Government – High School ??

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  • August 7, 2012 at 6:44 pm
    greenebalts
    Participant

    I’m looking for feedback from anyone familiar with the following government curricula at the high school level…

     

    Under God by William C. Hendricks

    http://www.mottmedia.com/pages/publications.asp?Pub=history

     

    Notgrass Exploring Government

    http://www.notgrass.com/notgrass/american-government-high-school-curriculum/

     

    Likes/dislikes; pros/cons…

     

     

    Thanks,

    Melissa

    http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com/

    August 7, 2012 at 10:10 pm
    TailorMade
    Participant

    Bumping to hopefully help out.

    August 8, 2012 at 2:59 pm
    SueinMN
    Participant

    We use a book published by Christian Liberty Press entitled The Land of Fair Play. It covers the basics and you can also get tests for it. I believe I purchased mine from Rainbow Resources.

    August 8, 2012 at 6:18 pm
    Schele
    Participant

    I don’t have children in this age range so can’t tell you what might be good but someone did give me a copy of “Under God”.  They say it is good for high school but the tone/vocabulary used in the book seem more middle school to me.  I don’t like the way it talks down to the child.  It is a dry textbook definetely written for classroom use and has comprehension questions and classroom type activities for each chapter although there are some activites that would be good done independently.

    HTH

    Schele

    August 10, 2012 at 11:57 am
    greenebalts
    Participant

    Thanks for bumping TailorMade.

     

    I’m familiar with that book Sue, thanks.  

     

    Thanks for the review of Under God Schele.  My impression too was textbook, but I”m just not sure how else to go about government.  It seems like a dry subject no matter how you look at it….lol. 

     

    Does anyone have anything to add?  We’ve used Notgrass World History as a spine and our dd didn’t mind it. 

     

    Thanks,

    Melissa

    http://reflectionsfromdrywoodcreek.blogspot.com/

    August 10, 2012 at 3:46 pm
    HiddenJewel
    Participant

    We use the TeenPact program for our high school government. It is worth 1/3 credit and then we add in the Hillsdale Constitution course to finish the rest of the 1/2 credit (or full credit if they have done TP for 2 years). The first year my oldest went to TeenPact I was still planning on having her take an additional government course for credit. But when I saw how much she learned that week, I was definitely comfortable giving credit for it. Definitely worth the cost. Our second daughter went for the first time this year and her willingness to step out and try new things and to lead increased greatly.

    http://teenpact.com/ 

    August 10, 2012 at 3:58 pm
    Bookworm
    Participant

    The Hillsdale course looks excellent.  Also Generation Joshua just released a one-semester course called iCitizen.  Here it is:  http://www.generationjoshua.org/dnn/Educate/iCitizen/tabid/637/Default.aspx?src=slide&slide=GenJ_iCitizen_1&pos=1

    We use several more readable books and then cover some bases with a simply “summary” book.  We use Cliffs Quick Revew American Government.  I just read the very entertaining Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution; it’s heavy on court cases but really stresses what the Founders intended–I liked it.  Don’t forget to add in something like Miracle in Philadelphia; also look for resources here:  http://www.nccs.net

    Clarence Carson has a very very thorough but actually pretty readable book called Basic American Government. 

    August 10, 2012 at 4:01 pm
    HiddenJewel
    Participant

    The iCitizen information states it is a civics course but not a government course. I think it may not go in depth enough to be considered one.

    February 4, 2015 at 9:50 am
    missceegee
    Participant

    HiddenJewel – what were your children’s ages when they participated in teen pact? Did they have any prior knowledge of government?

    Bookworm – Please share the readable resources you mentioned.

    February 4, 2015 at 11:58 am
    6boys1girl
    Participant

    We use Notgrass.

    My eldest completed the whole course and really enjoyed it. He liked that it started in the Bible with the way God set up government/laws to be and then went all the way through history talking about different things that affect how our government is set up.

    My second is going through it now. He’s not as much of a “schooly” kid – does better with hands-on than book learning (although he reads and understands fine – just doesn’t like it as much). He’s enjoying it too.

    They both like that it has you go back and read original source documents, including your state constitution, Magna Carta, etc.
    It didn’t seem textbooky to them, closer to a living book although not quite there.

    If you have more questions, let me know and I can ask them.

    Rebecca

    February 4, 2015 at 5:19 pm
    Bookworm
    Participant

    I have changed what I do.  Books.  Love new books.  Anyway, I have one LDS-specific book I use, supplemented with living books now.  Love Our Declaration and The Conscience of the Constitution.  I also assign approximately a gazillion articles.  🙂

    February 4, 2015 at 5:29 pm
    crazy4boys
    Participant

    Bookworm….might you share the authors of above-mentioned books? And any living books you particularly enjoy?

    I will not ask you to list the gazillion articles though!

    February 4, 2015 at 8:31 pm
    anniepeter
    Participant

    Whatever you choose, don’t miss watching “A More Perfect Union: America Becomes a Nation”!  About the making of the constitution… It is fabulous.  We’ve watched it several times, a no one tires of it!

    February 4, 2015 at 9:28 pm
    missceegee
    Participant

    And Michelle, I’d like some of the articles, too, if you ever get a chance.

    February 5, 2015 at 6:14 am
    Melanie32
    Participant

    Thanks for all the great info on this thread! I’m paying close attention for my daughter’s high school years.

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