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Texas Government Table of Contents |
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Unit Components Explained
Globalyceum’s Texas Government by Jennifer Danley Scott was specially designed for professors who may have solid American Government background but may not have much expertise in Texas Government. Yet you have been assigned to teach a Texas Government class and need to get ready. It is difficult to teach an interesting class and get up to speed on the subject. Scott has worked with many such professors and has put together a great classroom package to make the teaching of Texas Government easier for you and more interesting and fun for your students.
- Readings are clear and concise, tailored to freshman and sophomore student reading levels, as well as reading chunked and well-illustrated for better understanding..
- They are accompanied by question banks of 24 questions rated at four difficulty levels so that you can tailor quizzes to student ability levels. There is a one-to-one correspondence of each question to the key terms and phrases located at intervals in the text to encourage student study skills. You can select the difficulty level of your quizzes.
- In addition to the digital text, we include at no additional charge a digital primary source manual with 18 active learning lessons, one to three for each week of your class. Activities include a context-building background, primary source or data, Analyze the Evidence activity, and critical thinking quiz poll for the classroom or at-home critical thinking quiz about the activity. The activities are designed
- To promote in-depth study of critical as well as chronic issues for Texas
- To align with SLOs (student learning objectives) for the Foundational Component Area of Political Science and Government.
- Professor Scott is also building a poll bank of 24 polls that you can use in class to engage students in discussions of the issues presented in the chapters.
- And if you want to develop and customize your own active learning lessons, Globalyceum also has question-, poll-, and discussion board-making functionalities.
Overview of Texas Government
Chapter 1: History and Culture of Texas
Reading: History and Culture of Texas
- The Road to Statehood
- Republic and Statehood
- Political Culture
Activities:
- Demographics and Ethnicities
- Urban vs. Rural
- New Arrivals
Polls
Chapter 2: Constitutions
Reading: Constitutions
- State Constitutions
- First Five Constitutions
- The Current Constitution
Activities:
- Sam Houston and the Texas Unionists
- Amendments Big and Small in the 1876 Constitution
Polls
Chapter 3: Local Government
Reading: Local Government
- Texas Counties
- Texas Municipalities
- Special Districts
Activities:
- Gentrification and East Austin
- Disappearing Open Spaces and Houston
Polls
Chapter 4: Legislature
Reading: Legislature
- Representatives and Districts
- Organization of the Legislature
- Legislative Process
Activities:
- Where’s the Pork?: Cutting the Texas Budget
- Your Place in the Texas Government
Polls
Chapter 5: Executive
Reading: Executive
- Roles of the Governor
- Limits and Informal Powers of the Executive
- Requirements, Terms, and Removal
Activites:
Weak Texas Governor?
Polls
Chapter 6: Bureaucracy
Reading: Bureaucracy
- Features of the Bureaucracy
- The Big Four (Cabinet Positions)
- Other Commissions in the Plural Executive
Activities:
- The Size of the Texas Bureaucracy
Polls
Chapter 7: Judiciary
Reading: Judiciary
- Understanding Jurisdictions
- Details of the Texas Courts
- Judicial Requirements and Selection
Activities:
- Texas Justice and Exonerations
- On Death Row
Polls
Chapter 8: Political Parties, Elections, and Campaigning
Reading: Political Parties, Elections, and Campaigning
- Political Parties
- Elections
- Campaigns and Money
Activities:
- Texas Census 2020
Poll
Chapter 9: Redistricting, Gerrymandering, and Voting
Reading: Redistricting, Gerrymandering, and Voting
- Redistricting
- Gerrymandering
- Voting in Texas
Activities:
- Registering, Voting, and Politics in Texas
Polls
Chapter 10: Interest Groups
Reading: Interest Groups
- Interest Groups
- Types of Interest Groups
- How Interest Groups Work
Activities:
- The Oil Boom and West Texas
Polls
Chapter 11: State and Local Finance
Reading: State and Local Finance
- State Taxes and the State Budget
- The State Budget
- Local Taxes and Local Budgets
Activities:
- Texas Taxes: Who Pays?
Polls
Chapter 12: Policymaking
Reading: Policymaking
- Policy Cycle
- Social Policy
- Texas-Sized Challenges and Issues
Activities:
- The Texas Miracle?
Polls
