HoA Assignments [UPDATED 12/17]

Week of Dec. 14 - Dec. 18
TUESDAY: Read "Mexico Must Become a Nation..." by Plutarco Calles
THURSDAY: Read "Cárdenas and the Masses" by Arturo Anguiano

Obama and Banking Reform

President Obama held meetings with the heads of some of the nation's largest banks. Read about the meeting in the New York Times and explain in the comments section why Obama wants banks to lend more. Be sure to use terminology and vocab from our unit on Economic Policy. Your comment will be marked as a quiz grade.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

Interest Group Project

A description can be found here.

APGov - Periods 5&7 - Homework

Week of Dec. 14 - Dec. 18
MONDAY: Janda pp. 594-607
WEDNESDAY: Study for Ch. 18 Exam
FRIDAY: Ch. 18 Exam!

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

Week of Dec. 14 - Dec. 18
MONDAY: Janda pp. 597-601
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 601-606
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 606-607
THURSDAY: Study for Ch. 18 Exam
FRIDAY: Chapter 18 Exam!

Mexican Revolution PPT - Part 2

APGov - Periods 5&7 Homework

Week of December 7 - December 11
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 578-587
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 587-594

APGov - Period 3 Assignments

Week of December 7 - December 11
MONDAY: Janda pp. 578-581
TUESDAY: No Homework
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 582-587
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 587-593
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 594-597

HoA Assignments - [UPDATED 12/9]

Week of Dec. 7 - Dec. 11
MONDAY: Read Keen pp. 300-317 for Friday; Bring ideas to class for Mexican Revolution timeline
WEDNESDAY: Read Keen pp. 300-317 for Friday
FRIDAY: Study for quiz on Tuesday

HoA - Timeline Project

Mexican Revolution PPT - Part 1

APGov - In-Class Assignment

After you've completed your Chapter 12 exam, it's time to grab an iPod! Read this article that was published in the NYTimes in November. Make sure you also check out the cool graphic that illustrates some of the fiscal difficulties that the U.S. government is facing. After you've read the article, answer the questions listed below in the GoogleDocs survey. If you have a difficult time reading the embedded survey, you can use a full-screen version of the survey here. Your answers will be calculated and entered in the gradebook as a quiz grade.

HoA Assignments

Week of Nov. 30 - Dec. 4
TUESDAY: "Pancho Villa" by John Reed; "The Díaz Regime..." by Charles C. Cumberland
THURSDAY: No Reading Assignment, Continuing with Mexican Revolution next week

APGov - Periods 5&7 - Homework

Week of Nov. 30 - Dec. 4
MONDAY: Janda pp. 400-403; Obama's Afghanistan address (watch it or read about it); I.B. Coordinator coming to class on Wednesday
WEDNESDAY: Study for Ch. 12 Exam
FRIDAY: Chapter 12 Exam in class; Janda pp. 576-578

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

Week of Nov. 30 - Dec. 4
MONDAY: Janda pp. 320-325
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 325-331; Obama's Afghanistan address (watch it or read about it)
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 331-332
THURSDAY: Study for Ch. 10 Exam
FRIDAY: Chapter 10 Exam in class, Janda pp. 576-578

HoA Assignments

WEEK OF NOV. 23 - NOV. 24
Tuesday: Keen pp. 290-300

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

WEEK OF NOV. 23 - NOV. 24
Monday: Janda pp. 311-320; extra credit test questions due tomorrow
Tuesday: Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

APGov - Periods 5&7 - Homework

WEEK OF NOV. 23 - NOV. 24
Monday: Janda pp. 389-400; Ch. 12 exam next Friday

Ch. 6 Exam Questions

There were three questions from the Chapter 6 exam that students expressed concerns about:

8. The largest circulation for a daily paper is claimed by:

a. the New York Times

b. the Washington Post

c. USA Today

d. the Wall Street Journal

While the textbook says that the Wall Street Journal has the highest circulation, this information is dated. Today, USA Today has the nation's highest circulation. I've decided to reduce the number of questions on the exam to 46 so students are not penalized for either answer choice.

16. Which of the following stories is most likely to make the televised evening news?

a. A murder in the city from which the broadcast originates

b. Efforts by a developing country to improve health care

c. A war between two foreign countries not allied with the United States

d. A peaceful transition of government in another country
There are two answers that can be rule out quickly: B and D. Choice A is superior to C because a murder in the city from which the broadcast originates is more newsworthy (there is a potential impact on the audience, it has a high degree of sensationalism, it has a close-to-home character, etc.). Choice C may be sensational because of its violence, but it doesn't meet as many standards of newsworthiness as choice A.

37. The public cites _______ as the most trustworthy news source.

a. radio

b. television

c. news magazines

d. newspapers

This was sent by a student who wrote, "Newspapers publish events and inform the public, and television tends to only show things that would be "entertaining" to the public." While this is a legitimate criticism of television news, it doesn't change the fact that the American public finds television more trustworthy than newspapers by a 2 to 1 margin (Janda 178).

HoA Assignments [UPDATED 11/18]

Week of Nov. 16 - Nov. 20

MONDAY: Keen pp. 267-281, Porfirio Díaz: Hero of the Americas, Read articles in Economist's special section on Brazil for Friday.

WEDNESDAY: No textbook assignment, Economist's Brazil articles, quiz Friday

FRIDAY: Keen pp. 282-290

APGov - Interest Group Assignments [UPDATED 11/17]

Period 3

Manik, Kevin, Kathy N.O.R.M.L.

Malayika, Leah W., Zoe Greenpeace

Maggie, Elena, Robin A.A.R.P.

Steve, Abdullah, Jeremy P.E.T.A.

Kaitlyn O., Leah D. Sierra Club

Raquel, Gabriela Animal Welfare Institute
Wyeth, Daniel, Peter American Automobile Association

Period 5

Laura, Colette, Blair National Rifle Association

Sarah, Morgan, Niti Habitat for Humanity

Aaron, Frances, J.J. Human Rights Campaign

Shiva, Hagar, Matt Drug Policy Alliance Network

Stephen C. Friends of the Earth

Emma, Meredith, Maddy Solar Energy Industry Association

Biniam, Jorge, William National Council of la Raza

Anne, Arnold National Snack Food Association

Period 7
Emily, Kat, Ali Amnesty International USA
Anthony, Edward Motion Picture Association of America
Claudelle, Jill World Wildlife Fund
Catherine, Sam, Helen A.I.P.A.C.
Karen, Naomi Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research
Lelia, Ben, Nataly The Humane Society of the United States
Alex, Caitlin Partnership for a Drug-Free America
Liliana, Iara National Confectioners Association
Brianna, Shane, Jarrod F.A.R.M.

If your group is not listed or your group hasn't been assigned a group, please see me A.S.A.P.

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

WEEK OF NOV. 16 - NOV. 20
Monday: Janda pp. 181-184
Tuesday: Janda pp. 184-190
Wednesday: Study for tomorrow's Ch. 6 Exam
Thursday: Janda pp. 302-307
Friday: Janda pp. 308-311

APGov - Periods 5&7 - Homework

WEEK OF NOV. 16 - NOV. 20
Tuesday: Janda pp. 370-389; Ch. 10 Exam on Thursday
Thursday: Janda pp. 389-400

APGov - Periods 5&7 - Homework [UPDATED]

WEEK OF NOV. 9 - NOV. 13
Tuesday - Janda pp. 320-332
Friday - Janda pp. 370-374; Ch. 10 Exam on Thursday.

APGov - the influence of lobbyists

Read the series of articles from NPR on the influence of lobbyists on lawmakers and answer the questions in the google survey listed below. You may work with a classmate on this assignment (please pull your desks together if you do so).

If you can't read the survey, click on this link to get a full screen version.

Daily Show Polices the Media

Jarrod N. sent me this video from the Daily Show depicting how one news station used footage of a different event when describing crowds at last week's "tea party" protests at the U.S. Capitol. The NYTimes has a good article describing what took place. The Times writes "'The Daily Show,' ... has become one of the media’s prime monitors when it comes to calling out misuse or manipulation of video..."

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Mais Brasil na Mídia

We couldn't avoid Brazil stories if we tried. First the blackout and now The Economist is running a special section on Brazil. Of course, because it's the Economist the introduction contains this line about Brazil back in 2003: A country with a growth rate as skimpy as its swimsuits. It doesn't look like there's much in the special section on the Olympics or the World Cup, instead it seems to focus on the political and economic development of Brazil.

HoA - Supplemental Reading Assignment

For Monday, download and read Liberals and the Land by Luis Gonzákez y González.

APGov - Periods 5&7 - In-Class Assignment

Sorry I'm not here today, but I'll be back for class on Friday. By the time you read this, you've already completed your exam (which I'm sure you did great on!) and you've started work on your worksheet. To complete the worksheet, you'll need to read two articles about interest groups and lobbying. Here are the two articles:

• "5 Myths About Lobbyists" by Megan Carpentier
• "Lobbying is Democracy in Action" by Robert J. Samuelson

If you don't complete the worksheet in class, you'll have to complete it at home and turn it on Friday.

If you have extra class time, check out the article in my Digg box about the new online-only news website: the Texas Tribune (News Erupts, and So Does a Web Debut). Pretty interesting article - especially since we just finished the unit on the media!

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

Week of Nov. 9 - Nov. 13
MONDAY: Janda pp. 163-167
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 167-171
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 171-174
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 175-181

HoA Assignments

Week of Nov. 9 - Nov. 13
MONDAY: Keen pp. 183-192, Plan of Iguala
THURSDAY: Keen pp. 217-226

FYI: The next HoA quiz will be on Friday, November 20th

APGov Homework - Periods 5&7 [UPDATED]

Week of Nov. 2 - Nov. 5
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 302-311
FRIDAY: Ch. 6 Exam on Tuesday; Janda pp. 311-320; 3"X5" notecard for Interest Group Project due.

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

Week of Nov. 2 - Nov. 6
MONDAY - Watch election results
WEDNESDAY - Study for Ch. 9 Exam
THURSDAY - Study for Ch. 9 Exam, Janda pp. 160-163
FRIDAY - Janda pp. 160-163

HoA Homework

Week of Nov. 2 - Nov. 5
MONDAY: Review Keen chapter on independence movements
THURSDAY: Keen pp. 178-183 and study for Monday's Quiz

HoA - Mexican Independence

Today's PPT:

South American Independence PPT

I've used this PowerPoint in the past, so you may find it helpful.

APGov - All Classes - Extra Credit Opportunity

Read one of the following articles and write a comment that relates the article to material that you have covered in one of the Janda textbook chapters this year. Your comment should include specific details from the article and should use vocabulary from the textbook. Comments that meet these requirements and are at least a paragraph in length will receive +2pts. on the most recent exam. Include you first name and last initial at the end of your post to receive credit.

Your Choices:

1. An article about New York's 23rd district and the special election being held to fill its empty seat. This article relates to material we've covered on campaigns and political parties.

2. An article about New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie's reaction to hints from his opponent that he is to obese to be governor. This article relates to material we have covered on campaigns and the media.

APGov - Periods 5&7 - Homework

Week of Oct. 26 - Oct. 30
MONDAY: Janda pp. 171-181; Quarter Project due Wednesday
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 181-184
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 184-191

HoA Quarter Exam

The quarter exam for HoA will take the form of identifications. This means that your exam will contain a word bank of 10-12 terms. The terms may be people, events, concepts, or places that we studied as part of the HoA curriculum in the first quarter. Your task will be to choose 5 of these terms, define the term, and explain its historical significance in the context of our curriculum. Typically, a thorough answer is 5-7 sentences.

Answers on the quarter exam will be given one of 3 grades: "full credit", "half credit", or "no credit".

HoA Homework

Week of Oct. 26 - Oct. 30
TUESDAY: Study for Quarter Exam on Thursday!
THURSDAY: Keen pp. 169-175

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

Week of Oct. 26 - Oct. 30
MONDAY: Janda pp. 297-300
TUESDAY: No reading assignment; complete your Campaign Project for tomorrow!
WEDNESDAY: Review notes for Ch. 9 Exam
THURSDAY: Review notes for Ch. 9 Exam
FRIDAY: Ch. 9 Exam

HoA Assignments [updated 10/23]

MONDAY: Keen pp. 157-165 (there will be an in-class worksheet to complete using only your notes from this section of the textbook); Read Diego Maradona article in the Digg Box.
WEDNESDAY: Keen pp. 165-169
FRIDAY: Read "The Revolution" by Tulio Halperín Donghi

REMINDER: The Quarter Exam is Thursday, Oct. 29th

Made in 15 minutes on Animoto.com...

Yes, it's really that easy.

HoA - October 21

Lots of stuff on the agenda:

1. Complete the worksheet on pages 157-165 using only your notes.
2. There are two articles to read about Brazil: a NYTimes article about the latest violence in Rio and an Economist article about the Brazilian economy and politics. No comments are required, but feel free if you want to share your thoughts. [articles available in the Digg box]
   
3. Simón Bolívar! (including Bierck biography)
   

APGov Homework - Periods 5&7

Week of Oct. 19 - Oct. 23
TUESDAY: No Homework; be prepared to share ideas and work on your Quarter 1 Project in class on Thursday. You will have access to the iPods for research purposes on Thursday.
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 171-181

APGov - 3rd Period Homework

MONDAY: Janda pp. 283 - 287
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 287-291
WEDNESDAY: Prepare for "Idea Day" on Thursday. You will have a chance to work on your project in class and receive teacher feedback.
THURSDAY: Tomorrow will be a shortened class; you will be given time to work on your first quarter project.
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 291 - 297

APGOV (10th Grade) Homework

Week of Oct. 13 - Oct. 16
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 159-163; Ch. 9 Exam on Friday
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 163-171

HoA Homework [UPDATED 10/15/09]

Week of Oct. 13 - Oct. 16
TUESDAY: Keen pp. 143-156; The Mission comment must be posted by 3pm Friday.
THURSDAY: Read "On Men's Hypocrisy" by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz; Read "Rio's Expensive New Rings" in this week's Economist (find it in my Digg box); Study for Monday's Quiz.

APGov (12th Grade) Homework

Week of Oct. 13 - Oct. 16
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 273-276
WEDNESDAY: No Class, PSAT's
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 276-283
FRIDAY: No Homework, Hispanic Heritage Assembly

HoA Films: The Mission

The Mission is a fictionalized account of the expulsion of the Jesuit Order from South America due to pressure from the Spanish and especially the Portuguese. Keen writes of the situation of the Jesuits and their 30+ South American Missions, "Rather than 'Christian socialism,' the Jesuit system could more correctly be described as 'theocratic capitalism'." (Keen 105) What do you think is the difference between these two terms? Would "Christian Socialism" be any more acceptable to the Bourbon's of Portugal and Spain? Why or why not? Answer these questions in the comment section of this blog entry. Remember to include your first name and last initial in your entry.

The Jesuits were expelled from South America in 1767, but that didn't end the pressure on the Society of Jesus. Read this entry from E.B. about Pope Clement XIV to find out what happened to the Jesuits just six years later.

Virginia Governor's Race and the Primary Process

The New York Times has an interesting article this morning about Democratic candidate for Governor Creigh Deeds and his recent poor performance in the polls. It seems that some Democrats are wondering whether Terry McAuliffe would have been a better nominee for the party. Adam Nagourney describes in the article some of the perceived advantages of having McAuliffe as the nominee. What do you think, did the Democrats choose a weak nominee?

The Invisible Primary

This week we discussed the Invisible Primary - the work that candidates do before the primary/caucus season to win support and funding for their presidential campaigns. Jonathan Martin of Politico.com has written an interesting article about Sarah Palin and one aspect of the invisible primary: stumping for other candidates. It seems that the Republican candidates for Governor in both Virginia and New Jersey are not interested in having Palin travel to their states to support the candidates. Read the article to find out why.

Senior AP Gov - Extra Points Opportunity

When you've completed the Ch. 8 exam, try playing the Presidential Quiz in the Presidents app on the iPod Touch. It's challenging, so if you achieve a score of 8/10 or higher I'll add +2 correct answers onto your exam. To receive credit, you'll have to show me the screen with your quiz result (as shown below) - showing the high score screen will not count!

(Mr. McCarthy did not earn the extra credit)

Abdullah M. - 9/10 (fantastic!!)
Elena L. - 8/10 (wow!)
Manik S. - 8/10 (super!)
Zoe W. - 8/10 (excellent!)
Daniel V. - 9/10 (Stupendous!! - I'm running out of words to use)
Kenin D. - 8/10 (phenomenal!)
Robin T. - 8/10
Gabriela T. - 8/10
Kathy H. - 9/10
Larry C. - 9/10
Cindy Z - 9/10
Leah D. - 9/10

Interesting Healthcare Idea

New App!

Listen to the story titled "Patient Advocates Fear Bias in Wellness Incentives" from the NPR program Morning Edition. You'll need to use the NPR News app on your iPod to listen to this story. After listening to the story, answer the following questions in the comment section of this blog post:

1. How does Safeway attempt to save money on providing health insurance to its employees?

2. Has Safeway's strategy saved money for the company?

3. Why do some organizations criticize the Safeway strategy?

4. Could the federal government institute such a program? Should the federal government institute such a program?

La Familia vs. the Zetas

After listening to the two stories from NPR on drug gangs in Mexico, answer the following questions in the comment section of the blog. Include your first name and last initial at the end of your comment.

1. Which gang represents a greater threat to the Mexican government and why?

2. Which nation has a bigger problem with drug gangs: Mexico or Brazil? Why?

HoA Homework

Week of Oct. 5 - Oct. 9
TUESDAY: Keen pp. 106-117
THURSDAY: Keen pp. 131-143

Sophomore AP Gov Homework [UPDATED 10/9]

Week of Oct. 5 - Oct. 9
MONDAY: No reading assignment, but begin to prepare for next Wednesday's Ch. 9 exam
WEDNESDAY: No Homework
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 159-163; Ch. 9 Exam next Wednesday

Senior AP Gov

Homework for Oct. 5 - Oct. 9
MONDAY: Janda pp. 257-261
TUESDAY: No Reading Assignment
WEDNESDAY: Study for Chapter 9 Exam
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 263-268
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 268-272

Mr. Smith...

After you have completed watching Can Mr. Smith get to Washington Anymore? read this article about Jeff Smith from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. You may find the article surprising. Feel free to add a comment if you have the time.

HoA - Montezuma in the News

Nearly 500 years after his death, Montezuma is back in the news. Read the two articles in my Digg box (located on the right menu bar). Read "British Museum Seeks to Remake Montezuma's Image" first. Then read "Idea of the Day: Revenge on Montezuma". Is it fair for people to judge the Aztec emperor and his empire by western standards? Is London mayor Boris Johnson correct in his evaluation of the Aztecs?

Add your ideas to the comment section and remember to include your first name and last initial. Comments will be included in class participation grades.

Senior AP Gov

Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 2
MONDAY: Prepare for Ch. 7 Exam
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 229-233
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 234-242 (the history section!)
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 242-249
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 249-256

Sophomore AP Gov Homework

Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 2
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 291-297
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 297-300

Senior AP Gov - Extra Points Opportunity

Read Rick Shenkman's article 5 Myths About Those Civic-Minded, Deeply Informed Voters (Washington Post - September 7, 2008). In the comments section of this blog post (the Room 3011 Blog) add your own comment answering the following question: With voter knowledge so low, should the U.S. really permit all Americans over 18 years of age to vote? Include one detail from the article when supporting your answer. Be sure to include your first name and last initial at the end of your comment.

Complete this assignment before the end of the period and you'll receive +2 points on your exam (that's approximately 5%)!

Olympics: Quick Poll

HoA Homework

Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 1
MONDAY: Keen pp. 82-90
WEDNESDAY: Keen pp. 90-94
FRIDAY: Keen pp. 95-106

Brazil and the Olympics

The actions of Brazil are pretty similar to Mexico City when Mexico bid for the 1968 Olympics. Read this article from the NYTimes and consider the characteristics of the four finalist cities. In the comment section, predict the winner of this Friday's vote and provide one good reason why that city will win. Include your first name and last initial at the end of your comment.

The Danger of Unconventional Participation

Politico has an interesting article on the possibility of unconventional political participation becoming violent. The article interviews five security experts including former members of the Secret Service and the FBI.

HoA Assignments

Week of Sept. 21 - Sept. 25
TUESDAY: Keen pp. 61-74, complete worksheet
THURSDAY: Keen pp. 75-82, no worksheet!!, Quiz Monday!

Survey

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dG5DVnZzN3VMV08zTnJDc3R5TENTU0E6MA..

Sophomore AP Gov Homework

Week of Sept. 21 - Sept. 25
MONDAY: Review Ch. 8
WEDNESDAY: Ch. 8 Exam on Friday; Janda pp. 263-276
FRIDAY: Janda pp. 276-291

Senior AP Gov

Week of Sept. 21 - Sept. 25
MONDAY: Janda pp. 197-201
TUESDAY: Janda pp. 201-207
WEDNESDAY: Janda pp. 207-217
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 217-222
FRIDAY: No Homework

Obama on 60 Minutes

From about a week ago:


Watch CBS Videos Online

Sophomore AP Gov Homework

TUESDAY: No homework
THURSDAY: Janda pp. 242-260

NPR: Doctor's Like the "Public Option"

Senior AP Gov

Monday: Janda pp. 147-151
Tuesday: Janda pp. 151-155
Wednesday: Janda pp. 155-157
Thursday: exam Friday
Friday: Keen pp. 194-196

HoA Assignments

Week of Sept. 14 - Sept. 18
Monday: Read Keen pp. 2-15; complete worksheet; bring book to class Wednesday!
Wednesday: Read Keen pp. 15-34; complete worksheet
Friday: Read Keen pp. 51-60; begin worksheet

Sophomore AP Gov Homework

Tuesday: Ch. 5 & 7 Exam Friday
Wednesday: Watch the President's address to Congress; Ch. 5 & 7 Exam Friday
Friday: Janda pp. 229-242

Senior AP Gov Homework

Wednesday: Janda pp. 125-132; watch the President's speech to Congress
Thursday: Janda pp. 132-140
Friday: Janda pp. 140-147

HoA Assignments

Tuesday: Read Keen pp. xiii-xviii
Thursday: Read Keen pp. 35-50 and complete the accompanying worksheet

Just a Test

New Additions to the Classroom

There's going to be something new in Room 3011 this year!

What I'm Up To This Summer

I hope everyone's enjoying their summer. This week I've been attending the N.E.C.C. conference in downtown Washington, DC. The conference focuses on uses for technology in education. I've gotten more than a few good ideas from other educators and technology specialists to use in the classroom this fall. There will also be a big technology surprise for students in my classes this fall. I wish I could say more about it, but then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it? ;)

Mock Congress - Day 6

Period 3

• Congrats to Jen on getting her bill passed, however there were still many flaws in the bill.
• There was lots of wasted time in the Congress today. The best way to operate more efficiently is for committees to do a good job of mark-up and for parties to be coordinated before floor debate occurs.

Period 4

Mock Congress - Day 5

Another great day of legislative action! Bill Logs can be found in posts below, so I'm not going to re-post them here. A reminder to committees to be thorough in your mark-up; this is how you avoid 30 minute floor debates on bills.

Mock Congress - Day 4

Period 4

• Congrats to Beth for getting her bill (H. 4) passed!
• Period 4 Bill Log is available for review.
• A word of advice to committees: take time on mark-up. Only send quality bills to the whole House.
  

Mock Congress - Day 3

Period 3

• If you submit a new bill, remember to share your bill with the clerk and to publish your bill.
• Congressman Sam's bill has been postponed until the next class.

Period 5

• Parita did a super job as clerk!
• The Period 5 Bill Log is now available for all Members of Congress to examine.

Period 7

• Many thanks to Christine for quickly entering the bills and getting the committees moving quickly!
• The Period 7 Bill Log is now available for all Members of Congress to examine.
  

Mock Congress - Day 2

Period 3

• Congratulations on your first day in committees. The Rules Committee did a good job of distributing the bills to all committees.
• There have been many interesting bills, however I find this bill to be particularly disturbing.
• It's the Speaker's decision whether any bills that have made it through committee will be debated tomorrow in the whole house. The Period 3 Bill Log is available for viewing.
• Christy did a great job as clerk!

Period 4

• Committee work was very productive today!
• Once you have turned in one bill that you have written yourself, you are free to submit a bill that has been co-authored.
  
• The Speaker will determine the agenda for Wednesday. Your bill may be on the agenda - you can check if it's passed committee by examining the Period 4 Bill Log.
• Kelsey did a great job of tackling more than 20 bills and entering amendments made in committee mark-up!
  

Mock Congress - Day 1

Congratulations to the period 3 Republicans - you drive a hard bargain!

I'm disappointed in the lack of compassion for pandas exhibited by several of the Mock Congresses :(

Remember that your first bill is due next class! You'll need to turn in your bill and cover sheet to the hopper. You'll also need to submit your bill to GoogleDocs. When you submit the bill to GoogleDocs, make sure that you share it with me (mccarthyroom3011[at]gmail[dot]com and with the clerk of your Congress.

Civil War Project

Details of the Civil War project can be found by clicking here. The majority of our time in class will be spent working on this project.

If you haven't done so already...

...fill out this form. Many students completed this form in the 3rd quarter.

Reconstruction PPT

Internal Assessment Info

Some important I.A. information:

Due Date - remains May 8th, no exceptions. Any papers turned in past this date will be marked down one letter grade per day until the paper is turned in.

Turnitin.com - a turnitin.com account has been created for submission of internal assessments. The class ID is 2716268 and the password is USAAOK. Your paper must be submitted to the class account by May 8th.

Cover Page - A sample cover page can be downloaded here.

Checklist - Consult the following checklist before turning in your final draft. (this checklist was distributed in class in the 3rd quarter)

Double Spacing - Your final draft should be double-spaced with 1" margins.

1999 AP Exam - Multiple Choice

There have been several requests for a full copy of the 1999 AP multiple choice exam, so I've scanned it and loaded it up to my Box.net account. You can view it and download it by clicking here.

Paper 3 Review PPT

SCOTUS Cases

Civil War PPT

Submit an AP Judicial Branch Question

AP's Description of Free Response Tasks

List/Identify.
Listing or identifying is a task that requires no more than a simple enumeration of some factors or characteristics. A list does not require any causal explanations. For example, a student might be asked to list or identify three characteristics presidents consider when making appointments.
Such a list, which could be bulleted or numbered, might include party, race, gender, etc.
Define.
A definition requires a student to provide a meaning for a word or concept. Examples may help to demonstrate understanding of the definition. Students may be instructed to note the term’s significance as part of the definition.
Describe.
A description involves providing a depiction or portrayal of a phenomenon or its most significant characteristics. Descriptions most often address “what” questions. For example, if students are asked to describe reasons for the decline in voter turnout, they must do more than simply list facts—they must actually describe the reasons. Students may explain that the expansion of suffrage led to a decline in overall voter turnout because once voting was made available to more individuals, the overall percentage of those voting declined.
Discuss.
Discussions generally require that students explore relationships between different concepts or phenomena. Identifying, describing, and explaining could be required tasks involved in writing a satisfactory discussion.
Explain.
An explanation involves the exploration of possible causal relationships. When providing explanations, students should identify and discuss logical connections or causal patterns that exist between or among various political phenomena.
Compare/Contrast.
This task requires students to make specific links between two or more concepts.
Evaluate/Assess.
An evaluation or assessment involves considering how well something meets a certain standard and as such generally requires a thesis. It is important to identify the criteria used in the evaluation. If no criteria are explicitly given in the question, students should take care to clearly identify the ones that they choose to employ. Specific examples may be applied to the criteria to support the student’s thesis. Evaluation or assessment requires explicit connections between the thesis or argument and the supporting evidence.
Analyze.
This task usually requires separating a phenomenon into its component parts or characteristics as a way of understanding the whole. An analysis should yield explicit conclusions that are explained or supported by specific evidence or well-reasoned arguments.

Barack Obama on 60 Minutes

Watch CBS Videos Online

Causes of the Civil War

Tonight on PBS

Sample Member of Congress Presentation

This powerpoint slide presentation was used by students in AP Government 3 years ago. The slides cover most of the required material, but do not sufficiently describe characteristics of the congressional district (since it's about a senator, that would have been the whole state). There is no map included or demographic information about the constituents.

AP Gov Assignments

PERIOD 3
Monday: Janda pp. 400-404
Tuesday: Review for Thursday's Ch. 12 exam
Wednesday: Review for Exam
Thursday: Work on 3rd Quarter Project
Friday: 3rd Quarter project presentations begin Monday

PERIOD 4
Tuesday: Review for Thursday's Ch. 12 Exam
Thursday: 3rd Quarter Project presentations begin Monday

PERIODS 5 & 7
Monday: Review for Wednesday's Ch. 12 Exam
Wednesday: Work on 3rd Quarter Project
Friday: 3rd Quarter Project presentations begin Tuesday

Hoa Assignments

PERIOD 1
Monday: E.V. pp. 369-375
Wednesday: E.V. pp. 377-389
Friday: E.V. pp. 389-405

PERIOD 1
Tuesday: E.V. pp. 377-389
Thursday: E.V. pp. 389-405

AP Gov - 3rd Quarter Project

The 3rd quarter project description and rubric are available on the Box.net menu on the right and by clicking the hyperlinks,

APGov Reading Assignments: March 9 - March 13

PERIOD 3
Monday: Janda pp. 370-381
Tuesday: Janda pp. 381-385
Wednesday: Janda pp. 385-389
Thursday: Janda pp. 389-395
Friday: Janda pp. 395-400

PERIOD 4
Monday: Janda pp. 374-381
Wednesday: Janda pp. 381-389
Friday: Janda pp. 389-404

PERIODS 5 & 7
Tuesday: Janda pp. 381-389
Thursday: Janda pp. 389-404

Ch. 12 Exam will held be March 18 for periods 5 and 7.
Ch. 12 Exam will be held March 19 for periods 3 and 4.

Updated Grades...

are available by clicking this link.

HoA Assignments: March 9-13

PERIOD 1
Tuesday: E.V. pp. 345-355
Thursday: E.V. pp. 356-369; I.A. outline due March 16

PERIOD 6
Monday: E.V. pp. 345-355
Wednesday: E.V. pp. 356-369; I.A. outline due March 13
Friday: E.V. pp. 369-375

HoA Assignments

PERIOD 6
Tuesday: Prepare for Thursday's Quiz
Thursday: E.V. pp. 299-315

PERIOD 1
Wednesday: No Reading
Friday: Prepare for Tuesday's Quiz; E.V. pp. 299-315

DC Voting Rights

Several news sources have written articles recently about the role the N.R.A. is playing in the passage of the D.C. Voting Rights Act. These articles all describe the amazing influence that the N.R.A. has as an interest group on Congressional action. Read the articles and then comment below, are the N.R.A.'s actions fair and what do you think motivates the N.R.A.? There's no right or wrong answer to the question, but I'm curious to hear your views.

There will be a little extra credit for any comments posted before 10pm today.

Potential HoA Quiz Questions

2001 - Compare and contrast the leadership role of two of the following in Wars of Independence in the U.S. and Latin America: Washington, Jefferson, Bolivar, San Martin.
2002 - Assess the impact on the social classes, in at least two countries in the Americas, of the Wars of Independence in those countries.
2003 - Analyse the role of different social classes in the Wars of Independence in either the United States of Latin America.
2005 - "Wars of Independence in the Americas were primarily caused by political grievances." To what extent do you agree with this view? Support your answer with detailed reference to any one war of independence in the period 1775 to 1824.
2006 - Evaluate the relative impact of economic measures and political ideas, in promoting independence in one colony of the region.

Interesting Poll Data

Greg Sargent's blog, The Plum Line, takes data from a recent NYTimes poll showing that the public does not want to sacrifice Obama's campaign promises for the sake of bipartisanship. The graph below reflects polling data identifying what Americans said should be the priorities of both the President and Congressional Republicans. [credit to Matthew Yglesias for the graph idea].

Wordle of the President's Address to Congress

AP Government Reading Assignments

PERIOD 3
Monday - Janda pp. 358-363
Tuesday - Janda pp. 363-364
Wednesday - Janda pp. 365-369
Thursday -
Friday -

PERIOD 4
Monday - Janda pp. 355-363
Wednesday - Janda pp. 363-369
Friday -

PERIODS 5 & 7
Tuesday - Janda pp. 363-369
Thursday -

HoA Assignments

PERIOD 1
Tuesday - E.V. pp. 173-185 and I.A. research questions & topic due Thursday
Thursday -

PERIOD 6
Monday - E.V. pp. 173-185 and I.A. research questions & topic due Wednesday
Wednesday -
Friday -

APGov - In-Class Assignments for February 24

Today you'll be playing the redistricting game that I shared with you in our last class. Try to complete missions 2, 3, and 4 on "Advanced". Missions 2 and 3 are moderately challenging and mission 4 is very challenging. Time yourself and complete the survey below about how long it took to complete the missions. Make sure you complete the survey before you log out of the computer.

Any extra time in the period should be used on our Congressional Research Project. Begin to use THOMAS to look up bills that your member of Congress has sponsored. Information that you collect should be added to your research sheet on GoogleDocs and footnoted.

HoA - Unrest Ratings

Enter your group's ratings in the survey below:

APGov - In-Class Assignments for February 19

Today you'll be playing the redistricting game that I shared with you in our last class. Try to complete missions 2, 3, and 4 on "Advanced". Missions 2 and 3 are moderately challenging and mission 4 is very challenging. Time yourself and complete the survey below about how long it took to complete the missions. Make sure you complete the survey before you log out of the computer.

Any extra time in the period should be used on our Congressional Research Project. Begin to use THOMAS to look up bills that your member of Congress has sponsored. Information that you collect should be added to your research sheet on GoogleDocs and footnoted.

HoA Assignments

PERIOD 1
Wednesday: E.V. pp. 145-157
Friday: E.V. pp. 159-173

PERIOD 6
Tuesday: E.V. pp. 145-157
Thursday: E.V. pp. 159-173

APGov - Reading Assignments

PERIOD 3
Tuesday: Janda pp. 340-347
Wednesday: Janda pp. 347-349
Thursday: Janda pp. 349-354
Friday: Janda pp. 355-363

PERIOD 4
Tuesday: Janda pp. 334-347
Thursday: Janda pp. 349-354

PERIODS 5 & 7
Wednesday: Janda pp. 347-354
Friday: Janda pp. 355-363

A Presidential Press Conference First

Greg Sargent, of WhoRunsGov.com (a Washington Post site) writes an interesting blog entry about the significance of President Obama taking a question from the Huffington Post's Sam Stein at last night's press conference. It was the first time that a President had taken a question from a web-based reporter at a press conference. How significant do you think this really is?

President Obama Gives his First Press Conference

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

HoA Assignments

PERIOD 1
Monday: E.V. pp. 89-108
Wednesday: E.V. pp. 109-121
Friday: In-Class Quiz, E.V. pp. 123-145, Letter Home due Wednesday

PERIOD 6
Tuesday:E.V. pp. 109-121
Thursday: In-Class Quiz, E.V. pp. 123-145, Letter Home due Tuesday

REMINDER: I will be leaving the state 1pm Thursday. Please come to me with your CRF before that time.

In the News...

• Women may surpass men in the workforce.
• Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer.
• Nearly 600,000 jobs lost in January!
  

HoA Assignments

PERIOD 1
Tuesday - Quiz on Peron, E.V. pp. 53-75
Thursday - E.V. pp. 75-87, "The 'Giddy Multitude'"

PERIOD 6
Monday - Quiz on Peron, E.V. pp. 53-75
Wednesday - E.V. pp. 75-87, "The 'Giddy Multitude'"
Friday - E.V. pp. 89-108

AP Government Reading Assignments

PERIOD 3
Tuesday - Janda pp. 95-103
Wednesday - Janda pp. 95-103
Thursday - Janda pp. 103-111
Friday - Janda pp. 103-111

PERIOD 4
Wednesday - Janda pp. 95-103
Friday - Janda pp. 103-111

PERIODS 5 & 7
Tuesday - Janda pp. 95-103
Thursday - Janda pp. 103-111

Potential HoA Quiz Questions

There have been several good Peron questions in the past few years on the Paper 3 Exam.

2008: For what reasons and with what results did Populist movements emerge in Latin America in the first half of the twentieth century? Support your answer with specific examples from one country in the region.

2007: Assess the nature and effectiveness of opposition to either Juan Domingo Peron (1946-1955) or Getulio Vargas (1930-1945).

2006: For what reasons, and by what means did either Peron or Vargas obtain power?

2005: Analyse the aims and achievements of one populist leader in Latin America in the first half of the twentieth century.

2003: In what ways and to what extent were the policies of either Vargas or Peron successful in achieving their aims?

The quiz will not contain all of the questions listed above.

APGov - Congress Survey

Vote in the Arlington County Decal Competition

Today is the last day for voting! My favorite is "Come Sail Away"!

HoA - Argentina Presentation

HoA Assignments

Period 1:
Tuesday - Keen pp. 192-198, 226-230
Thursday - Keen pp. 318-329

Period 6:
Monday - Keen 192-198, 226-230
Wednesday - Keen pp. 318-329 and study for semester exam
Friday -