EQ:
Starter 20: Bill Bishop interview on Daily Show (5 min)
Big Sort Brainstorm
Power of Political Information (on docs page)
Checks and Balances Scenarios Who does it? Who checks it, and how?
Independent Study Time Use this time to get ready for the test tomorrow! HOMEWORK: Study for the test tomorrow! AND NOW...A WORD FROM YOUR TEACHER...
So, my kid is sick. Again. And my husband stayed home yesterday, so now it's my turn. Read directions carefully- I'll try to check email a few times if she's not raging too hard. Good luck! Send healing thoughts! Starter 19: What do you think you need to work on in your writing? What do you struggle with? Where do you think your strengths are as a writer? Seminar Writing Self-Assessment Okay, time for you to self-assess this piece of writing, before we sit down together. Here’s what I want you to do…
Checks and Balances Review Posters Split class randomly into 3 groups: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches. In groups make a review poster that includes the information below. There's butcher paper in Ashley's classroom, and markers in my cabinet. Make it cool! Use symbols, visuals, color coding!
Study Time! In groups, you'll have a bit of time to revisit all that we've done so far. Use the following resources: 1. Study guide 2. Video organizer (Constitution USA) 3. Bill of Rights organizer 4. The blog, etc... 5. What else? 6. Make sure you know… a. What powers are shared by states and feds, and what powers are theirs alone b. Bill of Rights- numbers and amendments HOMEWORK Study for Constitution Test on THURSDAY! Starter 18: In your opinion, should burning the American flag be legal or illegal? Explain your opinion! Write from the gut!
Amending the Constitution Lecture notes. If you were absent, see my DP for a video summary of the lecture. Amendment 28: Flag Burning Read the handout linked on my docs page, and respond to the following questions in writing:
Bill of Rights- Annotation Using only the preamble, annotate with an eye to answering the following questions:
Bill of Rights- Translation
HOMEWORK Study for Constitution Test on THURSDAY! Use the study guide! Use your resources! What: Meet at 9:00 at the base of Animas Mountain for a day of hiking, brainstorming, and dilemma solving!
Bring: Sunscreen, water, lunch, journal, pen/pencil, any medication (asthma, epi-pen, etc.) you need. When: 9-2 You do NOT need to return to AHS after the hike! HOMEWORK:
Starter 17: How did your seminar go yesterday? Did it work to have it ungraded? What can we do (you, me, classmates) to make them even better in the future?
Constitution USA Notes Review Review movie notes on federalism, make them complete! If you're absent today, check your notes with a classmate. Federalism and Gay Marriage See the handout on my documents page for instructions and the article. Constitution Test Study Guide Look through and annotate:
WORK TIME!
HOMEWORK:
While Not In Seminar…
Blog 4: The Nanny State Read one of the following two articles. Choose the one that seems LESS likely to match your viewpoint. So, if you tend to think the federal government is too big for its britches, read “Three Cheers for the Nanny State.” If you tend to think government regulation is useful and helpful, read “The Tyranny of the Nanny State.” Respond! What points does the article make that are thought-provoking? Has the federal government over-reached? What do you think? Where do you fit in the ongoing federalism debate? Blog Responses Read at least 3 blogs, and write a thoughtful and substantive comment on each! ONE of the three must be from the list on the Blog Roundup page of Wowza blogs! Take note of their wit, humor, use of language, and deep thinking, and use them to make your future blog posts better. Or, if they so inspire you, go back and make your current blog posts better. Tocqueville Seminar Questions
Seminar Writing This piece is going to give me a baseline on your writing abilities, and will give us a chance to practice self-assessment and set some writing goals for the rest of the semester.
HOMEWORK
Announcements:
Blog 3: “Women Are Underrepresented In Politics” Read/react, and blog it! Stuck on what to say? Here are some ideas…
Finish Constitution USA (40 minutes) Discuss terminology/vocabulary in respect to Federalism. Tocqueville Coaching In your coaching group...
HW: Finish Blog 3 if not finished in class Federalism: How should power be shared between national and state governments?
Objectives:
Starter 16: Create a table with 3 columns and 2 rows. Label the left column “Decisions my parents should make,” the center column “decisions my parents and I should make together,” and the third “decisions I should make myself.” Now consider your life as a teenager (or your high school years). Brainstorm: how many decisions relevant to your own life can you put in each column? I'll let you think for a few minutes, then share with you the following list of ideas to get you working. Can you think of 10 things total that are NOT on my list?
Transition: This is exactly how our government works. Let’s get back to the Articles of Confederation... Lecture – The difference between a “Confederacy” and a “Federal Republic” (5-10 minutes) We'll unpack the difference between these two forms of government, but leave the question hanging: “so which governments (state or national) have which powers?” Classify Powers:
Constitution USA, Part 1: Federalism This video is not linked online. You may download it from me, or you may pay $2 to watch it on youtube if you would like to review it. Watch 20 minutes (medical marijuana). Discuss:
HOMEWORK: Finish reading and annotating Tocqueville, Chapter 2. DUE: Start of class Tuesday. Essential Question: What prevents each branch of government from gaining too much power?
Starter 15 “If we don't exercise the rights given to us by the Constitution, we are in a very real danger of losing them.” - Robert Eckus
Finish Constitution Video and Notes Finish video and notes from yesterday RPSLS tournament! Ready to get rowdy? We're gonna drill down on a full bracket-style tournament – Rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock! Best of 5 – winner moves on, loser becomes the winner's biggest fan. Cheer your hearts out. After the game, the winner will map out a 'power diagram' on the board for us and discuss his/her winning strategy. But wait? What does this have to do with anything? Checks and Balances. Brief discussion: Our branches of government work just like a complex version of RPSLS. The system is based on the idea that any person with the opportunity to seize more power will do it (we're coming out of tyranny, remember?), so each branch must have significant 'checks' on the others.
Checks and Balances Diagram Using colored pencils, markers, crayons, etc, create a “power diagram” similar to RPSLS. Use your “Checks and Balances Cheat Sheet” to help you (see docs page). Also, google image search the phrase “checks and balances” and you will get a lot of handy ideas. Beautiful work, people! DUE: These are due at the end of class today but, in pursuit of beautiful work, if you would like to take it home to further refine your work, please feel free to submit Monday at the beginning of class. Grade Conferences Finally! HOMEWORK:
Watch out for a short quiz on Monday covering the key Constitutional Concepts from the video! Make sure…
Starter 14
Debate Debrief
Blog 2: Respond to the debate last night! Questions you could consider in your blog (I suggest choosing one to focus on):
Browse and Comment Done? Browse 3 or 4 posts- blogs are gathered on the Docs page of my DP. Try to select a few people you do not work with that often, and comment on their blogs. Consider: what did you find interesting about their posts? Was your answer to the question different? How so (agree/disagree)? Say something positive, say something thoughtful. Term Sorting Sort the following terms in order of their importance to you.
When done, form a group of between 4 and 5 people. See if you can agree on the order these terms should come in.
The CONSTITUTION! Youtube video, Key Constitutional Concepts, part 1 (linked on Docs page)
Homework: Finish Blog Posts 1 and 2! Make sure they are posted for me to check by the start of class tomorrow. |
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