At John Jay High School AP Government differs from your standard Advanced Placement course. Floating the term AP before the name of any class typically brings students not so fond memories of strict course guidelines and exhausting AP exam prep. So why is Gov any different?
AP Gov carries an imaginative spirit defined by collaborative projects to foster an in-depth sense of how the American government has, and currently, operates.
In this article we are going to showcase some of the activities current Gov students partook in, giving a representation of what to expect if you are a Junior looking into next year’s course load.
Founders Intent Podcasts
One of our earliest projects in Gov was the Founders Intent Podcast in which students worked to record podcast debates centered around constitutional disputes.
Some of the topics covered were environmental policy, banned books in public education, healthcare and more. After all the podcasts were shared, each class conducted a vote as to which was the best, to which the winners are shown below.
The appeal to this project comes from the exposure to varying viewpoints through debate. Prior to creating our podcasts, we learned proper debate etiquette and what healthy discourse looks like. The podcasts taught us not just about the differing political opinions on state vs. fed, but also how to take something away from a dispute. Even if you still stick with your initial opinion, perhaps you’ve become more well versed in understanding where the opposition comes from.
Election Unit
After the Founders Intent unit, Gov students underwent the elections unit which spanned from mid-November to winter break. In this unit the class was split up into two different campaign teams, party leaders, media outlets, and interest groups, working together to simulate the collaborative and competitive nature of running for office.
The competitive aspect of the project encouraged engagement as groups would create ads and debate their opposition for a chance at winning the presidency.
Primary elections were held to determine the presidential candidate from the two parties. The loser of the primary election was not out of it though as their role evolved into swing states who would ultimately have the final say on who won it all.
Should you take it?
I would say so. The class is often dubbed for its AP level workload but doesn’t get enough credit for the hands-on experience it carries. Hopefully you come away from this article with a better understanding of what AP Gov may be like whether you be a junior looking to complete their PIG element, or a sophomore/freshman eyeing the future, AP Gov will grant you not only an intellectually stimulating course load, but also an interactive class feel like no other.
