AP Government Review
A Compendium of Resources
STEP ONE -- Understand What is Expected of You
You know that this exam is different than APUSH and AP World History. But what are the differences?
Read this Exam Overview. It explains how the exam is scored and what to expect in terms of concepts, format, and time. I need to make one change to the Overview. This year, you will NOT be penalized for a wrong answer.
Be familiar with the Official College Board Outline for our course. Consider this the official review sheet for the exam. Study each topic. Make sure you understand the College Board's focus, as well as the answers to their questions.
STEP TWO -- Master the Basics
The following review materials will help you make a "3". To make a "5", however, you will need to be able to elaborate on each of the topics.
HOW MANY VOTES DOES IT TAKE? -- Here's a list that breaks down what requires a majority, 2/3 vote, 3/4 vote and 3/5 vote.
STEP THREE -- Outline FRQs
Make sure you complete the FRQ assignment from last weekend. Many of you already have. Since some of you had an especially hectic week of AP exams, I provided an entire week for you to finish the outlines. Please refer to GOPO Review Notes for assignments specifics.
If you attended the review sessions, you have the FRQ Rubrics in two packets -- Linkage Institutions & FRQ Rubrics for Institutions. I recommend reviewing the itemized lists and charts.
STEP FOUR -- "Cram for the Exam" with C-SPAN 
BE SURE TO WATCH OR AT LEAST LISTEN!
"Cram for the Exam" 2011 (45 minute video review)
"Cram for the Exam" 2010 (56 minute video review)
"Cram for the Exam" 2009 (1 hour video review)
STEP FIVE -- Additional Resources
Do NOT forget your textbook! Focus on the graphic organizers and glossary.
For most topics, the HippoCampus video series does a good job of covering the BASICS. It does not, however, make explicit how the topics intersect with each other. Of course, you must know the fundamentals before you can make the connects required for the AP exam.