U.S. Government Resources - Power Points, Guided Notes, HW, Tests, & Projects

UPDATE 8/1/2021 - I have converted the PowerPoints included in this bundle to google slides as well with all of the video included. You will get both with this package.

This is a great deal of the materials that I use for my U.S. Government and U.S. Government Honors classes. This probably will not carry you for an entire school year, but it's close. Some of the things that I do in my class I do not have rights to (textbook worksheets, etc.) and I’m in no position to share. I also teach financial literacy to my seniors and that always takes a couple of weeks. If government is only a semester course at your school this is more than enough materials. Because of the size of the bundle this is a GOOGLE DRIVE purchase. You might want to put all of the materials onto a portable hard drive because they are bigger files. The year is broken up over 7 units and includes warm-ups, power points loaded with pictures and video, guided notes that go along with these presentations (questions included at the bottom), quizzes, unit exams, homework/classwork assignments, videos, and a few group projects. I also sell these units individually, so you can preview each of the sections by clicking on the links at the bottom of the page. I created preview videos for them to give you a good idea of what they entail. Before I get into the nuts and bolts of this package there are a couple of things you should know:

I have worked at several schools in the past where I did not have the ability to check out books to students because I only had a class set. Because of this, I created materials in which I wouldn't need my students to have a textbook at home to be prepared for any tests or quizzes that they received. The power points that I created are quite extensive and include guided notes and video that go along with them. The students do not write down every word from the presentation and can focus on listening and learning the material from the lecture. Additional items that I have posted can be used for notebook check assignments, which I usually have whenever I get to the end of a unit. If you are the type of teacher who does not like the idea of guided lecture then this bundle is not for you.

Here is a breakdown of the package:

Unit 1 – Principles of Government and Origins of American Government

- Warm-ups to go along with both presentations at the start of class.

- 2 power points with extensive video and 6 days of guided notes. The guided notes come with questions on the back, which you can use for an assignment or a notebook check.

- First week of school activities including getting to know my textbook scavenger hunt (you will have to change the page numbers) and a practice quiz. I use the quiz to see my student’s knowledge of government and if they know the people in leadership positions including their Congressional representatives.

- Origin of Government handout – Students are broken up into groups and assigned a system of government from around the world. They must present it to the class and provide examples.

- Principles of government quiz – Multiple-choice and definition questions. The key is provided at the bottom.

- Declaration of Independence Assignment – Students dive into the declaration and answer questions about the document.

- Origin of American Government quiz – multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay (key provided)

- Origin of American Government research questions

- Unit 1 exam that covers both power points and notes. There are two different versions of the exam to prevent cheating. The test is 60 questions and includes multiple-choice, matching and true false questions (key included) and 3 different essays for you to choose from.

Unit 2 - The Constitution and Political Parties

- Warm-ups that go along with both presentations at the start of class

- 2 power points with extensive video and 7 days of guided notes w/ questions

- - Constitution Packet - 6-page packet that introduces the students to the Constitution. It goes over major powers of each branch, qualifications, hypotheticals, and a section where the students have to research their own congressional representatives. I have included a key at the end of the packet. (multi-day assignment key included). This can be done in class (which I do) or as homework.

- Constitution Quiz – Multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay question (key included)

- Vice A House Divided Movie Questions - Stream for free through YouTube. This does a great job of showing the Obama Presidency, the election of Donald Trump, and the huge divide that exists between Republicans and Democrats :(

- Political Parties Chart – Students research the major American parties throughout American history and some of the minor parties that exist today.

- Political Game – students fill out a questionnaire and form their own political parties. After this they run a candidate for office to be class president. You can decide what powers, if any, you want the president to have. Instructions are included at the bottom of the game. This really reinforces the 2-party system model.

- 3rd Party Project – Students create their own political party and platform. They research how they are different from the Democratic and Republican parties and nominate a candidate for President and VP. I have included examples of the platform and commercial along with the rubric. I have the students present these in class, which usually takes about a week.

- - Unit 2 exam that covers both power points and notes. There are two different versions of the exam to prevent cheating. The test is 60 multiple-choice and matching questions (key included) and 2 different essays for you to choose from.

Unit 3 – The Electoral Process and Voting and Voter Behavior

- Warm-ups at the start of class

- 2 power points with extensive video and 6 days of guided notes with questions

- Voting and Elections Assignment – Hyperlinks built in to allow the students to research the different types of elections we have in the U.S. (Primaries vs. Caucuses etc.)

- Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission handout and questions – students research the case and why the cost of our elections has spiraled to ridiculous levels.

- By the People movie questions – You will have to purchase the movie off of YouTube, but there is a questionnaire to go with it. The film does a great job of following the journey to becoming president.

- Electoral Process Quiz (key included) - multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay

- Demographics Handout – Students examine exit polls from the 2016 election and learn how the country votes based on gender, race, religion, age, and geography.

- U.S. Citizenship test – Students see if they can pass the test that immigrants must take to become a U.S. citizen.

- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass reading with questions - covers the first two chapters of the book and gives insight into the life of a slave.

- Dred Scott Case handout - Reading and questions about the famous case

- Antebellum Period Quiz (key included) - multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and definitions.

- Unit 3 exam that covers both power points and notes. There are two different versions of the exam to prevent cheating. The test is 50 multiple-choice and matching questions (key included) and 3 different essays for you to choose from.

Unit 4 – Mass Media/Public Opinion and Interest Groups

- 2 power points with extensive video and 5 days of guided notes w/ questions

- Warm-ups at the start of class

- Polling websites assignment – Students look at polling results related to popular issues (gun control) and presidential approval ratings from major sties.

- Trends in News Reading/Questions Assignment – Shows how American news consumption is changing from television to Internet sources

- Mass Media and Public Opinion quiz (key included) - Multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay

- Interest Groups Chart – Student research the major interest groups in the U.S. (NRA, AARP, etc.) and examine their goals and perks of belonging to that organization.

- Unit 4 exam that covers both power points and notes. There are two different versions of the exam to prevent cheating. The test is 50 multiple-choice and matching questions (key included) and 2 different essays for you to choose from.

Unit 5- Federalism and the Legislative Branch

- 2 power points with extensive pictures/videos and 9 days of guided notes w/ questions

- Warm-ups for the start of class

- Federalism review chart – students research major legislation and court cases that have dealt with the issue of Federal vs. State Power

- Understanding Federalism Assignment – Students’ research which level of government is responsible for specific tasks.

- Federalism quiz (key included) - Multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay.

- U.S. Census assignment – students dive into census data to learn which parts of the country are growing the fastest and who is being reapportioned the most seats in the House.

- Congressional Gerrymandering assignment – student’s gerrymander districts to favor one party over another. Students either love this or hate this.

- Congressional Committee Assignment – students research some of the most prestigious committees that exist in the House and Senate and their responsibilities.

- Congressional Job Requirements assignment – learning about the differences between the House and Senate

- Congressional Overview – Students research are current Congress, breakdown Republican and Democrat numbers, and members in leadership positions.

- Ken Burns’ The Congress questions – questions to go along with the video. You can download it on YouTube for $5.00

- Obama’s Deal PBS Frontline (stream for free) – questions that go along with the video. It shows how the Affordable Care Act a.k.a “Obamacare” was passed.

- Unit 5 exam that covers both power points and notes. There are two different versions of the exam to prevent cheating. The test is 50 multiple-choice questions (key included) and 2 different essays for you to choose from.

Unit 6 – The Executive Branch and Foreign/Military Policy

- 2 power points with extensive pictures/video and 7 days of guided notes w/ questions

- Warm-ups for the start of class

- The President Handout – research qualifications and powers of the presidency.

- State of the Union form – To be filled out when the President delivers his State of the Union Address at the start of the year. I give this as a homework assignment.

- Cabinet and Bureaucracy Assignment – research the 15 cabinet departments and the major bureaucratic agencies (FBI, IRS, etc.)

- The Presidency Quiz (key included) - Multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay

- U.S. Military Interventions Since 1980s – research interventions in Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.

- U.S. Foreign Policy group project – students research are diplomatic/foreign aid and military relationship with a foreign country. They present their findings to the class and I allow them to bring in food from that country if they choose to make it more entertaining.

- Thirteen Days Movie Questions – you will need to purchase the movie from YouTube, but it does a great job of showing the foreign policy apparatus and who the President leans on during times of crisis. I included a questionnaire to go with the movie.

- Foreign Policy Quiz (key included) – multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay.

- Unit 6 exam that covers both power points and notes. There are two different versions of the exam to prevent cheating. The test is 50 multiple-choice and matching questions (key included) and 2 different essays for you to choose from.

Unit 7 The Judicial Branch and Civil Liberties

- 2 power points with extensive video and 8 days of guided notes w/ questions

- Warm-ups for the start of class

- Federalist #78 reading and questions – Alexander Hamilton making the argument that the judicial branch is the “least dangerous.”

- Judicial Glossary – important vocabulary and recent presidential appointments to the Supreme Court

- Big Cases Assignment – students research 12 massive cases from U.S. history and their impact on society.

- Supreme Court Cases project – students present one case to the class and provide a visual example (poster, video, etc.) rubric included.

- The Judicial Branch Quiz (key included) - Multiple-choice, fill in the blank, true/false, and a short essay

- Civil Liberties Hypotheticals – which part of the constitution is being violated?

- Civil Liberties Cases assignment – students research the big civil liberties cases from U.S. history.

- Unit 7 exam that covers both power points and notes. There are two different versions of the exam to prevent cheating. The test is 50 multiple-choice and matching questions (key included) and 2 different essays for you to choose from.

That's everything! If you have any questions about the material let me know. You can click on the links below to preview the individual power points and materials.

Thank you very much for considering this product. Here are the individual bundles that I have created for U.S. Government/Honors classes:

• Principles of Government Bundle
• Origins of American Government Bundle
• The Constitution Bundle
• American Political Parties Bundle
• The Electoral Process
• Voting and Voter Behavior Bundle
• Mass Media and Public Opinion Bundle
• Interest Groups Bundle
• Federalism Bundle
• The Legislative Branch Bundle
• The Executive Branch Bundle
• U.S. Foreign and Military Policy Bundle
• The Judicial Branch Bundle
• Civil Liberties Bundle

Here are other courses that I sell:

• AP U.S. History
• U.S. History
• AP U.S. Government

This resource may not be uploaded to the Internet in any form, including classroom/personal websites or network drives, unless the site is password protected and can only be accessed by students. Thanks!