Wednesday, August 31

LAST DAY OF THE MONTH

Students will learn how the 2nd Amendment helps protect our freedoms, how the Civil War Amendments extended rights to African-Americans, and how the 19th and 26th Amendments benefitted specific groups of American citizens.

Assignment: finish reading all of Chapter 4, work on Test review sheet (21 items) for Friday's test.

*Friday is early out day with short classes, show up ready to test immediately. (I will distribute tests and then take roll while you are working so you have those extra minutes to work.)

Tuesday, August 30

Students will learn how the Bill of Rights protects the rights of the accused.

Assignment: define the content vocabulary terms on page 126 (Chapter 4, Section 2)

Monday, August 29

Students will learn how the Bill of Rights protects our personal freedoms.

Assignment:  define the content vocabulary terms from page 120 (Chapter 4, Sec 1)

Friday, August 26

Students took the Preamble Quiz today, with mostly positive results.

The Bill of Rights project (one-page essay plus a separate poster) are due on Monday. Bonus points are available on this assignment.

Sunday, August 28

This week, we will be finishing Chapter 4, and then have a test on Friday over Chapters 3 and 4. Students will be responsible for the following items:

Chapter 3 and 4 Test Review Sheet

1. Preamble
2. Articles of the Constitution
3. Amendments
4. Expressed powers
5. Reserved Powers
6. Concurrent Powers
7. Executive Branch
8. Legislative Branch
9. Judicial Branch
10. Bill of Rights
11. 1^st Amendment
12. 5^th Amendment
13. 13^th Amendment
14. 19^th Amendment
15. 26^th Amendment
16. prejudice
17. segregation
18. discrimination
19. Civil Rights
20. Martin Luther King
21. Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, KS

Students: prepare for each item as if every one would be a short answer or essay. Then you won’t trip on any of the multiple choice or matching questions. Be able to differentiate between the branches of government, the listed amendments, and the three types of government powers.

For each item, students should be able to answer: (1) What is it? and (2) Why is it important?

Thursday, August 25

PREAMBLE QUIZ ON FRIDAY!!!

Novelty video/authenticity: video on Principles of the Constitution

Learning Goal: Students will learn the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

Assignment:

Students will read pages 118-125.

Working in small groups, students will create posters and one-page essays illustrating  ONE of the freedoms or amendments from the Bill of Rights. Posters and essays are due on Monday.

Wednesday, August 24

The 7th grade is off to a good start on attendance this year! Most are collecting those daily attendance points, but still have a few who are forgetting some items. If you have lost your planner or ID already, bite the bullet and get a new one from Joanne. You need those points!

Learning Goal: Students will learn the 5 principles of the Constitution (from Chapter 3, Section 4, pages 85-90).

Assignment: write the content vocabulary definitions for the terms on page 85. Due at the beginning of class on Thursday.

Preamble Quiz on Friday! (which is also picture day...don't forget your forms and money for the photographer if you want prints.)

Tuesday, August 23

Return tests and review what went right/wrong. Students need to read the text more carefully and KNOW the definition terms for each section.

LEARNING GOAL: Students will learn the structure of the Constitution, and will learn the Preamble.

ASSIGNMENT: Read pages 79-84 and define the following terms for Wednesday: Preamble, Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, Judicial Branch, Amendment; prepare for Preamble practice quiz.

Monday, August 22

TEST had mixed results. ONE perfect score, ONE 29/30, several 27's and 28's. But TOO MANY poor scores. No excuse for not knowing definition terms from the text.

Every question on the test appeared on the review sheet and was covered extensively in class.

Be reading Chapter 3, Section 3 and 4, and be memorizing the Preamble (top of page 95).

The Preamble Quiz will be on Friday!

Friday, August 19

Review for TEST on Monday!

Start memorizing the Preamble to the Constitution. (check out the Schoolhouse Rock song "The Preamble" on youtube if you have access to it at home.)

I am already seeing missing assignments. If you miss a day or just don't turn in an assignment, get that to me ASAP for credit.

Let's get out of the "Bronze Age"...everyone should be Gold or Silver by progress report.

Thursday, August 18

FIRST CIVICS TEST WILL BE MONDAY, AUGUST 22

Learning Goal: Students will learn how the new constitution was formed, and the compromises required to complete it.

Assignment: finish reading through Chapter 3, Section 2, and make up any missing assignments.

Students are responsible for Chapter 1 (all), Chapter 2 (Section 1), and Chapter 3 (Section 1 & 2)
They should know all the definitions from the text, and be prepared for the following items.

7^th Civics Test Review,  August 19, 2011

1.       What is Civics? 

2.       List the steps in the naturalization process. 

3.       Compare/contrast “direct democracy” with “representative democracy”.

4.       Compare/contrast “ democracy” with “totalitarianism”.

5.       Define “bicameral” .

      6.       Why was the Magna Carta important?

7.       List the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

      8.  Define “unanimous”

      9.  define “monarchy”

    10.  define “Parliament”

    11. What was the most important provision of the Northwest Ordinance? 

    12. What was the result of Shay’s Rebellion?

    13. What was the Great Compromise at the Constitutional Convention? (explain in depth)

    14. Why was the Three Fifths Compromise significant? (explain in depth)

    15. What is the purpose of the Electoral College?

Wednesday, August 17

FIRST CIVICS TEST WILL BE MONDAY, AUGUST 22

[Chapter 1 (all), Chapter 2, Section 2 only, and Chapter 3, Section 1 and 2]

Learning Goal: Students will learn how and why the United States changed from the Articles of Confederation to the new constitution.

Assignment: Read pages 64-78, take note over the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, and explain why the Articles of Confederation did not work.

class notes:

The purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to create a confederation of states whereby each state retained "its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right . . . not . . . expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled." In other words, every state was as independent as possible with the United States only responsible for the common defense, security of liberties, and the general welfare. To this effect, the Articles were purposely written to keep the national government as weak as possible. However, there were many problems that soon became apparent as the Articles took effect.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Following is a list of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation:

• Each state only had one vote in Congress, regardless of size.
• Congress did not have the power to tax.
• Congress did not have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
• There was no executive branch to enforce any acts passed by Congress.
• There was no national court system.
• Amendments to the Articles of Confederation required a unanimous vote.
• Laws required a 9/13 majority to pass in Congress.

Under the Articles of Confederation, states often argued amongst themselves. They also refused to financially support the national government. The national government was powerless to enforce any acts it did pass. Some states began making agreements with foreign governments. Most had their own military. Each state printed its own money. There was no stable economy.

In 1786, Shay's Rebellion occurred in western Massachusetts as a protest to rising debt and economic chaos. However, the national government was unable to gather a combined military force amongst the states to help put down the rebellion.

Tuesday, August 16

Learning Goal: Identify English Heritage items from Chapter 2, Section1.
(What are they? Why are they important?)

Assignment: Using the provided model, create an outline complete with definitions for each item

English Heritage Items

I.                 Items that influenced Colonial government

A. The Magna Carta

B. Parliament

C.  English Bill of Rights

D.Philosophical Influences

1.  Natural rights

2.  Social Contract

3.  Separation of Powers

E.  Representative Government

F.   Mayflower Contract

G.Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Monday, August 15

Bell Ringer: What is perfection?

Learning Goal: (note-taking, summarizing) Students will IDENTIFY the need for government, and COMPARE/CONTRAST the different forms of government.

Assignment: READ pages 20-26, LIST and DEFINE the different forms of government provided in the text. (Due on Tuesday)

Don't forget your attendance items for points!

Friday, August 12

Chapter 1, Section 2

Bellringer discussion: [opinion] Are naturalized citizens more patriotic than those who are citizens by birth?

Learning Goal: compare/contrast citizenship gained by (1) birth and (2) by the naturalization process.

Class activity: novelty videos, small-group work - create a Venn diagram that illustrates the Learning Goal. (This is not a graded exercise but can be used as a guide for completing the homework assignment)

Homework assignment: In three paragraphs, compare/contrast citizenship gained by (1) birth and (2) by the naturalization process. (students should use the guide modeled in class on the Starboard). This assignment is due at the beginning of class on Monday, August 15.