Honors Government/Civics

Portfolio
Fall Semester Guidelines
Instructions
You must earn between 105-150 points for the 2nd marking period to get a passing grade. You
will have a second set of instructions for the spring semester. The second semester
portfolio grade will be your final exam grade. In all cases, you may do each project
once, unless otherwise directed. You are required to complete at least one of the
assignments from the major project category.
You are required to complete projects neatly and timely.
All projects must be typed, double spaced, using times new roman 12pt. font.
Projects that include research must be in APA style.
The following is a short summary of project. There will be other opportunities for projects as
directed on a case by case basis.

10-point projects
Attend a School Board meeting and write a one-page summary of the proceedings
inclusive of who attended the meeting.
Attend a community meeting and write a one-page summary of the proceedings
inclusive of who attended the meeting.
Participate in a non-school Civic Organization fund-raiser. This must be documented.
Vote in an election or if youre not old enough go to the polls with your parents.
Summarize election process at the local level.
Donate to cereal box drive.
Create a Civic Awareness Poster for use in the high school
Participate in Philly trip-Write up necessary.
Tour a Civic Site (i.e. Capital, UN, Courthouse, etc.) and write a one-page summary
of the experience. See your teacher for approval of site
Write a letter to the editor of the local/national newspaper about a governmental or
social issue
Write a letter to your state or US or State representative or Senator outlining your
stance on a certain issue or bill being considered by them.
Write a letter to a national, state, or local official, about a political, governmental, or
social concern you would like to see addressed.
Register for selective service-males upon the age of 18.
Register to vote (18th birthday) pavotes.com
Create a PSA (30 second public service announcement) to be posted online about an
issue of your choice.
Interpret a political cartoon (historic or contemporary)- 2 paragraph analysis of artists
POV and issue discussed.

Additional information for each project will be provided, including the evidence needed to
demonstrate proficiency in each of the chosen tasks.

20-point projects
Observe and write a one page report on a local criminal or civil court case. You must call the
courthouse to make arrangements before the visit.
Create an artwork representing a US Government/civic theme/social commentary. An art
work is an extensive commentary through visual means. This does not include a Poster. If
you are not sure, ask Mrs. Watt. This may also include a song, digital art, etc.
Volunteer for a political campaign. Write a one page paper about the work you
accomplished as part of this campaign-This includes working the polls for a candidate on
Election Day.
Volunteer to work at a government office.
Community service= You can earn 20 points for 15 hours of community service. This may
be done once per semester. The service must have been done during your Senior year
and may not be court ordered
Create a Pod Cast outlining your stance on an issue facing American society
Create a stand alone presentation on a historic or current political issue set to music.
Civic Movie Review- Write a 2 page synopsis/analysis of a film with civic or social value. I
will provide a list of possible films, but you may suggest one to me as well. Your analysis
should include a description of the film, the civic issue it deals with, the films bias for or
against the issue, the effectiveness of the film in addressing the issue, and the accuracy of
the films portrayal.
Supreme Court Case Review: You will examine a supreme court case and develop a 1
page brief outlining the Constitutional issue at hand, the facts of the case, and the courts
interpretation of the Constitution (how did they apply the Constitution to resolve the case).
Create your own political cartoon- Must be original work, satirizing a federal, state, or local
political issue.
Participate in the Veterans day assembly and complete a reflection on the process and the
impact of the assembly.
Special Projects

Special projects may be designed by you with points negotiated based upon time required,
effort, and overall benefits of the project. Projects must be approved before you do them.
Major Point Projects: You must select at least 1 project from this category

These projects will take considerably more time, but are worth the most points. Your grade will
depend on the quality of the work submitted.

Governmental Outline Complete a comprehensive outline of a branch of the federal or

state government, or an international organization like the United Nations . You must include
a detailed description of all departments, agencies, and lower structures including the current

officials in charge of said departments. The outline must be bound in some way, and include
web addresses for each department. For example, for the executive branch, look at all of
the cabinet positions, and the departments under each of those cabinet offices. If interested
see your teacher for more details. You may do one outline per semester. IF YOU DID AN
OUTLINE IN THE FALL>>YOU MAY NOT DO THE SAME ONE AGAIN!

Oral History Project - Students may develop interview questions and conduct an oral
interview with a Veteran of WWII, Korean Conflict, or Vietnam or a person born before 1975.
Students will then complete a paper review of the oral history project. Some students may
choose to complete this project both on paper and in video form. Please have your
questions checked with your teacher before proceeding with this project. A paper Oral
History will be worth up to 40 points and the addition of a video worth 10 more points. You
are looking for their perceptions of major historic events during their lifetime and how that
impacted their individual life.

Opinion and Issue Paper (OIP) - Students may develop a point/counterpoint style paper
on an issue facing America. Be sure and receive permission for the topic of your choice from
your teacher. This paper must be completed in the MLA format and will need to be no less
than 2000 words. You will be required to utilize at least three sources one traditional, one
electronic, and one non-traditional. This project can earn you up to 50 points and may be
completed once each semester.

Opinion Paper and Presentation Student may complete an opinion paper and a five
minute classroom presentation on the social or political topic of their choice. This paper
must be no less than 1000 words and utilize three sources. It is an opinion paper so it will
represent your personal view of the issue. Please be sure to schedule your topic and
presentation with your teacher. This project can earn you up to 50 points.

Book Review Project - Students may read a book on a political, social, or governmental
issue of their choice. Student will then complete a three-page summary of the book inclusive
of a brief discussion of the impact of the book on the reader. Suggested readings will be
held on reserve in the library starting on October 15. You may also use books in my
classroom, but they must be signed out. This project will earn you up to 30 points.

Document Interpretation Paper Read and review a document of civic/governmental

importance. Analyze the importance of the document, and the relevance to modern
government. Use examples from the document to show how it is still relevant to modern
politics and government. See your teacher to help select/ approve the document you plan to
use. The Avalon project is a good tool to find documents online .