The Judicial Branch, Day 7 - Class Recap

I hope everyone enjoys their Winter Break! I will be heading back to Mexico for the first time since I took this picture at Chichen Itza in 2011. Cabo, here we come!

Hi everyone,

Our last day together before 2015! As such, it was a relatively easy day. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Reelin' in the Years" by Steely Dan. Selected for today because the next time class meets, it will be a new year. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/19/14:
News Brief – Luke
12 Angry Men

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any late/incomplete work. Have a great, safe break! See you in 2015! Next news brief: Mr. Fritz

News Brief: Luke was not in class at the start of the day, so I just talked about these two stories:

We talked about: CNN.com - Anger over the end of 'The Interview'. What an interesting story about so many different aspects of the world! Technology, movies, spies, hacking, world leaders, money, etc. North Korea seems to have "won" this, since Sony isn't going to distribute the movie after being hacked and threatened. Pretty crazy!

President Obama announced a prisoner swap and better diplomatic relations with Cuba. Here is that story: CNN.com - Historic thaw in U.S., Cuba standoff.

I will be doing the next news brief, since there is such a long time between classes! I love following what is going on in the world, so it will be easy for me. I hope everyone continues to follow the news over break!

12 Angry Men: We kind of skipped around a bit, in order to finish the movie in one class and have time to write about it. Here is a link to the questions:

Google Drive - 12 Angry Men Film Questions

 If you want to see the whole movie (or watch the parts we missed), here it is on YouTube:

Such a classic movie! Rated in the Top 10 all time for a reason. A great way to end the class before break! Thanks for your focus. See you next year! :-)

The Judicial Branch, Day 6 - Class Recap

The exterior of the Colosseum in Rome. At the end of gladiator fights, the loser would famously be judged by the emperor. Photo taken summer 2014.

Dear class,

A lot packed in today - but we got through it all and I hope the tests reflected it! Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Heroes" by David Bowie. Selected for today because you were able to study up and take the Judicial Branch test in one day. Heroic! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/17/14:
News Brief – A-b
Juries
The National Judiciary
Judicial Branch Test

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any late/incomplete work. Next news brief: Luke (just find an article - no write up needed).

News Brief: A-b had the news brief today and talked about this story: CNN.com - Pakistan militants: Children's massacre was to avenge army strikes. We talked about the United States foreign aid to Pakistan, which is around a billion dollars a year.

Luke was assigned to do the next news brief (after the test).

Juries/The National Judiciary: We did have the time to go through both of these in detail today - thoroughly reviewing the main concepts of the unit, before the test:

Google Drive: Reading on Juries for Judicial Branch Test

Google Drive: The National Judiciary Readings and Questions

Judicial Branch Test: Most of class was spent going over many questions about the judicial branch. I also passed out this study guide for preparation:

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Test Study Guide

Students did take the test at the end of the class - it was 25 questions, multiple choice. Thanks for your hard work on this! If you did not take the test, you will when you next are in class.

Next class, we will be watching 12 Angry Men (1957), which is rated at the #7 best movie of all time by IMDb users. See you then!

The Judicial Branch, Day 5 - Class Recap

The flag of the United States, before the Holiday Bowl football game in 2008. Today, we had an interesting mock trial on saying the Pledge of Allegiance in class.

Hi everyone,

Although the mock trials today took much longer than I expected, I really enjoyed the discussions and debates they brought up, and I had the sense that most students did, too. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson. Because you have to make the change you want to see in the world. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/15/14:
News Brief – Manuel
Mock Trials
Juries
The National Judiciary

Homework: Read the blog. Study for Judicial Branch test (possibly next class). Next news brief: A-b.

News Brief: Manuel had the news brief today and talked about this story: CNN.com - Gunman, two others dead in Sydney siege, police say. This was a breaking news story when we were talking about it in class!

A-b was assigned to do the next news brief.

Mock Trials: As I previously mentioned, the majority of class was taken up by doing the mock trials for the three cases we had left from last class. We had a really excellent discussion on the issues: school segregation, drug searches at school, and saying the Pledge of Allegiance in class. Please complete the rest of your mock trial packet! Searching for the case summaries on Google might help you understand the cases in greater detail.

Juries/The National Judiciary: We ran out of time at the end of class, but I did pass out these two handouts, so students could read and review them to prepare for the upcoming test. I will see how it goes next class with going through these, but the test will be on these readings, as well as the Supreme Court cases that we have been studying.

Google Drive: Reading on Juries for Judicial Branch Test

Google Drive: The National Judiciary Readings and Questions

As I said in class, it would be good to go over these, but we will have class time on Wednesday to go over them as a class, before the test. My guess is that this might take half the class, and then the rest of class would be taking the Judicial Branch test (25 questions, multiple choice).

Sound good? Let me know if you have any questions I can answer! Thanks again for an enjoyable class this morning! :-)

The Judicial Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

Looking down the National Mall, from the top of the Washington Monument. The United States Supreme Court building is behind and to the left of the Capitol Building. Photo taken in 2010.

Dear class,

Whew, what a complicated day it seemed like today! I'm glad we finally made it on to doing the mock trials. We will finish them up next class and then learn more about the Judicial Branch. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "I Shot the Sheriff" by Bob Marley. Selected for today because if Mr. Marley had shot a sheriff, he would be in big trouble with the judicial branch. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/11/14:
News Brief – Gaby/Keegan
Mock Trial Prep
Trials
Juries

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: Manuel.

News Brief: Gaby had the news brief today and talked about this story: DailyCaller.com - Sessions On Executive Amnesty: Obama’s ‘Entirely New Immigration System’ A ‘Stunning Event’. We talked about this, as well as the new federal budget. Here are some specifics: WashingtonPost.com - What’s in the spending bill? We skim it so you don’t have to.

Manual was assigned to do the next news brief.

Mock Trial Prep: I know this was confusing - I will have to reassess how I teach this! Basically, I split everyone up into different cases. Each case had lawyers (for the petitioner and respondent), judges (representing the Supreme Court), and observers (to take notes). Most of class was spent preparing for the trials and organizing the notes on the cases.

Trials: We did get to do one of the mock trials today: about the famous "Bong Hits for Jesus" case. Although the justices in the room found unanimously in favor of the student, the real case found in favor of the school district. Here it is, if you want to check it out:

USCourts.gov - FACTS AND CASE SUMMARY: MORSE V. FREDERICK

Basically, the court said that schools have a right to stop promotion of illegal drugs, while students are under their care. While the student was on a public sidewalk, he was still under the care of the district, apparently.

We will keep going on these, next class! Please finish your legal briefs for your side of the case you were assigned (the first page in the cases packet), and your justice form for the second case in your packet.

See you next week!

The Judicial Branch, Day 3 - Class Recap

This past weekend, the Oregon Ducks won the Pac-12 Championship! So I will be going to the Rose Bowl again, with my mom and brother, on January 1st! :-)

Hi everyone,

We finished looking at the Supreme Court landmark cases today, then I passed out Mock Trial prep materials. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Black" by Pearl Jam. Selected for today because it was the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack over the weekend. Pearl Jam/Pearl Harbor. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/9/14:
News Brief – Alfredo
Landmark Case Reading
SCOTUS Overview
Mock Trial Prep

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: Keegan and Gaby.

News Brief: Alfredo was late and missed the opening part to class, so we moved on after a quick introduction.

Keegan and Gaby were assigned to do the next news brief.

Landmark Case Reading: We had a lock in drill to start the day, then kept working on these. Here was the reading:

Google Drive: Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Handout

The assignment that went along with the reading is here:

Google Drive: Landmark SCOTUS Cases Assignment Sheet

We went over the cases as a class - the assignment should be used as a study guide for the upcoming judicial branch test before the break.

SCOTUS Overview: We did not get to this, because of the interesting conversation about the cases, but here's the information! I might go over it next class (second time in a row that I have said this):

Google Drive: Supreme Court Information

Mock Trial Prep: Near the end of class, I passed out different court cases for students to review. Coming up (probably next week), we will have a mock trial in class. This is a somewhat complicated process, which I explained in class. If you missed class, you need to come and ask for a packet - there are four different options. Be working on your lawyer and judge briefs, those of you that were in class!

Thanks - see you on Thursday!

The Judicial Branch, Day 2 - Class Recap

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, which was a prison for federal criminals. Photo taken in 2011.

Dear class,

Today was another deep dive into various different Supreme Court cases, to see how the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government impacts our day to day lives. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "My Generation" by The Who. Selected because we talked about various different Supreme Court cases that our generation should know about, with students being impacted. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/5/14:
News Brief – Jerick
Finish Teen Cases
SCOTUS Overview
Landmark Case Reading

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: Alfredo

News Brief: Jerick had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - 12-year-old with air gun dies in Cleveland police shooting. This is yet another tragic story about use of deadly force by police officers. We talked about it, and also the protests last night here in Portland, which resulted in the Trail Blazers game being impacted. A very interesting, important discussion to be having about our government right now!

Alfredo was assigned to do the next news brief.

Finish Cases Teens Should Know: This was from last class - we finished and then went over the answers:

NYTimes Upfront - 10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen Should Know

The assignment was to, on a separate sheet of paper, read and write the answers to the following questions for a minimum of five out of the ten cases.

1) What was the issue?
2) Describe the judge’s decision and explain their reasons why.
3) Do you agree or disagree with the judge’s decision? Explain your reasons why or why not.

SCOTUS Overview: We did not get to this, because of the interesting conversation about the cases, but here's the information! I might go over it next class:

Google Drive: Supreme Court Information

Landmark Case Reading: This was definitely a reading and work heavy day. That's kind of what the Supreme Court is all about, though - lots of legal papers and decisions to look at, in order to understand the law. Here was the reading:

Google Drive: Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Handout

The assignment that went along with the reading is here:

Google Drive: Landmark SCOTUS Cases Assignment Sheet

That was it for the day! Thank you so much for your focus and hard work! Next class, we will finish up the Supreme Court landmark cases, then start looking at conducting a mock trial. :-)

The Judicial Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

The United States Supreme Court building, in Washington, D.C. Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

Welcome back! Now we have a fast paced dash to Winter Break for the next few weeks. We have a lot to pack in, for sure! Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Confessions, Pt. 2" by Usher. Selected for today because we are beginning the judicial branch unit, which involves looking at the courts. One part of a good court case might be a confession! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/3/14:
PRIDE Lesson
News Brief – Simzaid
Review Tests/Grades
Judicial Branch
10 Supreme Court Cases

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: Jerick

PRIDE Lesson: We started the class off (as every class at Westview did) by looking at what makes a community. I showed a clip from the movie Freedom Writers, then we brainstormed what a community is made up of. At the end I said again how thankful I am for the community here at Westview, especially after my dad was killed. Thank you all for being there for me! :-)

News Brief: Simzaid had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Michael Brown's stepfather sorry for outburst in Ferguson protests. We talked a bit about this (being a major story right before break, too), and how it might be related to the U.S. government.

Jerick was selected to do the next news brief.

Review Tests/Grades: I passed back literally everything that has been turned in, meaning I am totally up to date with grades. We went over the Executive Branch test, as well as your cabinet project grades. Be sure to know where you are at and what you can do to improve your grade, if needed! Generally, people are doing okay, it seems like.

Judicial Branch: To start out our look at the judicial branch, I showed this video to the class:

I thought this was a good overview of the structure of the federal court system in the United States. Next, I led students through a fill in the blank overview of the judicial branch. Here it is again, if you want to go over it to study for the test:

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Overview

10 Supreme Court Cases: After going over the introduction to the unit, I passed out this reading:

NYTimes Upfront - 10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen Should Know

The rest of class was devoted to reading the cases, and following these directions: On a separate sheet of paper, read and write the answers to the following questions for a minimum of five out of the ten cases.

1) What was the issue?
2) Describe the judge’s decision and explain their reasons why.
3) Do you agree or disagree with the judge’s decision? Explain your reasons why or why not.

Next class, we will finish this, discuss, then move on to some more case studies.

Thanks! See you next time! :-)

The Executive Branch, Day 7 - Class Recap

The Statue of Liberty in New York, which is a symbol of immigration to the United States. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Welcome to your Thanksgiving break! Thanks for doing your homework and checking in on the blog to see what we are up to. Today was the last day of our unit on the Executive Branch. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Kings and Queens" by 30 Seconds to Mars. Selected for today because of the connection to government, and this song gets me fired up because it reminds me of watching ESPN tennis tournaments. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/25/14:
News Brief – Spencer
Cabinet Presentations
Executive Branch Test
Shibboleth

Homework: Read the blog. Have a great Thanksgiving break! Next news brief: Simzaid.

News Brief: Spencer had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Ferguson, other parts of U.S. on edge after jury opts not to indict Ferguson cop.

We talked somewhat in depth about the news from Ferguson, Missouri last night. I told the class that I would post the Grand Jury interview with Darren Wilson, the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American male. I also showed this timeline of the event based on the witness testimony, as compiled by the Washington Post. We will continue to talk about how government, structures of power, and race all intersect.

Thanks for the interesting discussion! Simzaid was selected to do the next news brief.

Cabinet Presentations: We finished up with the few groups that did not get the chance to go last time. After this, I had everyone turn in all the work from the cabinet project. I will grade these by next Tuesday!

Executive Branch Test: As promised! I hope that everyone studied and did well. I will also look at the tests for students that attempted the political spectrum target again.

Shibboleth: We didn't have enough time at the end of class, so we kept talking about the Michael Brown case. If we had time, I would have shown n episode of the TV series "The West Wing," which had to do with Thanksgiving, illegal immigration, school prayer, direct democracy, and representative democracy. There were no notes or any other requirement - it was just a relaxing way to end the class after the test and go out to Thanksgiving Break. Here's the funniest scene of the episode, in my opinion:

I remain quite thankful for all of you! Have a wonderful break - see you next week. ;-)

The Executive Branch, Day 6 - Class Recap

The Washington Monument, in Washington, D.C. Named after our first President, George Washington! Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed playing the role of the President today and hearing all of the various different policy proposals for the federal government! Next class, we will finish up with this, then take the Executive Branch test. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from The Lion King. Selected for today because I played the role of President Obama in the cabinet presentations! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/21/14:
News Brief – Luke/A-b
Grades Talk
Cabinet Presentations
Study for Test

Homework: 1) Read the blog. Congratulations for doing this!

2) Redo your "Town Hall Review" sheet answers. Specifically, you need to look at question 3. In order to demonstrate proficiency with the learning target, this needed to be much more specific. Please write about how the individual questions and the groups (like CASUA and the Oregon Restaurant Association) had an impact in shaping the government and political process during the Town Hall.

(The target for this is: Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics)

3) Study for the executive branch test:

Review the key terms and readings on the Study Guide. For instance, The Presidency reading will help. Also, study the cabinet descriptions reading (blog exclusive). You might want to download the pdf and then rotate the page (because it is in landscape format). Or, just turn your head, I guess)!

Finally, review the Political Spectrum, because that will be on the test again, too. Know the order from left to right: radical, liberal, moderate, conservative, reactionary, and what they believe.

Next news brief: Spencer.

News Brief: Kyle had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: NYTimes.com - Coal Rush in India Could Tip Balance on Climate Change. A tenuous connection to the U.S. government, but important to know about, for sure!

We also talked about President Obama issuing an Executive Order on immigration last night, because of how important that is and relevant to our current study. If you missed the speech, it is here to watch or read: NPR.org - Watch: President Obama's Speech on Immigration.

Thanks for the interesting discussion! Spencer was selected to do the next news brief.

Grades Talk: As mentioned above, I had some feedback about what I wanted from the Town Hall Review. It was probably my bad for not being clearer about the question and what to write about. In any case, I passed back grades for that and all the current events that have been presented so far. So, your grades in Synergy should be up to date as of this morning - obviously, the Cabinet project will be graded soon, as well. :-)

Study for Test: It was a shorter day today, due to the assembly schedule. Again, here is the study guide for the test, which will be 30 multiple choice questions (for LT5) and the political spectrum (for LT4).

Please make sure to ask me if you are at all confused about anything! Have a great weekend!

The Executive Branch, Day 5 - Class Recap

The grounds of the White House and surrounding Washington D.C., as seen from the top of the Washington Monument. Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

We wrapped up our work on the Executive Branch cabinet simulation today. Next class, we will have presentations from all of the various departments, so be prepared! Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Princess of China" by Coldplay and Rihanna. Selected for today because a monarchy could be considered as a type of executive (okay, I was stretching it today). Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/19/14:
News Brief – Luke/A-b
The Cabinet
Computer Lab S210

Homework: Read the blog. Study the cabinet descriptions reading (blog exclusive). You might want to download the pdf and then rotate the page (because it is in landscape format). Or, just turn your head, I guess)! Next news brief: Kyle.

News Brief: A-b had the first news brief today and brought in this article to talk about: USAToday.com - Obama to visit Las Vegas — immigration orders imminent? This is an important developing story that we will have to monitor - especially because it comes as we are in the middle of a unit on the Executive Branch! We might have more to talk about with this next week.

Luke brought in his news brief today, as well. Here's what he selected to talk about: CNN.com - Steve King on hostage review: No paying ransom. This is another interesting policy decision. Typically, the United States has always said that we do not negotiate with terrorists. Some countries do (like Germany). We talked a bit about ISIS and the U.S. citizens that have been killed by them.

Thanks, both of you! Kyle was selected to do the next news brief. Not many left to do now!

The Cabinet: After the news brief, we watched this video on how the Presidential Cabinet works (from December 2009):

This is essentially how it is going to look next class, when we do the simulation!

Here's a link to the cabinet project (advising the President) that we worked on in class today:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Assignment Handout

Here are the sign ups for each of the cabinet positions:

- Manuel and Logan - Defense
- Kylie and Jocelyn - Education
- Ariana and Jazmin (+A-b/Sandra) - Health and Human Services
- Brad and Seth - Housing and Urban Development
- Luke and Kyle - Interior
- Amanda and Spencer - Justice
- Abby and Tifani - Labor
- Mathew and Simzaid - State
- Tony and Timothy – Transportation
- Chloe and Katharyn – Treasury
- Enrique and Kerwin – Homeland Security
- Sammy and Brendan – Environmental Protection Agency
-Trish and Abby G. – United Nations
- Jerick and Alfredo – Agriculture

Computer Lab S210: We spent the second part of class in the lab. Next class will be presentations, so please be ready to go!

The Executive Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

School was canceled for our A Day last week, so today was the first time that class has met in 10 days! This was outside my house in 2008 - nothing like the bit of ice that canceled school this time around!

Dear class,

It was so good to see everyone today! It had been way too long. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Let it Go" from the movie Frozen. Selected for today because of the ice (at least, at my house!) that canceled school last week. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/17/14:
News Brief – A-b
Computer Lab S210

Homework: Read the blog. Study the cabinet descriptions reading (blog exclusive). You might want to download the pdf and then rotate the page (because it is in landscape format). Or, just turn your head, I guess)! Next news brief: A-b (Sandra) and Luke.

News Brief: A-b had the news brief today and did not remember (who can blame her, because it has been so long since we last met). She needs to bring one next class, along with Luke.

We  checked out some of the hilarious responses to Beaverton Schools Superintendent Jeff Rose on twitter: KPTV.com -Beaverton students on superintendent who canceled class: 'Not all heroes wear capes'.

Luke was selected to do the next news brief.

Cabinet Project: Here's a link to the cabinet project (advising the President) that we worked on in class today:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Assignment Handout

Here are the sign ups for each of the cabinet positions:

- Manuel and Logan - Defense
- Kylie and Jocelyn - Education
- Ariana and Jazmin (+A-b/Sandra) - Health and Human Services
- Brad and Seth - Housing and Urban Development
- Luke and Kyle - Interior
- Amanda and Spencer - Justice
- Abby and Tifani - Labor
- Mathew and Simzaid - State
- Tony and Timothy – Transportation
- Chloe and Katharyn – Treasury
- Enrique and Kerwin – Homeland Security
- Sammy and Brendan – Environmental Protection Agency
-Trish and Abby G. – United Nations
- Jerick and Alfredo – Agriculture

Computer Lab S210: We spent the second part of class in the lab. Next time, we will finish in the lab, then be ready to present next class.

The Executive Branch, Day 3 - Class Recap

Then Senator Barack Obama when he visited Portland near the start of his Presidential campaign in 2007.

Dear class,

The last day before a nice long weekend (well, at least for you all - I will still be at Westview on Monday, but I do get Tuesday off). Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "The War Was in Color" by Carbon Leaf. The reason I chose this song for today is because it is all about a veteran describing war to his grandson. We have Tuesday off of school because of Veteran's Day and it is important that we honor the service of those in our armed forces. Lyrics (which I read part of in class) here.

AGENDA 11/7/14:
News Brief/Election Review – Kylie
The Presidency
The Cabinet
Computer Lab S210

Homework: Read the blog. Study the cabinet descriptions reading (blog exclusive). You might want to download the pdf and then rotate the page (because it is in landscape format). Or, just turn your head, I guess)! Next news brief: A-b (Sandra).

News Brief/Election Review: Kylie had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: Newsweek.com - U.N., U.S. Ask for More Resources to Fight Ebola. We talked about the continued response to the Ebola outbreak. I showed this map that lends some perspective on just how many places in Africa have current Ebola outbreaks.

I also showed the class this story from yesterday: OregonLive.com - ODOT signs $7 million deal for I-5 safety barrier where crossover crash killed Steve Fritz, Cary Fairchild. This is an example of our state government at work. Nobody should have to lose someone like my family lost my dad - we hope that the new barriers will be a big help in preventing crossover accidents in the future.

A-b (Sandra) was selected to do the next news brief.

The Presidency: This was going over the introduction to the Executive Branch. Today we looked at some of the vocabulary stemming from this packet:

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

Cabinet Project: Here's a link to the cabinet project (advising the President) that we worked on in class today:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Assignment Handout

Here are the sign ups for each of the cabinet positions:

- Manuel and Logan - Defense
- Kylie and Jocelyn - Education
- Ariana and Jazmin (+A-b/Sandra) - Health and Human Services
- Brad and Seth - Housing and Urban Development
- Luke and Kyle - Interior
- Amanda and Spencer - Justice
- Abby and Tifani - Labor
- Mathew and Simzaid - State
- Tony and Timothy – Transportation
- Chloe and Katharyn – Treasury
- Enrique and Kerwin – Homeland Security
- Sammy and Brendan – Environmental Protection Agency
-Trish and Abby G. – United Nations
- Jerick and Alfredo – Agriculture

Computer Lab S210: We spent the second half of class in the lab. Next week, we only meet one day (Thursday) and it is likely that we will spend the entire time in the lab again, with the assignment due to be presented in class the next class after that (Monday, November 17th).

Have a great weekend!

The Executive Branch, Day 2 - Class Recap

The Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C. Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

Today fulfilled a long held dream of mine: to be able to teach a Government class the day after a national election! I really enjoyed going over all of the results and implications with you. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "So What" by Miles Davis. Selected for today because we talked about the "So What?" now that the election has happened, as far as what happens next. No lyrics (because it is jazz), but you can listen to the track here, if you want.

AGENDA 11/5/14:
News Brief/Election Review – Abby E.
The Presidency
Cabinet Project
Computer Lab S213

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: Kylie.

News Brief/Election Review: Abby E. had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: OregonLive.com - Recreational marijuana passes in Oregon: Oregon election results 2014. Obviously, this was a big story here in Oregon last night. We talked a lot about Measure 91 in class, including the next steps for when the law goes into effect and what it does. I showed this tweet that has a map of how counties in Oregon voted on Measure 91. We also went over the full election results for the rest of the ballot measures and candidates here in Oregon. I showed another tweet, with a map of county results for Measure 88 (which would have given undocumented immigrants access to get driver's cards).

Nationally, here's a map of how the U.S. Senate became Republican controlled due to a series of wins last night.

There was obviously a LOT to talk about - I'm glad everyone was so interested in what was going on with the election! :-)

Kylie was drawn as the next news brief.

The Presidency: This was going over the introduction to the Executive Branch.

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

There was a packet in class that has questions related to the reading, along with vocabulary and a debate on the Electoral College.

Cabinet Project: Here's a link to the cabinet project (advising the President) that students will be working on the next few days in class:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Assignment Handout

Since the news brief went extra long today (that's fine - it should have!), we did not have time to go to the computer lab. I did assign the project and which students were doing each cabinet positions, as follows:

- Manuel and Logan - Defense
- Kylie and Jocelyn - Education
- Ariana and Jazmin - Health and Human Services
- Brad and Seth - Housing and Urban Development
- Luke and Kyle - Interior
- Amanda and Spencer - Justice
- Abby and Tifani - Labor
- Mathew and Simzaid - State
- Tony and Timothy – Transportation
- Chloe and Katharyn – Treasury
- Enrique and Kerwin – Homeland Security
- Sammy and Brendan – Environmental Protection Agency
-Trish and Abby G. – United Nations
- Jerick and Alfredo – Agriculture

If you missed class, please come prepared by reading over the assignment and having a position that is not currently taken (look at the second page of the handout for all the different cabinet positions) in mind to start.

See you next class, when we will spend the majority of the time in the computer lab! Thanks!

The Executive Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

The White House, in Washington, D.C., where the President (the head of the Executive Branch of the United States government) lives. Photo taken in 2011.

Dear class,

I hope you are visiting the blog today in preparation for next class, and looking forward to the midterm elections on Tuesday! This link will probably have results linked around 8:00 PM on November 4. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake. Selected because of how poorly the majority of the class did on the legislative branch test. Make sure to study and ask questions if you are confused! Those that did had noticeably higher scores! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/3/14:
News Brief – Timothy/Jazmin
Review Test
Oregon Ballot Measures
The Presidency

Homework: Read the blog. Track one ballot measure that Oregon is voting on in the election on Tuesday and be prepared to talk about the results. Study! Next news brief: Abby E.

News Brief: Timothy had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about in class: CNN.com - Romney: GOP Senate would pass immigration reform. Very topical, with the election upcoming! I talked a little bit about how President Obama's approval rating among Hispanics has dropped by around 20 points. Jazmin remembered to bring her news brief today, too, and selected this story to talk about: OregonLive.com - Brittany Maynard, who moved to Oregon for Death with Dignity act, dies 'as she intended,' agency says. Another very interesting story and relation to the study of government. Thanks to both Timothy and Jazmin! Abby E. was drawn as the next news brief.

Review Test: As I said above, this did not seem to go very well for a large percentage of the class. There will be opportunities to retake the learning targets in the future. Since they are averaged, it still will impact your grade, though. Please be sure to study! Especially when I directly spell out what will be on the test.

Oregon Ballot Measures: For this section, I reviewed the current ballot measures that Oregonians are voting on in this election. Since students asked, and I have no problem informing students where my biases are as a teacher, in order to give you the most complete information in order to make your own decisions, I talked a little bit about my thinking behind each of them. Here's a link to the list of ballot measures, again: Ballotpedia.com - Oregon 2014 Ballot Measures.

Make sure to check in with local TV news, or online, around 8:00 PM on Tuesday! I will be at the Blazers game vs. Cleveland (I try to see LeBron James, who is the best player of the current generation, when he comes to town), but I will be trying to monitor the results, as well!

The Presidency: The last part of class was learning about the Executive Branch. Here are the answers to the sheet I passed out to start the unit:

Google Drive - Executive Branch Overview Notes

Here is the reading that we ended class with. It is not homework to complete (there is a separate packet of questions that are in class), but be familiar with the basics, as a future test will be based on it!

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

That was everything for today! Lots to do, for sure. Please be studying and paying attention to the election! See you on Wednesday!

The Legislative Branch, Day 5 - Class Recap

The United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. This is where the House of Representatives and Senate meets to debate legislation. Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Test day today in class! I hope that everyone studied and did well. Judging by the amount of "when is the retake?" questions that were asked, this was possibly not the case. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. Selected for today because it's a classic song to play on Halloween. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/30/14:
News Brief – Jazmin
Legislative Branch Test
Washington's Gridlock
The Presidency

Homework: Read the blog. Have a great, safe weekend. Next news brief: Timothy.

News Brief: Jazmin was absent from class today, so we did not have student presented news brief. I did talk about this current event article and show a bit of the video, which I think is appalling: CNN.com - What 10 hours of street harassment in NYC looks like. We need to promote a culture of respect, wherever we are. Catcalling anyone is unacceptable. Just thought it was worth highlighting. Timothy has the next news brief (Jazmin should also have hers ready to go).

Legislative Branch Test: Pretty much exactly as I described it on the blog for last class, right? I will have these graded and back to you as soon as I can. It will probably be this weekend! We will go over the results next class.

Washington's Gridlock: I think this is an important story to learn about, with why many people are very frustrated with the United States government, in that not much of consequence seems to get done. Here is the reading we did in class (pick of the questions sheet in class if you missed it):

Google Drive - New York Times Upfront: Washington's Gridlock

As part of the article, I talked about redistricting and gerrymandering contributing to inaction in Congress. Here's an interesting article about the most gerrymandered congressional districts in America. 

We also talked about the filibuster as a tactic to stall debate. Most of the times now, people don't have to stand and talk - as long as they have enough support (40+ votes, which is almost guaranteed for both sides in the Senate), they can just threaten it and possible legislation won't be voted on. Here's an example of a funny filibuster that I showed part of in class (from Parks and Recreation):

We stopped at the end of the article (which we mostly read aloud using the "popcorn" method). Next class, we will move on to the Executive Branch! Have a great weekend!

The Legislative Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

Today's town hall had various (fake) political candidates running for office. Here's a very real candidate: my mom, running for Portland City Council in 2012!

Dear class,

Another interesting day, especially with the town hall meeting! Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Party in the U.S.A." by Miley Cyrus. Selected for today because our town hall meeting was sort of like a party, with all the different people and groups interacting! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/28/14:
News Brief – Abby G./Mathew
Finish DOMA/Dream Act
Town Hall
Washington's Gridlock

Homework: Read the blog. Review for Legislative test, which is next class. Here are some resources to help you with this:

The second page of this handout, charting how a bill becomes a law, will be on the test. You will need to fill in the blanks with what happens on each side of Congress, then what happens when it gets to the President.

You will need to know: the political spectrum (from left to right: radical, liberal, moderate, conservative, reactionary). the number of representatives in each branch of Congress, and the eligibility requirements for them. The main job of each of the three branches of the U.S. government - legislative, executive, and judicial. The checks that each of the three branches have. Powers that the branches have, as given by the Constitution. Different scenarios with rights, as given by Amendments to the Constitution.

Next news brief: Jazmin.

News Brief: Both Abby G. and Mathew were in class today, with news brief stories! Hooray! Abby selected this article to talk about: NYTimes.com - Is the Affordable Care Act Working? We talked more about "Obamacare" and how it is being implemented. Mathew chose this story to talk about, which related to gun rights: CNN.com - Washington school shooter texted lunch table invites to victims. Another interesting discussion! Thanks, guys! Jazmin was selected to do the next news brief.

Finish DOMA/Dream Act: I was pleased to see many students did their homework and had the DOMA section of this finished:

Google Drive - DOMA and Dream Act Handout/Questions

I went through the DOMA section, then gave some time to work on the Dream Act as a part of preparing for the Town Hall style meeting.

Town Hall: My thanks to Mr. Kellogg for helping me out with this! We had three candidates (well, actually, five students, representing three candidates) in front of the class. Everyone else in the class was responsible for writing questions for the candidates, representing different non-governmental organizations. This hits LT3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Here was the assessment I used for LT3, after the Town Hall:

Google Drive - Town Hall Review Questions

If you missed class today, you will have the opportunity in the future to make LT3 up.

Please study for the legislative branch test (some multiple choice, some fill in the blank, some short answer) and let me know if you have any questions I can answer about it! Thanks! See you next class!

The Legislative Branch, Day 3 - Class Recap

The Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan in New York City. Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

We had quite a lot to do today in class and we were pressed for time at the end, so I hope you are visiting with the intent of making it clearer as to what you need to do by next class! Here's the recap for today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: “Leaders of Men" by Joy Division. Selected because Seth suggested it to me before last class, and the title totally relates to our study of Government (leaders of women, too!). Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/24/14:
News Brief – Mathew
Computer Lab S210
DOMA/Dream Act
Town Hall Prep

Homework: Read the blog.
- Finish the Oregon representatives handout.
- Complete the DOMA questions page of the DOMA/Dream Act handout.
- Know your role for the Town Hall simulation next class. This means reading over your character, if you are a politician, or reading over your assigned group and thinking of a question for the candidates. Again, this is mostly about DOMA and the Dream Act.
- Next news brief: Abby G. and Mathew (again, as neither was in class today).

News Brief: This section sort of fizzled this week, as both Abby G. and Mathew were not in class today, which makes three consecutive days of no presented news briefs. Hopefully, one or both is ready to go on Tuesday!

Computer Lab S210: As I said at the end of last class, I wanted to give some more time to work on the Oregon Reps in Congress handout, so we went to the computer lab and spent most of class there. I think almost everyone has about 10-15 minutes more of work left as homework, so please ensure that you do that! Ask me if there are any questions I can help with! Here's the handout again:

Google Drive - Oregon Representatives on Congress Handout

We will talk about this in class next week.

DOMA/Dream Act: When we returned to the classroom, I talked a little bit about the importance of the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) in recent American history, along with the idea of the DREAM Act. We are going to have a debate about these two ideas next class. Again, here's the handout I passed out. I'd like students to complete the first page of questions, dealing with DOMA, for homework:

Google Drive - DOMA and Dream Act Handout/Questions

This should take maybe 30 minutes. A fairly quick reading, then some questions associated with it. We will work on the rest of the handout (about the Dream Act) next class.

Town Hall Prep: At the very end of class (I know this wasn't super clear as to how it is going to work, so I apologize - we will go through it again next class), I passed out three candidate profiles, who are going to be represented by students at a "Town Hall" style simulation next class. I also passed out summaries of different nongovernmental organizations, who have positions on one of the two issues we are talking about (this is in reference to LT3). Lots to do next class! Be prepared!
:-)

Thank you once again for your hard work and understanding. Today marked a month since my dad was killed and I was reminded once again by what a joy it is to work with you all. I am truly thankful to be your teacher. Have a wonderful weekend!

The Legislative Branch, Day 2 - Class Recap

As part of the Legislative simulation today in class, I played the role of the President of the United States. Here I am in front of the White House, where the President lives in Washington, D.C. in 2010 (when I had a beard!).

Dear class,

I had fun today and I hope you did, too! I really enjoyed the simulation of how a bill becomes a law, because it was quite similar to how it actually goes. We also started up with looking at the Oregon congressional delegation. Here's the recap for today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: “Represent" by Weezer. Because we talked in class about representatives in Congress. Get it? Haha. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/22/14:
News Brief – Mathew
Congress Simulation
Oregon Representatives
Computer Lab S213

Homework: Read the blog. Keep working on the Oregon representatives handout (we will finish it next class). Next news brief: Abby G.

News Brief: Mathew forgot his news brief again today, so I moved on and randomly selected Abby G. to do the next one. We also talked about how the U.S. government is responding to the Ebola virus, as well.

Congress Simulation: Again, I really liked this. I split up the class into the House of Representatives and Senate (which had less students in it, because that's how it really works), then again into different committees. I then passed out all the ideas for bills that students gave me at the end of last class, to debate. The committees debated the ideas for bills, then chose what they thought was the best one to propose to their chamber of Congress, by answering these questions:

What are you proposing?
Who will it impact?
When will it begin or end?
Where (which states) will be impacted?
Why should this bill pass?
How much will it cost?

After the full House and full Senate debated the two bills that were put forward by the committees, they chose one bill each to vote on and send over to the other part of Congress. This ended up being a bill on raising the minimum wage and one lowering the amount of time that someone with a new driver's license cannot have a friend in the car.

Both sections of Congress debated the bills, changed them, then voted on them, sending them back to the other side (this would now be the conference committee). Eventually, only one bill, gradually raising the minimum wage an hour in a tiered system: $7.50 in 2014, $8.00 in 2015, $8.50 in 2016, $9.00 in 2017, and $9.50 in 2018.

Acting as President of the simulation, I signed the bill into law, even though I personally felt that the wage increases were not fast enough - at least it was a start! :-)

Oregon Representatives: Next, it was time to learn more about who serves Oregon as representatives in Congress at the federal level. Here is the handout that I passed out in class:

Google Drive - Oregon Representatives on Congress Handout

The main point here is to know who our representatives are and what they believe.

Computer Lab S213: For the rest of the class, we were in the computer lab, working on the handout. Next class (on Friday), we will go again and finish it.

Thanks for your work on this! See you next class!

The Legislative Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

This is the office of the Speaker of the House inside the United States Capitol Building. In 2010, when I took this picture, the Speaker of the House was Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Now, it is John Boehner (R-OH).

Welcome back from the weekend, everyone!

Today in class, we reviewed the Constitution test, checked out my blank ballot for the general election, and learned more about the legislative process. Here's the recap for today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: “Wavin' Flag" by K'naan. Selected for today because flags are representations of countries, which have governments. I thought it would be appropriate as a pump up song for the test today in class! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/20/14:
News Brief – Mathew
Review Constitution Test
The Ballot
Congress Simulation

Homework: Read the blog. Study how a bill becomes a law handout - be prepared to write your own bill next class! Next news brief: Mathew (again, because it slipped his mind for today).

News Brief: Mathew forgot his news brief today, so he was assigned to do it next class.

Review Constitution Test: Students that were not in class last time we met took the Constitution test outside the room, down the hall, as everyone else went over the answers in class. Generally, I think this went well for people - if it did not, please come and do a retake on your own time (during lunches, study hall, or after school).

The Ballot: I had a lot of fun with this, because I opened my ballot that was mailed out to me (Oregon's "vote by mail" system is awesome) in front of class and explained what some of the different aspects of the system were, along with the candidates and ballot measures (some of which were put on the ballot by citizens petitioning, which is an element of our system in Oregon). Here's a sample ballot to check out, if you are interested in seeing what it looks like, again.

Congress Simulation: We actually didn't get to the real simulation part, because I wanted to make sure we understood how a bill becomes a law really well, before then. So, we went over most of the rest of this handout:

Google Drive - How a Bill Becomes a Law Handout

We also watched this classic Schoolhouse Rock clip (is this still stuck in your head, like it is in mine?):

I think we are pretty good at this point on understanding the process. At the end of class, I had students write possible bills to debate in class next time we meet. It should be a fun simulation!

Constitution Test and Legislative Branch - Class Recap

The United States Capitol Building, which is where Congress (the Legislative Branch of the US) meets. Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Our first in class test today! I hope it went well for everyone. Thanks again for the big spike in blog readership (what a surprise)! We also got started with a unit on the legislative branch. Here's what happened today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 4: I can explain how different ideological movements and philosophies shape politics.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: “Wavin' Flag" by K'naan. Selected for today because flags are representations of countries, which have governments. I thought it would be appropriate as a pump up song for the test today in class! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/16/14:
News Brief - Brad
Constitution Test
The Legislative Branch
113th Congress
How a Bill Becomes a Law

Homework: Read the blog. Study how a bill becomes a law handout - be prepared to write your own bill next class! Next news brief: Mathew.

News Brief: Brad had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: FOXNews.com - College students claim they were threatened after handing out Constitutions. Since we were taking a test on the Constitution today, this was particularly applicable! I went and found the Oregon laws on recording people in person without their permission, and whether or not the Southern Oregon representative was allowed to ask them to stop. I am not sure about the "free speech zone" legality issue, but it is certainly interesting. Thanks, Brad!

Constitution Test: As promised, 30 questions, covering three opportunities at demonstrating proficiency with learning targets. I should have grades done and entered later today (during Study Hall). Thank you for giving your best effort on this! We will go over the results together next class.

The Legislative Branch/113th Congress: This was a handout (front and back side) that went through some of through some of the specifics of the legislative process, like what the legislative branch does and who makes it up. The handouts and readings are in class - we reviewed them together and they should be used to study for future tests.

How a Bill Becomes a Law: This was the handout that is homework to read (not complete, because we will do that together next class). Please review the flow chart on page two, specifically. You will eventually be tested on that and we are going to work through that process together in a simulation next class:

Google Drive - How a Bill Becomes a Law Handout

Please make sure to review this! Thank you - see you next week!

Constitution Test Review - Class Recap

One of the questions on the review today had to do with Jay Z. Here he is in concert in London's Olympic Park. Photo taken July 2013.

Dear class,

I hope you enjoyed reviewing for your Constitution test today! Here's the recap for the day:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 4: I can explain how different ideological movements and philosophies shape politics.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: “Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something. Selected for today because the news brief was done by Tifani. Different spelling, same pronunciation! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/14/14:
News Brief - Tifani/Logan
Grades
Finish Bill of Rights
Jeopardy Review
Death Penalty

Homework: Read the blog! Study for Constitution test next class. Next news brief: Brad.

News Brief: Tifani had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: USAToday.com - Protest resume in St. Louis over police shooting. In class, Tifani said this was about Michael Brown, the young man who was killed by a police office in Ferguson, Missouri earlier in the year. This is a new case in St. Louis. It is crazy to think about all of the gun violence and death in our country, that this event could happen so close to another police shooting.

Logan remembered to bring his article in today and selected this story: ABCNews.com - Newlywed With Cancer Picks the Day She Will Die. Another super interesting article that gets at the divisions of power and states rights. In Oregon, we passed a "Death With Dignity" law that allows people who are terminally ill (already going to die) to take their own lives with a doctor's prescription. This is obviously a very controversial issue and worth talking about. Thanks, guys! Brad stepped up to volunteer for the next news brief.

Grades: I went over how grades for progress report were calculated (they are posted by student ID number in class) and what students could do to improve them. First and foremost, that would be doing well on the Constitution test in class on Thursday! Let me know if you are at all confused about what to do in order to improve your grade.

Finish Bill of Rights: We finished our look at this handout:

Google Drive - Rights of the Accused

I wanted to be clear about what the Bill of Rights says and does. Review that sheet and the Bill of Rights for the test on Thursday, along with the philosophers that influenced the U.S. government and the Constitution.

Jeopardy Review: Speaking of review, here is a link to the PowerPoint game we played to review in class. Many of the questions are taken directly from the Constitution test (with the obvious exception of the "Mr. Fritz" and "The Class" categories):

Google Drive: Constitution Jeopardy Review

I hope you had fun with this, because I always do. Congratulations to Team 2 for winning!

Death Penalty: At the end of class, I gave some time to study, then we talked about this article:

Google Drive: New York Times Upfront - The Death Penalty Debate

Basically, I wanted to go over the Eighth Amendment protections here that relate to the death penalty. It is also interesting that the many states have the death penalty, whereas most industrialized countries do not. In any case, it's worth thinking about the debate.

Thanks for another good class - see you on Thursday! Be ready! :-)