American Government

This is a basic government course. The course will include historical background, citizenship responsibilities, politics, and the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Current events will be analyzed in conjunction with the government.

NOTE: Remember that I post the agenda to the Google Classroom stream.

171. Wednesday, May 11, 2022: We finished up "how a bill becomes a law." I shared the answers to the study guide on Google Classroom. Our final test is tomorrow. Good luck. CODE: filibuster

170. Tuesday, May 10, 2022: We finished our discussion of the Election process, and then moved on to how a bill becomes a law (pg. 40). I teach government as a personal look at civics, not necessarily how the government is structured. I apologize if this ends up being super important later in your life. We will finish this up tomorrow along with a quick review. Your study guide should really help you (pg. 41). Test on Thursday. CODE: standing committee

169. Monday, May 9, 2022: We shared our Interest Group information (although several didn't have it completed). Then we started to share how the election process happens both for presidential candidates as well as in congressional elections. We will finish this timeline up tomorrow and our last little bit will be "how a bill becomes a law." CODE: caucus

168. Friday, May 6, 2022: We started by discussing current events. It kind of was a "dud" of a conversation because most didn't have too much to say. We then discussed interest groups - their purposes, and some specific types of interest groups. I handed out a research worksheet (yesterday) that you need to have completed by Monday. CODE: single-issued interest groups

167. Thursday, May 5, 2022: We discussed the handout dealing with political parties. We then took our last political survey and discovered that for the most part, the surveys seem to align. I handed out a worksheet on interest groups - which we will tackle tomorrow. For Monday, there is an interest group worksheet you need to complete. It's not a page in your notebook. Choose an interest group (links on Google Classroom under Unit Resources), and fill out the worksheet. Please choose an interest group you might legitimately join. CODE: multiparty vs one party

166. Wednesday, May 4, 2022: May the "fourth" be with you! We started with a political spectrum quiz. It seems like many of our surveys and quizzes are lining up. I know that I always get a clearer picture of my political stance through these surveys. Then we took the rest of the notes regarding political parties functions. We will finish up political parties tomorrow and then start a discussion of interest groups. CODE: radical liberal

165. Tuesday, May 3, 2022: We finished up our voting notes (no thanks to Jaya who kept getting us off topics - Netherland Reformed...visions...Amish...) We then started a coversation about what political parties include. We took a few notes, and then I handed out a set of notes and a link (posted to Google Classroom). Please explore the various political particles; it can be the Republicans and Democrats or it can be the Republicans and the Constitutionalists. You decide. You're the one that ultimately has to make the decision. Don't forget you have current events due on Thursday. CODE: off-topic

164. Monday, May 2, 2022: We completed an on-line survey about political ideology. Then we started discussing our responsibilities as a voter. We will tie this to our political parties, and eventually elections. Don't forget to complete the current events for this week (due Thursday). I distributed a political survey to help you identify what political party you most align with. CODE: ambivelent conservative

163. Friday, April 29, 2022: We took our test over the Bill of Rights and the amendment process. I didn't see anyone crying, but maybe they wouldn't do that in my presence. There's a current events assignment posted. It will be due on Wednesday. CODE: rights and liberties

162. Thursday, April 28, 2022: We reviewed the court cases. With the rest of the time, we went over the study guide. If you have any questions we didn't get to, send me a text or email, and I will gladly answer you. Test tomorrow. CODE: spanking

161. Wednesday, April 27, 2022: We continued to discuss the 14th Amendment and equal protection under the law and the citizenship clause. I handed out the study guide for our Friday's test. We'll start going over it tomorrow. CODE: Loving v Virginia

160. Tuesday, April 26, 2022: Rather than make a long video about the 14th Amendment, we'll pick up where we left off tomorrow. Instead I moved a lesson up that we were going to do tomorrow - 10 Court Cases Every Teen Should Know. There's a Google Slide presentation posted to Google Classroom where you will discuss these important court cases. Paul should have also passed out a worksheet that will cover some information related to the 14th Amendment. If you could please have it done for class tomorrow. CODE: Tinker v Des Moines

159. Monday, April 25, 2022: We started our discussion with the importance of the 14th amendment. We watched a 13 minute video that described the historical background for this important amendment. We didn't get all the way through my discussion, but I hope to finish it up tomorrow via video. CODE: equality protection clause

158. Friday, April 22, 2022: I'm sorry that I was gone today. I think I had everything set up for the class to run smoothly. The agenda was posted to your Google Classroom Stream. You should have turned in your one-pager. You need to also turn in the summary page with it. That's where I'm going to write down my comments and grade. Then Mr. Van Briesen should have handed out two worksheets on the Bill of Rights cases. I'm thinking you should have also went over the answers. Have a wonderful time at prom. CODE: Prom

157. Thursday, April 21, 2022: We finished our discussion of the Bill of Rights. We looked at each one and what liberties and rights are protected. There are so many rights listed under each one that it's sometimes difficult to keep them all straight. Tomorrow we're going to do a few activities where we apply those rights to various situations. CODE: People Power (IX)

156. Wednesday, April 20, 2022: I was gone today for the Federal Judiciary Summit. You were supposed to work on your Constitutional one-pager. Mr. Van Briesen said that everyone worked really well together, so I'm thinking things went okay. See you tomorrow. CODE: Senator Grassley

155. Tuesday, April 19, 2022: We started class by discussing what three liberties we would want to retain in case of an alien invastion. All of us were looking at how we would fight back. Then we started to review the various amendments - specifically the First Amendment. It's interesting that the issue of free speech and social media came up, especially because it's an issue in a neighboring school. Tomorrow you will have time to work on your Constitutional one-pagers. CODE: prior restraint

154. Thursday, April 14, 2022: We finished our discussion of Title IX and its importance for both men and women. Then we finished taking our notes on informal amending. The rest of the class period was spent working on our Constitutional one-pagers. You will have time next Wednesday to work on it, and it will be due April 22 (Friday). CODE: Easter

153. Wednesday, April 13, 2022: We started by watching a video produced by the Khan Academy explaining why it's so difficult to amend the United States Constitution. Then we discussed the difference between formal and informal amending, especially the ERA and Title IX. This is such a touchy issue, especially for us ladies. When we can't add a Constitutional amendment, the Constitution can be changed through basic legislation. I also handed out the instructions for our Constitutional One-Pagers. We'll discuss this more tomorrow. CODE: Title IX

152. Tuesday, April 12, 2022: Technology worked a lot better today. I managed to get through the rest of the judicial notes, and we started/finished discussing what formal amending is. When the actual words of the Constitution are changed, that's formal amending. For tomorrow, watch the two videos posted to GC and fill out the chart there. Watch the four-minute video first, and then tackle the Crash Course one. It doesn't matter if you do it out of order, but that order (Khan Academy then Crash Course) will make it easier. CODE: proposal

151. Monday, April 11, 2022: Today I was on the struggle bus. I couldn't find the notes for today (accidently sucked into the English 10 binder), and then the computer was doing very strange things and then wasps. About 1/2 way through the notes, I tapped out. We had a good conversation on Bitcoin though. Read the articles related to bitcoin, and post an answer to our current events. Hopefully, tomorrow will go better. CODE: Bitcoin

150. Friday, April 8, 2022: We took about 15 minutes to review for the test, and I hope it helped. We will start our amendment unit on Monday. Have a great weekend. CODE: vacuum

149. Thursday, April 7, 2022: Most of you were gone for the NCRC test. In fact, only five of you were here. You worked on your study guide together. Our test is tomorrow. The study guide will help tremendously. CODE: popular sovereignty

148. Wednesday, April 6, 2022: We discussed our current events: Ukraine, transgender rights, Supreme Court nomination...quite the eclectic topics. We then reviewed the front page of the WebQuest. You need to finish the reverse side. I also handed out the study guide for our test on Friday. CODE: Checks and Balances

147. Tuesday, April 5, 2022: We had about half our class because some were working on their NCRC tests. I posted the agenda to Google Classroom, and that is where you'll find a video about Congressional Oversight. Budget and committee meetings are two ways that Congress watches over the 2.8 million employees that work for the Executive Branch. For the rest of the class period, everyone worked on the WebQuest on Checks and Balances. There was one question that the answer was pretty difficult to find - the number of judges a President can appoint is 890. No president appoints that many, they appoint those that come open due to resignation or retirements (death). CODE: oversight

146. Monday, April 4, 2022: We moved onto a discussion about Checks and Balances. We watched a Crash Course on Checks and Balances and then filled out our chart. The legislative branch was considered the most powerful branch; therefore, it has the most "checks" on the other branches. I distributed a WebQuest to be completed on Checks and Balances. The link is posted to Google Classroom. Pay close attention to the chart on the impeachment and investigation of President Nixon. Again, this is due at the beginning of class on Thursday. CODE: veto

145. Friday, April 1, 2022: We finished up our Separation of Powers notes. We finished the column on the judicial branch. If you were gone, be sure to get the notes from a classmate. We will be finishing up this unit with checks & balances on Monday. CODE: Swing Show

144. Thursday, March 31, 2022: Unfortunately you had to wait for me to upload a photo of the coloring page, but eventually I got it. We reviewed the powers of Congress (labeled them on the coloring pages), and then moved on to the Executive Branch. We finished that, so all we have left is the Judicial Branch. If you have an opportunity, complete the extra credit, look up the names of the federal judges, and then work on your current events. CODE: the Cabinet

143. Wednesday, March 30, 2022: Thank goodness the Internet is back up as I wouldn't know how to proceed. We finished our discussion of Congress and its enumerated (delegated, expressed) powers. I had hoped to complete the executive branch, but the video related to our current events took up a little time today. Be sure to go to the current events assignment and complete it. I handed out a coloring page related to separation of powers. Find those powers related to the legislative branch and color them in yellow. CODE: implied powers

142. Tuesday, March 29, 2022: We discussed the delegated powers of Congress. We will continue looking at each power and move on to the Executive Branch tomorrow. If we're lucky, we'll also get to the judicial branch. CODE: English system of measurement

141. Monday, March 28, 2022: I was gone to All-State, so the agenda (Google Slides) is posted to Google Classroom. The videos are there to help you with your make-up work. We finished up limited government and then started our conversation on the Separation of Powers, which is a form of limited government. CODE: It's your job!

140. Friday, March 25, 2022: We didn't have school because of parent-teacher conferences.

139. Thursday, March 24, 2022: We started our discussion today about whether celebrities receive the same treatment in our judicial system - either for the good or the bad. We had a limited discussion on our current events related to the judicial system, the Supreme Court, and cases appearing in front of the court. We discussed reasonable suspicion versus probable cause, a Terry stop, and search warrants in general. CODE: 4th Amendment

138. Wednesday, March 23, 2022: We finished our discussion of the court cases and limited government. We then continued to take our notes on limited government. We just got started on discussing probable cause vs reasonable suspicion. It's interesting as we're studying those concepts in law as well. CODE: Getting pulled over

137. Tuesday, March 22, 2022: We watched a video on Justice Clarence Thomas. It's an older video, but that's because Justice Thomas is such a quiet man. In order to make things a little easier for those that are absent, I had a worksheet on the Bill of Rights. It will be easier to keep the group together concerning the notes and the court cases. Please stop by and grab the worksheet. You only need to complete the front side. Don't forget to complete your current events for this week. CODE: limited government

136. Monday, March 21, 2022: We started by watching a short video about the new Supreme Court nominee. She could be the first black woman to sit on the Supreme Court. This will tie into our current events. Find an article related to the Supreme Court - the nominee, a case that is in front of the court, etc. It must be within the past six months. Then go to Google Classroom and post a summary (worth 10 points), the URL, and your opinion. Then comment on two classmates' post (worth 5 points). This is all due for Thursday. CODE: voir dire (jury selection)

135. Friday, March 18, 2022: We discussed why limited government was a non-negotiable aspect of our government. We took a few notes on rule of law. Then I distributed court cases related to four specific areas - education, judicial system, nonpopular opinions, and religious activities. Each group worked on filling out their chart. We will then break into new groups Monday and finish it up. CODE: rule of law

134. Thursday, March 17, 2022: Brayden shared his federalism project despite his partner being absent. I handed out some notes on limited government, and then each individual chose from a pile various court cases dealing with rule of law. Please read your packet, fill out the chart (your portion), and be prepared to discuss tomorrow. CODE: Las Vegas shooting

133. Wednesday, March 16, 2022: To be honest, so many students were gone, it was almost impossible to have class. We basically talked about a few current events, but the rest of the class was a study hall. I felt guilty, but I also didn't want to "redo" things tomorrow. We will finish up presentations tomorrow, and move onto limited government. CODE: We missed you!

132. Tuesday, March 15, 2022: We reviewed the various aspects of the Preamble - what each phrase means. "To form a more perfect union" - hopefully that's what our government tries to do every day - make things better. "Establish justice" - creating courts, passing laws, arresting wrongdoers. "Ensure domestic tranquility" - peace WITHIN our borders, calling out patrols during tragedies, the National Guard, riot control. "Provide for the common defense" - that's more outside our borders, what is the government doing to keep us safe from outside forces. "Promote the general welfare" - we talked about this one the longest because it's about what is the government doing to promote small businesses, workers (education), help to equalize society so everyone has a chance to make something of themselves. "Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity" - we enjoy the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, and we want to guarantee that our children have those same freedoms. Where does federalism fit in? Well, with them all as the States and federal government work together to complete each one of those. We then took our quiz over popular sovereignty and federalism. Tomorrow we will have the last two presentations. CODE: end of the quarter

131. Monday, March 14, 2022: We started by discussing the war in Ukraine. Then the group gave their presentation on Hurricane Katrina. Despite the fact that we have two more presentations, we will have a quiz on popular sovereignty and federalism tomorrow. We will then finish up those last few presentations tomorrow and Wednesday. CODE: levee

130. Friday, March 11, 2022: Day of Great Expectations

129. Thursday, March 10, 2022: We finished the California Wildfire presentation. This is an excellent example of how various states handle natural disasters differently. We will finish up on Monday. CODE: wildfires

128. Wednesday, March 9, 2022: Today we had a presentation on 9/11. This is another example of all levels of government coming together to deal with a national tragedy. Hopefully, we will be able to get two presentations in tomorrow. CODE: 9/11 Memorial

127: Tuesday, March 8, 2022: Today we had our presentation on the Columbine shooting. I realize that you know so little about it, but for me this brings up some really tough memories. More presentations tomorrow. CODE: Colorado

126. Monday, March 7, 2022: Today we caught up on last week's assignments and table of contents. Then we took the rest of the class period working on the federalism project. We will present tomorrow. CODE: passport

122-125 This week was about finishing up popular sovereignty and federalism. On Monday, it was all about the Preamble. Tuesday, it was notes about federalism. There was also a classification assignment. On Thursday and Friday, everyone picked a group and began working on a presentation related to a national tragedy. We will present on Tuesday.

121. Friday, February 25, 2022: We spent quite a bit of class discussing the Ukrainian crisis as well as our current event on free speech. We did manage to review our thoughts on "who is part of the 'we'" in the We the People. Next week Monday, you will demonstrate your knowledge of the Preamble's wording. CODE: Putin

120. Thursday, February 24, 2022: We reviewed the Constitutional Amendments. Then we started our conversation on the Preamble of the Constitution. Everyone was assigned one of four areas: children, immigrants, businesses, or animals. There are two articles per area that you need to read and decide whether they are part of the "we" in We the People. Don't forget that you have a current events video on Free Speech due tomorrow. CODE: the lost amendment

119. Wednesday, February 23, 2022: We finished our discussion of the Constitution structure (the main part). Everyone was assigned either animal, immigrant, business, or child. Are they part of the "people"? Please read the correlating article posted to Google Classroom. CODE: full faith and credit.

118. Tuesday, February 22, 2022: Fun date! We had shortened class period, but we managed to discuss the "invasion" of the Ukraine by Russia and the rising gas prices. There's a news video on free speech posted to Google Classroom. That is your current events assignment for this week. Please have your opinion summarized as well as two responses to classmates by Friday. We then spent the next ten to fifteen minutes reviewing the structure of the government as outlined in the Constitution. Finish filling out the Bill of Rights section. We will finish up tomorrow. CODE: commerce power

117. Friday, February 18, 2022: We reviewed for a few minutes and then took our test over the Founding Father's vision. CODE: Friday

116. Thursday, February 17, 2022: We basically spent the rest of the class period reviewing for tomorrow's test. Most of class was pretty quiet while everyone worked on their study guide. Then we hauled out the Quizlet cards and we played a few rounds. Shealyn got the best of me for two rounds, but I came back strong and won two rounds. I'm going to claim that my computer froze on the first two rounds. ;-) Test tomorrow. CODE: Puma (the Beast)!

115. Wednesday, February 16, 2022: We focused on the Federalist Papers and how they impacted the New York vote. We also discussed the impact that Alexander Hamilton and John Jay had on the ratification of our Constitution. I handed out the study guide for this unit. We will take this test on Friday (it's better than returning and taking it on Tuesday). We will finish up a few loose ends tomorrow and then use the rest of the class period to review. CODE: Alexander Hamilton

114. Tuesday, February 15, 2022: We spent most of the class period focused on why the Bill of Rights was so controversial. We watched a video (attached to the agenda posted to Google Classroom) and filled out a worksheet as we went. Then we started to compare and contrast the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. We'll finish this up tomorrow. We'll discuss ratification, and then I'll have to figure out when our test will be. I'm thinking it will be Friday, which stinks, but it's better than waiting until after the three-day weekend. CODE: George Mason

113. Monday, February 14, 2022: We finished with the compromises, but now we need to discuss the impact the Bill of Rights had on our Constitution. We have this thought that there can't be anything "controversial" about the Bill of Rights, but they almost derailed the entire process. Please be sure to read the last three pages of the handout. These pages focus on the Bill of Rights. CODE: Electoral College - winner-take-all

112. Friday, February 11, 2022: We discussed our current events, and it seems like all things find its way back to COVID-19. We then reviewed the Connecticut Compromise, the 3/5th Compromise, the Slave Trade Compromise, and ended with intrastate vs. interstate compromise. If you were gone, there is a Loom video posted to Google Classroom. It should help you take notes. Please show those notes to me. CODE: Stolen items from the White House

111. Thursday, February 10, 2022: We had our Founding Fathers' dinner party today. I had quite the get-up impersonating Ben Franklin. It's fun to still surprise students, especially Seniors. For tomorrow, be sure to have your Current Events completed. CODE: BBQ smokies

110. Wednesday, February 9, 2022: We took notes today. Sorry, I wish I could make it more exciting, but it's the essence of government class. We watched a short video on James Madison, the most overlooked president (I feel) of the 40-something presidents that have served. Don't forget to have the research of your Constitutional Convention delegate completed for tomorrow. We will have our dinner party, and it should be fun. CODE: little Jimmy Madison

109. Tuesday, February 8, 2022: We introduced the background of the Constitutional Convention. We then played a game that I hope demonstrated the need to compromise. It's a lost art - compromising. Don't forget to work on the research of you founding father (delegate). We will be having our dinner party on Thursday. CODE: paper clips

108. Monday, February 7, 2022: We started by looking at the handout "Trying to Govern" and then answering the questions on the slide. Remember the slide is posted to Google Classroom. Then we finished taking notes on the Articles of Confederation - its weaknesses, its struggles, the Annapolis Convention. I then distributed a worksheet called "Who were the Founding Fathers?" Everyone has been given a particular delegate. You are to research AND then go to Google Classroom and create a slide for your delegate. The directions are posted on the assignment. This is due on Thursday. We're going to do a dinner party where we all channel our chosen delegate (extra credit if you dress up). Current Events will be due on Friday. CODE: Shay's Rebellion

107. Friday, February 4, 2022: We looked at the contributions of the Northwest Ordinance. This piece of legislation helped us create a system of bringing states into our union. We will pick up on Monday with why the Articles of Confederation was doomed to fail. For next week Thursday, please complete the current events that is posted to Google Classroom. This is a little different than what we've done in the past, so please be sure to read the directions. CODE: writ of habeas corpus

106. Thursday, February 3, 2022: We reviewed the importance of yesterday's game, and then discussed the first "president" - John Hanson. I don't believe we can call him our first president, but he was in charge of the Continental Congress when Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington. We then took notes on the structure, weaknesses, and strengths of our first government. I tried to record, so hopefully, I have something to send you. CODE: Northwest Ordinance

105. Wednesday, February 2, 2022: We played one of my favorite government games - Win as Much Money as You Can! It was a wonderful game demonstrating whether a colony will think as a State or as a nation. It was pretty clear, that you think as a State and not. We then started our notes on the Articles of Confederation. For tomorrow, find the name of the first president (under the Articles). CODE: greed

104. Tuesday, February 1, 2022: We finished up our discussion of the Great Seal and its symbols. We also discussed the five visionary statements that are supported through the symbols. We discussed when we've lived up to our motto E Pluribus Unum and when we haven't. For tomorrow, please read the handout "Trying Self-Government" and "Wanted: A New Government" (basically it's the first three pages of the handout). CODE: A world power

103. Monday, January 31, 2022: We spent quite a bit of time with our current events discussion. We are just one group of citizens trying to solve some really big issues. We then got through the symbols of the "other" side of the Seal. Since our current events went long, we didn't get as far as I had hoped. Extra Credit is posted to Google Classroom. CODE: gun violence

102. Friday, January 28, 2022: We took out a dollar bill and discussed the symbols, numbers, etc. we noticed. Then I presented the first half of a lesson on the Great Seal. I forgot to include time to discuss Current Events - that's on me, I simply forgot. We'll do that on Monday. If you were gone, we no longer have the ability to record via Google Meets, but hopefully, we can figure something out soon. Have a great weekend. CODE: E Pluribus Unum.

101. Thursday, January 27, 2022: We took ten minutes to review (using the Quizlet flashcards), and then we took our test over types of government. Don't forget that you have a current event due tomorrow.

100. Wednesday, January 26, 2022: I love days like today. We just sat and talked...about democracy. Where our country is, where it's headed. Such good conversations. For tomorrow, please be sure to have your democracy assignment (Google slides posted to Google Classroom) completed. We are also going to have a test over types of government tomorrow. There are study cards posted to GC as well. CODE: furries and litter boxes

99. Tuesday, January 25, 2022: We jumped right into our discussion of democracy. I have some Google slides that ask you to watch videos, look at cartoons, read some articles, and then when all is said and done, then answer a question related to whether you feel that democracy is alive or on life support in the United States. It is due on Thursday, but you should have gotten a lot of it completed in class today. CODE: populism

98. Monday, January 24, 2022: We watched a short video on rule of law - such an important concept. Then we discussed the differences between direct and indirct democracy. We then broke down indirect democracy into presidential and parliamentary governments. There are TWO current events questions posted to Google Classroom. We will have our discussion on Friday. Since there are two questions, it's worth more points. CODE: ...and to the republic for which it stands.

97. Friday, January 21, 2022: We started class by playing a little Kahoot review. If you were gone, take a look at the video I sent you. We then finished our notes on the soil of democracy. We will define the two types of indirect democracy on Monday. Have a good weekend! CODE: Chobani Yogurt

96. Thursday, January 20, 2022: Today was all about democracy! We took a look at the world and how many governments claim to be democratic. We first reviewed the worksheet you had as homework. Then we took notes on the characteristics of democracy and then started to discuss the soil that democracy needs to grow. We will finish that up tomorrow. CODE: Congressional immunity

95. Wednesday, January 19, 2022: We had a really good current events conversation about North Korea, missiles, sovereignty, and we also discussed some local crime. Then we finished our chart on the various types of governments. For tomorrow, complete the reverse side of the worksheet. CODE: oligarchy

94. Tuesday, January 18, 2022: Today we started our conversation with what does it cause for citizens to rebel? I think it would take a lot for someone to pick up a weapon and fight the government you've been loyal to your entire life. Then we took notes over the types of government (there is a worksheet in the crate for you to pick up. Get a classmate's notes and get them copied.) For tomorrow, please fill out the postcard activity. Remember that tomorrow your current events discussion board is due. CODE: rebellion

93. We didn't have class on Monday, January 17th as everyone was gone to Sioux Falls for Homecoming Court.

We didn't have school on Friday, January 14th.

92. Thursday, January 13, 2022: We discussed the process for current events. Remember to read a variety of sources, write a summary of a minimum of 7 sentences, two responses on a classmate's post, and be prepared to discuss current events on Wednesday. Then we took our quiz over a State. Tomorrow we will begin our discussion of types of government. CODE: North Korean missile

91. Wednesday, January 12, 2022: Since we've been discussing authority, power, legitimacy, and sovereignty, it's interesting that last night on KTIV they discussed a Department of Health and mask mandates. The governor of Nebraska stated that Douglas County neither had the author or the power to enforce mask mandates. This is exactly what we're talking about. We shared our state projects. You all did so wonderfully getting them in on time. Then we finished our notes on PALS. Tomorrow you will have a quiz over the material we've been studying. CODE: legitimacy

90. Tuesday, January 11, 2022: We reviewed (one more time) what a state, State, nation, nation-state are. This is in review for our quiz on Thursday. We then took notes on the concept PALS - power, authority, legitimacy, and sovereignty. We will finish this up tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, your state project is due. Remember to save it as a PDF file, download it and then turn it in on Google Classroom. CODE: authority

89. Monday, January 10, 2022: We reviewed state vs. State, what is a nation, and the four theories of a how a state is born. Then we took notes on the four purposes of government - maintaining social order, providing public goods and services, providing national security, making laws and economic decisions. The rest of the class was spent working on the state project, which is due on Wednesday. You will NOT have class period tomorrow to work on it. CODE: debt clock.

88. Friday, January 7, 2022: We reviewed the elements of a state, but then added the concept of a nation (a territory united by a common language, race, religion, or culture). We then identified Aristotle and his impact on political science. I reviewed the four theories of how a state is born - force, evolutionary, divine right, and social contract. Now that we have that down, everyone had about 10 minutes to work on their state project, which will be due on Tuesday. Have a great weekend. CODE: nation-state

87. Thursday, January 6, 2022: We discussed the elements of a state - people, territory, sovereignty, and government. We took a few notes, and then I distributed a state final project. You will use the resources posted to Google. You will have tomorrow and Monday to work on your project. CODE: Are animals people?

86. Wednesday, January 5, 2022: And we're back, with a whole new crew. It was so nice to see all your bright shining faces in class today. Remember that if you're absent, you'll want to read this blog, record the code words, and then go to Google Classroom and look at the agenda posted there. We set up our notebook, and then went through Quizizz to get logged into Google Classroom and sign up for Remind. We then played a game "Beat the Pro" and although I was nervous for a bit, I still won! For tomorrow, read the handout on "What is a state?" CODE: I still reign!

82. Monday, December 20, 2021: We finished our discussion of conservatives and liberals. We then reviewed the study guide. All answers are posted to Google Classroom. Your semester test is tomorrow. CODE: naturalization test

81. Friday, December 17, 2021: We took a few political spectrum surveys. Where do we align on the spectrum when it comes to liberal or conservative. We completed two of them, and you all just made me laugh with your 2 1/2 scores. I truly enjoy teaching your class. You all seem interested and curious. It's the highlight of my day. CODE: radical or reactionary

80. Thursday, December 16, 2021: We discussed how the two-party system is something we will always have because we've always had it. Then we went through a voters handbook discussing precinct, polling place, different tickets. Towards the end of class, I distributed the study guide for your final test. It is written in order of your notebook and the test. Remember that I take the naturalization test every immigrant takes to be a citizen, but I will rearrange those questions so it is in the order of the way we studied this semester. CODE: precinct

79. Wednesday, December 15, 2021: We started class discussing whether we could remove political parties from the election process. Then we finished the Election Timeline. We will then tackle the Voter's Handbook tomorrow and Friday. Monday will be a review day with the semester test on Tuesday. Everyone will turn in their notebooks on Wednesday. I can't believe we're almost to the end. What a great semester it has been! CODE: Inauguration Day

78. Tuesday, December 14, 2021: Who is your favorite president? This sparked a good conversation. Then we finished the worksheet (top half) of the electoral college. For tomorrow, finish the bottom half (the link is on Google Classroom). I handed out an election timeline. Today we discussed a caucus, direct primary and petition. We will finish the timeline tomorrow. CODE: campaigning

77. Monday, December 13, 2021: So what exactly does the Vice-President do? We discussed the way the vice-president's office changed across time. We then finished those notes as well as started to discuss the electoral college. There's a worksheet you need to grab. We will continue to discuss the election process. CODE: Airforce Two

76. Thursday, December 9, 2021: We continued with our discussion of presidential qualifications and responsibilities as outlined in Article II of the United States Constitution. We watched a video from CBS Sunday Morning concerning presidential portraits. It's pretty interesting how the tradition of them came about. We'll finish these notes tomorrow (if the blizzard doesn't hit) and then tackle the election process. CODE: head of state

75. Wednesday, December 8, 2021: We started our discussion about the qualifications for president. We took notes, and will continue for the next couple of days. Don't forget to finish the assignment on the differences between a Republican or Democrat. CODE: natural born citizen

74. Tuesday, December 7, 2021: We finished up our discussion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. We learned that President Johnson went to quite some lengths to get the bill passed. For Thursday, please read the article that I provided on Republicans and Democrats and fill out the worksheet. This will take you a while, so maybe set some time aside today and a little more time tomorrow. CODE: cloture

73. Monday, December 6, 2021: We continued our discussion of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Since the universe seems to revolve around my classroom, CBS Sunday Morning had a news article related to the Civil Rights Movement - Josephine Baker. We will finish the rest of our notes tomorrow, and then we will move onto the Executive branch and the president. CODE: March on Washington.

72. Friday, December 3, 2021: We worked on the 1964 Civil Rights Act. From the notes left from the substitute, the links did not work. That's so frustrating as they work for me, so I plan on things thinking you can use the resources. I'm hoping you were able to do a Google search and still fill in the needed information. We will finish this on Monday, and move onto discussing the powers of the President. CODE: Weekend Vibes.

71. Thursday, December 2, 2021: We reviewed the COVID-19 Family Protection Act. Everyone's Google Slide assignment should be turned in. Then I handed out the 1964 Civil Rights Act packet. This will be the second major piece of legislation we will study. We got through a little of it, but we'll tackle more tomorrow. CODE: Plessy v. Ferguson

70. Wednesday, December 1, 2021: Today we played a little catchup. We reviewed the answers to the comparison between the House and Senate. Then we finished the notes related to "How a Bill Becomes a Law." We will finish this up tomorrow. Have the Google Slide assignment completed for tomorrow. CODE: filibuster

69. Tuesday, November 30, 2021: I'm still out, but we must continue. Posted to Google Classroom is a Google Slide assignment where you go through the law-making process. This is a great review of the process with the recent COVID-19 relief bill. This is due at the beginning of class on Thursday. CODE: Bill

68. Monday, November 29, 2021: I was gone today, but I'm sure Mrs. Anderson had everything taken care of. You were to classify the various descriptors between the House of Representatives and the Senate. The link is on Google Classroom. You would have done this one your own paper, and it would have been page #30. CODE: Apples to Oranges

67. Wednesday, November 24, 2021: You really make my day. I absolutely love teaching government, and today was a rough day for me, and you just sparked my love for my job, and I know many of you won't read this, but I truly love you! We reviewed the worksheet on standing committees and then continued to take our notes on how a bill becomes a law. We'll finish this on Monday. I hope you have a great holiday. CODE: turkey and stuffing.

66. Tuesday, November 23, 2021: For all the grumbling, everyone got their one-pager done for class today. We went through the various committees, and everyone shared three things they learned about their committee. Then I handed a worksheet out that asked them to assign bills to the proper committee based on the topic of the bill. It's like practicing to be Speaker of the House. We'll review that tomorrow. CODE: Ways and Means

65. Monday, November 22, 2021: I wasn't here, but this is what I left for everyone to complete. We discussed the differences between a standing, select, and joint committee. Then everyone drew a card that had a standing committee on it. With the provided piece of paper, everyone was to prepare a quick one-pager on the jurisdiction, subcommittees, etc. of that particular standing committee. It's not supposed to be fancy, just something you can share with your classmates. CODE: Select committees are Temporary

64. Friday, November 19, 2021: We took a few minutes and looked at current bills being discussed by Congress. We saw a censure, the Build Back Better Act, and a few others. Then I handed out the notes over the legislative process. We filled in the first two stages. CODE: Congressional Committees.

63. Thursday, November 18, 2021: We took a few minutes to define the various qualities of the Constitution. Then we took our unit test. It seemed everyone had enough time to complete the test. Tomorrow we're going to start our unit on the legislative process - how a bill becomes a law. CODE: no tears

62. Wednesday, November 17, 2021: We used the first 1/2 of the class to work on our study guide. We then reviewed any questions that maybe didn't get answered. I posted the answers to the study guide to Google Classroom. Tomorrow will be your unit test. CODE: Colored Blocks (riddle)

61. Tuesday, November 16, 2021: We finished up our discussion of checks and balances, specifically congressional oversight. We watched a short TEDD Talk on congressional oversight, and I thought it did a better job of explaining it than I could. It also emphasized the concept of the Power of the Purse. Controlling the budget is a huge way to control the government. I distributed a study guide that we will work on tomorrow in class, with our test on Thursday. CODE: hearings

60. Monday, November 15, 2021: We tackled checks and balances today. We watched (stop and started) the Crash Course video on Checks and Balances. While he was explaining how each branch "watches" over the other, we filled in our chart. We also discussed our thoughts about the tragedy at Astroworld. We're getting to the end of our unit, so our test over the various tenets of our Constitution will be this week. Please complete the reverse side of the worksheet (it reviews all the tenets). CODE: Congressional Oversight

59. Friday, November 12, 2021: I was gone today, but this is what I left for you. Mr. Van Briesen should have handed out a WebQuest from iCivics. Using the links posted to Google Classroom, you should have been able to go through and learn a bit more on separation of powers and also checks and balances. This is due on Monday. CODE: webquest

58. Thursday, November 11, 2021: We started by discussing what each branch does when it comes to impeachment. The legislative branch, specifically the House of Representatives, charges the individual and the Senate acts as the court, and the judicial branch (the chief justice) oversees the proceedings. Then we continued with discussing the various powers of each branch. We finished the notes on the executive branch and then returned to the worksheet and colored in those boxes blue. We also finished the judicial branch and highlighted them pink. For tomorrow, be sure that you have the current events completed on Astroworld. CODE: Who's in charge?

57. Wednesday, November 10, 2021: We started by reviewing the differences between delegated (expressed) and implied powers. The SMART board had a fun alien (which we turned into a pirate game). Then we reviewed the "yellow" coded words related to the legislative branch. We took notes on the executive branch and then started coloring them blue. There is a current events assignment posted to Google Classroom. CODE: commander-in-chief

56. Tuesday, November 9, 2021: We jumped into tenet #4 - separation of powers. Our government has been divided into three basic branches - each branch has its own responsibilities. Today we discussed the legislative branch. We outlined each of the powers of the legislative branch - expressed powers (17) and how the implied powers connect with those expressed ones. I then distributed another worksheet where you're going to color all the areas that deal with the legislative branch in yellow. We'll be adding to our color coding as the days go on. CODE: 760,000 people

55. Monday, November 8, 2021: We discussed the importance of a limited government. We finished our notes (worksheet). We discussed searches and seizures, due process, and finally gun control. That surely is a wide range of topics for a Monday morning. I handed out a worksheet on the Bill of Rights and how they protect our liberties and limit the government's power. For tomorrow, find an article that demonstrates the government's limitation thanks to the topics we've discussed. CODE: right to an attorney

54. Friday, November 5, 2021: No school due to Parent-teacher conferences.

53. Thursday, November 4, 2021: We spent the class period reviewing the last of the court cases related to limited government. Because the play kids had to leave, we stopped there, and I plan to pick up with limited government on Monday. Have a great weekend. CODE: Brown v. Board of Education

52. Wednesday, November 3, 2021: Our bell ringer was a discussion of whether the judges should be held accountable for their decisions. Are they responsible to the people or the law? Who do they represent? We need to understand that they are not elected officials - they're instruments of justice. It's important that our judiciary remain independent. Next we moved on and discussed cases related to limiting our government - cases involving religion and jury selection. We'll finish up the other two tomorrow. CODE: animal sacrifice

51. Tuesday, November 2, 2021: We walked up town, and for those that could vote for our city council and school board we did. It was a lovely day, so it was nice to get out and just enjoy the sunshine. CODE: civic duty

50. Monday, November 1, 2021: We started our discussion of limited government. We defined rule of law and began a group study of court cases that support rule of law. We will continue to work in our groups tomorrow and then share with the rest of the class. CODE: judicial independence

49. Friday, October 29, 2021: Today we reviewed the goals of the Preamble and how federalism fit into those national goals. Then we took our quiz over popular sovereignty and federalism. Posted to Google Classroom is our next current events' assignment - critical race theory. Please read the posted articles and then comment on two classmates. CODE: federal vs. State

48. Thursday, October 28, 2021: Today we finished the Columbine presentation, granted it was very much. Then the group on the Las Vegas shooting then presented. It was a little difficult because one of the members was gone. Tomorrow you will have a quiz over popular sovereignty and federalism. Then we will move onto limited government. CODE: bump stocks.

47. Wednesday, October 27, 2021: Today we had two of the federalism presentations. We learned about Three-Mile Island and the Columbine Shooting. We didn't quite finish the Columbine presentation, so we'll finish that up tomorrow. On Friday, we will have a quiz on popular sovereignty and federalism. CODE: nuclear power

46. Tuesday, October 26, 2021: We worked for half the class period, then the group that studied the Moore Oklahoma tornado presented. We will have two more tomorrow and then finish up on Thursday with a test on Friday. CODE: F5 Tornado

45. Monday, October 25, 2021: Today's class period was spent working on the federalism project. You'll have half a class period tomorrow as we will be listening to one group's presentation. I look forward to hearing about what you've learned about federalism. CODE: charities vs. government

44. Friday, October 22, 2021: Today was basically a work day for our federalism project. Everyone worked on the timeline of events of the tragedy your group selected. Then each of you should assign various aspects of the project so that the entire presentation is ready to submit by Wednesday. CODE: the "waltz"

43. Thursday, October 21, 2021: We finished our discussion of federalism (to be honest, it shouldn't have taken us this long), but anyway. Then I introduced a federalism project. The presentation template is posted to Google Classroom. You will have tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday to work on this project. CODE: mandates

42. Wednesday, October 20, 2021: We had some fun with "find the faces" in the picture. We probably took too much time with this. Anyway, we then went on to our discussion of federalism - dual, cooperative, and regulative. We reviewed the columns of government responsibilities and then moved on to our federalism notes. I had hoped to get through and explain your federalism project, but with the shortened class periods, that just didn't happen. Please read the handout I provided on federalism. We previewed it during class, but you're responsible for the information in the reading. CODE: grants-in-aid

41. Tuesday, October 19, 2021: We reviewed the first column of governmental responsibilities. Each federal responsibility is actually an enumerated power (listed in the Constitution). You should see many related to state powers because our states are responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens. We watched the Crash Course video on federalism. Then we went and filled out our notes. We will finish this up tomorrow. CODE: dual federalsim.

40. Monday, October 18, 2021: We started our discussion of federalism. We took quite a few notes discussing delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers. I distributed a classification assignment. Mark them with "F" for federal, "S" for state, and "C" for concurrent. Each of the government's responsibilities falls under one of them. CODE: senior picture

39. Friday, October 15, 2021: We reviewed the Preamble and even listened to Schoolhouse Rock's version. After a few minutes of staring at it, we then took our quiz. We had a few people that were just stuck, but remember you can take this quiz as many times as you like. I just want you to know our mission statement. I passed out a paper on federalism, but because of the shortened class periods, we really didn't get to it. Don't forget to find a current event related to the six goals found in the Preamble. Follow the directions posted to Google Classroom. Have a great weekend. CODE: posterity

38. Thursday, October 14, 2021: We reviewed the structure of the Preamble and the six goals that they encompass. Then we shared our findings of "Who is Part of We the People?" We had some really good conversations about children, animals, businesses, and immigrants. We then discussed how the six goals still apply to the modern era. For next week's current events, you are to find an article that reflects one of the six goals of the Preamble. Write a summary (a minimum of 8 sentences) and then post the URL at the bottom of your summary. Also in the article, indicate which goal it refers to. Then go and comment on two of your classmates' choices. Tomorrow we will have our quiz over the Preamble. CODE: droodles

37. Wednesday, October 13, 2021: We started class discussing who "we the people" include. We started by saying that it required humans who can utilize the freedoms outlined in the Constitution. We then broke into our groups - animals, children/teenagers, businesses, and immigrants - and each group answered the questions of whether that particular group is included in the phrase "We the People". Tomorrow we will share our thoughts. Also, please read the handout Constitutional Principles. CODE: the Preamble

36. Tuesday, October 12, 2021: We started by sharing what amendments expanding voting rights - 15th, 16th, 19th, and 26th. We then finished our notes on the structure of the Constitution. This took a while, but now we have an outline of what exactly is in our Constitution. We didn't get too much time, but we did start our discussion of the debt ceiling. Our next current event will be the topic of critical race theory. Everyone was then assigned an area of study for the "We the People" project - animals, children and teenagers, immigrants, and businesses. There are two articles per topic posted to Google Classroom. Please read them and fill out the Google form that is also posted in the same assignment. CODE: 14th Amendment

35. Monday, October 11, 2021: We discussed the importance of opening lines. The Preamble is such an iconic opening line. We then took notes on the structure of the U.S. Constitution. I handed out a copy of the Constitution - please don't lose it. For tomorrow, please fill out the section on the Amendments. CODE: ex post facto law

34. Friday, October 8, 2021: We basically took our test today. Don't forget to complete the current events posted to Google Classroom. CODE: debt ceiling.

33. Thursday, October 7, 2021: Most of the class was spent reviewing for tomorrow's test. We basically went through the study guide and filled that out in groups. I like hearing how much you've learned from this past unit. It makes me feel like I taught you something! CODE: "living" Constitution.

32. Wednesday, October 6, 2021: We finished watching the Alexander Hamilton rap, and it was a great way to start class. (I love this musical!) Then we discussed John Jay, the Federalists, the Anti-Federalists, and finally summed up how the Constitution was ratified - starting with Delaware and ending with New Hampshire (needed New York and Virginia). We also discussed John Jay and how he helped secure New York's vote; he also goes on to be the father of our American judiciary. We started to review our study guide, and we will continue to review tomorrow with our test on Friday. CODE: the Federalist Papers

31. Tuesday, October 5, 2021: We watched a video on the importance of the Bill of Rights, and why it was so controversial. This led us to the conversation of Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Unfortunately, class ended right when we were watching Alexander Hamilton's rap (Linn Manuel Miranda's anyway). Our test will probably be Thursday or Friday. There's a lot of information here, so it's a doozie! CODE: little Jimmy Madison

30. Monday, October 4, 2021: We started class by watching CBS Sunday Morning's story on Facebook and misinformation. This story tied perfectly with what we discussed last week on social media. Then we reviewed the 3/5ths compromise and the number of representatives. Then we discussed the importance of the Bill of Rights and why some members of Constitutional Convention wouldn't support the new Constitution without one. For tomorrow, please complete the Ven Diagram (worksheet) on why to have a Bill of Rights. CODE: 1 representative = 33,000 people.

29. Friday, October 1, 2021: We had our dinner party today. It was fun to visit over smokies, cheese, and carrots. We filled in our papers, and then reviewed the compromises. I distributed a worksheet where you were to figure out the population and representation using the 3/5ths compromise. CODE: Rufus King

28. Thursday, September 30, 2021: We jumped right in and finished up our discussion of compromises. It's hard to believe they could work out when they had such differing points of view. We completed a small exercise comparing the weaknesses of the Articles to the strengths of the Constitution. For tomorrow, please read the handout I distributed. CODE: King George?

27. Wednesday, September 29, 2021: I had quite a bit of trouble with my SMART board, but we muddled through. We got through the Virginia Plan, the New Jersey Plan, and the Connecticut Compromise. Everyone is reminded that they need to have their research done and be prepared for our "dinner party" on Friday. CODE: compromise

26. Tuesday, September 28, 2021: It's hard for me not to nerd out on the Constitutional Convention, but I always marvel that these 55 men constructed a government unlike any in human history. Oh to be a fly on that wall. We went through as much as we could. My SMARTboard is still not loading a full SMART file, and it is frustrating. For Friday, each person was assigned a particular Founding Father. Using the resources found on the web (including Wikipedia), answer the questions on the worksheet distributed. On Friday, we will have a Constitutional Dinner Party where everyone will have to pretend to be the person they were assigned. Always a fun assignment. CODE: George Washington

25. Monday, September 27, 2021: We started class discussing the impact of social media on our lives. With the most recent TikTok challenge and the damages being done to public property, it's a hot-button issue right now. We didn't have a lot of time, but we did manage to create games using a pair of dice, 13 small paper clips, and 5 large ones. It was interesting to see the different creations. Tomorrow we will pick up and discuss the Constitutional Convention. CODE: Gabby P.

24. Friday, September 24, 2021: Class started with a few review questions. It was just an opportunity to check (without a grade) to see if people had read their handout on the Articles of Confederation. To finish out the class was a video on the Articles of Confederation. This was meant to summarize what we've studied so far. Stop it at 4:25 (as it then reviews the Constitutional Convention). Be prepared to discuss current events on Monday. CODE Tik Tok.

23. Thursday, September 23, 2021: We started by looking at a township, section, and quarter. Then we looked at how the Northwest Territory was broken into five states - 5,000 free men, 60,000 free individuals, and the various freedoms and liberties. We, well - I did, we got a little sidetracked talking about due process which led to eminent domain. I know I will probably repeat myself later. We finished up with the problems facing the new country and the Annapolis Convention and the call for representatives to go to Philadelphia in May 1787. For tomorrow, have your current events completed. CODE: eminent domain.

22. Wednesday, September 22, 2021: We basically took notes throughout the entire class period. It's not the most exciting sort of lesson, but I felt like it was a discussion and an opportunity to share information about our earliest American government. For tomorrow, complete the worksheet I handed out - one part is on the township system and the other about how a territory becomes a state. CODE: No taxes, no money.

21. Tuesday, September 21, 2021: We played a game entitled "Win as much money as you can." This simulation gives us an idea of how hard it is to get everyone looking and working in the same direction. We even knew how to win the game and yet we had people choose red! We then compared the game to the colonies and their attitude following the Revolutionary War. It's a really good simulation that cements the conflicts everyone was facing. Don't forget to work on your current events. CODE: Choose blue!

20. Monday, September 20, 2021: We continued to discuss the Great Seal. First, however, we discussed the current event topic for this week - social media like Tik Tok and its negative effect. I get so angry over this that I doubt that I'll be able to discuss this rationally. We then looked at the seal and discussed how the visual representations align with the five purposes our Founding Fathers identified. We will be moving on to discussing the Articles of Confederation. Please read the handout I distributed. CODE: The 1980's Hockey Team

19. Friday, September 17, 2021: Today is one of my favorite lessons! I love teaching about the symbols found on our Great Seal. I know that makes me a nerd, but I gladly accept that moniker with this. We will pick this up on Monday. (CODE: E Pluribus Unom)

18. Thursday, September 16, 2021: After reviewing the flashcards posted to Google Classroom, they took their test over the Types of Government. Tomorrow, we're going to tackle the early American government. CODE: direct democracy

17. Wednesday, September 15, 2021: Today we finished our discussion of democracy. I really enjoy our panel discussions. I feel like we really can share our thoughts and discuss things on a deeper level. On Google Classroom, you will find flashcards that will help you prepare for tomorrow's test over Types of Government and Democracy. CODE: popular sovereignty

16. Tuesday, September 14, 2021: Thank you so much for your help with our Ellis Island Immigration Simulation. I hope that you didn't get into too much trouble with any teachers you may have been late for. I could not have done such a big simulation without you! Don't forget to have your Democracy project completed for tomorrow! CODE: Hans

15. Monday, September 13, 2021: We discussed how the government class is going to help me with the American Literature simulation tomorrow. Then we spent the rest of the class period working on the democracy interactive project. This project is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday. If you are accessing the New York Times too many times, it will kick you out. It will clear the next morning. OR you can go to AEA Online Services and access it there. CODE: crumbling

14. Friday, September 10, 2021: We watched a video on Rule of Law. If you were absent today, you need to watch this video. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmAKAHDSnGs&t=5s Then we finished our notes on the Soil of Democracy. On Monday, you will have most of class to work on the Democracy Project (posted to Google Classroom). CODE: Chobani Yogart

13. Thursday, September 9, 2021: We started the class by doodling one government system. We then reviewed by a presentation that I posted. If you're struggling, you need to return to the power point posted to Google Classroom. Then I handed out a set of notes on the characteristics of democracy and we began filling them out. We didn't quite get to the soil of democracy, but we made good headway. Please complete the presentation assignment that is posted to Google Classroom. It is due on Monday. It will help with our discussion of whether America's democracy is crumbling. CODE: Rule of Law.

12. Wednesday, September 8, 2021: We started the class by looking at a map of governmental systems. Then I shared through notes how presidential and parliamentary styles of democracy. This took most of the class period, but I think, I hope, most understand the differences between the two. We managed to get through three of the postcard descriptions, and we'll finish that up tomorrow, along with a discussion about democracy. CODE: constitutional monarchy

11. Tuesday, September 7, 2021: We started class by watching a CBS Sunday Morning story about whether people wanted to work or are just filing for unemployment. This topic will be our current events for this week. After watching the story, read the several articles posted to Google Classroom. Remember to post your opinion and then respond to TWO classmates. Then we "raced" through the notes on types of governments. For homework, please complete the worksheet Postcards. CODE: Puritan Work Ethic

10. Friday, September 3, 2021: We started by voting for Student Council President and Vice-President. Then we had our current events discussion. This COVID discussion took all of the hour. I don't mind as we had a productive and constructive conversation. I was told, though, that you were courteous to each other because I was in the room. I hope that's not the case. I hope you're just naturally courteous to each other - agree to disagree. CODE: Is China responsible?

9. Thursday, September 2, 2021: We reviewed the concepts we've studied since the beginning of the year - state, State, nation, PALS, etc. As your teacher, I feel like we're understanding things well. I guess we'll be able to tell when we turn in our quizzes. For tomorrow, there's chart on the types of government. That power point is posted to Google Classroom. CODE: Mrs. Sandbulte isn't an artist!

8. Wednesday, September 1, 2021: We started by reviewing PALS, state, State, nation, etc. We spent quite a bit of time reviewing how the four purposes of government are impacted when there is a natural disaster like wildfires or hurricanes (this is your essay question for tomorrow's quiz). We then went through the worksheet (exercises) for PALS. Max got frustrated because he thought he was getting it right, and it's a confusing concept. Remember people have been studying PALS for thousands of years. Tomorrow we will have a quiz over the concepts we've studied so far. CODE: PALS

7. Tuesday, August 31, 2021: First, we started with our current events for this week - who is responsible for COVID-19? I had four different sources of information, and with the ten minutes in class, you were to read those articles and develop an opinion. Remember that if you haven't completed you post, you can do so, but you need to provide your classmates with the time to respond. All responses must be done Wednesday and Thursday with Friday our discussion day. We didn't have our quiz because I wanted to include the concept of PALS - power, authority, legitimacy, and sovereignty. We read and discussed the handout related to PALS. For tomorrow, read the handout and complete #1-7 of the exercises. (We did #1, but the bell rang and we couldn't finish.) CODE: parasites

6. Monday, August 30, 2021: We started by watching how states are born in the modern era - Catalonia in Spain and Flanders in Belgium. We think that this isn't a modern issue, but eleven countries are working on redrawing Europe's map. Then we shared our various projects. These are due today! We then reviewed the four purposes of government. Tomorrow you will have a quiz over the elements of a state, the differences between a state and a State, a nation and a nation-state. Study the notes we've taken. CODE: Argentina

5. Friday, August 27, 2021: We discussed the bombing and the death of 13 servicemen in Afghanistan. After our discussion earlier this week, it's sad that this even happened. We then used Quizzizz to review the various information from this week. We didn't have much time left because our class periods were shorter. I introduced Canva and then explained how to complete their infographic for Monday. CODE: Taliban.

4. Thursday, August 26, 2021: We reviewed the differences between a state and a State, a nation and a nation-state, and finally we predicted how a state is born. Then we actually reviewed the four theories of how a state is born - force, evolutionary, divine right, and social contract. Next on the agenda was reviewing the purposes of government - maintaining social order, providing public goods and services, providing national security, and finally making laws (economic decisions). We then talked about how to apply this information to our state project. You will get some time to work tomorrow, and your project will be due on Monday. CODE: debt clock.

3. Wednesday, August 25, 2021: We reviewed the four qualities of a state and I think we've drummed into our head well enough. We discussed the contribution of Artistotle, but really I could teach for nine weeks on him and basically, I mentioned his name. We then broke down the terms state, State, nation, and nation-state. Then I drew names from the cards to see what states people wanted to explore for their state project. Everyone jumped on the CIA World Factbook and began researching. Tomorrow we will touch on how a state is born and the four purposes of a government. Work on your project and don't forget to comment on your classmates' Afghanistan posts. CODE: state

2. Tuesday, August 24, 2021: Today we discussed and took notes over the four qualities of a state. This is very important because it basically defines what is a country. We tied that to our first current events assignment. We read three different sides to the issue of Afghanistan. Everyone then answers the question posted to Google Classroom. Now I'd like you to read your classmates' responses and then discuss with at least TWO people. For tomorrow, you can start working on your state project - see worksheet. You will get quite a bit of classtime to work on it as well. CODE: sovereignty.

1. Monday, August 23, 2021: It was so great to see you. I apologize for being your English teacher for the past three years; my degree is in political science (politics and government), so technically, I wasn't all that qualified to teach you before. But now - look out! We discussed the importance of current events and staying aware. We played our annual "Beat the Pro". I got most of you with the first question (which by the way, was SOOOOOO fun!). My streak survives - no one answered all the questions correctly. Extra Credit was posted to Google Classroom. This is a longer video "Why study Government?" worth 12 points. There is an EdPuzzle attached. For tomorrow, please watch a seven-minute video on "What is a state?" CODE: state.