Course Syllabus

U.S. Government
Mr. McCubbin
Fall, 2014

Introduction
Welcome to your U.S. government class for the fall semester of 2014, I am glad you are here! My name is Mr.
McCubbin and I will be your instructor for this course. The following is a syllabus I have prepared for you to
outline the structure of the course and convey important expectations I have of you. In turn, this document will
imply several expectations you can have of me including those related to grading, my policy concerning late work,
and my policy concerning academic integrity. Again, I am happy to have you in class and I look forward to getting
to know you and beginning a positive learning experience with you.

Course Description
The purpose of this course is to present the information students should know about who makes decisions, how
decisions are made, who puts decisions into action, and who evaluates decisions within our government. Students
are exposed to practical rather than theoretical knowledge about how government operates in this country. In doing
this, the political behavior of chief executives, legislative bodies, courts, bureaucrats, lobbyists, and the public are
examined and analyzed. Included in this course is a study of the rights and responsibilities of the citizen in a
democracy.

Tentative Evaluation Plan
+/- 17% Projects: These consist of essays, research, and other assignments that encourage creativity.
+/- 33% Homework/In-class work: These points are earned by completing vocab assignments, quizzes, and in-class
work. There will also be points for participation from time to time.
+/- 50% Assessments: These are chapter tests, one midterm, and one final. None of your exams will be
comprehensive.

Grading Policy
>89.9% = A
80.0% - 89.9% = B
70.0% - 79.9% = C
60.0% - 69.9% = D
<60.0% = F

Late Work/Missed Work
You are responsible for completing and submitting all assigned work for this class. You will have the opportunity to
receive full credit for assignments if you submit them on time or if an excused absence justifies your inability to
submit the assignment on time. While you should always do your best to attend class I understand that life happens.
Your best source for obtaining missed assignments/handouts is the three-ring binder designated for your class. I
keep this binder on my desk and you may access it with permission. Your best source for obtaining missed notes is
your peers.
I will strictly adhere to the Social Sciences Department policy on work that is not submitted or zeros. The
maximum number of zeros allowed per semester is three. If you reach the maximum (three) I will contact your
parents. Another zero (four) will get you thirty minutes of detention with me. Any zeros beyond that (five, six, )
will get you an hour of detention from the principal.
Finally, it is important that entire classes test at the same time (as much as possible). Doing so provides an honest
assessment as it maintains the integrity of the test. Furthermore, it allows the class to move forward together
without leaving anybody behind. This is especially important in social studies classes which oftentimes progress
chronologically. You will be notified well in advance of any upcoming tests and should do your best to be present
at that time. If you are unable to be here you will be required to make up the test before/after school or during
seminar on the first day you are back.

Academic Integrity
It is of the utmost importance that you complete your own work and refrain from plagiarism. Mirriam-Webster.com
defines plagiarism as to steal or pass off the ideas or words of another as ones own; to use without crediting the
source. If you are found to have plagiarized you will have to redo the assignment and will receive a zero if the
redone assignment is plagiarized. Redone assignments will be subject to penalization based on the severity of the
offence and my judgment. Plagiarized assignments will appear as a zero in the grade book until a redone
assignment is submitted.

Course Materials
You will need just a few basic materials to be successful in this class. Most importantly is a pocket folder with
brads / three ring binder. If you choose to get a binder please make sure that there are pockets on the backside of the
front and back covers. You will also need notebook paper (one package, wide / college ruled), pens / pencils, and a
small package of colored pencils (10-20). If you need help getting supplies just let me know, Ill be glad to assist
you. If you would like to earn some bonus points bring me a box of Kleenex. The number of points given will
depend on how many boxes I receive (more points for fewer boxes).

Behavioral Expectations
You have either recently entered adulthood or will do so soon and because of that my behavioral expectations are
simple: act like the adult that you are or will become. If you meet this expectation I will not have to define and
enforce numerous rules that will restrict your behavior and make you feel micromanaged, e.g. raise your hand and
be acknowledged before speaking out. Lets not let it come to that! Instead, just act like an adult and always
observe these four simple class rules:

1. Respect everyone in this classroom. This includes your peers, me, and any guests that we might have.
2. Stay in your seats unless the activity at hand permits you to be out of them. This may seem petty but it
really is important for the sake of safety and accountability. I know that our classes are long and because of
this we will have the opportunity to move about the room frequently either for the purpose of completing
an activity or simply to stretch.
3. Do not do anything illegal. Seriously, my classroom is amongst the worse places for you to try something
unlawful. Why? Because youre going to get caught! Remember, battery, assault, theft, and destruction of
property are all a violation of the law of the great state of Kansas.
4. Do not bring food to class. While food in class can certainly be a distraction it is more just a pet peeve of
mine than anything. In exchange for your cooperation I promise not to bring food to class or eat in front of
you and I will permit you to have covered drinks in class (as long as you dont spill them!)

This said, you are a student at Winfield High School and will be responsible for adhering to any and all school rules
as well. A complete list of these rules can be found in the student handbook.

Conclusion
This syllabus is meant to serve as a guide and not an all-encompassing document. You can be certain that issues
never mentioned in this document are sure to arise as the year progresses, and when they do they will be dealt with
in a timely manner. Likewise, there are concepts herein which probably will not be an issue at any time during the
semester (see 3. Dont do anything illegal). That said, the document has established what we can expect of one
another. You should do your best to adhere to it as I will do. In closing, I exercise what I call an open door
policy. This means if you need to talk about any issues you are experiencing in or out of my class my door is always
open. The absolute best time to come talk to me is before school as I will be in my classroom by 7:30 every day. If
you cannot make it to school early let me know and we will make other arrangements. Again, I look forward to
getting to know you, its going to be a great semester!

Student Signature____________________________________________ Date_____________________________

Parent Signature_____________________________________________ Date_____________________________