Semester Finals - Class Recap

Sunset over Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a great semester, everyone! Thank you for your hard work! Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Today was our last day of actual class for the semester (as it was our scheduled final, next class will be a study hall). We had our final test, reflection on the year, and then talked about life for a while. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "Thankful" by Kelly Clarkson. Selected for today because I always choose this song for the last day of class, since I am so thankful to get to teach you all. Thank you! Lyrics (some of which I read aloud in class) are here.

AGENDA 6/20/17:

News Brief – Justin
Final Test
Reflection
School's Out

Homework: Read the blog (if you want)! Have a great summer! Let me know if I can help you at any point in the future! :-)

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News Brief: Justin had the news brief today but was not in class, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - The tour company that took Otto Warmbier to North Korea halts trips for Americans. We discussed this horrific story for a bit in class, before moving on.

I talked in class about the importance of following the news and trying to stay up to date with what is happening in your city, state, country, and world. Knowledge is power! Try to stay plugged in to what is going on, if you can!

Final Test: As promised, this was a cumulative multiple choice final on the work we have done this semester. I anticipate having the grades submitted later this week (final grades are due on Friday at 3:00 PM).

Reflection: The last part to the test was a reflection short answer about how the semester went in Government - what you learned, what you will put into practice in your life, and what you will remember five years from now. I look forward to reading these!

School's Out: The end of class was set aside for study time.

Thank you all so much for being so wonderful to work with. If I don't see you next class on Thursday, take care of yourselves and I hope to see you around! Have a great summer! :-)

Finals Prep - Class Recap

Delicate Arch in Utah. A bridge between this semester and next! Photo taken in 2014.

Hi everyone,

One more week until our last class together before semester finals and I say goodbye to everyone! Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
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: "Talk" by Coldplay. Selected for today because we continued talking about the role of government through playing Jeopardy. Lyrics here. 

AGENDA 6/16/17:

News Brief – Mante
Jeopardy Review
Finals Questions?
Study Time

Homework: Read the blog! Study for your final test! Finals are next class, on Tuesday. Next news brief: Justin.

---

News Brief: Mante had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Judge finds Michelle Carter guilty of manslaughter in texting suicide case. This is a tragic case that sets some precedent in regards to having someone implicated in pushing someone else to suicide. I talked about how important it is to take care of each other and ourselves with thinking about what happened in this story.

The next news brief was assigned to Justin.

Jeopardy Review: Another fun session of Jeopardy with the class! This was to review content for the final, next week. If you want to see the slides again, here they are:

Google Drive - Government Jeopardy Final Review

Congratulations to Team 2 for coming out on top of the competition! I hope everyone had fun playing.

Finals Review: Here it is (at least, the first page), if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

See you on Tuesday, for finals! Have a great weekend!

State and Local Government, Day 8 - Class Recap

The Painted Hills in Central Oregon. Photo taken in May of 2017.

Hi everyone,

One more class until finals, next week! As such, I did not introduce any new content and I allowed students to work on whatever they wanted as we watched a documentary in class. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
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: "So Many Tears" by 2Pac. Selected for today because the documentary was about the tearing apart of America by political lines.

AGENDA 6/14/17:

News Brief – AJ
Oregon Occupation
Finals Prep
Questions?

Homework: Read the blog! Study for your final test! Next news brief: Mante.

---

News Brief: AJ had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Republican House Whip Steve Scalise, congressional staffer shot in Virginia shooting. This was breaking news as of this morning, and so we tried to understand what happened with this event.

The next news brief was assigned to Mante.

Oregon Occupation: This is a PBS Frontline documentary that just came out a couple of weeks ago, on what happened with the recent occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Eastern Oregon, and what the protest is about in regards to wanting local control over federal lands. Here it is to watch it again (or if you missed class) you are interested:

PBS.org - Frontline: American Patriot

I hope you found this interesting!

Finals Prep/Questions: Here it is (at least, the first page), if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

See you on Friday, for Jeopardy review, before finals next week!

State and Local Government, Day 7 - Class Recap

The famous "White Stag" building sign in downtown Portland. Photo taken over Winter Break, 2015.

Hi everyone,

It is a busy last week before finals week! Here's what happened in class:

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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey and Cedric Gervais. Selected for today because it is almost summer, but we unfortunately still have plenty of work to do for finals! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/12/17:
Wildcat News Brief – Priya
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Discussion
Study Time

Homework: Read the blog. Continue studying for finals! Next news brief: AJ.

Wildcat News Brief: Priya had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: Politico.com - Schumer invites Trump to testify before Senate. We discussed what has been happening with the ongoing Russia investigation and the latest news from President Trump on Twitter, before moving on to check in about what we have been up to outside of class.

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

Lift Ev'ry Voice/Discussion: We finished watching an excellent recent documentary from OPB, called Lift Ev'ry Voice. If you want to watch again, share, or get caught up, it is here:

OPB.org - Portland Civil Rights: Lift Ev'ry Voice

Here is the worksheet that goes along with the documentary:

Google Drive: Lift Ev'ry Voice Documentary Questions

I think it is super important that we understand our own history regarding race in Portland, especially as I think there are some common assumptions that are just not true. As such, I was glad to see that almost everyone was glued to this in class. Thanks for your focus and willingness to learn about our own history! It was great to hear student responses after the film about what they learned.

Study Time: The rest of class was devoted to study time for the upcoming final next week. Next class, we will be watching another documentary and also studying, before playing Jeopardy to review on Friday.

State and Local Government, Day 6 - Class Recap

Rowena Crest Viewpoint, near Moiser, Oregon. Photo taken in 2016.

Dear class

I enjoyed talking with everyone about their projects today, and also our work with analyzing how race has impacted our state and local government, especially in Portland. Here's what happened in class 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Coming Home" by Mat Kearney. Selected for today because it is a song about Oregon. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/8/17:
News Brief – Mary
State and Local Presentations
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Discussion

Homework: Read the blog. Continue studying for finals! Next news brief: Priya.

News Brief: Mary had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: CNN.com - James Comey testifies: Live updates. This was still a developing story in class, so I tried to summarize what the former FBI director said in his testimony in Congress today.

State and Local Presentations: We finished presenting these! Woo hoo! If you have not turned in the corresponding paper, please do so ASAP, as I will be grading these soon.

Lift Ev'ry Voice: With our last few days before the final, I wanted to focus on how our state and local community has acted with regards to race - specifically, the black community in Portland. To start, I showed this article that (while pretty long) does a great job at going into detailed history here:

Gizmodo.com - Oregon Was Founded As a Racist Utopia

We then watched the first part of an excellent recent documentary from OPB, called Lift Ev'ry Voice. We still have about 40 minutes next class to watch, but if you want to watch again, share, or get caught up, it is here:

OPB.org - Portland Civil Rights: Lift Ev'ry Voice

Here is the worksheet that goes along with the documentary:

Google Drive: Lift Ev'ry Voice Documentary Questions

I think it is super important that we understand our own history regarding race in Portland, especially as I think there are some common assumptions that are just not true. As such, I was glad to see that almost everyone was glued to this in class. I'm looking forward to finishing it up next time and discussing it!

See you next week, everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 5 - Class Recap

Today was the sunset for the seniors in our class! I am wishing them all the best and success in life! Photo taken in 2007, over California.

Dear class,

Another disjointed day today, due to the seniors needing to take their finals in class, and rest of the class just using the class as a study period, before more State and Local Government presentations. Here's what happened in class 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Good Life" by OneRepublic. Selected for today because of the seniors last day! On with the rest of their life soon! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/6/17:
News Brief – Terra
Senior Finals
Study Time
State and Local Presentations

Homework: Read the blog. Continue studying for finals! Thank you, seniors! Next news brief: Mary.

News Brief: Terra had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - 14 arrested as the many extremes of Portland collide in protest. We talked a little bit about this story and the continuing reaction in our community to the MAX train murders recently. Mary has the next news brief.

Senior Finals: During this time, seniors were taking their final in class. Thanks for respecting their time and effort with being quiet! I hope they went well for the seniors! I am grateful for their effort this semester and I am wishing them all the best! Keep in touch, class of 2017!

Study Time: The rest of class (as seniors were taking the test) was devoted to reviewing for the final. Here's the study guide I passed out for that:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

Students who were in class also got a more detailed study guide on the back side of this. Come see me if you missed class for this. Thank you!

State and Local Presentations: We will continue with these as we have time to do so! Next class, we will have students who have not presented their projects yet talk about what they did, in terms of identifying a problem, coming up with solutions, and implementing the solution.

Thanks everyone, and especially all of the seniors!

State and Local Government, Day 4 - Class Recap

Something I care a lot about in our local community is supporting the Portland Thorns women's professional soccer team. I helped paint this banner for the start of last season! Photo taken in 2015.

Hi everyone,

Today was almost entirely devoted to State and Local Project Presentations. Here's what happened in class 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys. Selected for today because students were presenting on what they wanted to have happen in the state/local government. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/2/17:
News Brief – Priya
Elections/Prep Time
State and Local Presentations
Study Guide

Homework: Read the blog. Start studying for the final! All late work is due by next Friday. Next news brief: Terra.

News Brief: Priya had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Why do we even have White House press briefings?. This was about the daily press briefing that the White House does, and whether or not it should continue. Priya did a great job of summarizing the pros and cons!

We also checked in about the weekend, before moving on.

Prep Time: After the news brief, we had some time to prep for the state and local presentations as I set up.

State and Local Presentations: Thank you for your work and for the class in focusing and respecting the presentations. It was good to see the thought and effort put into these and making possible solutions! I enjoyed hearing all about the ideas for possible solutions in our state and local community! If you have not presented yet, you will be asked to do so next class, probably after the seniors are done with their tests.

Thank you! Have a great weekend!

State and Local Government, Day 3 - Class Recap

Another beautiful place in our amazing State of Oregon: the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn. Photo taken in 2015.

Dear class,

Busy times! Seniors have about a week left in class with us, and today was our last day of in class work on the State and Local project. Here's what happened in class 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks. Selected for today because the end of the year can feel like a series of battles. Keep working hard, everyone! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/31/17:
News Brief – Sabrina
State/Local Project
Work Time
Grade Check

Homework: Read the blog. Your State/Local final project is due to be turned in and presented next class! Seniors: your final for the class is next Tuesday! Next news brief: Priya.

News Brief: Sabrina had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Trump expected to withdraw from Paris climate agreement. We discussed what the Paris climate agreement is, as well as the fact that the only two countries in the world that have not signed on are Syria and Nicaragua. We also talked about President Trump tweeting about "covfefe" last night: NYTimes.com - What’s a ‘Covfefe’? Trump Tweet Unites a Bewildered Nation.

We also talked about the weekend, and in particular, the attacks on the MAX train in Portland, as well as how important it is to speak up against prejudice and hate in our community, while also recognizing that free speech is a foundation of our country.

State/Local Project: We kept working on this project, which is a two page paper, with at least three MLA citations, about a local issue that you care about. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

We went through this together again, and then continued working on it in class.

Work Time/Grade Check: The rest of class was spent working on Chromebooks, researching for the State and Local project and writing about an issue that you care about in our local community as I checked in with students about grades. Next class, you will be presenting about your problem and turning your paper in. Thanks for your hard work, everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 2 - Class Recap

As we continue to work in class on the State and Local project, here is a picture I took in 2014 of Oregon's only National Park: Crater Lake.

Hi everyone,

We began our last major project for the year in today's class! Here's what happened in class 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Joker and the Thief" by Wolfmother. Selected because it was sort of a pump up song for the long weekend ahead. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/25/17:
News Brief – Mante
State and Local Project
Grade Check
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Continue working on your State/Local final project! Make sure you have your Citizenship Paper turned in, along with any missing work so I can grade it on Friday! Next news brief (just find an article related to government - no write up needed): Sabrina.

News Brief: Mante had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Trump scolds NATO allies over defense spending. We talked about what NATO is (along with the commitment to spend 2% of GDP on the military), looked at President Trump shaking the hand of President Macron of France, and also checked in about the upcoming long weekend.

State/Local Project: After the news brief, we talked about the State and Local government reading and assignment from last class:

Google Drive - State and Local Government Readings/Questions
I then went through the final assignment for the class, which is a two page paper, with at least three MLA citations, about a local issue that you care about. It will be due in class *probably* next Friday, and you will probably be asked to give a short (like a minute or two) presentation. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

We went through this together, and then worked in class on the Chromebooks.

Grade Check/Work Time: The rest of class was spent working on researching for the State and Local project and writing about an issue that you care about in our local community. When I was checking in with students, it appeared that most had a great start as far as selecting issues and beginning to work on the project. Next class, we will continue working on this. Please let me know if you have any questions about what to do! See you on Wednesday!

State and Local Government, Day 1 - Class Recap

The beach at Puerto Vallarta, on Christmas Eve, 2015.

Hello everyone,

We started our last major unit of the year today, on state and local government! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 6: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own" by U2. Selected for today because we are nearing the end of the school year and I am hoping to give you support to finish the year strong!

AGENDA 5/23/17:
News Brief – Cody
Review Feedback
State and Local Government
Final Project

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

News Brief: We started off class with Cody talking about this story: BBC.com - Manchester bomber named by police. We talked about this horrific story, which is obviously still developing as of the writing of this post. We talked about the response of the United States government, as well. Mante was selected to do the next news brief.

Review Feedback/Judicial Branch: Last class, I asked students to provide me with some feedback about how class is going - what is going well, and what can be improved, both for the class, and for me as a teacher. Here are the (very interesting!) results that we went through:

Google Drive - Period 4 Class Feedback PowerPoint

We also reviewed the answers to the Judicial Branch test.

State and Local Government: For the next part of class, I passed out a reading with questions about our last major unit of the year, on state and local forms of government (also on Google Classroom):

Google Drive - State and Local Government Readings/Questions

We went through the answers during class - keep this, as it will be helpful for understanding what is going on in our last unit of the year.

Final Project: I then went through the final assignment for the class, which is a two page paper, with at least three MLA citations, about a local issue that you care about. It will be due in class *probably* next Friday, and you will probably be asked to give a short (like a minute or two) presentation. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

We went through this together, and then had in class time to start working on it. We will devote much of the next two classes to work time! Thanks, everyone!

Citizenship Paper - Class Recap

I will not be at school today, due to helping to coach Westview at the state tournament! Photo taken in 2011.

Dear class,

Today we worked on a one day assignment on citizenship (what it is, how you get it, responsibilities of a citizen, and the naturalization process). 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.

AGENDA 5/19/17:
News Brief – Lauren
Citizenship Paper
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Finish citizenship paper if you did not in class! Next news brief: Cody.

News Brief: Lauren had the news brief today and hopefully selected an interesting story to talk about.

Cody has the next news brief.

Citizenship Paper: This is meant as a short assignment, just so be able to demonstrate proficiency again with LT 1 and the Research target. Here's the assignment (also linked to on Google Classroom), due at the start of next class:

Google Drive: Citizenship Paper Assignment

Again, I am just looking to see that you can identify and explain the basics of rights and responsibilities as a United States citizen. Thank you for your hard work on this!

Work Time: The rest of class was spent working on the citizenship paper. If you did not finish this today in class, it is homework. Get it in to me as soon as you can by uploading it to Google Classroom. Thank you! Enjoy your weekend!

Judicial Branch, Day 7 - Class Recap

Inside a subway station in Washington, DC, where the three branches of our federal government are based.

Dear class,

We finished the judicial branch today in class, with wrapping up the movie and taking the 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: "The Final Countdown" by Europe. Selected for today because it is very close to the end of the year!

AGENDA 5/17/17:
News Brief – AJ
Judicial Branch Test
12 Angry Men
Class Feedback

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any late/incomplete work. Next news brief: Lauren (then Cody on Tuesday).

News Brief: AJ had the news brief today and talked about this story: LATimes.com - Almost two dozen MS-13 gang suspects arrested in early-morning sweep. This is an important ongoing news story that directly relates to what we have been talking about in class, with the executive branch enforcing laws. Also, we talked about the election results last night and what is happening with the federal government right now. We also talked about what was going on outside of class, before moving on.

Lauren was assigned to do the next news brief (Cody will have it on Tuesday).

Judicial Branch Test: As promised, 40 questions, multiple choice. will hope to get these grades get entered ASAP. Thank you for your effort on this!

12 Angry Men: After the test, we finished 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

Class Feedback: Finally, I asked the class to provide me with some feedback on how class is going, in terms of what is positive and what we can improve on. Here were the questions I asked students to answer:

What do you like about this class? What do you think you as students are good at?

What does this class (you, as students) need to improve at?

What do you like about Mr. Fritz as a teacher? What is Mr. Fritz good at as a teacher?

What does Mr. Fritz need to improve at as a teacher?

I appreciate your responses and will put together a PowerPoint with your anonymous feedback for next week.

We will start our last unit on State and Local government soon - next class, you will be working on a citizenship paper with a substitute as I am at the state tennis tournament. Thanks, everyone! See you next week!

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,

It is always great to see you! I enjoyed watching the first part of 12 Angry Men today. 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: "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. Selected for today because we are getting close to the end of the year, and student were probably happy to watch a movie today in class. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/15/17:
Wildcat News Brief – Kento
Juries
Study Guide
12 Angry Men

Homework: Read the blog. Study for the Judicial Branch test next class! Turn in any late/incomplete work - know your grade and how to improve it. Next news brief: AJ.

Wildcat News Brief: Kento had the news brief today and talked about this story: Independent.co.uk - Cyber attack: Latest evidence indicates 'phishing' emails not to blame for global hack. We discussed this story and brainstormed possible solutions and consequences. We also checked in about the weekend and what people were up to.

AJ was assigned to do the next news brief (no write up needed).

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

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!

12 Angry Men: To finish class, 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 take the Judicial Branch test next class, then watch the rest of 12 Angry Men! See you then.

Judicial Branch, Day 5 - Class Recap

The flag of the United States, before the Holiday Bowl football game in 2008, which the Oregon Ducks won over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. 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 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 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 you frequently need a lot of money to participate in the judicial branch by hiring a lawyer.

AGENDA 5/11/17:
News Brief – Dylan
Mock Trials
The National Judiciary
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Get any late work in ASAP to improve your grade. Next news brief (no write up needed, just talk about it): Kento.

News Brief: Dylan had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and talked about this story: CNN.com - Trump: I was going to fire Comey regardless of DOJ recommendation. We talked about what a huge story this is and why this was such a controversial decision, to fire the FBI director (which, as the head of the executive branch, the president can do). We also checked in about the upcoming weekend and I showed my ballot for the upcoming election. I registered Mary to vote in class, as well!

Kento was assigned to do the next news brief.

Mock Trials: 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 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.

The National Judiciary/Work Time: I passed out this handout, so students could read and review them to prepare for the upcoming test. The test (in a week or so) will be on this reading, as well as the Supreme Court cases that we have been studying.

Google Drive: The National Judiciary Readings and Questions

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

Judicial Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

Here's my mom, Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, at a parade in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Welcome back from your weekend! I enjoyed starting the mock trials today in class. Here's what happened today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

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

Soundtrack: "Oye Como Va" by Carlos Santana. Selected for today because of last weekend being Cinco de Mayo (remembering a famous Mexican victory over the French) and because Carlos Santana is an amazing Mexican-American guitarist. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/9/17:
News Brief – Meaghan
Mock Trial Prep
Present Cases
The National Judiciary

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

News Brief: Meaghan had the news brief today and talked about this story: FOXNews.com - ISIS video shows beheading of alleged Russian spy. We talked about the ongoing war against ISIS and how President Trump might expand the war in Afghanistan soon, as well.

If you are 17 and not already registered to vote, here's the online enrollment form:

Oregon Secretary of State: Voter Registration

Yay for participating in our democracy! :-)

Mock Trial Prep: I gave the class about 20-25 minutes to finish preparing to present the four cases in the mock trial. Again, I know this was somewhat complicated, but I think we got the hang of it eventually!

Present Cases: During class, we were only able to get to two cases. The first was Morse v. Frederick, involving the humorous (but serious Constitutional issue) of a student holding a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" sign outside of a school in Alaska as an Olympic torch relay went by. In class, the judges found 4-1 for Frederick (the student) in being able to do this as protected free speech. In the actual case, the judges ruled for Morse. Here is the overview:

Oyez.org - Morse v. Frederick

Next, we did a mock trial for the Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 case. This was looking at issues of racial diversity in schools, as well as students being able to attend their own neighborhood school. In class, the judges split 3-2 on this, with the parents winning the case against more diverse schools. Here's the actual case overview:

Oyez.org - Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1

That was it for the day! Next class, we will do the last two trials and then move on with the rest of the judicial branch unit. Remember to hang on to all of your mock trial materials and notes - you will be turning them in! See you Thursday!

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.

Dear class,

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: "Duel of the Fates" from Star Wars. Selected for today because it was May the Fourth yesterday.

AGENDA 4/5/17:
News Brief – Cody
Finish Landmark Cases
Mock Trial Prep
Work Time

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

News Brief: Cody had the news brief today (after our discussion at the start of class about the assembly) and selected this article to talk about: NYTimes.com - The Trumpcare Disaster. I tried to give my analysis of what happened with the House of Representatives voting to approve the new healthcare bill, and my understanding of what is in it. Very interesting stuff! We will continue to monitor the progress of the bill as it next goes to the Senate.

Meaghan was assigned to do the next news brief.

Landmark Case Reading: We finished going through these today:

Google Drive: Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Handout

The assignment that went along with the reading is here:

Google Drive: Landmark SCOTUS Cases Assignment Sheet

Please make sure you have your completed notes for these very important cases! It was interesting to get to talk about stuff like Japanese internment camps in the United States during World War II!

Mock Trial Prep: The rest of the class was devoted to preparing for mock trials, which we will do next class. This was a very complicated process to explain, but students in class got it, I think! If you missed class, you are going to need to come see me in person to get your case forms and the assignment sheet.

Be prepared to finish these at the start of next class, and then do the four mock trials! Have a great weekend! :-)

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: "Confessions, Pt. 2" by Usher. Selected for today because a confession could be a part of a criminal investigation, which involves the judicial branch. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/3/17:
News Brief – Sam C.
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: Cody.

News Brief: Sam C. had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: NYTimes.com - Legal Fight Could Make Kentucky Only State With No Abortion Clinic. This was an interesting story that directly related to what we were investigating later in class with major Supreme Court rulings, such as Roe v. Wade. Lots to talk about, for sure! Thanks for the good questions here.

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

Cody was assigned 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 and talked about the test overall. There will be more opportunities for this learning target in the future, for sure!

Cases Teens Should Know: The reading 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.

As part of going through these cases, I showed this article about all of the states that currently allow corporal punishment at schools (like hitting students with paddles for misbehaving):
BusinessInsider.com - These Are The 19 States That Still Let Public Schools Hit Kids. Eye opening for many students, I think!

Also, here is a recent article related to after school clubs featuring a certain religion: KATU.com - After School Satan Club holds first open house in Portland.

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 the rest of 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 and prepare for some mock trials! :-)

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 focus today, as we took the Executive Branch test and then moved on to learning a bit 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 branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum. Selected for today because of the Executive Branch test, and the possibility you were hoping for some divine intervention in doing well on it. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/1/17:
News Brief – Alyssa Q.
Executive Branch Test
Judicial Branch Overview
10 Cases

Homework: Read the blog. Work on improving your grade, if possible! Next news brief: Sam C.

News Brief: Alyssa Q. had the news brief today and selected this story to bring in: CNN.com - Priebus: Visit from Philippines leader 'necessary' to deal with North Korea. We talked about this story and about the current war on drugs in the Philippines and why it is a big deal that President Trump invited the president of the Philippines to visit. Thanks for the discussion!

Sam C was assigned to do the next news brief.

We also watched Wildcat News, which is here to watch if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

Executive Branch Test: I hope that you studied and did well on this! I will try to have the grades entered in soon. Thirty questions, multiple choice, then the political spectrum. Not too bad, I hope! Thanks, as always for your effort on this!

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 (I had one half of the room do the first five, and the other half do the second five).

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 4/26/17:
News Brief – Kento
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!

Next news brief: Alyssa Q.

News Brief: Kento had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: NYTimes.com - North Korea Is Said to Detain Another U.S. Citizen. We discussed this story for a bit, including ongoing tensions in the Korean peninsula and what the United States might be trying to do.

Alyssa Q. was selected to do the next news brief.

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

Cabinet Simulation: 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? What responsibilities does it have?
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?

Here are the notes that I took during the presentation. If a name is in bold, that was because the other partner either wasn't in class, or did not share at all.

Google Drive: Notes from 4/26/2017 Cabinet Meeting - Period 4

I realize this took a long time to do (almost all of class), so thank you for your patience and understanding that it is important each student have a voice in the process.

Please turn in your papers (if not written by hand) into Google Classroom. I would love your paper copies of the notes in the packet, as well. Thanks!

Study Guide/Executive Review: Here is the study guide for the test, which will be 30 multiple choice questions (for LT5), plus the political spectrum again.

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. A reminder that with great power comes great responsibility.

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 1: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 1: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" by Moby. Selected for today because it was the same as my soundtrack for Global Studies, where they are learning about religion, and because the President is not all powerful. This was an instrumental song with no lyrics. Listen to it again if you want here.

AGENDA 4/24/17:
Wildcat News Brief - Saige
Cabinet Project
Work Time

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: Kento.

Wildcat News Brief: Saige had the news brief today and talked about this story: SeattleTimes.com - 3 police officers shot in downtown Seattle. This was an interesting news brief, as it talked about law enforcement (part of the executive branch) in our northern neighbor.

Kento was assigned to do the next news brief.

We also checked in about the weekend and what everyone was up to. Always nice to hear about what people are doing outside of class!

Here is Wildcat News for the day if you missed class or wanted to watch it again:

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. If you have missed class the last two times, you need to select one that has either nobody or one person on it:

Agriculture: Sabrina and Sam C.
Commerce:
Defense: AJ and Justin
Education: Sam K. and Tanner
Energy: Cody and Alyssa Q.
Health and Human Services: Priya and Logan
Housing and Urban Development: Terra
Interior: Dylan
Justice: Veronica and Meaghan
Labor: Destinny and Saige
Transportation: Bryce
Treasury: Deven
Veteran’s Affairs: Mary and Mante
Homeland Security: Lauren and Kyla
Environmental Protection Agency: Alyssa I
US Mission to the United Nations:
State: Kento

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

Work Time: 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! See you on Wednesday!

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 1: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 1: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "Step in the Name of Love" by R. Kelly. Selected for today because of us stepping to start the Cabinet Project later in class. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/20/17:
News Brief - Mary Mr. Fritz
The Presidency
Cabinet Project
Work Time

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: Saige.

News Brief: Mary had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and selected this article to talk about with the class: CNN.com - Judge denigrated by Trump as 'Mexican' will hear key deportation case. We talked briefly about this article, and then discussed the horrors of ACT day yesterday, before moving on.

Saige was assigned to do the next news brief.

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

As a heads up, obamawhitehouse.gov might be better than whitehouse.gov currently for this assignment, since President Obama's has 8 years of content and development, while President Trump just started and does not have much there (if you can find stuff, please go ahead and use the current president's website)!

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

Agriculture: Sabrina and Sam C.
Commerce:
Defense: AJ and Justin
Education: Sam K. and Tanner
Energy: Cody and Alyssa Q.
Health and Human Services: Priya and Logan
Housing and Urban Development: Terra
Interior: Dylan
Justice: Veronica and Meaghan
Labor: Destinny and Saige
Transportation: Bryce
Treasury: Deven
Veteran’s Affairs: Mary and Mante
Homeland Security: Lauren and Kyla
Environmental Protection Agency: Alyssa I
US Mission to the United Nations:
State: Kento

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

Work Time: We spent the second half of class working on Chromebooks on this assignment. We will also spend much of next class doing this, and the cabinet project assignment will be due on Wednesday.

See you next class!

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 Scott Haley, 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: "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. Selected for today because we are continuing to learn about American government! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/17/17:
Wildcat News Brief – Justin
Deputy Haley
CRLE Forms
Review Legislative Test

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

News Brief: Justin had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about in class: BBC.com - MOAB strike: 90 IS fighters killed in Afghanistan. We discussed this story (the dropping of the largest ever non-nuclear bomb) in Afghanistan and also the ongoing tension with what to do in terms of North Korea, as well.

We selected Mary to do the next news brief at the end of class.

We also watched Wildcat News in class (at the end of the period, due to wanting to respect Deputy Haley's time):

Deputy Haley: Much of the rest of class was devoted to Scott Haley, who is the officer here at Westview. Scott talked about his experience with being the Student Support Officer here this year. Hopefully, you enjoyed hearing him talk with the class, because I definitely did!

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 for anyone that did it. 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 did not have time to get to this today, but your grades are in StudentVUE, and we will come back to this next class.

Thanks, everyone!