Complete High School U.S. Government Curriculum
Are you looking for an American government curriculum for your high school student that is complete and easy to use? Exploring Government is a one-semester course that is centered in God's Word and equips your student to better understand our country and his or her place in it.
Who Can Use It
Author Ray Notgrass designed the curriculum for students to use successfully anytime in high school--9th grade, 10th grade, 11th grade, or 12th grade.
Daily lessons build an in-depth understanding of how American government works. With the lessons already planned, your student can use the curriculum independently.
What's Included
The Exploring Government Curriculum Package includes everything you need for a successful study. If you use the course as written, your student can earn credit in two high school subjects: American government and English. However, the course is flexible, so you can adjust the assignments as needed to fit your student's schedule and needs.
- The main book features engaging lessons with dozens of colorful photographs and historic illustrations.
- The collection of primary source documents offers perspectives on government from the past and present.
- Weekly project ideas include a writing assignment and two other creative assignments such as building a model, making a video, or conducting research.
We suggest four biographies that enhance your student's understanding of government. We also offer optional review activities and tests.
Watch our intro video and keep reading to learn how the curriculum works, see sample lessons, and read what parents are saying.
Quick Overview
The purpose of Exploring Government is to educate and inspire your student concerning the government of the United States as well as the governments of the individual states and our local communities. We want to help your student be well-equipped as a Christian citizen after studying this material.
Exploring Government teaches students how federal, state, and local government work and explores contemporary issues in government. It places special emphasis on the Biblical basis for government and on the U.S. Constitution. Each of the fifteen units is intended to be studied for one week.
What the student is to do each week and each day is clearly outlined. The Unit Introduction page gives a brief overview of the unit, the lessons in that unit, and suggestions for a project that is relevant to that unit. Using Exploring Government as designed provides one half year of high school credit in U.S. government and one half year of credit in English (literature and composition).
If you prefer a video overview, watch author Ray Notgrass explain how the components work together as he walks you through a sample unit from the curriculum.
What's In the Curriculum Package
The Exploring Government Curriculum Package includes these two books:
Exploring Government
The primary book is a full-color hardcover with 75 lessons divided into fifteen units of five lessons each.
We Hold These Truths
This full-color hardcover is a collection of historic and modern documents, essays, and speeches in American government designed to supplement the lessons.
Optional Resources
We offer an optional Student Review Pack to help measure your student's understanding of the material. We also offer a literature package with four recommended titles.
Student Review Pack
The Student Review book has review questions for each lesson and literary analysis for each literature title. The Quiz and Exam Book includes a quiz for each unit and an exam every five units. The Answer Key contains all the answers needed for the course.
Literature Package
These two biographies and two autobiographies explore the lives of people who have played significant roles in American government--Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Chuck Colson, and Ronald Reagan.
What the Lessons Are Like
Exploring Government is divided into 15 units with five lessons each. Your student can complete the curriculum in one semester by doing one lesson per day for 75 days.
Your student can read the daily lessons and follow the instructions independently. You as the parent can be involved as much or as little as you desire.
Reading one lesson will take about 20 minutes per day. At the end of each lesson is a list of assignments. Students using the course for both government and English credit may need another 60-90 minutes to complete the additional readings and work on their weekly project. If your student is not completing the English credit, the total time needed per day will be about 45-60 minutes.
Watch author Ray Notgrass explain how the components of Exploring Government work together as he walks you through a sample unit from the curriculum.
We recommend four biographies that complement the lessons in Exploring Government. These books are not essential for understanding the lessons, but each one adds a valuable perspective on topics discussed in the lessons.
Reading the literature is part of earning the English credit. If your student has already read one of the assigned books, or you want to choose a different book for any reason, you can substitute a different book.
- Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough (Units 1-4)
- The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge by Calvin Coolidge (Units 5-6)
- Born Again by Charles Colson (Units 7-11)
- God and Ronald Reagan by Paul Kengor (Units 12-15)
Read sample lessons and see sample pages from the Student Review Pack with these PDF files.
Guide for Parents and Answer Key
Motivated Us to Pray More
"The Christian perspective that you write from has been uplifting and has motivated us to pray more for our government." (Laura K., Tennessee)
Wonderful Conversations
"We've been using your Government curriculum with our two high school boys. What wonderful conversations we're having, and we're learning so much. It's a delight." (Jenny S., Minnesota)
A Great Fit
"My teen says the lessons are easy to understand while giving a good depth of knowledge. It has been a great fit for her and for our homeschool!" (Meleasa C., Oklahoma)
Solid Christian Worldview
"I am convinced that my children graduated high school with a more solid Christian worldview because of your company's materials." (Jen M., Iowa)
Ray Notgrass is a follower of Jesus and a veteran homeschooling father. He met his wife, Charlene, at Middle Tennessee State University in the political science department. After graduating they were married in 1974. Ray went on to earn master's degrees in history and New Testament. Ray and Charlene are lifelong history lovers and began writing homeschool curriculum in 1999. They enjoy classic literature, traveling together, and spending time with their children and grandchildren.
Exploring Government Purchase Options
New Edition of Exploring Government in Development
We plan to release an updated edition of Exploring Government by the end of 2023. This will be a major revision. Components of the new edition (primary source book, review material, and answer key) will not be compatible with the current edition, and vice versa.
We expect to sell out of the current edition during the summer, but the new edition will not be ready immediately. Therefore, we will have a period of time (a few weeks to a few months) when this curriculum is not available for purchase and shipment at all.
If you know you want to order the current edition for the fall of 2023, you should order ASAP while supplies last. If your plans are flexible, you could use Exploring Economics this fall and then use the new Exploring Government for spring 2024.
The retail price for the new edition will be going up, though we have not finally determined the details.
Please Note: Once the new edition comes out, you will not be able to return the current edition.
Use the product links below to order online or call 1-800-211-8793. If you have any questions about choosing the right options for your child, please call, text, or email us.
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