Description
This class is usually only offered in the Fall semester
This is a one-semester class that will cover the material usually taught in a high school Government class in as creative a manner as possible. Instead of textbooks, students will learn through primary sources, videos, games etc. Students’ grades will be based on assignments and not on tests.
Students will also be required to conduct research and deliver projects that show their mastery of the subject eg create comic strips, animations, slideshows, and posters. They will also participate in a Congress simulation and learn what it takes to get a bill passed. They will write a bill and then they will be put into committees and debate the bills. The bills that make it out of committee go through further debate and then a final vote. This takes a few weeks and yes, it can be done virtually and asynchronously. Students have the fun of working with classmates, but the flexibility of being online when it works for their schedule.
This is a video one of the previous students created to explain what you can expect!
Listen to the teacher talk about the class
Instructor: Meryl van der Merwe (meryl@fundafunda.com)
Hours: 4 to 5 hours per week
For: Grades 9 -12
Credit Hours: 1/2 High School Credit on completion of the semester
Syllabus: Available here
Fall Dates: August 19 – Dec 13 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)
Examples of student work
Students create an animated video showing the differences and similarities between Locke and Hobbes’ view of government (click play to view it).
Students have to create a comic strip to show what a day in the life of the president is like
morgan lemm –
This is a great class and you learn a lot but it is a lot of work. It takes a long time and there are lots of assignments a week. Tough class. But well organized!
Annie K –
This class was a lot of fun and very helpful. I definitely feel like I learned a lot about our government that I hadn’t really understood before! Any time I reached out to the teachers for help on an assignment, they got right back to me and were very supportive and easy to work with.
Maggie Parsons –
I have never really had any interest at all in Government so I wasn’t looking forward to this class this year, but now my mind has changed. This class gave me a great understanding of our Government and how it works and the little things and processes that happen and they go through. We played games to help us remember things and at the end of each week’s assignments we got to do research on some current events, plus so much more. This helped with my view of the world around me and so much more. I definitely recommend taking it.
Nathan Waller –
I really really enjoyed this class! Starting out I definitely did not expect to like it as much as I did because government never really interested me. After a while though, I realized how many things I never knew about the United States and how interesting it could be! I will be heading to college in the next couple years and now classes in government have been added to my list of potential college majors. Learning about our country is so important and I definitely recommend that you take a government class, especially this one. Not only did I have fun but I have learned information and gained knowledge that will benefit me for the rest of my life. Thanks!
Anna Perkins –
This class was very educational and enjoyable. I was very nervous about it at first but soon realized that it was not overly difficult and very fun! There were group projects, simulations, presentations, and current event studies, and I enjoyed every one of them. I now know so much more about the American Government and can form my opinions. It also gives me more confidence when talking to people about political matters and discussing history with them. I would definitely recommend this class!
Jordan Hall –
This class was really fun and exciting to participate in! I learned more about American government in this this class then any other previous class that I have taken. Mrs van der Merwe was an excellent teacher and I could tell that she put a lot of effort into her class.
Charis Guilford –
This class was very educational. It seamlessly combined all the material I needed to know, as well as chances to study current events and figure out how they related to the topics we were discussing. This approach made the realm of government come alive for me and make sense in a whole new way. At the start of the semester I thought that government would be a very confusing topic, but by the end of the semester I was able to look back on how much I learned and see that, with the proper tools, government can be a fascinating and rewarding thing to study. I greatly appreciated this class and I would highly recommend it!
Lillianna –
This class is really well done, and is not too challenging while still being completely worth your time. I would definitely recommend this course.
Lauren Barton –
This class was enjoyable, and Mrs. van der Merwe is an understanding teacher. The class covers a lot of important content in a little amount of time; but it’s manageable and worth every penny. I have learned so much about how the government works, and I know that knowledge will stick with me.
Cailin Rickman –
I really liked this class! I’ve always found government and politics interesting, but the games and activities make this class enjoyable even for those who do not. This class offers a thorough, engaging overview of our country’s governmental system and how we interact with it and I would recommend it for all students.
Natalie Vaughn –
This is definitely anything but your typical government class. I strongly dislike most social studies courses, but this one exceeded all of my expectations and gave me a new interest in government. Instead of reading boring articles and memorizing court cases, I was creating cartoons and animations, playing government simulations, and watching interesting videos to explain concepts. I had almost no knowledge of government at the beginning of the year, but after completing this course, I feel confident in my ability to discuss the history of government and form educated opinions about political issues. I would highly recommend this course to anybody who is looking to have an engaging and interesting government class.
Jonathan Gebbie –
Most people, when they envision a government class, think of endless busywork and memorization. This class is anything but. Instead, I found myself writing bills and playing games, all the while learning more than I ever would in a normal class. Also, many of the activities heighten your computer skills as well. I would highly recommend this course to any motivated student.
Carolina Bustamante –
As someone who did not expect to enjoy a government class, I have to say this class is great. Mrs van der Merwe puts a lot of effort into making the course work as engaging and interactive as possible. The activities like mock committees and writing your own bill really helped make the information real, and I learned a lot about how the U.S. government works.
Abbey Bickers –
This class is great. It challenges your way of thinking and really changes your perspective on Government. It helps you to find your own voice in the world and to share it with others in respectful way. Not only is this class great but its taught by an amazing teacher who really makes sure that the subject is covered and that you understand it. At times the class can be a handful, but with an understanding teacher, and drive to learn it pays off. It is also a very engaging in a fun way (Like getting to write your own bill). If you would have asked me at the beginning of the semester something about government I probably would have looked at you dumb founded. But now that I have taken this class I think that people need to take a course like this before voting, or not voting so they can fully understand. All in all I have learned so much from this class and would recommend taking it!
Kate Phillips –
This is a great quality class, Mrs. van der Merwe teaches the subject extremely well. She keeps the class fun and engaging. I have learned a lot.