965, Williams.

IV. Assessment
Assignments for this course will include preparation for meeting District Outcome Assessments. For the purposes of evaluation and grading during the course, the following methods may be used: weekly assignments; projects; laboratory work; written reports; presentations; participation; quizzes and exams. Students will be informed of the grading criteria at the beginning of each semester.

V. Duration
The agreement is effective until the end of the current semester.

VI. Progress Monitoring
Progress will be monitored at weekly meetings; therefore, attendance is required. Missed appointments, tests, and assignments will result in partial course credits and may result in required attendance to Supervised Independent Study (SIS).

Grades and credits will be reported at  the end of each marking period and at the end of the semester.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
I accept the terms of this agreement

Student __________________________________________ Date Started _________________

Supervising Teacher ________________________________ Date Completed _______________

Other Staff _______________________________________

Parent __________________________________________

Credits Attempted _____________ Credits Earned _______________ Final Grade_____________