Semester Finals - Class Recap

Sunset over Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a great semester, everyone! Thank you for your hard work! Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Today was our last day of actual class for the semester (as it was our scheduled final, next class will be a study hall). We had our final test, reflection on the year, and then talked about life for a while. Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "Thankful" by Kelly Clarkson. Selected for today because I always choose this song for the last day of class, since I am so thankful to get to teach you all. Thank you! Lyrics (some of which I read aloud in class) are here.

AGENDA 6/18/18:

News Brief – Lucas
Final Test
Reflection
School's Out

Homework: Read the blog (if you want)! Have a great summer! Let me know if I can help you at any point in the future! :-)

---

News Brief: Lucas had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - 'We will not apologize': Trump DHS chief defends immigration policy. We discussed this story for a bit in class, before moving on.

I talked in class about the importance of following the news and trying to stay up to date with what is happening in your city, state, country, and world. Knowledge is power! Try to stay plugged in to what is going on, if you can!

Final Test: As promised, this was a cumulative multiple choice final on the work we have done this semester. I anticipate having the grades submitted later this week (final grades are due on Wednesday at 3:00 PM).

Reflection: The last part to the test was a reflection short answer about how the semester went in Government - what you learned, what you will put into practice in your life, and what you will remember five years from now. I look forward to reading these!

School's Out: The end of class was set aside for study time.

Thank you all so much for being so wonderful to work with. If I don't see you tomorrow on the last day of finals, take care of yourselves and I hope to see you around! Have a great summer! :-)

State and Local Government, Day 8 - Class Recap

Delicate Arch in Utah. A bridge between this semester and next! Photo taken in 2014.

Hi everyone,

Our last class together before semester finals was today, so we did some preparation! Here's what we did today in class:

Learning Targets: 
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Final Hour" by Lauryn Hill. Selected for today because we are in our final hours before finals! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/14/18:

News Brief – Syd
Finish Lift Ev'ry Voice
Jeopardy Review
Study Time

Homework: Read the blog! Study for your final test! Finals are next class, on Monday. Next news brief: Lucas.

---

News Brief: Syd had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - New York attorney general sues Trump Foundation. We talked about this story and a little bit about what else is happening with the government.

The next news brief was assigned to Lucas.

Finish Lift Ev'ry Voice: We finished watching an excellent recent documentary from OPB, called Lift Ev'ry Voice. If you want to watch again, share, or get caught up, it is here:

OPB.org - Portland Civil Rights: Lift Ev'ry Voice

Here is the worksheet that goes along with the documentary:

Google Drive - Lift Ev'ry Voice Documentary Questions

I think it is super important that we understand our own history regarding race in Portland, especially as I think there are some common assumptions that are just not true. As such, I was glad to see that almost everyone was glued to this in class. Thanks for your focus and willingness to learn about our own history! It was great to hear student responses after the film about what they learned.

Jeopardy Review: Due to the shortened schedule today for our class, we did not get to this. Too bad! I know you will all be well prepared by Monday.

Study Time: Here is the Study Guide that I passed out in class, if you missed class or wanted to see it again:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

See you on Monday, for finals! Good luck on all of them! :-)

State and Local Government, Day 7 - Class Recap

The famous "White Stag" building sign in downtown Portland. Photo taken over Winter Break, 2015.

Hi everyone,

It is a busy last week before finals week! Here's what happened in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey and Cedric Gervais. Selected for today because it is almost summer, but we unfortunately still have plenty of work to do for finals! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/12/17:
News Brief – Sofia
Finish S+L Presentations
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Discussion

Homework: Read the blog. Continue studying for finals! Next news brief: Syd.

News Brief: Sofia had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: CNN.com - Trump's new world order. We watched a bit of this video before moving on to check in about what we have been up to outside of class.

Finish State and Local Presentations: We completed this in class today! Thanks to everyone for your effort on this. If you have not already, please submit an electronic copy of your paper on Google Classroom, or a physical copy to me in person, by the end of this week.

Lift Ev'ry Voice/Discussion: As I tried to point out today, there is a LOT of history in our own community of racism, that I think students do not typically know about. But, there is a reason that Portland is one of the whitest major cities in the United States. A few links for curious students to check out:

Gizmodo.com - Oregon Was Founded As a Racist Utopia

TheAtlantic.com - The Racist History of Portland, the Whitest City in America

Google Search - "Oregon Racist Utopia"

I also wanted to be sure that we talked about the laws that prevented people of color from owning property in places like Lake Oswego and throughout Oregon. Here is an example:

We also watched the first 4 minutes or so of this video, to help set the stage for the main documentary we wanted to show in class:

Lift Ev'ry Voice: For the rest of class, we started watching an excellent recent documentary from OPB, called Lift Ev'ry Voice, and ended class about 38 minutes in. If you want to watch again, share, or get caught up, it is here:

OPB.org - Portland Civil Rights: Lift Ev'ry Voice

Here is the worksheet that goes along with the documentary:

Google Drive: Lift Ev'ry Voice Documentary Questions

I think it is super important that we understand our own history regarding race in Portland, especially as I think there are some common assumptions that are just not true. As such, I was glad to see that almost everyone was glued to this in class. Thanks for your focus and willingness to learn about our own history! We will finish this next class and then prepare for the final!

State and Local Government, Day 6 - Class Recap

Rowena Crest Viewpoint, near Moiser, Oregon. Photo taken in 2016.

Dear class

I enjoyed talking with everyone about their projects today, and also our work with analyzing how race has impacted our state and local government, especially in Portland. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Coming Home" by Mat Kearney. Selected for today because it is a song about Oregon. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/8/18:
News Brief – Carlos
State and Local Presentations
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Discussion

Homework: Read the blog. Continue studying for finals! Next news brief: Sofia.

News Brief: Carlos had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: CNN.com - Trump picks 'attitude' over prep work ahead of Singapore summit. This meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong Un is scheduled to take place next Tuesday, when we have class! So I am sure we will have plenty to talk about then.

State and Local Presentations: Most of the rest of class was spent presenting these projects about a state or local issue of student choice. Woo hoo! If you have not turned in the corresponding paper, please do so ASAP (link to do so on Google Classroom), as I will be grading these soon. The rest of these presentations will be next class.

See you next week, everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 5 - Class Recap

Something I care a lot about in our local community is supporting the Portland Thorns women's professional soccer team. I helped paint this banner for the start of last season! Photo taken in 2015.

Hi everyone,

Today was almost entirely devoted to our final work day on State and Local Project Presentations, because it was such a short class, due to the Senior Assembly. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys. Selected for today because students were presenting on what they wanted to have happen in the state/local government. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/6/18:
News Brief – Abby K.
Work Time
State and Local Presentations

Homework: Read the blog. State and Local projects due to be presented next class! Start studying for the final! All late work is due by Friday. Next news brief: Carlos.

News Brief: Abby K. had the news brief today, but was forgot, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Exclusive: Trump invokes War of 1812 in testy call with Trudeau over tariffs. This was about the recent tariffs (import taxes) on steel and aluminum that President Trump has imposed on Canada (among lots of other countries).

We also checked in about what students were up to outside of class, before moving on.

Work Time: After the news brief, we had some time to prep for the state and local presentations as I set up.

State and Local Presentations: Thank you for your work and for the class in focusing and respecting the presentations for students who were ready to go today. It was good to see the thought and effort put into these and making possible solutions! I enjoyed hearing all about the ideas for possible solutions in our state and local community! If you have not presented yet, you will be asked to do so next class.

Thank you! See you on Friday!

State and Local Government, Day 4 - Class Recap

Today was the sunset for the seniors in our class! I am wishing them all the best and success in life! Photo taken in 2007, over California.

Dear class,

Another disjointed day today, due to the seniors needing to take their finals in class, and rest of the class just using the class as a study period, before State and Local government presentations are due later this week. Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Good Life" by OneRepublic. Selected for today because of the seniors last day! On with the rest of their life soon! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 6/4/18:
News Brief – James
Senior Finals
Study Time
State and Local Project

Homework: Read the blog. State and Local project due to be presented in class on Friday! All late/missing/revised work due Friday as well! Thank you, seniors! Next news brief: Abby K.

News Brief: James had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Supreme Court rules for Colorado baker in same-sex wedding cake case. We talked a little bit about this very interesting story and the implications that it could have moving forward. Abby K. has the next news brief.

Senior Finals: During this time, seniors were taking their final in class. Thanks for respecting their time and effort with being quiet! I hope they went well for the seniors! I am grateful for their effort this semester and I am wishing them all the best! Keep in touch, class of 2018!

Study Time: The rest of class (as seniors were taking the test) was devoted to reviewing for the final. Here's the study guide I passed out for that:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

Students who were in class also got a more detailed study guide on the back side of this. Come see me if you missed class for this. Thank you!

State and Local Presentations: We will continue with these as we have time to do so! Next class, we will have a very short work day (due to the senior assembly), before the project is due to be presented on Friday.

Thanks everyone, and especially all of the seniors!

State and Local Government, Day 3 - Class Recap

Another beautiful place in our amazing State of Oregon: the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn. Photo taken in 2015.

Dear class,

Busy times! Seniors have only one more day in class with us! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks. Selected for today because the end of the year can feel like a series of battles. Keep working hard, everyone! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/31/18:
News Brief – Lucas (Mr. Fritz)
State/Local Project (Senior Presentations)
Work Time
Grade Check

Homework: Read the blog. Your State/Local final project is due to be turned in and presented next Friday! Seniors: your final for the class is next class, on Monday! Please finish and turn in your Citizenship Paper if you have not already. Next news brief: James.

News Brief: Lucas had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about:

KGW.com - Oregon has one of shortest school years, lowest graduation rates in U.S.

I also talked about this story, from a nearby high school:

KGW.com - Liberty HS student can wear pro-border wall T-shirt, judge rules

Two very interesting and local articles, as we continue to look into state and local government!

The next news brief will be done by James.

We also checked in about what students were up to outside of class.

State/Local Project: We kept working on this project, which is a two page paper, with at least three MLA citations, about a local issue that you care about. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

We went through this together again, and then continued working on it in class.

Work Time/Grade Check: The rest of class was spent working on Chromebooks, researching for the State and Local project and writing about an issue that you care about in our local community as I checked in with students about grades. Next class, Seniors will be taking the final as the rest of class has work time again. Thanks for your hard work, everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 2 - Class Recap

As we continue to work in class on the State and Local project, here is a picture I took in 2014 of Oregon's only National Park: Crater Lake.

Hi everyone,

We began our last major project for the year in today's class! Here's what happened in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research. 

Soundtrack: "Joker and the Thief" by Wolfmother. Selected because it was sort of a pump up song for the long weekend ahead. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/29/18:
News Brief – James
State and Local Project
Work Time
Grade Check

Homework: Read the blog. Continue working on your State/Local final project! Make sure you have your Citizenship Paper turned in, along with any missing work so I can grade it ASAP! Next news brief (just find an article related to government - no write up needed): Lucas.

News Brief: James had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Trump ramps up pressure to get North Korea summit on track. We talked about this story in class for a bit. After this, we checked in about the weekend and what people were up to over the last four days. Lucas helpfully volunteered for the next news brief.

State/Local Project: After the news brief, we talked about the State and Local government reading and assignment from last class:

Google Drive - State and Local Government Readings/Questions
I then went through the final assignment for the class, which is a two page paper, with at least three MLA citations, about a local issue that you care about. It will be due in class *probably* next Friday (for seniors, it is due next Monday - their last day in class), and you will probably be asked to give a short (like a minute or two) presentation in a circle in class. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

We went through this together, and then worked in class on the Chromebooks.

Grade Check/Work Time: The rest of class was spent in class, working on researching for the State and Local project and writing about an issue that you care about in our local community. When I was checking in with students, it appeared that most had a great start as far as selecting issues and beginning to work on the project. Next class, we will continue working on this. Please let me know if you have any questions about what to do! See you on Thursday!

State and Local Government, Day 1 - Class Recap

The beach at Puerto Vallarta, on Christmas Eve, 2015.

Hello everyone,

We started our last major unit of the year today, on state and local government! Here's what happened in class today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 6: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own" by U2. Selected for today because we are nearing the end of the school year and I am hoping to give you support to finish the year strong!

AGENDA 5/24/18:
News Brief – Abby V.
Judicial Branch Test
Unit Overview
State and Local Government

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: James.

News Brief: Abby V. had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: OregonLive.com - Oregon attorney general issues ballot title for initiative to ban sales of assault weapons. This was a perfect article for today, as we start our state and local unit - the final unit of the year!

James was selected to do the next news brief.

Judicial Branch Test: As promised, 40 questions, multiple choice. will hope to get these grades get entered ASAP. Thank you for your effort on this!

Unit Overview: Today, we started our work with State and Local government unit (our last main one before the end of the semester). To begin, I had students do a simple fill-in-the-blank overview of the main concepts. The completed form is here:

Google Drive: State/Local Government Completed Overview

This was meant as a general overview. We will get into some specifics in the coming days.

State and Local Government: For the next part of class, I passed out a reading with questions about our last major unit of the year, on state and local forms of government (also on Google Classroom):

Google Drive - State and Local Government Readings/Questions

We went through the most of the answers during class - keep this, as it will be helpful for understanding what is going on in our last unit of the year.

Next class, we will start the final project of the year, on state and local government! See you then!

Citizenship Paper - Class Recap

Please Note: I was out of class again at a district training I did not know about until last Thursday, so here is what I wanted to have happen in class. Remember that your Judicial Branch test will be on Thursday!

I was not at school on Friday due to tennis, and today, due to a training! I am so sorry! Photo taken in 2011.

Dear class,

Today we worked on a one day assignment on citizenship (what it is, how you get it, responsibilities of a citizen, and the naturalization process). Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.

AGENDA 5/22/18:
News Brief – Brady
Finish 12 Angry Men
Citizenship Paper
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Finish citizenship paper if you did not in class! Next news brief: assigned in class.

News Brief: Brady had the news brief today and hopefully selected an interesting story to talk about.

The next assigned student has the next news brief.

Finish 12 Angry Men: There was a little bit left in this film, so the class finished it and the questions, then turned in the questions to the guest teacher, who will give them to me. I hope everyone enjoyed this!

Citizenship Paper: This is meant as a short assignment, just so be able to demonstrate proficiency again with LT 1 and the Research target. Here's the assignment (also linked to on Google Classroom), due at the start of next class:

Google Drive: Citizenship Paper Assignment

Again, I am just looking to see that you can identify and explain the basics of rights and responsibilities as a United States citizen. Thank you for your hard work on this!

Work Time: The rest of class was spent working on the citizenship paper. If you did not finish this today in class, it is homework. Get it in to me as soon as you can by uploading it to Google Classroom. Thank you! Please 

Judicial Branch, Day 7 - Class Recap

Please note: I was out of the building today, supporting the Westview boys tennis team at the state championships. This is a post about what I wanted to have happen in my absence. I also will be out on Tuesday (I have an unexpected training that I need to attend), so you will take the Judicial Branch quiz on Thursday.

Inside a subway station in Washington, DC, where the three branches of our federal government are based. Photo taken in 2010.

Dear class,

We finished preparing for the Judicial Branch quiz today, by wrapping up the movie ! Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: Silence - sorry!

AGENDA 5/18/18:
News Brief – David and Sofia
12 Angry Men
Study for Judicial Branch Quiz

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any late/incomplete work. Judicial Branch quiz will be on THURSDAY (not Tuesday, as originally announced). Next news brief: Assigned in class.

News Brief: David and Sofia had the news brief today and hopefully shared interesting articles - make sure to email me or share the write ups with me!

David selected this article to talk about: NYTimes.com - Jerusalem Embassy Is a Victory for Trump, and a Complication for Middle East Peace.

Another student was assigned to do the next news brief.

12 Angry Men: After the news brief, we continued watching one of the most critically acclaimed movies ever: 12 Angry Men (1957). This is a great way to wrap up the judicial branch unit, as we learn more about the jury process through watching this film. I know it is old and black and white, and I was glad to see that students were paying close attention. Here is the film note-taking assignment, if you missed class or lost your copy:

Google Drive: 12 Angry Men Film Questions

Study for Judicial Branch Quiz: Last class, I passed out this study guide (the juries reading was on the back side) for preparation:

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Test Study Guide

Google Drive: Reading on Juries for Judicial Branch Test

One of the questions on the test will be (thanks for checking the blog!): In this case the U.S. Supreme Court declared that no one accused of a crime has to stand trial in any court in the land without benefit of counsel unless he or she specifically refuses it.
A. Dred Scott v Sanford C. Gideon v Wainwright
B. Plessy v Ferguson D. Brown v Board of Education

If you aren't sure, guess in the comments and I will tell you what the answer is! See you on Thursday, when we will take the quiz! On Tuesday, you will have a one day assignment to complete. Thanks, everyone!

Judicial Branch, Day 6 - Class Recap

The exterior of the Colosseum in Rome. At the end of gladiator fights, the loser would famously be judged by the emperor. Photo taken summer 2014.

Dear class,

It is always great to see you! I enjoyed watching the first part of 12 Angry Men today. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. Selected for today because we are getting close to the end of the year, and student were probably happy to watch a movie today in class. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/16/18:
News Brief – Emily H.
Finish National Judiciary
Juries
Study Guide
12 Angry Men

Homework: Read the blog. Study for the Judicial Branch test next Tuesday! Be good for the guest teacher on Friday. Turn in any late/incomplete work - know your grade and how to improve it. Next news brief: David.

News Brief: Emily H. had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: CNN.com -  Appeals court judges question Trump move to end DACA. We talked for a bit in class about the ongoing DACA issue, before moving on.

David was assigned to do the next news brief.

The National Judiciary: Last class, I passed out this handout, so students could read and review them to prepare for the upcoming test. The test will be on this reading, as well as the Supreme Court cases that we have been studying.

Google Drive: The National Judiciary Readings and Questions

Juries/Study Guide: Next, I also passed out this study guide (the juries reading was on the back side) for preparation:

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Test Study Guide

Google Drive: Reading on Juries for Judicial Branch Test

One of the questions on the test will be (thanks for checking the blog!): In this case the U.S. Supreme Court declared that no one accused of a crime has to stand trial in any court in the land without benefit of counsel unless he or she specifically refuses it.
A. Dred Scott v Sanford C. Gideon v Wainwright
B. Plessy v Ferguson D. Brown v Board of Education

If you aren't sure, guess in the comments and I will tell you what the answer is!

12 Angry Men: To finish class, we started watching one of the most critically acclaimed movies ever: 12 Angry Men (1957). This is a great way to wrap up the judicial branch unit, as we learn more about the jury process through watching this film. I know it is old and black and white, and I was glad to see that students were paying close attention. Here is the film note-taking assignment, if you missed class or lost your copy:

Google Drive: 12 Angry Men Film Questions

Next class, you will finish the movie with the guest teacher. We will then take the Judicial Branch test on Tuesday! See you then.

Judicial Branch, Day 5 - Class Recap

The flag of the United States, before the Holiday Bowl football game in 2008, which the Oregon Ducks won over the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Today, we had an interesting mock trial on saying the Pledge of Allegiance in class.

Hi everyone,

I really enjoyed the discussions and debates the the mock trials brought up today, and I had the sense that most students did, too. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Money" by Pink Floyd. Selected for today because the judicial system can cost a significant amount of money to participate in!

AGENDA 5/14/18:
News Brief – Sofia
Mock Trials
The National Judiciary
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Get any late work in ASAP to improve your grade. Next news brief: Emily H.

News Brief: Sofia had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and talked about this story: CNN.com - Supreme Court lets states legalize sports gambling. This story obviously relates to our current unit, and could have a big impact on lots of sports!

Emily H. was assigned to do the next news brief.

Mock Trials: We had a really excellent discussion on the issues: school segregation, drug searches at school, and saying the Pledge of Allegiance in class. Please complete the rest of your mock trial packet, if you did not in class! Here are the actual results of the cases, with audio of the arguments, if you are interested:

Case #1: Oyez.org - Morse v. Frederick

Case #2: Oyez.org - Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1

Case #3: Oyez.org - Safford Unified School District v. Redding

Case #4: Oyez.org - Elk Grove United School District v. Newdow

We finished all the cases within the class! Thank you for participating in this - I thought it was a pretty cool activity and I was glad to see students engaged in trying to answer these important legal questions.

The National Judiciary/Work Time: I passed out this handout, so students could read and review them to prepare for the upcoming test. I will see how it goes next class with going through these, but the test will be on this reading, as well as the Supreme Court cases that we have been studying.

Google Drive: The National Judiciary Readings and Questions

Please keep working on this! Sound good? Let me know if you have any questions I can answer! Thanks again for an enjoyable class today! :-)

Judicial Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

Here's my mom, Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, at a parade in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Welcome to your weekend! I enjoyed starting the mock trials today in class. Here's what happened today:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Oye Como Va" by Carlos Santana. Selected for today because of last weekend being Cinco de Mayo (remembering a famous Mexican victory over the French) and because Carlos Santana is an amazing Mexican-American guitarist. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/10/18:
News Brief – Francesca
Mock Trial Prep
Present Cases
The National Judiciary

Homework: Read the blog. Look at your grade and improve it, if possible! Next news brief: Sofia.

News Brief: Francesca had the news brief today and talked about this story: CNN.com - Unbridled Trump storms global stage. We talked about the recent diplomatic moves that President Trump has made and discussed their possible impacts.

If you are 16 and not already registered to vote, here's the online enrollment form:

Oregon Secretary of State: Voter Registration

Yay for participating in our democracy! :-)

Mock Trial Prep: I gave the class about 20-25 minutes to finish preparing to present the four cases in the mock trial. Again, I know this was somewhat complicated, but I think we got the hang of it eventually!

Present Cases: During class, we were only able to get to two cases. The first was Morse v. Frederick, involving the humorous (but serious Constitutional issue) of a student holding a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" sign outside of a school in Alaska as an Olympic torch relay went by. In class, the judges found 4-1 for Frederick (the student) in being able to do this as protected free speech. In the actual case, the judges ruled for Morse. Here is the overview:

Oyez.org - Morse v. Frederick

Next, we did a mock trial for the Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 case. This was looking at issues of racial diversity in schools, as well as students being able to attend their own neighborhood school. In class, the judges split 3-2 on this, with the parents winning the case against more diverse schools. Here's the actual case overview:

Oyez.org - Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1

That was it for the day! Next class, we will do the last two trials and then move on with the rest of the judicial branch unit. Remember to hang on to all of your mock trial materials and notes - you will be turning them in! See you Thursday!

Judicial Branch, Day 3 - Class Recap

Looking down the National Mall, from the top of the Washington Monument. The United States Supreme Court building is behind and to the left of the Capitol Building. Photo taken in 2010.

Dear class,

We finished looking at the Supreme Court landmark cases today, then I passed out Mock Trial prep materials. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "God's Plan (Clean)" by Drake. Selected for today because of the amount of planning it takes to run the Mock Trials! Lyrics (not clean) here.

AGENDA 4/8/18:
News Brief – Nick
Finish Landmark Cases
Mock Trial Prep
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Look at your grade and improve it, if possible! Next news brief: Francesca.

News Brief: Nick selected this article to talk about: OregonLive.com - New York AG Eric Schneiderman resigns after 4 women accuse him of physical abuse. We discussed this article and the #MeToo movement when it comes to government, then talked about the weekend and what we were up to.

Francesca was assigned to do the next news brief.

Finish Landmark Cases: We finished going through these today:

Google Drive: Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Handout

The assignment that went along with the reading is here:

Google Drive: Landmark SCOTUS Cases Assignment Sheet

Please make sure you have your completed notes for these very important cases! It was interesting to get to talk about stuff like Japanese internment camps in the United States during World War II!

Mock Trial Prep: The rest of the class was devoted to preparing for mock trials, which we will start next class. This was a very complicated process to explain, but students in class got it, I think! If you missed class, you are going to need to come see me in person to get your case forms and the assignment sheet.

Be prepared to finish these and then do the four mock trials!

Judicial Branch, Day 2 - Class Recap

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, which was a prison for federal criminals. Photo taken in 2011.

Dear class,

Today was another deep dive into various different Supreme Court cases, to see how the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government impacts our day to day lives. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Confessions, Pt. 2" by Usher. Selected for today because a confession could be a part of a criminal investigation, which involves the judicial branch. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/4/18:
News Brief – Ataliah (Syd)
Review Executive Test
Cases Teens Should Know
Landmark Cases

Homework: Read the blog. Look at your grade and improve it, if possible! Next news brief: Nick.

News Brief: Ataliah and Syd had the news brief today and selected an article about these stories to talk about:

NPR.org - Missouri Lawmakers Will Hold Special Session To Consider Impeaching Governor

CNN.com - Trump and Mueller are closing in on open war

We talked about these stories for a bit - there so much happening with our government, every day!

We also checked in about what was going on outside of class.

Nick was assigned to do the next news brief.

Review Executive Test: I think generally, this went well for students. We went through the correct answers in class and talked about the test overall. There will be more opportunities for this learning target in the future, for sure!

Cases Teens Should Know: The reading was from last class - we finished and then went over the answers:

NYTimes Upfront - 10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen Should Know

The assignment was to, on a separate sheet of paper, read and write the answers to the following questions for a minimum of five out of the ten cases.

1) What was the issue?
2) Describe the judge’s decision and explain their reasons why.
3) Do you agree or disagree with the judge’s decision? Explain your reasons why or why not.

As part of going through these cases, I showed this article about all of the states that currently allow corporal punishment at schools (like hitting students with paddles for misbehaving):
BusinessInsider.com - These Are The 19 States That Still Let Public Schools Hit Kids. Eye opening for many students, I think!

Also, here is a recent article related to after school clubs featuring a certain religion: KATU.com - After School Satan Club holds first open house in Portland.

Landmark Case Reading: This was definitely a reading and work heavy day. That's kind of what the Supreme Court is all about, though - lots of legal papers and decisions to look at, in order to understand the law. Here was the reading (I gave each student one case to analyze, and we will go through the rest of them next class):

Google Drive: Landmark Supreme Court Decisions Handout

The assignment that went along with the reading is here:

Google Drive: Landmark SCOTUS Cases Assignment Sheet

That was it for the day! Thank you so much for your focus and hard work! Next class, we will finish up the Supreme Court landmark cases and prepare for some mock trials! :-)

Judicial Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

The United States Supreme Court building, in Washington, D.C. Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your focus today, as we took the Executive Branch test and then moved on to learning a bit about the Judicial Branch! Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:

Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum. Selected for today because of the Executive Branch test, and the possibility you were hoping for some divine intervention in doing well on it. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 5/2/18:
News Brief – Syd
Executive Branch Test
Judicial Branch Overview
10 Cases

Homework: Read the blog. Work on improving your grade, if possible! Next news brief: Ataliah.

News Brief: Syd had the news brief today, but forgot, so I filled in and selected this story to bring in: CNN.com - Cobb out, Clinton impeachment lawyer in, as Trump shakes up legal team. We talked about this story and about the ongoing situation with President Trump.

Ataliah was assigned to do the next news brief.

Executive Branch Test: I hope that you studied and did well on this! I will try to have the grades entered in soon. Thirty questions, multiple choice, then the political spectrum. Not too bad, I hope! Thanks, as always for your effort on this!

Judicial Branch: To start out our look at the judicial branch, I showed this video to the class:

I thought this was a good overview of the structure of the federal court system in the United States. Next, I led students through a fill in the blank overview of the judicial branch. Here it is again, if you want to go over it to study for the test:

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Overview

10 Supreme Court Cases: After going over the introduction to the unit, I passed out this reading:

NYTimes Upfront - 10 Supreme Court Cases Every Teen Should Know

The rest of class was devoted to reading the cases, and following these directions: On a separate sheet of paper, read and write the answers to the following questions for a minimum of five out of the ten cases (I had one half of the room do the first five, and the other half do the second five).

1) What was the issue?
2) Describe the judge’s decision and explain their reasons why.
3) Do you agree or disagree with the judge’s decision? Explain your reasons why or why not.

Next class, we will start this (we barely had time to look at it today), discuss, then move on to some more case studies.

Thanks! See you next time!  :-)

Executive Branch, Day 5 - Class Recap

The Washington Monument, in Washington, D.C. Named after our first President, George Washington! Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed playing the role of the President today and hearing all of the various different policy proposals for the federal government! Next class, we will finish up with the unit and take the Executive Branch test. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem.
Communication LT 5: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "If You're Out There" by John Legend. Selected for today because it was a song that President Obama used to campaign, and we are in the Executive Branch unit. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/30/18:
News Brief – Brookelyn
Cabinet Simulation
Study Guide
Executive Review

Homework: 1) Read the blog. Congratulations for doing this!

2) Study for the executive branch test:

Review the key terms and readings on the Study Guide. For instance, The Presidency reading will help. Also, study the cabinet descriptions reading. You might want to download the pdf and then rotate the page (because it is in landscape format). Or, just turn your head, I guess)!

A test question you will see (thanks for checking the blog!) is: All of the following are duties of the President EXCEPT:

A) Receive Ambassadors. B) Judge the Supreme Court. C) Give a State of the Union Address. D) Ensure that laws are faithfully executed.

If you want to, guess in the comments and I will tell you if you are right!

Next news brief: Syd.

News Brief: Brookelyn had the news brief today, but forgot, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - The mystery of the missing White House tree has been solved. We discussed this story for a bit, including ongoing tensions in the country regarding sanctuary cities and what the United States might be trying to do.

Syd was selected to do the next news brief.

We also checked in about the weekend and what everyone was up to, before moving on.

Cabinet Simulation: I really enjoyed listening to everyone talk about their departments, problems, and possible solutions! Although it appears many students did not have their packets or papers done (please turn them in to me as soon as possible), I was pleased to hear some knowledge and response to my questions as the President! Here are the questions students were answering as a part of this activity:

1) What is your department? What responsibilities does it have?
2) What is a problem your department is facing?
3) What are your possible solutions to the problem?
4) How much money will it cost?

This is the note taking guide that I passed out to students:

Google Drive - Cabinet Project Student Notes

I realize this took a long time to do (almost all of class), so thank you for your patience and understanding that it is important each student have a voice in the process.

Please turn in your papers (if not written by hand) into Google Classroom. I would love your paper copies of the notes in the packet, as well. Thanks!

Study Guide/Executive Review: Here is the study guide for the test, which will be 30 multiple choice questions (for LT5).

Please make sure to ask me if you are at all confused about anything! Thank you so much for your hard work!

Executive Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

The American Cemetery in Normandy, France. A reminder that with great power comes great responsibility.

Hi everybody,

Today was the final work day in class for the Cabinet Project. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem.
Communication LT 1: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 1: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" by Moby. Selected for today because it was the same as my soundtrack for Global Studies, where they are learning about religion, and because the President is not all powerful. This was an instrumental song with no lyrics. Listen to it again if you want here.

AGENDA 4/26/18:
News Brief - Brianna/Cameron
Cabinet Project
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Complete the Cabinet Project assignment and be ready to present with your partner in a classroom cabinet meeting next class. Next news brief: Brookelyn.

News Brief: Brianna had the news brief today and talked about this article: OregonLive.com - Ben Carson proposes raising rent for low-income Americans receiving federal housing subsidies. Obviously, this relates to the Cabinet Project we are working on in class.

Cameron also shared his news article, which is here: WashingtonPost.com - Michael Cohen to invoke Fifth Amendment right in Stormy Daniels case. We discussed this case for a bit, as well as our knowledge about "pleading the fifth" from earlier this semester.

Brookelyn was assigned to do the next news brief.

We also checked in about the weekend and what everyone was up to. Always nice to hear about what people are doing outside of class!

Cabinet Project: Here's a link to the cabinet project (advising the President) that we worked on in class today:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Assignment Handout

Here are the sign ups for each of the cabinet positions:

State: Alice and Sofia
Agriculture: Oviya and Parsa
Commerce: Patrick and Jackson K.
Defense: Syd and Ataliah
Education: Francesca and Faith
Energy: Carlos and Lucas
Health and Human Services: Abby K. and Crystal
Housing and Urban Development: Brooke and Emily W.
Interior: Brooklyn and Nick
Justice: Dom and Brady
Labor: Terra and Brianna
Transportation: David and Cameron
Treasury: Logan and Julian // Mauricio (just choose one part to do)
Veteran’s Affairs: James and Jackson J.
Homeland Security: Abby V. and Noah

Environmental Protection Agency: Emily and Abdu
US Mission to the United Nations: Jose and Joshua

If you missed class, please see where you are on the list and who your partner is!

Work Time: This is due to be presented next class, so I hope you worked hard and do not have much homework (if any) left to complete. If you do, and are confused or need help, please let me know and I will try to get back to you ASAP! See you on Monday!

Executive Branch, Day 3 - Class Recap

Then Senator Barack Obama when he visited Portland near the start of his Presidential campaign in 2007.

Dear class,

Today, we started the Cabinet Project! The Presidential Cabinet is a very important part of how the Executive Branch functions. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 2: I can demonstrate an understanding of the role of governments in current issues.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different branches of U.S. government.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem.
Communication LT 1: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 1: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "Beach Chair" by Jay Z. Selected for today because of the nice weather outside, and because we were learning that the presidential cabinet is not a piece of furniture. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/24/17:
News Brief - Cameron
The Presidency
Cabinet Project
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Study the cabinet descriptions reading. You might want to download the pdf and then rotate the page (because it is in landscape format). Or, just turn your head, I guess)! Continue working on Cabinet project. Next news brief: Brianna.

News Brief: Cameron had the news brief today, but was out of class, so I filled in and selected this article to talk about with the class: CNN.com - Trump on embattled VA nominee: 'It's totally his decision'. We talked briefly about this article, as it totally relates to what we are doing in class today! The Veteran's Administration cabinet position is responsible for a huge amount of money, and is obviously very important. We will see what happens next!

Brianna was assigned to do the next news brief.

The Presidency: We finished going through The Presidency reading and questions:

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

These are the questions that go along with the reading:

Google Drive - The Presidency Questions

Cabinet Departments: For this section, we went over what the various different presidential cabinet departments are responsible for. We also watched this video, so everyone could see what it looks like in real life:

We will be doing a similar sort of activity in class, with me playing the role of the President and the class taking on the various department heads!

Cabinet Project: Here's a link to the cabinet project (advising the President) that we worked on in class today:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Project Assignment

As a heads up, obamawhitehouse.gov might be better than whitehouse.gov currently for this assignment, since President Obama's had 8 years of content and development, while President Trump only has had one year (if you can find stuff, please go ahead and use the current president's website)!

Here are the sign ups for each of the cabinet positions:

State: Alice and Sofia
Agriculture: Oviya and Parsa
Commerce: Patrick and Jackson K.
Defense: Syd and Ataliah
Education: Francesca and Faith
Energy: Carlos and Lucas
Health and Human Services: Abby K. and Crystal
Housing and Urban Development: Brooke and Emily W.
Interior: Brooklyn and Nick
Justice: Dom and Brady
Labor: Terra and Brianna
Transportation: David and Cameron
Treasury: Logan and Julian // Mauricio (just choose one part to do)
Veteran’s Affairs: James and Jackson J.
Homeland Security: Abby V. and Noah

Environmental Protection Agency: Emily and Abdu
US Mission to the United Nations: Jose and Joshua

If you missed class, please see where you are on the list and who your partner is!

Work Time: We spent the second half of class working on Chromebooks on this assignment. We will also spend much of next class doing this, and the cabinet project assignment will be due next Monday.

See you next class!

Executive Branch, Day 2 - Class Recap

Another photo of the White House, in Washington, D.C. Photo taken in 2011.

Dear class,

We continued our Executive Branch unit today in class. Here's what happened:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Congratulations (Clean)" by Post Malone. Selected for today because you made it to the end of the week!

AGENDA 4/20/18:
News Brief – Logan
CRLE Forms
Review Legislative Test
Executive Overview
The Presidency

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: Cameron.

News Brief: Logan had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about in class: FOXNews.com - Arizona teachers vote for statewide walkout. We talked about this story for a bit and other strikes by teachers across the United States recently. Cameron was selected to do the next news brief.

We also checked in about the weekend and what people are up to.

CRLE Forms: As a part of the guest speaker coming in last class, students should fill out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). This year, this need to be completed online, so please follow the links to do this. I gave a few minutes in class to do this.

Review Legislative Test: I passed back these scored tests from earlier this week, along with the Town Hall Review grades. We reviewed the test together and I talked about retakes (the best time would be during first or second period, first lunch, 7th period, or after school).

Executive Branch Overview: The next part of class was learning about the Executive Branch. Here are the answers to the sheet I passed out to start the unit:

Google Drive - Executive Branch Overview Notes

As part of going through this, I explained that the 2016 Presidential Election was decided by the Electoral College, not the popular vote (Clinton got the most votes in the country, but still lost the election). We will look more into this soon.

The Presidency: Here is the reading that we ended class with. It is not homework to complete (unless you missed class), but be familiar with the basics, as a future test will be based on it!

Google Drive - The Presidency Reading

These are the questions that go along with the reading:

Google Drive - The Presidency Questions

I am fully aware that this was not the most interesting class as far as new content goes. I think it will be more engaging soon! Thanks for your hard work - see you next week!

Executive Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

Inside the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. Photo taken in 2010.

Hi everyone,

Today, we heard from Deputy Scott Haley, our Student Support Officer here at Westview, and also went through more introduction to the Executive Branch. Here's what happened today in class:

Learning Targets Addressed:
Knowledge LT 1: I can demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between citizens and their governments.
Knowledge LT 3: I can demonstrate an understanding of how individuals and non-governmental institutions interact with each other and the government in shaping politics.
Knowledge LT 5: I can demonstrate an understanding of the principles, structures, and functions of different levels of U.S. government.

Soundtrack: "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. Selected for today because we are continuing to learn about American government! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/18/18:
News Brief – Abdu and Dom
Deputy Haley
CRLE Forms
Review Legislative Test

Homework: Read the blog. Next news brief: Logan.

News Brief: Abdu and Dom had the news brief today and selected these stories to talk about in class:

BBC.com - Trump hails CIA chief Mike Pompeo's secret trip to N Korea

Reuters.com - Four U.S. senators seek details on unusual cellular surveillance in D.C. area

Due to our guest speaker, we did not dive into this too much in class, but they are definitely interesting stories!

We selected Logan to do the next news brief.

Deputy Haley: Much of the rest of class was devoted to Scott Haley, who is the officer here at Westview. Scott talked about his experience with being the Student Support Officer here this year. Hopefully, you enjoyed hearing him talk with the class, because I definitely did! This is the video that I introduced him with:

CRLE Forms: As a part of the guest speaker coming in, students should fill out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). This year, this need to be completed online, so please follow the links to do this. Thanks!

Review Legislative Test: We did not have time to get to this today, but your grades are in StudentVUE, and we will come back to this next class.

Thanks, everyone!