Government and Politics: Comparative - POSC.1225

About the Workshop

The AP® Comparative Government and Politics course is designed to provide inexperienced and experienced teachers the ability to refine or develop a course for their school.  The workshop format will include lecture, lesson simulations, discussion of concepts, and exam review and analysis.   Participants will receive useful materials to integrate within their own classroom and will share their own course outlines, syllabi, evaluation items, teaching techniques, and units of study.  The workshop will:

  • review the major content areas and themes of the curriculum.
  • provide sample content lessons on the structure of government in the six comparative countries.
  • examine interactive lesson plans that can be used throughout the course.
  • examine interactive lesson plans that are country-specific
  • provide the opportunity to investigate textbooks, web sites, videos, College Board* resources and outside readings.  There will be numerous opportunities to learn from and share with other teachers and benefit from their knowledge, experience, and insights.
  • discuss in-depth the multiple choice, short-answer concepts, conceptual analysis, and country context questions on the AP® exam and define expectations for teachers in helping students gain a better understanding of how to prepare more fully for answering these questions.
  • allow participants to draft or refine a syllabus and calendar that meets the curricular requirements for the course

Participants are encouraged to bring laptops and/or tablets as the course will demonstrate a wide range of different technologies that can be incorporated into the curriculum.

Register for the 2019 Government and Politics: Comparative workshop online.

About the Instructor

  • Dan Hoppe

    Dan Hoppe

    Dan Hoppe has been teaching AP® U.S. Government and Politics and AP® Comparative Government since 2008. He has been a social studies teacher in the Stevens Point (WI) school district since 2002. He also teaches AP® U.S. History. He has been a test reader and written test questions for the AP® Comparative Government exam and is a College Board* national consultant for both AP® Government courses. He has presented workshops on the use of technology within the social studies classroom in Wisconsin at educator conferences and for education majors at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He is also an active leader within his school, serving as the student senate advisor and as a track coach.