Week of 5/17

Only two weeks to Memorial Day, and less than three to graduation!!

We have a lot to cover in the next two weeks! Here are this week's plans:

Note: Grades and class participation points have been updated. If you are lacking participation points, you may complete a research project worth up to half (5) of the 10 participation points needed. Also, if you have turned in all work to date, and would like to earn some extra credit points to improve your grade, an extra credit project is also available. See me before class to discuss these options.

5/17 (Monday)--Spectrum of Political Media (cont.). We will continue our survey of the spectrum of political media by viewing and discussing some film clips featuring conservative talk show icons Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck and liberal media figures Keith Olbermann and Michael Moore. You will see first-hand how "news" has become inextricably intertwined with "entertainment," "ratings," "ideology," and "personality." We'll also examine and consider the role of "viral videos" on government and politics, such as the infamous "hair" clip of John Edwards that helped derail his 2008 bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. President. Complete a "reaction" paper to these film clips for class participation credit.

5/18 (Tuesday)--Political Media History; Media and the Law. Today we'll examine several key moments in the history of government and political media, with special attention on the role of "Yellow Journalism" in promoting the Spanish-American War, as well as the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, and Clinton-Lewinsky scandals.

5/19 (Wednesday)--The Public Mind--Illusions of News. Mr. Fox will be your substitute today; I will be at school, but visiting other classes as part of the FHS cadre program. Today's lesson centers on a segment from the PBS video series The Public Mind. "Illusions of News" examines a disturbing trend in media that began to emerge in the 1980s: the tendency of news media to emphasize politics over government; to cater their coverage to the wishes of the candidates rather than the needs of the public for meaningful information and answers to hard questions. Complete the worksheet as you watch the film.

5/20 (Thursday)--Sources of Media Bias. At the beginning of the unit, we examined a broad spectrum of media coverage (along the classic liberal-conservative spectrum). While ideological considerations often affect coverage of a story, other sources of bias may have even a greater impact on the reliability and nature of the media report. Yesterday's film examined one of these sources: personal amity. Today we'll discuss several others, including monetary/economic influences, and the so-called "Watergate phenomenon" that motivates and drives investigative journalism.

5/21 (Friday)--Introduction to Monetary and Fiscal Policy. Today we'll begin examining the other "M" in Unit V--money! We'll discuss the two broad approaches that governments may take to regulating and influencing economic growth in the country they govern--monetary policy and fiscal policy. How has the United States government responded to the current recession? We will examine issues such as deficit spending to stimulate economic growth and tools the government uses to control interest rates and either promote or restrain growth in the economy.

Have a great week!

Week of 5/10

This week's plans:

5/10 (Monday)--The 2000 Presidential Election--Bush v. Gore. Today we will discuss the most controversial presidential election of your lifetime--the fascinating 2000 election between former Republican President George W. Bush and his Democratic opponent, Al Gore. This lesson will touch on many subjects previously studied, including federalism, the electoral college, and judicial review, and also examine the role of the media in government, which is the subject of Unit V, which we'll begin later this week. We will also examine how the controversy did help lead to several important reforms in voting procedures in many states.

5/11 (Tuesday)--Exam Review. Today we will go over the exam review sheet for the Unit IV test (to be given on Thursday). The test is worth 50 points, and includes matching, multiple choice, completion, and essay components. I will also conduct an extra study session before school on Wednesday if you need additional help or have questions about the test.

5/12 (Wednesday)--Final Exam Review; Introduction to Unit V. Bring any remaining questions about the material in Unit IV to class today. After we complete the exam review, we'll begin Unit V (Money and Media) by considering how the role of the media in covering government and politics has changed throughout U.S. history.

5/13 (Thursday)--Unit IV Exam. If you complete the exam early, begin reading Chapter 19, section 1 and work on the vocabulary terms in the Unit V Essentials Packet.

5/14 (Friday)--Spectrum of Political Media. Page 4 of your Essentials Packet includes a chart showing the spectrum of political media. We will discuss where the various cable channels, print media, and high-profile radio and television journalists fall on the liberal/conservative media spectrum, and view several media clips which highlight the differences in style and substance of these diverse media outlets. We'll also discuss the concept of infotainment (news broadcasts with a primary objective of entertaining as well as informing (and also drawing ratings and higher profits)!

Have a great week!

Week of 5/3

Here are this week's plans:

5/3 (Monday)--Review of Campaign Finance; Nominations. After a brief quiz on Friday's topic of campaign finance, today we will discuss nominating procedures. Like the electorate itself, which has grown tremendously throughout U.S. history, the methods we use to nominate candidates for political office have also changed and evolved. Today's nominating processes are (on the whole) far more democratic, particularly in the use of direct primaries instead of caucuses and conventions.

5/4 (Tuesday)--IDEAlog wrap-up; Presidential Primaries and National Conventions. We'll begin class by conducting a quick review of the results from the IDEAlog political ideology quiz we conducted at the beginning of the unit. Next, we will look at presidential primaries in more detail. Yesterday, we looked at several methods of nominating candidates for political office. We learned that primaries have come to be the dominant method. We will seek to deepen our understanding of the importance of primaries by looking more closely at the process by which we choose presidential candidates. Although there is a good deal of variation among the states, and between the Republican and Democratic parties, the principles which underlie the processes are very similar and share a common purpose: to select the best and most electable candidates for the White House.

5/5 (Wednesday)--Short Subject Films--(1) American Political Parties, (2) Primaries and Caucuses, and (3) Political Conventions. I will be out today to attend a professional development program. Since several students will be out for IB testing, today's lesson will focus on review rather than new material. Mr. Wilson will show a series of short subject films produced by C-Span. For each film, write down three bits of knowledge you did not previously know, and answer the three discussion questions on the board. Turn these in to Mr. Wilson at the end of class.

5/6 (Thursday)--Party Structure and Organization. Today we'll examine the structure and organization of the major political parties. The key characteristic is de-centralization--the central party organization (such as the national committee and national chairperson) do not closely manage or regulate state and local party organizations. Local party structure and organization may vary considerably from place to place. We will consider some of the reasons for (and advantages/disadvantages) for this decentralized structure in class.

5/7 (Friday)--Vocabulary Practice; Political Cartoons. Today's lesson will be a "Fun Friday" package of vocabulary review and application of learning through political cartoons. First, we will pair up and work on mastering the unit vocabulary terms by playing "Talk a Mile a Minute." When you are done with the vocabulary review, you and your partner should complete the two political cartoon activities.

Next week, plan for an exam review on Monday and a test on Unit IV on Tuesday. Then, it's on to your final unit of American Government--Political Media and Interest Groups!

Graduation is just around the corner. Let's bear down and finish strong!

Have a great week!

Week of 4/26

This week we delve into a fun and interesting unit: political parties and elections!

Becoming an informed and active voter is one of the most important civic responsibilities for citizens in a democratic republic such as the United States. Many citizens take these rights for granted, but as you will see, obtaining these rights has been a hard-fought struggle for many others.

This week's plans:

Note: If you were absent on Friday, please logon and complete the IdeaLOG lesson on political ideology and the associated quiz. The link to the activity is posted on last Friday's blog entry.

Also, please read Chapter 16 in your book this week.

4/26 (Monday)--Introduction to Political Parties and Systems. Today we will discuss what political parties are and what they do. We will also learn about single-party, two-party, and multiparty political systems. The United States is a two-party system, dominated by the Republican and Democratic parties. How would government in the United States be different if it were a true multiparty system? We will examine these and other questions.

4/27 (Tuesday)--Minor Political Parties. Although the United States is a "two-party" system, numerous minor political parties exist. Today we will examine some historical and modern examples of minor political parties, discuss a scheme to classify these minor parties, and consider the contributions these minor parties have made and continue to make to the United States political landscape.

4/28 (Wednesday)--Voting Rights; Alabama Literacy Test. Today we will discuss voting rights in America. Although in the modern United States, most adult citizens are eligible to vote, it took well over 150 years to achieve this status! Many southern blacks in particular were effectively denied the right to vote for more than 90 years after the 15th Amendment technically granted them the right to vote. You will personally experience some of the obstacles they faced by taking an actual literacy test administered in Alabama prior to the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

4/29 (Thursday)--Election History. In today's lesson, we will discuss several of the fascinating and controversial presidential elections from U.S. history. We will also discuss how the evolution and growth of political parties have influenced election procedures in the United States.

4/30 (Friday)--Money and Elections. Although many (perhaps most) politicians run for office for ideological reasons, and have a genuine desire to serve the public, the reality of modern politics is that large sums of money are necessary to win most elections beyond the city and county level. Along with the need for money comes the threat that deep-pocketed individuals or business interests could unfairly control the outcome of important elections. Today we will examine how campaigns are financed, including laws established by Congress and rules issued by the Federal Election Commission, the federal agency that regulates federal elections. We will also consider the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in which the Court overruled prior decisions banning corporate contributions to political campaigns. Be prepared to discuss whether this is a good change or bad policy!

Have a great week!

Week of 4/19

This week's plans:

Note: The exam on Unit III will be this Thursday, April 22! Review will be on Tuesday, April 20, so please make a special effort to be in class! The exam is worth 60 points. It will consist of multiple choice, matching, completion, and short answer questions (totaling 50 points), plus one essay question worth up to 10 points. The exam will be closed book/closed note, so study, study, study!

4/19 (Monday)--Plea Bargain Wrap-Up; First Amendment Rights. Today we will finish our discussion of plea bargains, and then cover a few important aspects of the First Amendment that we have not yet covered.

4/20 (Tuesday)--Unit Exam Review. Today we will review for Thursday's exam. I will have an exam review sheet posted on Docushare, and we will play Jeopardy. Make sure you know the material in your Essentials package!!

4/21 (Wednesday)--Introduction to Unit IV; Questions About Exam (early release). Bring any questions about tomorrow's exam to class today, as this will be the final opportunity to clarify the material on the exam. For the remainder of the class, I will introduce Unit IV, which deals with political parties and elections. We will discuss requirements that must be met to be eligible to vote, why many citizens choose not to vote, and the most convenient way to vote! Being a responsible, informed voter need not be time-consuming!

4/22 (Thursday)--Exam on Unit III.

4/23 (Friday)--Political Ideology. Today we will go to the SSRC to complete an online lesson and quiz on political ideology--the set of values and beliefs that define each individual's place in the "conservative vs. liberal" political spectrum. You may find that the labels "conservative" and "liberal" do not fit as neatly as you may believe! We will examine a two-dimensional model of political ideology that more accurately describes the views of most Americans. The lesson and quiz are located here:

http://idealog.org/en/quiz/537e0399

Have a great week!

Week of 4/12

We're running a day behind from last week, so the schedule is being adjusted a bit. You should still be planning for an exam on Unit III towards the middle of next week.

This week's plans:

4/12 (Monday)--Landmark Supreme Court Cases. Today we will discuss the landmark Supreme Court cases included in your Essentials package for Unit III. Each group should be prepared to present the information about their chosen case to the class.

4/13 (Tuesday)--Landmark Cases Wrap-Up; Begin Student's Rights Discussion. We will conclude the discussion on landmark Supreme Court cases and begin discussing the scope and limits of students' rights under the Constitution, particularly the First Amendment. Make sure you have read the purple handout prior to class!

4/14 (Wednesday)--Complete Students' Rights Discussion. Wrap-up of students' rights.

4/15 (Thursday)--Criminal Due Process. Today we will take a closer look at the Bill of Rights provisions which protect those suspected or accused of crimes: the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eight Amendments.

4/16 (Friday)--Criminal Due Process; Plea Bargains. Today we will wrap up our discussion of criminal due process, and spend the remainder of class discussing plea bargains. Would you be surprised to learn that in approximately 95% of felony convictions, the accused chooses to give up his/her right to a jury trial and instead pleads guilty, often to a lesser charge, fewer charges, or in return for a more lenient sentence? We will discuss the important role of plea bargaining in our criminal justice system, and also examine some of the pitfalls and problems with that system.

Have a great week!

Week of 4/5

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break, and is geared up for the last quarter of high school!

We will be spending the next three weeks studying the judicial branch of government, the federal court system, and the vital protections for individual liberty found in the Bill of Rights, including how those rights apply in favor of students.

This week's plans:

Reading Assignment: Read Chapter 11 (all sections) and Chapter 12, section 1 this week. Also, read the handout on students' rights and be prepared to discuss on Friday.

4/5 (Monday)--Bill of Rights Overview; Incorporation Doctrine. Prior to the break, we watched a two-part film on the Bill of Rights. Today, we will examine the numerous individual rights embodied in the Bill of Rights in more detail, and discuss the important doctrine of incorporation, under which almost all the protections in the Bill of Rights have been extended to the individual states, not just the national government.

4/6 (Tuesday)--Structure of the Federal Courts. Today we will discuss the structure and operation of the federal court system. You will learn about jurisdiction--the power of a court to hear and decide a case--and about the difference between original and appellate jurisdiction.

4/7 (Wednesday)--The Supreme Court. Today we will finish up our discussion of the federal court system by taking a closer look at the Supreme Court. Although it is the most important court in the United States, you may be surprised to find that the Court only hears a small number of cases each year. However, each of these cases usually involves a very important principle of constitutional law, and the decisions often have far-reaching impacts.

4/8 (Thursday)--Important Supreme Court Decisions. In its 200+ year history, the United States Supreme Court has decided thousands of cases that impact virtually every aspect of life in America. Today, we will examine twelve of the most important cases the Court has issued, from the 1803 decision in Marbury v. Madison that established the principle of judicial review, to the 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of New London, which greatly expanded the powers of a local government to exercise the power of eminent domain (also known as condemnation). Take careful notes, as you will see these cases again!

4/9 (Friday)--Students' Rights. Although school life often seems dominated by rules and restrictions, students enjoy most of the same protections as adults under the Bill of Rights, although some of those rights are more restricted. Today we will discuss the Supreme Court's decision in Tinker v. Des Moines School District, which established the foundation and limits of students' rights under the First Amendment.

Next week, we will take a closer look at First Amendment rights, the rights of those accused or suspected of crimes, and the important concepts of equal protection and due process of law.