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 class for the semester. 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 1/30/18:

News Brief – Tyler
Final Test
Reflection
Study Time

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

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News Brief: Tyler had the news brief today but was not in class, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Train carrying Congress members hits truck. We discussed this horrific 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 Monday at 8:00 AM, but I anticipate having them done before then).

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!

Study Time: The end of class was set aside for study time.

Thank you all so much for being so wonderful to work with. Take care of yourselves and I hope to see you around! Have a great rest of the year! :-)

Finals Prep - 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 1/29/18:

News Brief – Zoe
Jeopardy Review
Surveys
Study Time

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

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News Brief: Zoe had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: NYTimes.com - Andrew McCabe Steps Down at F.B.I. in Widely Expected Move. We talked about this story and a little bit about what else is happening with the government.

The next news brief was assigned to Tyler.

Jeopardy Review: Another fun session of Jeopardy with the class! This was to review content for the final, next class. If you want to see the slides again, here they are:

Google Drive - Government Jeopardy Final Review

Congratulations to Team 1 for coming out on top of the competition! I hope everyone had fun playing.

Surveys: At the end of class, it was study time, as well as helping some of my Diversity and Social Justice students out by taking some of their surveys for their final project. Here are the surveys:

Google Forms - Nathan's Survey

Google Forms - Quinn's Survey

Google Forms - Jenna's Survey

Google Forms - Brendan's Survey

Google Forms - Jay's Survey

Google Forms - Katelyn's Survey

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 Wednesday, for finals! Good luck on all of them! :-)

State and Local Government, Day 8 - 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: "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke. Selected for today because of the connection to the Civil Rights Movement in the lyrics.

AGENDA 1/25/18:
News Brief – Marian, Kayla, and CJ
Lift Ev'ry Voice
Discussion
Study Time

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

News Brief: Marian had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: BBC.com - President Trump predicts 'tremendous increase' in UK-US trade.

CJ also brought in a news brief and selected an article about this story: NYTimes.com - Trump Says He Is Open to a Path to Citizenship for ‘Dreamers’.

Finally, Kayla talked about this story, as well: NYTimes.com - School Shooting in Kentucky Was Nation’s 11th of Year. It Was Jan. 23.

Thanks for the interesting conversation, everyone! Zoe has the next news brief (no write up required).

Lift Ev'ry Voice/Discussion: 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.

Study Time: The rest of class was devoted to study time for the upcoming final next week. Here is the study guide for the final (part multiple choice, part short answer reflection) that I passed out in class:

Google Drive - Government Semester Final Study Guide

Next class, we will be playing Jeopardy to review these concepts and then have one last study session before finals. Thanks for your effort here!

State and Local Government, Day 7 - Class Recap

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

Dear class

I enjoyed talking with everyone about the government 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: "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" by Pink Floyd. Selected for today because of the ongoing controversy about the border wall, which helped shut down the federal government over the weekend. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/23/18:
News Brief – Avery (Kayla, Ernesto, CJ, Calvin, Erick)
Review Packet
Lift Ev'ry Voice

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

News Brief: Avery had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: NYTimes.com - Government Shutdown Ends After 3 Days of Recriminations. We talked about this story and what happened with the shutdown over the weekend, before moving on.

Review Packet: Last class, I passed out this packet, which should be treated as a Study Guide for the State and Local government portion of the final test:

Google Drive - State and Local Government Reading/Questions

This reading went over all sorts of different aspects of State and Local governments. We went through the answers together in class as our last new content before the final next week.

Lift Ev'ry Voice: With our last few days before the final, I wanted to focus on how our state and local community has acted with regards to race - specifically, the black community in Portland. To start, I showed this article that (while pretty long) does a great job at going into detailed history here:

Gizmodo.com - Oregon Was Founded As a Racist Utopia

We then watched the first part of an excellent recent documentary from OPB, called Lift Ev'ry Voice. We still have about 40 minutes next class to watch, but 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. I'm looking forward to finishing it up next time and discussing it!

See you on Thursday, everyone!

State and Local Government, Day 6 - Class Recap

Cannon Beach, Oregon. Photo taken in 2007.

Dear class,

Today we continued the last unit of the semester with the State and Local packet. 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.

Soundtrack: "I Will Buy You A New Life" by Everclear. Selected for today because the song references Portland ("way up in the West Hills") and the band is from the city. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/19/18:
News Brief – David (Kayla, Ernesto, CJ, Calvin, Erick)
Presentations
State and Local Packet
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Prepare for finals! Next news brief: Avery (and anyone who has not presented yet).

News Brief: David had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: TheVerge.com - Here’s how Hawaii’s emergency alert design led to a false alarm. We checked in about this story and the possible implications, as well as updates on the finals schedule, before moving on to talk about the government shutdown that could happen tonight.

Presentations: We finished the State and Local presentations in class today - I will aim to have these projects graded by next week, so you know where you are going into finals!

State and Local Packet: After the presentations, I passed out this packet, which should be treated as a Study Guide for the State and Local government portion of the final test:

Google Drive - State and Local Government Reading/Questions

This reading went over all sorts of different aspects of State and Local governments. Important to know!

Work Time: Most of class was designated as work time, since it was the last day to turn in any missing work from the semester for me before finals. I went over grades individually with every student in the class. Thanks for your effort here! One more full week of the semester to go!

State and Local Government, Day 5 - Class Recap

My view of Mt. Hood and Lost Lake on final approach into Portland International Airport last year.

Dear class,

Today was another presentation day for the last major assignment of the year: the State and Local project. 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem. 

Soundtrack: "Talk" by Coldplay. Selected for today because students continued to talk about their State and Local projects in class. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/17/18:
News Brief – Kayla, Ernesto, CJ, and Calvin
State/Local Presentations
Late Work?

Homework: Read the blog. All late work needs to be turned in by Friday! Next news brief (just find a news story - does not need to be a write up): David.

News Brief: No students were present in class who had a remaining news brief, so we skipped this for today. I assigned David to bring in an article to talk about (no write up, since he has already done one) for next class.

State/Local Project: The class was entirely taken up after the news brief by students continuing to share out their State and Local project with the class, as I asked questions. Here's the handout for the assignment:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

Overall, I was pleased by the projects and answers. At the very least, it did appear that most students did research and had put thought into their responses for the problem facing our community and possible solutions. Thank you, all! I am looking forward to reading more about your projects in your papers.

Late Work?: Please remember that all late work is due Friday if you want your grade to improve before finals! 

State and Local Government, Day 4 - 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 State and Local Project Presentations. 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: "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2. Selected for today because the song is in large part about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who we honor on Monday with a day of service! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/12/18:
News Brief – Jacqueline
Prep Time
State and Local Presentations
Readings/Questions

Homework: Read the blog. All late work is due by next Friday. Next news brief: Kayla, Ernesto, CJ, Calvin.

News Brief: Jacqueline had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: TIME.com - Trump's Decision to Expel Salvadoran Immigrants Reverses an American Tradition. Since we had just talked about citizenship in America and the process to become a citizen, we also talked about what is happening here.

We also checked in about the weekend. Please remember that although you have Monday off of school, the whole idea behind the holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is that it should be a day of service to the community in some way. As such, there are a ton of events that people can participate in around town - or, you could take the initiative to do something else in our community. Here's a list:

HandsOnPortland.org - Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend of Service Events

I (Mr. Fritz) memorably had David send me this video in 2016 after I implored my Global Studies student to participate in service on MLK Day:

Twitter.com - @zackpatton11: Picking up trash on MLK day

Please participate in service in some way! :-)

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

State and Local Presentations: Thank you for your work and for the class in focusing and respecting the presentations. 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. Thanks, everyone!

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! Today was our last day of in class work on the State and Local project. 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 semester can feel like a series of battles. Keep working hard, everyone! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/10/18:
News Brief – Marie
State/Local Project
Work Time
Grade Check

Homework: Read the blog. Your State/Local final project is due to be turned in and presented next class! Next news brief: Jacqueline, Kayla, Ernesto, CJ, Erick, and Calvin.

News Brief: Marie had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: NYTimes.com - Trump Appears to Endorse Path to Citizenship for Millions of Immigrants. I showed the video from this story to the class and talked about how President Trump is saying two incompatible things about the Dream Act and his desire for a border wall to be paid for by the government.

We also talked about what students were up to outside of class. I spent the evening last night with President Obama's Official Photographer, Pete Souza, who was at a book talk in Portland! I brought in his book to share with students who were interested in seeing some behind the scenes photos of the presidency.

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 again. Next class, on Friday, you will be presenting about your problem and turning your paper in. 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 last year of Oregon's only National Park: Crater Lake.

Hi everyone,

Today was our second work day in class on the State and Local government project. I also updated everyone on what needed to be done as we approach finals. 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem. 

Soundtrack: "Coming Home" by Mat Kearney. Selected for today because this is a song about Oregon (played after the first quarter at Oregon Ducks football home games). Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/8/17:
News Brief – Jacqueline
Citing Sources
State/Local Project
Work Time

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in your Citizenship Paper on Google Classroom if you have not yet! Continue working on your State/Local final project (due to be presented on Friday). Next news brief: Marie.

News Brief: Jacqueline had the news brief today, but forgot her binder, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Sources: Oprah Winfrey 'actively thinking' about running for president. This was an interesting article to talk about today, as the Golden Globes were last night and Oprah had a very powerful speech.

Marie has the next news brief.

Citing Sources: Because so many students seemed to stumble on this part with the Citizenship Paper, and because the State and Local project has it as a requirement as well, I spent some time in class going over how to cite sources in MLA format. Some links that may help with this:

Purdue OWL - MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources 

Purdue OWL - MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics

EasyBib.com

A works cited page at the end of your research paper is a requirement, as is utilizing in-text citations. EasyBib really helps with the works cited page for electronic resources!

State/Local Project: The final assignment for the unit is this project, which is a two page paper, with at least three MLA citations, about a local issue that you care about. It will be due on Friday in class, and you will be asked to give a short (like a minute or two) presentation. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State and Local Government Final Project

We went through this together, and then had work time in class.

Work Time: The rest of class was spent on Chromebooks, 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 be have our last in class day to continue working. Please let me know if you have any questions about what to do! See you on Wednesday!

State and Local Government, Day 1 - Class Recap

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

Dear class,

Welcome back from Winter Break! Today, I introduced the last major assignment of the year, with the State/Local government project. 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.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.
Critical Thinking and Reasoning LT 3: I can apply understanding of ideas and concepts to a new context or problem. 

Soundtrack: "Welcome Back" by Ma$e. Selected for today for obvious reasons. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 1/4/18:
News Brief – Mr. Fritz
Welcome Back
State/Local Government
Project Work

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any missing/incomplete work - especially the Citizenship Paper from last class if you did not finish. Next news brief: Jacqueline.

News Brief: I had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Sessions to nix Obama-era rules leaving states alone that legalize pot. This was a story that just came out this morning, which could potentially have impacts on the state of Oregon, as we have legalized recreational marijuana.

I also talked about the reason I was absent from school just before Winter Break started: my uncle and aunt were killed in a bus accident in Mexico that made the news, here: WashingtonPost.com - Americans among 12 killed in bus crash during Mexican cruise excursion. After my dad's death, I became even closer with my Uncle Andy and Aunt Jody, so their deaths are especially hard to fathom, as well. The memorial service for both of them is this Saturday in Olympia, Washington. It was a very challenging break, for sure. I appreciate everyone's kindness and understanding during this time.

Jacqueline was selected to do the next news brief.

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/Local Project: The final assignment for the unit is this project, 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 a few days (we have at least the next two days in class to be working on it), and you will probably be asked to give a short (like a minute or two) presentation. Here's the handout:

Google Drive: State/Local Government Project

I went through the assignment in depth in class, and talked about possible issues for students to research. Basically, go with something you are interested in! It's really up to you - just run it by me, first! The rest of the class was spent working on the Chromebooks, researching for the State and Local assignment, I think most students are set with knowing what their problem is and how to research it. We will continue doing this next class. Thanks!