American Civics with Michael Farris is an online, self-paced American civics course from a Christian, conservative perspective. There are three different purchasing options with this curriculum which makes this course accessible and enjoyable for not only high school homeschoolers but also adults, families, and homeschool co-ops.
This course covers American government, the Constitution, and American civics (or our responsibilities as citizens of the United States.)
Purchasing Options for American Civics
You have three different options to choose from when purchasing this course.
- American Principles Series
- American Civics Homeschool Curriculum
- American Civics Homeschool Co-op Option
This review will focus on the American Civics Homeschool curriculum option that my daughter took her senior year. However, let me give a brief summary of all three options.
First, the American Series option gives you lifetime access to the 25 video lessons found in the full homeschool course. This option is idea for adults (or families) wanting to deepen their understanding of the U.S. Constitution and their civic responsibilities. This option is the cheapest since you only have access to the video portion of the curriculum.
The second option is the full American Civics Homeschool course. Purchasing this course will get lifetime access for your entire household. You’ll have access to the complete course with videos lectures, digital textbook, essay prompts, assessments, civic projects, and two exams. This is the most expensive option but it allows you access to all the material. It also grants you lifetime access for your entire household which means that after one of your teens finishes the course, you can reach out the American Civics and they will reset the course so you can use it with a younger child in the future.
Finally, there is a homeschool co-op option. This option works great for homeschool co-ops or multiple families working through the material together. This purchase allows access to the full course for one-year. Each student gets a separate login and the instructor can add and remove students, track student progress, and see student activity in the course.
Scroll down to watch my video review of this American Civics course.
What’s Covered in American Civics Homeschool Course
American Civics with Michael Farris has 25 units. Below is a list of topics covered in each unit.
- Unit 1: Intro
- Unit 2: The Constitution
- Unit 3: The Legislative Branch
- Unit 4: The Executive Branch
- Unit 5: The Judicial Branch, Civil Rights & Liberties
- Unit 6: How to Defeat Bad Legislation
- Unit 7: Universal Rights and Free Speech
- Unit 8: The Power of Congress
- Unit 9: The Power of the President
- Unit 10: The Supreme Court & Judicial System
- Unit 11: Treaties and International Law
- Unit 12: States and Local Government
- Unit 13: Understanding Your Rights
- Unit 14: The Bill of Rights Continued
- Unit 15: Equal Protection of the Law
- Unit 16: Voting & Multiplying Your Vote
- Unit 17: You Can’t Legislate Morality
- Unit 18: How to Prepare to Run for Office
- Unit 19: Political Parties
- Unit 20: Government and the Ultimate Purpose of Life
- Unit 21: Liberty and Morality
- Unity 22: The Changing Definition of Humanness
- Unit 23: A Free Economy vs. Socialism
- Unit 24: Justice
- Unit 25: The Convention of States
How the American Civics Course is Structured
American Civics is a 30-week, one-year, high school course. There are 25 units in this course covering the topics listed above. There are 5 additional lessons in the course that include three civics experience projects and two exams. There is also a bonus Q&A video.
Each of the 25 units typically takes one week to complete and students should anticipate about 5 hours of work each week.
The student will log into the online, self-paced course and click on the unit they are on. In each unit there is the following:
- one video (average 20 minutes in length). These videos are taught by Dr. Michael Farris. Slides appear with key definitions and concepts and graphs & charts.
- a digital reader or textbook. It begins with some “key principles” and includes a transcript of the video lesson plus three primary texts to read that go along with the unit topic.
- three essay prompts. The student (or parent/instructor) chooses one of the essay prompts for the student to complete each week. The first essay prompt focuses on summarizing or analyzing, the second focuses on evaluating, and the third focuses on synthesizing information.
- a short self-assessment (around 5-8 questions). Assessments can be taken as many times as needed. They include multiple choice and true & false questions. Questions are graded immediately after the student selects an answer for quick self-assessment.
There is a course sample schedule that shows three field trip days scattered throughout the year. These field trip days are for the three “Experience Civics” assignments that can be found at the end of the course. (Field trip options include things such as finding a candidate running for office in your area that you support, watching a congressional hearing, watching a trial, etc.). Under each option is a list of reflection questions and additional reading material based on the field trip or “Experience Civics” option the student chooses.
There are also two exams with true/false, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and matching questions.
My Daughter’s Review of the American Civics Course
Here is my daughter’s review of American Civics with Michael Farris…
Before I took this course, I thought politics was unimportant to Christians. I didn’t think a Christian could live fully for the Lord with a career in politics. When I realized that God is a god of justice and that politicians have a pivotal role in upholding justice, my eyes were opened to the fact that a career in politics can fulfill God’s will and bring Him glory.
Through this course I was introduced to issues and concepts prevalent in our modern culture. I now feel better equipped to step into the world and face these issues with understanding.
I got to read some amazing speeches by historical figures that I would not have read otherwise. And I was able to read the speeches after learning about the concepts they addressed.
Watch my Video Review of American Civics
Please note that my discount code mentioned in the video no longer works for this course.
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