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Government and Politics: U.S.
AP Annual Conference Submission
Kerry Sautner
VP of Education and Visitor Experience
National Constitution Center
Tim Rodman
Teacher Advisory Board Member/National Board Certified Social Studies Teacher
National Constitution Center/Walter Johnson High School
The NCC teams will introduce in a two-week First Amendment plan of study that serves as the culmination of all AP U.S. History and U.S. Government & Politics classes. In the first week, students read the Interactive Constitution’s introduction to core principles of the First Amendment, as well as the Common Interpretation essays explaining the history and canonical Supreme Court cases relating to each of the five freedoms of the First Amendment – speech, religion, press, petition, and assembly. In the second week, instructional materials engage students in civil, thought-provoking discussions based on scholarly essays around significant current First Amendment questions. Through this innovative, two-week protocol, all AP US History and U.S. Government & Politics students are introduced to the best arguments on both sides of the philosophical spectrum, preparing them to participate in informed, civil discourse that will secure the future of American democracy.