U.S. Government: How It Works 2009
Distributed by Films Media Group, PO Box 2053, Princeton, New Jersey 08543-2053; 800-257-5126
Produced by Melissa Hughes
Director n/a
DVD, color, 6 discs, 21-26 min. each
Sr. High - Adult
American Studies, Political Science, Social Sciences
Date Entered: 07/16/2010
Reviewed by Douglas Reed, Department of Political Science, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, ARU.S. Government: How It Works cuts through the complexities of American democracy without sacrificing substance.
Succinct yet comprehensive, this six-part series is a good primer on how American government operates. Parts 1-3 address the branches of government. Part 4 discusses the history and structure of the U.S. Constitution. The fifth part focuses on the workings of elections and the political parties that drive them. A discussion on citizenship and civic responsibilities concludes the series.
Designed as a teaching tool, each episode is clearly organized around a basic “three-point” model – introduction, explanation, and summarization. They are also convenient for classroom use, each running less than 30 minutes and divided into easy-to-navigate segments. Instructor guides on the distributor’s web site contain a wealth of supporting material, including episode outlines, discussion prompts, vocabulary terms, assessment questions, ideas for student projects, and related sources.
Aside from a few typographical errors in the film’s text, U.S. Government: How It Works is a resourceful package that covers the essentials of American government.
Recommended for academic, public, and school libraries.