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!