DAVID CUTLER · 2025–2026 ARCHIVE
Public reading edition · October 10, 2026. Read the daily classwork and homework here; no school login is required. These dates and directions belong to the archived course. Classwork and homework from the 2025–2026 course.
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Monday, December 1, 2025
Overview of linkage institutions (interest groups, elections, media); focus on interest groups.
Read Ch. 12, pp. 516–518 "What Are Interest Groups?" — Due Wednesday, December 3. Also, due Friday, Dec. 5, read and be prepared to discuss "How to Get Rich in Trump's Washington," NY Times Magazine, 2017.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
Economic, public interest, and single-issue groups. Complete Case Study: NRA. Due: Ch. 12, pp. 516–518 reading.
Read Ch. 12, pp. 530–540 "Interest Group Strategies" — Due Friday, December 5.
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Activity: Inside vs. outside lobbying; grassroots mobilization.
Finish Ch. 12, pp. 530–540 reading (Due Friday).
Friday, December 5, 2025
How interest groups influence policy through relationships with Congress and bureaucracy.
Read Ch. 12, pp. 523–524 "Staff" and pp. 543–545 "What Determines When Interest Groups Succeed?" — Due Monday, December 8.
Monday, December 8, 2025
Pluralism vs. elite theory; concerns about influence.
Read Citizens United v. FEC (2010) case summary (Appendix, pp. A146–A149) — Due Wednesday, December 10.
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Campaign finance and corporate speech; debate — Is money speech?
Read Baker v. Carr (1962) case summary (Appendix, pp. A143–A144) — Due Thursday, December 11.
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Discuss "one person, one vote" and redistricting. Discuss questions.
Read Shaw v. Reno (1993) case summary (Appendix, pp. A144–A146) — Due Friday, December 12.
Friday, December 12, 2025
Racial gerrymandering analysis and Equal Protection.
Study for Ch. 12 MC Check (Interest Groups) — will take place after break.
Monday, January 5, 2026
Topic: Self-Assess Winter Break Consignment. Chapter 13 Review & Discussion, Part I
Review and debrief readings on elections, voting rights, and the Electoral College.
Review Ch. 13 for continued discussion Wednesday.
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Campaign strategies, campaign finance, and voting behavior.
None.
Thursday, January 8, 2026
The watchdog role and agenda setting (Ch. 14, pp. 612–617).
Read Ch. 14, pp. 612–617 "Historical Overview" and "Media Sources in the Twenty-First Century" — Due Friday, January 9.
Friday, January 9, 2026
Traditional news media, new communication technologies, and social media (Ch. 14, pp. 612–617).
Read Ch. 14, pp. 626–628 "Media Bias and Partisanship" — Due Monday, January 12.
Monday, January 12, 2026
Filtering, framing, and media literacy analysis (Ch. 14, pp. 626–628). FlintAI Activity: Media Bias
Read Ch. 14, pp. 631–636 "Do the Media Work?" and "Market Forces" — Due Wednesday, January 14.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Media ownership, partisan news, and credibility of sources (Ch. 14, pp. 631–636).
Study for Ch. 13 & 14 MC Check.
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Multiple-choice quiz and reflection.
Study for Unit Test; begin FRQ practice.
Friday, January 16, 2026
See the topic above; no additional public directions are included for this date.
No separate homework directions retained in this public reading edition.
Monday, January 19, 2026
See the topic above; no additional public directions are included for this date.
No separate homework directions retained in this public reading edition.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Unit 1 Test Review (MC) Extra Credit Challenge
Review for Unit Test.
Thursday, January 22, 2026
See the topic above; no additional public directions are included for this date.
Review for Unit Test.
Friday, January 23, 2026
See the topic above; no additional public directions are included for this date.
No homework.