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!

Finals Prep, Day 1 - 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, and welcome a new group of Government students next semester! 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 State and Local government. Lyrics here. 

AGENDA 1/31/17:

News Brief – Josh
State and Local Packet
Jeopardy Review
Finals Review

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

---

News Brief: Josh had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Trump fires acting AG after she declines to defend travel ban. We had an extended conversation at the start of class about all of the various actions taken by the Trump administration since our class last met. We discussed the travel ban on seven countries. We talked about the acting Attorney General being fired. We also talked for a bit about the impending Supreme Court nomination. There were plenty of good questions here - thanks, everyone.

The next news brief was assigned to Dylan.

State and Local Packet: I gave a few minutes after the news brief section to work on the State and Local reading and answers, which were the last "new" assignment of the semester. Here it is again if you want to see, if you want to study this section for the final:

Google Drive - State and Local Government Reading

We then went through the answers together as a class. Thanks for your participation here, everyone!

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 1/Fluffy Bunnies for coming out on top of the competition! I hope everyone had fun playing. We ended right as the bell rang!

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 Thursday, where we will likely have a study day/watch something short and sweet. Thanks everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 6 - Class Recap

Cannon Beach, Oregon. Photo taken in 2007.

Dear class,

Today was our last real work day in class, as far as new content to do (the State and Local packet). 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.

Soundtrack: "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2. Selected for today because the song is in large part about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and because today is PRIDE Friday at Westview. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/27/17:
News Brief – Ellie R.
State and Local Packet
Final Review
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Prepare for finals! Next news brief: Josh.

News Brief: Ellie R. had the news brief today but missed the start of class, so we talked generally about what is going on in the news, as well as updates on the finals schedule (yours is on Tuesday, February 7), before moving on.

State and Local Packet: After the news, I passed out this packet, which should be treated as a Study Guide for the State and Local government portion of the final test:

Google Drive - State and Local Government Reading/Questions

This reading went over all sorts of different aspects of State and Local governments. Important to know! We will review the material next class.

Final Review/Work Time: Most of class was designated as work time, since it was the last day to turn in any missing work from the semester for me before finals. I went over grades individually with every student in the class. I also passed out the final review sheet, here:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

Next class, we will play Jeopardy to review for the final, go over the study guide, and then there will be study time. Have a great weekend!

State and Local Government, Day 5 - Class Recap

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

Hi everyone,

It was a busy last day before finals week in class today! 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: "So What" by Miles Davis. Selected for today because it was a bit of jazz to start class and we were talking about "so what" in terms of our own history with the black community in Portland.

AGENDA 1/25/17:
News Brief – Harmony
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Film Questions
State and Local Work

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

News Brief: Harmony had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: CNN.com - Examining the top contenders on Trump's Supreme Court list. We talked about this story, which will obviously have an enormous impact on our federal government, as well as a lot of other stories involving President Trump's first few days in office (there is plenty going on).

Lift Ev'ry Voice/Film Questions: 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.

In wrapping up the unit, I told the class that if they were interested in continuing to talk about issues such as race and ethnicity, they should consider forecasting for my new Diversity and Social Justice class here at Westview. It will be .5 elective credit, team teaching with Ms. Labossiere! If the course happens as we want it and you get it on your schedule, you would be guaranteed (we think!) of having me as your teacher for it, along with Ms. Labossiere. Here is a flyer to check out more information!

Google Drive - Diversity and Social Justice Class Flyer

Consider it as a part of your forecasting for next year! Forecasting will start in early February!

State and Local Work: We ended with not enough time to start this, so we will start next class. Please bring your Chromebook on Friday! Then next week we will do some review for the final. Your final will be on Tuesday, February 7th. So, we have three more classes together before the final, then one after (apparently). It has been a pleasure to be your teacher, so I will enjoy every last minute! :-)

State and Local Government, Day 4 - Class Recap

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

Dear class

I enjoyed talking with everyone about the new presidential administration 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: "Rebel Rebel" by David Bowie. Selected for today due to the women's march over the weekend. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/23/17:
Wildcat News Brief – David
State and Local Presentations
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Film Questions

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

Wildcat News Brief: David had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: ABCNews.com - Bush Ready to Leave Intensive Care, Wife Barbara Goes Home. We talked about this story and what happens when presidents pass away. The current living former presidents are Carter, Bush, Clinton, W Bush, and Obama.

We also discussed the women's marches around the country and world this past weekend, along with what the Trump administration has started doing in the first few days in office. I compared ObamaWhiteHouse.gov to the current WhiteHouse.gov to see what was different.

At the end of this section, we watched Wildcat News for the day, which is here if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

State and Local Presentations: We finished with presentations today in class! If you have not turned in the corresponding paper, please do so ASAP, as I will be grading these with your finals.

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 50 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 on Wednesday, everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 3 - Class Recap

My view of Mt. Hood and Lost Lake on final approach into Portland International Airport in 2015.

Dear class,

Today was presentation day for the last major assignment of the year: the State and Local project. 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem. 

Soundtrack: "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice. Selected for today because of the obvious connection to the snow and ice that shut down school for over a week! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/19/17:
News Brief – Maryana
Work Time
State/Local Project
Presentations

Homework: Read the blog. All late work needs to be turned in by next Friday! Next news brief (just find a news story - does not need to be a write up): David.

News Brief: Maryana had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: Politico.com - Distrust and empty desks could stunt Trump’s government. Thanks, Maryana! We discussed the inauguration tomorrow (today is President Obama's last day in office) as well as the protests in Portland this weekend, as a part of this story.

Work Time: Since it has been SO long since we last had class due to the snow/ice storm, I gave student about 30 minutes in class to finish up whatever they had for the State and Local Project.

State/Local Project Presentations: The rest of class was entirely taken up after the news brief by students sharing out their State and Local project with the class, as I asked questions. Here's the handout for the assignment:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

Overall, I was pleased by the projects and answers. At the very least, it did appear that most students did research and had put thought into their responses for the problem facing our community and possible solutions. Thank you, all! I am looking forward to reading more about your projects in your papers! Please be sure to submit them on Google Classroom! Next class, we will finish with the students I did not get to today.

Please remember that all late work is due by next Friday if you want your grade to improve before finals! Put it in the inbox in class if I am not there. Have a great weekend! See you next week - our last before finals (at least, that is the current plan)!

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 last year of Oregon's only National Park: Crater Lake.

Hi everyone,

Today was our second work day in class on the State and Local government project. I also passed back grades and updated everyone on what needed to be done as we approach finals. 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem. 

Soundtrack: "Coming Home" by Mat Kearney. Selected for today because this is a song about Oregon (played after the first quarter at Oregon Ducks football home games). Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/10/17:
News Brief – Connery
Citing Sources
State/Local Project
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in your Citizenship Paper on Google Classroom if you have not yet! Continue working on your State/Local final project (due to be presented next Tuesday). Next news brief: Maryana.

News Brief: Connery had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: TheIndependent.com - US troops deployed to Poland in response to 'Russian aggression'. This was an interesting article to talk about today, as the transition between President Obama and President-elect Trump in terms of our policy towards Russia is continuing. We talked about what NATO is as well as the impact this new troop deployment might have.

Maryana has the next news brief.

Citing Sources: Because so many students seemed to stumble on this part with the Citizenship Paper, and because the State and Local project has it as a requirement as well, I spent some time in class going over how to cite sources in MLA format. Some links that may help with this:

Purdue OWL - MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources 

Purdue OWL - MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics

EasyBib.com

A works cited page at the end of your research paper is a requirement, as is utilizing in-text citations. EasyBib really helps with the works cited page for electronic resources!

State/Local Project: The final assignment for the unit is this project, which is a two page paper, with at least three MLA citations, about a local issue that you care about. It will be due next Tuesday in class, 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 went to the computer lab.

Work Time: The rest of class was spent on Chromebooks, 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 be have our last in class day to continue working. Please let me know if you have any questions about what to do! See you on Thursday!

State and Local Government, Day 1 - Class Recap

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

Dear class,

Today, I introduced the last major assignment of the year, with the State/Local government project. 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem. 

Soundtrack: "Happy" by Pharrell. Selected for today because I am happy about the upcoming weekend and about the general positive feedback from students about how class is going. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/6/17:
News Brief – Ireland
Feedback Review
State/Local Government
Project Work

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any missing/incomplete work - especially the Citizenship Paper from last class if you did not finish. Next news brief: Connery.

News Brief: Ireland had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - New York governor proposes free tuition at state colleges. This was a great transition to talking about the role that state leaders have in setting public policy! We talked a bit about this idea in class, as well as the Oregon Promise (a similar sort of plan that has been implemented here).

Connery was selected to do the next news brief.

Feedback Review: Last class, I asked students to anonymously provide me feedback about how things were going. Here are the results from those questions:

Google Drive - Government Period 4 Class Feedback

Overall, it appears we like the community feel of the class, we know we need to work on our work ethic, you like me as a teacher, and I could work on a few things as well. Thanks, everyone!

Unit Overview: Today, we started our work with State and Local government unit (our last main one before the end of the semester). To begin, I had students do a simple fill-in-the-blank overview of the main concepts. The completed form is here:

Google Drive: State/Local Government Completed Overview

This was meant as a general overview. We will get into some specifics in the coming days.

State/Local Project: The final assignment for the unit is this project, 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 a few days (we have at least the next two days in class to be working on it), and you will probably be asked to give a short (like a minute or two) presentation. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State/Local Government Project

I went through the assignment in depth in class, and talked about possible issues for students to research. Basically, go with something you are interested in! It's really up to you - just run it by me, first! The rest of the class was spent working on the Chromebooks, researching for the State and Local assignment, I think most students are set with knowing what their problem is and how to research it. We will continue doing this next class. Thanks!

State and Local Government, Day 10 - Class Recap

My mom, Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, came to talk with our class today!

Dear class,

Today was our last day before finals, so we decided to have my mom, Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, come talk about her job, which counted as a Career Related Learning Experience towards graduation requirements! 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: "City of Blinding Lights" by U2. Selected for today because my mom asked for a U2 song as her soundtrack, and she works for the City of Portland, serving all you beautiful people. :-) Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/13/16:

News Brief – Claire
Study Time
Commissioner Fritz
CRLE Forms

Homework: Read the blog! Study for your final test, which is Thursday at 7:45 AM. Next news brief: Alex M.

---

News Brief: Claire had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: BBC.com - Orlando club shootings: Full fury of gun battle emerges. The message I was trying to send in class was: 1) It is important to stand with the LGBTQI+ community during this trying time, and to say how valuable and recognized it is. It happens to be Pride weekend in Portland this upcoming weekend (and June is Pride month), with a large parade downtown from 10-1. 2) Furthermore, it's important not to stereotype Islam as a violent religion, focused on killing others. This attack was conducted during the holy month of Ramadan, which we learned about in the religion unit as a time of fasting and prayer for Muslims around the world. 3) We clearly have to do something as a society to stop these sorts of killings. That can be a variety of possibilities, but it seems clear that simply doing nothing will lead to more of these events.

The next news brief was assigned to Alex M, who kindly volunteered.

Study Time: Here is the study guide for the final test (at least, the first page), if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

Commissioner Fritz: The next part of class was taken by my mom coming to talk about her experience as a Portland City Commissioner. It was great to have her in to talk with us, after we have talked so much about State and Local Government during the past few weeks! Thank you for your interest, focus, and questions! I'm glad that you got to meet my mom!

CRLE Forms: I'm also glad students completed one of the four CRLE forms you need to graduate! :-)

Your final for this class is Thursday at 7:45 AM. See you then!

State and Local Government, Day 9 - Class Recap

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

Hi everyone,

It was a busy last day before finals week in class today! 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 6/9/16:
News Brief – Olivia
Finish Lift Ev'ry Voice
Questions for Commissioner Fritz
Jeopardy Review

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

News Brief: Olivia had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: NYTimes.com - California Primary Election Results. We discussed the final states voting in the primary process, and what will likely happen next for the nominations of the Democratic and Republican parties.

Finish Lift Ev'ry Voice: 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.

Questions for Commissioner Fritz: After the documentary, we made questions for my mom, Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who is coming to our class on Monday to talk about her role in local government. The questions the class came up with are:

What has been one of the most challenging things that you have had to deal with as Portland’s Commissioner?
What does your day to day life as Portland’s Commissioner look like? Do you have days where you have a lot to do and other days that you do not? Or do you have a steady but stable amount of work each day?
How will the city resolve the homeless crisis in Portland’s streets?
How will the local government deal with the ever increasing rent prices in Portland?
For what reasons did you become a Commissioner?
What is the best thing about being Commissioner?
What is the most interesting thing about your job?
Why do you want to be a part of our government?
Do you think your psychiatric nursing skills have helped your skills as Commissioner?
What got you to leave nursing to be a Commissioner?
What area takes up most of your time?
How did you know that being a Commissioner was something that you wanted to pursue?
What is the biggest problem that Portland is facing?
How long do you want to be Commissioner for?
What is the biggest project that you’re working on?
Who’s your favorite child?
What’s your favorite dessert?

I'm looking forward to having her come in and talk with everyone!

Jeopardy Review: This is always so fun and today was no exception. Thank you for a spirited round of Jeopardy to review for the final! Here are the slides for the game if anyone wants to see them again:

Google Drive: Jeopardy Review for Finals PowerPoint

Thanks for ending the class with a lot of laughter and enthusiasm. I am looking forward to our last week together next week! Keep working hard in preparing for finals!

State and Local Government, Day 8 - Class Recap

Rowena Crest Viewpoint, near Moiser, Oregon (which was just in the news as the site of an oil train derailment). Photo taken in 2016.

Dear class

I enjoyed talking with everyone about the election 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 6/7/16:
Wildcat News Brief – Ty
State and Local Presentations?
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Discussion

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

Wildcat News Brief: Ty had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: Governing.com - Cost of Tax Breaks for States, Localities May Be Exposed. We talked about this story as far as impacting state and local government, and I noted that Donald Trump recently filed for a tax break in New York for people that earn less than $500,000 in a year.

We also talked about the last major day of the presidential primary election, with California being the big state voting today. I showed the New York Times updates on what is going on, and we also looked at the national election map of results for both parties. Cool visual!

At the end of this section, we watched Wildcat News for the day, which is here if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

State and Local Presentations? There were none of these left to present! Woo hoo! If you have not turned in the corresponding paper, please do so ASAP, as I will be grading these with your finals.

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 on Thursday, everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 7 - Class Recap

The view from Ecola State Park, looking down at Cannon Beach here in Oregon. This would be a good weekend to get to the beach and get out of the heat!

Hi everyone,

Today was a very quick class, with the shortened assembly schedule. We managed to get in some more State/Local project presentations with the short time we were together. 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: "Friday, I'm In Love" by The Cure. Selected for today because it was Friday. :-) Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/3/16:
News Brief – Sophie
State and Local Presentations
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Discussion

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

News Brief: Sophie had the news brief today and selected an article about Republican reaction to Donald Trump being less than enthusiastic. I then talked about Hillary Clinton's speech yesterday, which many people see as a turn in her campaign to be more directly confrontational with Trump. Here's the article that I said I would post on the blog: CNN.com - Clinton takes on Trump: Her 34 toughest lines.

And for those wanting to watch the speech, here it is: YouTube.com - Hillary Clinton National Security Address - FULL SPEECH (C-SPAN).

As always, very interesting to follow the campaign!

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