Judicial Branch, Day 8 - Class Recap

I hope everyone enjoys their Winter Break! I will be heading back to Mexico again (I took this picture at Chichen Itza in 2011).

Hi everyone,

Our last day together before 2016! As such, it was a relatively easy day. 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 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
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 12/17/15:
News Brief – Tristen W.
Review Feedback
12 Angry Men
Test Results

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: Tristen W. had the news brief today and selected this story to talk about: CNN.com - What's in the 2,000-page bill Congress dropped in the middle of the night? This obviously relates to the government, as it is setting the budget for basically the entire federal government, meaning this is an enormous amount of money. It's also a huge debate, as Republicans and Democrats have to come together to figure it out, unless the government shuts down (which recently happened). Thanks, Tristen W!

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!

Review Feedback: Last class, I asked everyone about what was going well and what could be improved, both with the class and with me as a teacher. Here are the results to that feedback:

Google Drive - Government Class Feedback PowerPoint

It's always good to see this information and learn from it! Thanks for your honest feedback.

12 Angry Men: We watched the last hour of the movie today in class (I also passed out your scantron results from the Judicial Branch test). Here is a link to the film questions:

Google Drive - 12 Angry Men Film Questions

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 and for the discussion after. See you next year! :-)

Judicial Branch, Day 7 - 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,

It is always great to see you in the morning! It helps brighten my day immensely. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Money" by Pink Floyd. Selected for today because trials and lawyers cost a lot of money to run.

AGENDA 12/15/15:
Wildcat News Brief – Morris
Review
Judicial Branch Test
12 Angry Men

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any late/incomplete work. Next news brief: Tristen W.

Wildcat News Brief: Morris had the news brief today and talked about this story: TIME.com - What to Know About the Historic ‘Paris Agreement’ on Climate Change. We talked about why this is such a big deal, why it may get some push back from people in the United States, and I showed a chart of global Carbon Dioxide emissions in 2011 to illustrate my point. Thanks, Morris! We also talked about last weekend, before moving on.

Tristen W. was assigned to do the next news brief.

If you missed class, or wanted to see Wildcat News again, here it is:

Review: This was actually intended to be more of a review about how the year has been going so far in Government class, rather than review for the test. The questions (which could be completed anonymously, if you wanted) were:

1) What do you like about this class?

2) What can this class (you, as the students) improve at doing?

3) What do you like about Mr. Fritz as a teacher?

4) What can Mr. Fritz improve at as a teacher?

I read these during the test, and appreciated your feedback. It's always good to hear about what is going well, and what can be improved on. I will put these answers into a PowerPoint to review with the class next time.

Judicial Branch Test: As promised, 40 questions, multiple choice. It is a busy end to the week, and I will hope to get these grades get entered ASAP.

12 Angry Men: After the test, we started watching one of the most critically acclaimed movies ever: 12 Angry Men (1957). This is a great way to wrap up the judicial branch unit, as we learn more about the jury process through watching this film. I know it is old and black and white, and I was glad to see that students were paying close attention. Here is the film note-taking assignment, if you missed class or lost your copy:

Google Drive: 12 Angry Men Film Questions

We will finish watching this next class, which is our last before break! See you then.

Judicial Branch, Day 6 - Class Recap

Students in class today said that they would be more likely to read the blog if I posted a selfie. So, here's one I took on a flight from Seattle to Tokyo in 2014, on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with mood lighting. :-)

Dear class,

It was a mostly a review and study day in class, for the upcoming judicial branch test. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Rockin' in the Free World" by Neil Young. Selected for today because the laws of our country are supposed to ensure freedom. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/11/15:
News Brief – Janet
The National Judiciary
Juries
Study Guide

Homework: Read the blog. Study for judicial branch test next class. Next news brief: Morris.

News Brief: Janet was not in class today, so we did not have a news brief, despite my best attempt to get students to talk about anything that was going on.

Morris was assigned to do the next news brief.

If you missed class, or wanted to see Wildcat News again, here it is:

The National Judiciary: To help with understanding the process for how the Supreme Court takes and decides cases, we watched these two videos:

These videos were pretty cheesy (and older), but did a good job of explaining what happens!

We then went through this in detail today - thoroughly reviewing the main concepts of the unit:

Google Drive: The National Judiciary Readings and Questions

Juries/Study Guide: Most of class was spent going over many questions about the judicial branch. I also passed out this study guide (the juries reading was on the back side) for preparation:

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Test Study Guide

Google Drive: Reading on Juries for Judicial Branch Test

One of the questions on the test will be (thanks for checking the blog!): In this case the U.S. Supreme Court declared that no one accused of a crime has to stand trial in any court in the land without benefit of counsel unless he or she specifically refuses it.
A. Dred Scott v Sanford C. Gideon v Wainwright
B. Plessy v Ferguson D. Brown v Board of Education

If you aren't sure, guess in the comments and I will tell you what the answer is!

See you next class, for the test! Then we will close before break by watching a movie about the judicial process. :-)

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,

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

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "GDFR" by Flo Rida. Selected for today because the class was finally participating in the mock trials, where it was going down for real.

AGENDA 12/9/15:
News Brief – Finn
Mock Trials
The National Judiciary
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in citizenship paper and any other missing work! Next news brief: Janet.

News Brief: Finn had the news brief today and talked about this story: CNN.com - Donald Trump: Ban all Muslim travel to U.S. This story is of course very relevant to our government, as Trump is currently leading the Republican polls in his run for President. That said, I showed the class that his overall support in the country is actually probably around 8-10%, and that I felt the data showed it was very unlikely he would become President. Also, his proposal is almost certainly unconstitutional, as it discriminates on the basis of religion (which the First Amendment bans). An interesting conversation at the start of class!

Janet was assigned to do the next news brief.

Mock Trials: 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, if you did not in class! Here are the actual results of the cases, with audio of the arguments, if you are interested:

Case #1: Oyez.org - Morse v. Frederick

Case #2: Oyez.org - Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1

Case #3: Oyez.org - Safford Unified School District v. Redding

Case #4: Oyez.org - Elk Grove United School District v. Newdow

We just barely finished all the cases within the class! Thank you for participating in this - I thought it was a pretty cool activity and I was glad to see students engaged in trying to answer these important legal questions.

Next class, we will start wrapping up the Judicial Branch unit with an overview, then begin studying for the text next week.

Judicial Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

A panorama of the aftermath of the first game in the Western Conference Finals, as the Portland Timbers beat Dallas 3-1. This weekend, Portland plays in a one game MLS Cup championship, in Columbus, Ohio, and I will be there! I apologize for missing two classes out of the last three, and this is obviously an opportunity I did not want to pass up. :-)

Dear class,

It was so good to see everyone again today! I appreciated your work ethic and ability to focus, once we really started diving into the new material. Here's what happened in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Ordinary People" by John Legend. Selected for today because the Supreme Court cases you learned about today were all brought forward by ordinary people. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 12/3/15:
News Brief – Jace
Grades
Mock Trial Prep
Trials?

Homework: Read the blog. Look at your grade (updated in Student VUE and on the back wall by ID number in the room) and improve it, if possible! Next news brief: Ezrie.

News Brief: Jace was not in class today, so instead, we talked about the shooting yesterday in San Bernardino, which is where Jon was born and Hector has family (it sounds like both did not have anyone they know of effected). As part of this section, I showed this tweet, with a calendar of every mass shooting (as defined by 4+ victims, including the shooter) in the United States so far this year.

We also checked in about the weekend, Thanksgiving break, and what was going on outside of class.

I assigned Ezrie to do the next news brief.

Grades: After the news brief, I talked about the recent update to the grades in class, including the Cabinet Project grades. Hopefully you know exactly where you are as far as your grade (the grades are also updated online and on the back wall by student ID number). If you have any questions, please see your report card comments, or come see me before school, after school, or during lunch. Thanks!

Mock Trial Prep: The rest of the class was devoted to starting the mock trial process, which I always love. It is pretty complicated to explain, though! If you missed class, I would suggest you download and print off these documents, so that you will at least have some idea for next class (when you will finish preparing):

Google Drive: Mock Trial Preparation Forms

Google Drive: Mock Trial - Case #1 

(choose a side to be a lawyer for, and fill out the legal brief pages for that side)

Google Drive: Mock Trial - Case #3

(if you missed class, you will be the judge for this case. Fill out the second page of forms for this case)

The observation forms at the end of the packet are for when we actually do the activity in class, next Wednesday.

The plan for Monday is this:

1) First half of class will be spent completing the Mock Trial forms for their cases, and being ready to present them/do the mock trial on Wednesday.

2) Second half of class will be in N210 Computer Lab, finishing up with the Citizenship Paper assignment:

Google Drive: Citizenship Paper Assignment

Please have both the mock trial forms and citizenship paper assignment ready to turn in on Wednesday. Thank you! I appreciate your understanding! :-)

Citizenship Paper - Class Recap

My dad took this photo of me at a "Turkey Bowl" on Thanksgiving, in 2011. I hope you enjoyed your break!

Hello everyone,

Welcome back from your Thanksgiving break! Thanks for doing your homework and checking in on the blog to see what we are up to. Here's what should have happened in class today (I was out at a district wide professional development conference):

Learning Targets:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.

Soundtrack: _____ (silence - sorry!)

AGENDA 12/1/15:
News Brief – Laila
Citizenship Paper
Computer Lab N210
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Complete any missing work and have it ready to turn in. See the back wall or StudentVUE for updated grades! Next news brief: Jace.

News Brief: Lalia had the news brief today and hopefully remembered to do it. :-)

Update: she did, and Jace was selected (or volunteered) to do the next one!

Citizenship Paper: Because I was out for class today, the assignment for the day was introduced before break, which is this:

Google Drive: Citizenship Paper Assignment

Basically, in order to continue to assess the Knowledge LT of citizens and their government, this is sort of a one day assignment. You will be researching in N210 Computer Lab and writing your response. I anticipate that you will be able to finish in one class, so please either complete it in class and hang on to it, or finish it as homework after class, so this Thursday, when I see you next, you can turn it in to me.

Computer Lab N210/Work Time: The rest of the time in class was supposed to be work time for the citizenship paper and on any missing work that needed to be revised or turned in. I'm sure everyone was good for the sub, so thank you! I will be back tomorrow (Wednesday), so see you then! :-)

Judicial Branch, Day 3 - 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.

Hello everyone,

Our last day before over a week of not seeing each other, due to Thanksgiving Break (and I will have a sub next class). It was a good day today. Here's what happened in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Confessions, Pt. 2" by Usher. Selected for today because a confession can be part of a court case, within the judicial branch we are studying! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/23/15:
News Brief – Ahmed
Landmark Cases
Citizenship Paper Preview
Shibboleth

Homework: Read the blog. Look at your grade and improve it, if possible! Next news brief: Laila.

News Brief: Ahmed had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: TheGuardian.com - Argentina president-elect pledges radical policy changes in shift to right. I enjoyed how Ahmed made this relate to the United States government by saying that President Obama called to congratulate the newly elected president, as part of his duties as chief diplomat of the U.S. government.

We also checked in about the weekend, Thanksgiving break, and what was going on outside of class.

Laila volunteered to do the next news brief.

Landmark Cases: Here was the reading again to review (I gave each student one case to analyze):

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 through each case, as students reported out about their case, and everyone else wrote out the overview and lasting impact. These are super important Supreme Court decisions in a variety of ways. Knowing them is a big part of being an American citizen!

Citizenship Paper Preview: Because I will be out next class, the Tuesday after break, I gave the class a heads up about the assignment you will be working on in class, which is this:

Google Drive: Citizenship Paper Assignment

Basically, in order to continue to assess the Knowledge LT of citizens and their government, this is sort of a one day assignment. You will be researching in N210 Computer Lab and writing your response. I anticipate that you will be able to finish in one class, so please either complete it in class and hang on to it, or finish it as homework after class, so next Thursday, when I see you next, you can turn it in to me.

Shibboleth: In keeping with the theme of Thanksgiving, and our work looking at various branches of the United States government, we closed class before the break by watching this episode of The West Wing, which had to do with Thanksgiving, 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 and go out to Thanksgiving Break. Here's the funniest scene of the episode, in my opinion:

That was it for the day! Thank you so much for your focus and hard work! See you next week. Enjoy your Thanksgiving break!

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 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Princess of China" by Coldplay and Rihanna. Selected for today because a monarchy is an example of a form of government. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/19/15:
News Brief – Jesus
Review Executive Test
Cases Teens Should Know
Landmark Cases

Homework: Read the blog. Look at your grade and improve it, if possible! Next news brief: Ahmed.

News Brief: Jesus had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - ISIS video threatens New York City; mayor says city won't be intimidated. This is an ongoing story, and I tried to bring everyone up to speed on what is happening, in terms of the Paris investigation, Syrian refugees, and the response of the U.S. government and governors around the country. Lots to talk about, for sure!

We also checked in about the weekend and what was going on outside of class.

Ahmed volunteered to do the next news brief.

Review Executive Test: I think generally, this went well for students. We went through the correct answers in class (including one that I marked incorrectly on the scantron!) and talked about lots of things, such as Bill Clinton being impeached for lying about having an affair when he was President. It honestly blew my mind that everyone had not heard about that. The times, they are-a changin'.

Cases Teens Should Know: Before we moved on, we watched this video, explaining a bit morea about how the Judicial Branch works:

The reading was from last class (this time, I had the copies done correctly) - 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.

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 (I gave each student one case to analyze, and we will go through them next class):

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 prep a little for Thanksgiving break. :-)

Judicial Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

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

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your effort on the test and with the in class work today! 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: "Paris, Tokyo" by Lupe Fiasco. Selected for today because of the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris last week. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/17/15:
News Brief – Natalie B.
Executive Branch Test
Judicial Branch Overview
Cases Every Teen Should Know

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any missing work ASAP! Next news brief: Jesus.

News Brief: Natalie B. had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: NBCNews.com - Lawmakers, Activists Underwhelmed by SeaWorld Plan to End Orca Show. We talked about how the government might have a role in protecting animals, and the declining profits at SeaWorld after the Blackfish documentary came out.

We also talked about this story: CNN.com - More than half the nation's governors say Syrian refugees not welcome. We went into detail about the Paris attacks and what happened there. I talked a bit about my own experience in Paris (as my girlfriend is from there), and showed a map of where the attacks happened. This was in an attempt to provide some context for what happened and why. It is important that we continue learning about what is going on in the world, as it relates to our government!

Jesus was selected to do the next news brief.

Executive Branch Test: I hope that you studied and did well on this! I will try to have the grades entered in later today. Thirty questions, multiple choice. Not too bad, I hope! Thanks, as always for your effort on this! It seemed like most students felt okay about how it went.

Judicial Branch: To start, 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 later on in the unit (probably after Thanksgiving):

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Overview

10 Supreme Court Cases: After going over the introduction to the unit, I passed out this reading (which was copied incorrectly, so we were only able to do a few of the cases - I will pass out the full reading next class):

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! :-)

Executive Branch, Day 5 - 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 the unit and take the Executive Branch test. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem.
Communication LT 5: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "If You're Out There" by John Legend. Selected for today because it was a song that President Obama used to campaign, and we are in the Executive Branch unit. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/13/15:
Wildcat News Brief – Nathan
Cabinet Simulation
Study Guide
Executive Review

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

2) 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. 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)!

A test question you will see (thanks for checking the blog!) is: All of the following are duties of the President EXCEPT:

A) Receive Ambassadors. B) Judge the Supreme Court. C) Give a State of the Union Address. D) Ensure that laws are faithfully executed.

If you want to, guess in the comments and I will tell you if you are right!

Finally, review the Legislative Branch, because that will be on the test, as well.

Next news brief: Natalie B.

News Brief: Nathan had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: USAToday.com - Fast-food workers strike, seeking $15 wage, political muscle. We had a good mini debate in class about this, and what the impact of a $15 minimum wage would be. On the one hand, higher prices. On the other, a livable wage for workers. Thanks, Nathan

Natalie B. was selected to do the next news brief.

Here is Wildcat News from today, if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

Cabinet Simulations: I really enjoyed listening to everyone talk about their departments, problems, and possible solutions! Although it appears many students did not have their packets or papers done (please turn them in to me as soon as possible), I was pleased to hear some knowledge and response to my questions as the President! Here are the questions students were answering as a part of this activity:

1) What is your department?
2) What is a problem your department is facing?
3) What are your possible solutions to the problem?
4) How much money will it cost?

Study Guide/Executive Review: Here is the study guide for the test, which will be 30 multiple choice questions (for LT5). Again, ignore the Political Spectrum section at the bottom.

Please make sure to ask me if you are at all confused about anything! Thank you so much for your hard work!

Executive Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

The American Cemetery in Normandy, France. Selected for today because Veterans Day is tomorrow.

Hi everybody,

Today was the final work day in class for the Cabinet Project. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem.
Communication LT 5: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

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 Wednesday off of school because of Veterans 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 11/10/15:
News Brief - Ashley
Cabinet Project
Computer Lab N210

Homework: Read the blog. Complete the  Cabinet project assignment and be ready to present with your partner in a classroom cabinet meeting next class. Next news brief: Nathan.

News Brief: Ashley had the news brief today, but was absent from class, so we skipped this section. Sorry, everyone!

Nathan volunteered 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:

Agriculture: Gabe and Tristen W.
Commerce: Jesus and Jace
Defense: Reilly and Nathan
Education: Lizette and Ezrie
Energy: Keir and Ahmed
Health and Human Services: Natalie B. and Finn
Housing and Urban Development: Janet and Emma
Interior: Jon and Hector
Justice: Giovanny and David // Ellimay and Natalie S.
Labor: Saggad and Nhi
Transportation: Amogh and Laila
Treasury: Tristen H. and Alex
Veteran’s Affairs: Dru and Morris
Homeland Security: Katie and Madelin
Environmental Protection Agency: Istanbul and Ashley
US Mission to the United Nations: Kaytie and Lindsay

If you missed class, please see where you are on the list and who your partner is!

Computer Lab N210: This is due to be presented next class, so I hope you worked hard and do not have much homework (if any) left to complete. If you do, and are confused or need help, please let me know and I will try to get back to you ASAP! Enjoy Veterans Day off, and I will see you on Friday.

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,

Today, we started the Cabinet Project. The Presidential Cabinet is a very important part of how the Executive Branch functions. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem.
Communication LT 5: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited. Intended as a pump up song for Friday, the Cabinet Project, and the playoff football game tonight! Here's a link to the version I played in class, from ESPN's "Jock Jams" CD.

AGENDA 11/6/15:
Wildcat News Brief - Amogh
The Presidency
Cabinet Project
Computer Lab S219

Homework: Read the blog. Study the cabinet descriptions reading. 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)! Continue working on Cabinet project. Next news brief: Ashley.

News Brief: Amogh had the news brief today, and selected this article to talk about with the class: TIME.com - President Obama: Bomb on Russian Jet a ‘Possibility’. This relates to the U.S. government as we are trying to help figure out what happened. We talked about possible reasons why, if this theory about the bomb turns out to be true, ISIS would want to bring down an airliner full of Russian people (possibly in retaliation for Russia beginning airstrikes against ISIS in Syria).

Ashley was selected to do the next news brief.

Here's Wildcat News for the day if you missed class, or wanted to see it again:

The Presidency: We finished going through The Presidency reading and questions:

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

These are the questions that go along with the reading:

Google Drive - The Presidency Questions

Cabinet Departments: For this section, we went over what the various different presidential cabinet departments are responsible for. We also watched this video, so everyone could see what it looks like in real life:

We will be doing a similar sort of activity in class, with me playing the role of the President and the class taking on the various department heads!

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:

Agriculture: Gabe and Tristen W.
Commerce: Jesus and Jace
Defense: Reilly and Nathan
Education: Lizette and Ezrie
Energy: Keir
Health and Human Services: Natalie B. and Finn
Housing and Urban Development: Janet and Emma
Interior: Jon and Hector
Justice: Giovanny and David // Ellimay and Natalie S.
Labor: Saggad and Nhi
Transportation: Amogh and Laila
Treasury: Tristen H. and Alex
Veteran’s Affairs: Dru and Morris
Homeland Security: Katie and Madelin
Environmental Protection Agency: Istanbul and Ashley
US Mission to the United Nations: Kaytie and Lindsay

If you missed class, please see where you are on the list and who your partner is!

Computer Lab S219: We spent the second half of class in the lab. We will also spend much of next class in the lab, and the cabinet project assignment will likely be due next Friday

See you next week!

Executive Branch, Day 2 - Class Recap

Inside the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

Today, we heard from Deputy Jamie Hallford, our Student Support Officer here at Westview, and also went through more introduction to 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: "Born in the U.S.A" by Bruce Springsteen. Selected for today because the song is typically seen as representing patriotic themes, but a closer look at the lyrics (as we did in class) show that the song is really about a deep dissatisfaction with American culture and government.

AGENDA 11/4/15:
News Brief – Nhi/Saggad
Deputy Hallford
CRLE Forms
Review Legislative Test
The Presidency

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

News Brief: Nhi had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about in class: CNN.com - Muslim teen Ahmed Mohamed creates clock, shows teachers, gets arrested. This was an article we had discussed in class previously, but it was good to revisit, as I updated everyone with the news that Ahmed is moving to Qatar, because he was given a prestigious scholarship there.

Saggad talked about the recent development in Syria, where the United States is sending up to 50 ground combat/special forces troops. Here is an article about that: CNN.com - Syria: Obama authorizes boots on ground to fight ISIS.

I selected Amogh to do the next news brief, in the interests of time, because Deputy Hallford had arrived in the room.

Deputy Hallford: Much of the rest of class was devoted to Jamie Hallford, who is the officer here at Westview. Here are all the questions that were handed in, that he went over:

Google Drive - Questions for Deputy Hallford

Jamie talked about his experience with being the Student Support Officer here for the past five years. Hopefully, you enjoyed hearing him talk with the class, because I always do!

CRLE Forms: As a part of the guest speaker coming in, students filled out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). I did turn all of these into the counseling office, and the counselor didn't say anything about needing a resume as well, so I think you are good to go! I will try to have my mom come in near the end of the semester for a second opportunity, as well.

Review Legislative Test: We went through the test from last class together, and I pointed out where students tripped up. Grades have been updated on that back wall and in Student VUE, so please know where you are at and what you need to do in order to improve, if possible!

The Presidency: To start this last section, I played this video from Election Night 2000, when nobody really knew who won the election for President:

At the end of class, we went through The Presidency reading and questions:

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

These are the questions that go along with the reading:

Google Drive - The Presidency Questions

We ended around question 9 or so, and will pick back up next class, then start the Executive Branch project, which involves selecting a cabinet department to research. See you on Friday!

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.

Hi everyone,

Today was the Legislative Branch test in class, as well as the start 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: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. Selected for today because this past weekend was Halloween. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/2/15:
News Brief – Istanbul
Legislative Test
Executive Branch Overview
The Presidency
Questions for Deputy Hallford

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

News Brief: Istanbul had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about in class: CNN.com - Chipotle closes dozens of stores in Washington and Oregon in E. coli scare. This story obviously impacts us, as a few students were worried that they might have E. coli in class! The government has food safety inspectors and can advise companies about shutting down operations in order to protect consumers. Thanks, Istanbul! Nhi was drawn as the next news brief.

We also checked in about the weekend and what people were up to. I have to say, my freshmen are much more eager to share than your class. I wonder why? :-)

Legislative Test: I was generous in the lead up to this, as I went over basically the exact questions from the test and gave some study time before I passed it out. I should have grades for it available by next class (fingers crossed).

Executive Branch Overview: The next 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

As part of going through this, I explained that the 2000 Presidential Election was decided by the Electoral College, not the popular vote (Gore got the most votes in the country, but still lost the election). We will look more into this soon.

The Presidency: Here is the reading that we ended class with. It is not homework to complete (unless you missed class), but be familiar with the basics, as a future test will be based on it!

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

These are the questions that go along with the reading:

Google Drive - The Presidency Questions

I am fully aware that this was not the most interesting class as far as new content goes. I think it will be more engaging soon!

Questions for Deputy Hallford: At the end of class, we made some questions for Jamie Hallford, who is the officer here at Westview. Here are all the questions that were handed in:

Google Drive - Questions for Deputy Hallford

Next class, Jamie will come in and answer your questions, and talk about his experience with being the Student Support Officer here. In the past, this has been an awesome experience in learning more about law enforcement (directly related to the Executive Branch) and filling out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). I am looking forward to it! See you next class.

Legislative Branch, Day 5 - Class Recap

Today's town hall had various students 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, which I really enjoyed! 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 USA" by Miley Cyrus. Selected for today because we are studying US government, and also, because it is Halloween this weekend. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/29/15:
News Brief – Gabe
Washington's Gridlock
Town Hall
Review for Test

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 leaders in both the Senate (Vice President) and the House (Speaker of the House).

Next news brief: Istanbul.

News Brief: Gabe had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Pentagon personnel on site to investigate loose blimp. This is especially interesting, because later in class, some students talked in the town hall simulation about the government spending too much on the military. This blimp program cost a lot of money, with perhaps not a lot of tangible benefits.

Also, at the start of class, I talked about gender and sexual identity being a spectrum, since last class, I think a lot of students had difficulty understanding Lindsay's proposal to reform government forms to be more inclusive. With that, I showed a visual of the "Genderbread Person" to help. Hopefully, this made a bit more sense, and helped continue to build our classroom and school community. :-)

Istanbul was randomly selected to do the next news brief.

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:

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

Here is the assignment that went with the reading:

Google Drive - Washington's Gridlock Assignment

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. Also, I showed part of this hilarious video of Patton Oswalt on Parks and Recreation, using the filibuster as a tactic to stop the local city council from voting on an issue:

Furthermore, I showed this real life example of Senator Paul Ryan (KY) using the filibuster tactic in the Senate:

Town Hall: I really liked this! We had three candidates (Lindsay, Amogh, and Hector) in front of the class, representing their own views. To gear up, we watched this clip of some of the Republican Presidential candidates last night answering the question: "what is your biggest weakness?" Everyone else in the class was responsible for writing questions for the candidates in class, representing different non-governmental organizations and advocacy groups for some important issues in the country - education, jobs and the economy, immigration, the environment, healthcare. 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.

The three candidates talked about their own views on the issues, and then tried to think on their feet to answer questions from the various groups around the class.

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

Google Drive - Town Hall Review Questions

If you missed class today, please do your best to try and complete these questions using your own opinions and thoughts. Some students were not able to finish in class, so please get this in to me as soon as possible.

Review for Test: 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. Look above in the homework section for links that will help. Thanks! See you next class!

Legislative Branch, Day 4 - 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 enjoyed the bill simulation today! As usual, there was also a lot of work in going through information about the Legislative Branch. Thank you for your focus and effort! Here's the recap for today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Rhapsody in Blue" by Leonard Bernstein. Selected for today because the legislative process is long, like this song. No lyrics, but listen here.

AGENDA 10/27/15:
News Brief – Dru
Review Congress Work
Legislative Simulation
Washington's Gridlock

Homework: Read the blog. Finish the Washington's Gridlock article and related questions. Next news brief: Gabe.

News Brief: Dru had the news brief today and selected this story to talk about: CNN.com - U.S. warship sails close to Chinese artificial island in South China Sea. This is a super interesting article to me as a Global Studies teacher, as well. Check out the map in that article, which shows where China is building islands and claiming them as territory. A good example of how the Executive Branch (President Obama authorized this close pass) has power in international relations. Thanks, Dru!

Gabe was randomly selected for the next news brief. We also checked in about the weekend and anything interesting happening (I am still sore from my half marathon on Sunday!) before moving on.

Here's Wildcat News for the day:

Review Congress Work: The past two classes, we have been working on these handouts. First, Oregon reps in Congress:

Google Drive - Oregon Representatives in Congress Assignment

We also looked at the demographics of the current representatives in congress:

Google Drive - 114th Congress Profile Assignment

Here is a link to the website/pdf document that has the answers:

FAS.org - Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile

We went through most of the answers as a class, then I told students to keep them to prepare for the upcoming Legislative Branch test.

Legislative 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 passed Congress, due to an impassioned plea to reform our immigration system from Hector. So good!

Acting as President of the simulation, I signed the bill into law, with the pen that Governor Kate Brown used to sign the highway safety legislation that was enacted after my dad was killed last year.

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:

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

Here are the questions that go along with the article:

Google Drive - Washington's Gridlock Questions

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

Please finish answering the questions for next class. Thank you very much!

Legislative Branch, Day 3 - Class Recap

The office of Speaker of the House, which is currently controlled by Republicans, and John Boehner, but will likely go to Representative Paul Ryan soon. Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

It was a sort of sleepy day in class today, as many students were tired from the very early morning pep rally here at Westview, or just that it was the end of a long week. In any case, it was basically another work/prep day for our legislative branch unit. Here's the recap for today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
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. Selected for today because we were continuing to look at Oregon's Representatives in Congress. Get it? Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/23/15:
News Brief – David
Create Bills
114th Congress
Computer Lab N210

Homework: Read the blog. Create a bill if you did not in class. Finish the Oregon representatives handout and the 114th Congress profile. Next news brief: Dru.

News Brief: David had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: CNN.com - 1 dead in shooting at Tennessee State University in Nashville. This was a breaking news story as of last night, so we tried to determine what happened. I asked the class about what implications this might have in regard to gun control and the Second Amendment. There were some good perspectives here. Thanks, David!

Dru was randomly selected for the next news brief.

Here's Wildcat News for the day:

Create a Bill: This was in preparation for next class, when we will be doing a simulation of Congress. Here were the questions I wanted you to answer in your bill proposals:

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

Bring these in next class, please!

114th Congress: The last new piece from today was this handout, looking at the demographics of the current representatives in congress:

Google Drive - 114th Congress Profile Assignment

Here is a link to the website/pdf document that has the answers:

FAS.org - Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile

I hope this helps!

Computer Lab N210: For the rest of the class, we were in the computer lab, working on the Oregon representatives handout, as well as the 114th Congress paper and creating bills. Here is the handout that I passed out last class:

Google Drive - Oregon Representatives in Congress Handout

The main point here is to know who our representatives are and what they believe. It is important that we know who represents us in Congress, and what their ideas are!

Thanks for your work on this! See you next class, when we will be creating legislation of our own!

Legislative Branch, Day 2 - Class Recap

This image of the US Capitol Building is actually the background for this blog! Photo taken in 2010.

Dear class,

Today, we talked about Back to the Future day and your Bill of Rights Quiz scores! We also started up with looking at the Oregon congressional delegation. Here's the recap for today:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Endless Possibility" from Sonic Unleashed. Selected for today by Keir, who wrote one of the greatest rationales I have ever seen: "I suggested this song because the government can do many things and they possibilities are well simply endless." Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/21/15:
News Brief – Lizette
Review Quiz
Oregon Reps in Congress
Computer Lab S219

Homework: Read the blog. Finish the Oregon representatives handout. Next news brief: David.

News Brief: Lizette had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: NYMag.com - Recline Rage Causes Another Emergency Landing: Woman Choked for Putting Her Airplane Seat Back. Lizette had an interesting reasoning for picking this, due to the "Passenger Bill of Rights" that the airlines recently enacted, as related to the Bill of Rights that we were learning about. Also, airline safety and regulation is under the overview of the federal government, too. Thanks, Lizette!

David was randomly selected for the next news brief.

Review Quiz: After the news, we talked about the Bill of Rights test from last class. We went through the answers together. If you need to retake this (or any other quiz/test), let's figure out a time outside of class to do this. Updated grades are posted by student ID number on the back wall in the classroom.

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 in Congress Handout

The main point here is to know who our representatives are and what they believe. It is important that we know who represents us in Congress, and what their ideas are!

Computer Lab S219: For the rest of the class, we were in the computer lab, working on the Oregon representatives handout.

Thanks for your work on this! See you next class, when we will be creating legislation of our own!

Bill of Rights Test and Legislative Branch Overview - Class Recap

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

Hi everyone,

Another quiz today! I hope it went well for everyone. Thanks again for your hard work! 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 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "At the Beginning" from Anastasia. Selected for today because we are the start of a new unit: the Legislative Branch. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/19/15:
News Brief - Keir (Natalie)
Bill of Rights Quiz
Legislative Branch Overview
Work Time

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

News Brief: Keir had the news brief today and selected this article: OregonLive.com - Oregon House committee holds first hearing on GOP ethics fixes. Though this is not all that recent (the article is from April), it still is about important aspects of our own state government, and how it is reacting to the resignation of Governor John Kitzhaber.

Natalie brought in a great news brief today, as well, which was about this story: CNN.com - Top al Qaeda leader Sanafi al-Nasr killed in U.S. airstrike, Pentagon says. It seems like this story has played out dozens of times in the last decade or so. We talked about how the Executive Branch of the U.S. government has the power to act in this way (some would say questionably).

Thanks, guys! Lizette has the next news brief.

We also checked in about the weekend and what people were up to, before moving on.

Bill of Rights Quiz: We prepared for this the past few classes, as well as a bit during class today, before the quiz. Thank you for giving your best effort on this! We will go over the results together next class.

Legislative Branch Overview/Work Time: This was a handout 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. 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 later this week:

Google Drive - How a Bill Becomes a Law Handout

Before we did some review, I showed this old Schoolhouse Rock classic:

I also showed a Washington, D.C. license plate and talked about "taxation without representation."

We kept going with the handout until we stopped at trustee and delegate styles of legislators. Please make sure to review this handout! Thank you!