We Got This!

I hope this finds you all well. This has obviously been a difficult and unprecedented time in our country's history. I know that the next few months will continue to pose challenges and be frustrating as we fight this pandemic, but I trust that we will return to a sense of normalcy soon.

I miss seeing your smiling faces, hearing your probing questions, and facilitating our thoughtful discussions. I will try my best to continue with our learning and prepare you not just for the AP exam (more on that below), but to help you truly understand how our government works (and sometimes does not work), our constitutionally protected rights, and what your important role as a citizen is in this republic. We will also continue to bring in real world events and make the connection to government concepts. We certainly will have quite a bit to discuss regarding federalism, presidential powers, the importance of the bureaucracy, etc in our current crisis.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), I will outline more specifically each day's tasks for the upcoming week. First, I want to give you some specifics regarding communication, the AP exam, and an overview of how I see our instruction working out over the next few weeks, including today's assignment.

Communication
Although we won't be able to meet in person, we will continue to find ways to foster communication and collaboration. I have designated office hours from 10:30-11:30am and 1-2pm, but will check my email on a frequent basis and respond as quickly as possible. I will send group announcements via Canvas and will also post on our class webpage as usual. I will continue to use Twitter, probably more frequently, to stay in contact and share relevant articles, news, and memes. I am also exploring other options (i.e. Zoom) to facilitate some real time collaboration. Please, please, please reach out to me at any time with any questions, concerns, clarifications, or just to say hi.



The AP EXAM
The College Board announced last week some major changes to the exam based on the current situation. Here is a summary of those changes:

• All AP exams will be administered at home using a digital device (i.e. your laptop)
• AP exams will be 45 minutes in length and will consist only of Free Response Questions. There will be NO multiple-choice questions.
• There will be two (yet to be determined) dates for the AP exam
• Due to the suspension of so many school districts across the country, the test will also only cover a portion of the curriculum. For AP Government, the test will only cover Units 1-3.
• Any student who wants to cancel their exam, may do so at no charge.
• Specific information regarding the testing dates and type of FRQs for each specific subject area will be announced by April 3rd.

What does this mean for us? Well, the good news is that we covered Units 1 (Constitutional Foundations) and 2 (Interactions among the Branches) last semester.  Unit 3 (Civil Liberties and Civil Rights) is the unit that we are about to focus on so it will be fresh in your memory. Unfortunately, Unit 4 (Political Beliefs and Attitudes) and Unit 5 (Political Participation) will not be tested--basically everything we have worked on second semester up until this point. Because of that, we will immediately start Unit 3 tomorrow on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. 

I like the fact that the exam will be condensed. It will allow us to be more focused in our study and preparation. I am confident that we can cover Unit 3 remotely and effectively, while still having time for review before the exam (whenever that may be). While I am not certain what type of FRQs will be on the exam, my guess is that there will be one Concept Application and one Supreme Court Case Analysis. I have multiple resources to specifically address the different types of FRQs. In short, we got this.

Our Instruction

Obviously, some of our instruction will be modified given the current situation. However, I will continue to use our class webpage to deliver most, if not all, of our content and instruction. We will still utilize Khan Academy, Crash Course, various articles, charts/graphs, foundational documents, and analysis of Supreme Court cases. We will also try some new instructional methods including discussion boards, screencasts, and other resources. This will be a growth opportunity for all of us!

For today, I would like you to make sure that you are in fact signed up for EdPuzzle, Khan Academy, and AP Classroom. We signed up for these at the beginning of the year (except EdPuzzle) but some of you may not have signed up then. Instructions to sign up and join our specific sections are listed below. Please sign up today for these resources.

EdPuzzle

This is a new resource we will be using. Everyone will need to sign up using the class codes below.

1st hour:: Use this link to enroll or enter the class code reculif

4th hour: Use this link to enroll or enter the class code goeheeg

5th hour: Use this link to enroll or enter the class code limovhe

6th hour: Use this link to enroll or enter the class code boruhzi

7th hour: Use this link to enroll or enter the class code igejhop

Khan Academy

Khan Academy has learning modules that match up perfectly with the APGOV curriculum. These modules include readings, videos, and quizzes. It is a great way to review for tests, understand new concepts, or fill in the gaps due to absences. 

1. Join our Khan Academy class using this link

You can also go to khanacademy.org/join and use our class code: 2S679XXZ.

AP Classroom

The College Board now has an online learning portal for students called AP Classroom. You will be able to take practice self-assessments and complete other activities to help monitor your learning. Your HOMEWORK is to get yourself registered in AP Classroom. Details on how to do that can be found here.

You will need a class code to join the right section:

1st hour:  QE2NNW

4th hour:  YEAPP2

5th hour:  GWJV47

6th hour:  94AY7V

7th hour:  AX7K9N

If you have made it this far, congratulations! Sorry for the loooong post. I am excited for our educational journey together during this difficult time. Please stay safe and healthy. I am here for you and am thinking of all of you.

We got this!