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!

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 effort on the test and with the in class work today! 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: "Princess of China" by Coldplay. Selected for today because a princess is a monarch, which is a form of government. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/16/17:
News Brief – Ava
Executive Branch Test
Judicial Branch Overview
Cases Every Teen Should Know

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any missing work ASAP! Next news brief: Grace.

News Brief: Ava had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: CNN.com - How a school custodian saved students from the California shooter. We discussed this story and the ongoing uproar over gun violence in the United States, before moving on to talk about the upcoming weekend.

Grace was selected 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 before the weekend. Thirty questions, multiple choice. Not too bad, I hope! Thanks, as always for your effort on this! It seemed like most students felt okay about how it went.

Judicial Branch: To start, 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 later on in the unit (probably after Thanksgiving):

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Overview

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

Google Drive - 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.

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 finish this, discuss, then move on to some more case studies.

Thanks! See you next time! :-)

Executive Branch, Day 6 - 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: "Paris, Tokyo" by Lupe Fiasco. Selected for today because it's a really good song, and also, the Department of State has to talk with countries all around the world. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/14/17:
News Brief – Harrison
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: Ava.

News Brief: Harrison had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: Newsweek.com - BERNIE SANDERS CALLS ON TRUMP TO HELP IRAN AFTER DEADLIEST EARTHQUAKE OF 2017. We talked in class for a bit about this, and how obviously it is a horrific story. Thanks, Harrison.

Ava was selected to do the next news brief.

Cabinet Simulations: 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?
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?

It was great to have this discussion in class, and I'm sure everyone is better prepared for the test as a result of going through the various different departments.

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

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 5 - Class Recap

The American Cemetery in Normandy, France. Selected for today because Veterans Day is this week.

Hi everybody,

Today was the last 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: "If You're Out There" by John Legend. Selected for today because it was a theme song of President Obama's in 2008. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/9/17:
News Brief - Zoe
Election Review
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: Harrison.

News Brief: Zoe had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to bring in: OregonLive.com - US makes it more difficult to travel to Cuba, blacklists many large military-run businesses. We talked for a bit in class about this story and why Cuba travel has been opened and then restricted again in the past couple of years. We also checked in about the weekend before moving on.

Harrison has the next news brief.

Election Review: I went over the results from the 2017 election briefly at the start of class. Here are the links that I showed:

CNN.com - 2017 Election Results

OregonVotes.gov - PCC Bond Results

Twitter.com - @Taniel 2017 Election Results

For a bit of summary, Democrats in general did very well. It is usually the case that the political party out of power (in this year and next, it is the Democrats, as the Republicans control all aspects of the Federal Government) wins a lot, as Americans seek balance in government. Also, nothing motivates people to vote like feeling they need to in order to have a say. Next year, many of the students in the class will be able to vote! I hope that you do so!

Cabinet Project/Work Time: 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:

Agriculture: Gibelli and Alexis
Commerce: Trinity and Marie
Defense: Calvin and Zoe
Education: Elena and Emma
Energy: Lucas
Health and Human Services: Tyler and Paul
Housing and Urban Development: Marian and Srey
Interior: Hunter and Harrison // Grace
Justice: Seraiah and Nina
Labor: James and Ernesto
Transportation: Bara and Nic
Treasury: Edgar and Christian
Veteran’s Affairs: Olivia and Jacqueline
Homeland Security: Vinh and CJ
Environmental Protection Agency: David and Sarah
US Mission to the United Nations: Yovanka and Erick
State: Avery and Jun

If you missed class, please see where you are on the list and what you are doing! Remember that I am mostly concerned with your 1-2 page paper for Team Member A or B that is near the end of the packet, along with the presentation.

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 Tuesday!

Executive Branch, Day 4 - Class Recap

On the roof of the Bundestag building in Berlin, Germany. This is where the government of Germany meets. Photo taken in 2013.

Hi everyone,

Welcome to a shortened week, with Veterans Day on Friday! Here's what happened in class:

Learning Targets:
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: "The Final Countdown" by Europe. Selected for today because it is the final countdown (of hours!) until the 2017 election tonight! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/7/17:
News Brief – Elena
Election Night
Grade Updates
Cabinet Project

Homework: Read the blog. Watch the election night coverage tonight! Next news brief: Zoe.

News Brief: Elena had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: NYTimes.com - U.S. Report Says Humans Cause Climate Change, Contradicting Top Trump Officials. This was a super important release of data and conclusions about the role humans are having on the environment. Thank you for highlighting this, Elena!

Zoe was selected to do the next news brief.

Election Night: Because today is election day for 2017, I made sure to go through what is happening and when to expect results. We went through a few websites for this:

1) The PCC bond measure, which was the only vote on the ballot in the Portland area:

OregonLive.com - PCC's $185 million bond measure for job training centers heads to mailboxes

2) What is going on nationally, with various votes for Governor and representatives:

NBCNews.com - Election Day 2017: What You Need to Know

3) Finally, here is an even more detailed look at some races that might have a big impact in various different states:

Twitter.com - @Taniel Election Night 2017

Lots going on, for sure! We will check back in on the results on Thursday.

We also talked about the recent mass shooting at a church in Texas - I showed this article with some interesting facts and graphs:

NYTimes.com - How to Reduce Shootings

Grade Updates: I passed back the grades I had for all work that has been turned in to me so far. I encourage students to revise their work or retake tests if needed to improve their grades! Come see me if you are confused, so I can walk you through what you need to do.

Cabinet Project: This was continued from last class. We will also work on this on Thursday, before the actual Cabinet Simulation on Tuesday of next week. Here's a link to the cabinet project (advising the President) that we looked at in class today:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Assignment Handout

Here are the selection students made:

Agriculture: Gibelli and Alexis
Commerce: Trinity and Marie
Defense: Calvin and Zoe
Education: Elena and Emma
Energy: Lucas
Health and Human Services: Tyler and Paul
Housing and Urban Development: Marian and Srey
Interior: Hunter and Harrison // Grace
Justice: Seraiah and Nina
Labor: James and Ernesto
Transportation: Bara and Nic
Treasury: Edgar and Christian
Veteran’s Affairs: Olivia and Jacqueline
Homeland Security: Vinh and CJ
Environmental Protection Agency: David and Sarah
US Mission to the United Nations: Yovanka and Erick
State: Avery and Jun

Continue to work on this, please! See you on Thursday! :-)

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 5: I can communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Research LT 5: I can effectively conduct and apply research.

Soundtrack: "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited. Intended as a pump up song for the long weekend and the Cabinet Project! Here's a link to the version I played in class, from ESPN's "Jock Jams" CD.

AGENDA 11/2/17:
News Brief - Srey
Review Legislative Quiz
The Presidency
Cabinet Project

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 the Cabinet project. Next news brief: Elena.

News Brief: Srey had the news brief today, and selected this article to talk about with the class: NYTimes.com - Terror Attack Kills 8 and Injures 11 in Manhattan. Srey talked about this story and some of the details of what happened in this horrific story, as we discussed what happened and President Trump's reaction. We also checked in about the upcoming long weekend, before moving on.

Elena has the next news brief.

Review Legislative Quiz: Because we did not have time to do this last class (due to Deputy Haley visiting), we reviewed the quiz and went over the answers (as students that had not taken it yet were doing so out of the room). There will be plenty more opportunities to improve your quiz scores in the future!

The Presidency: We finished going through The Presidency reading and questions today in class:

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 looked at in class today:

Google Drive - Presidential Cabinet Assignment Handout

Here are the selection students made at the end of class:

Agriculture: Gibelli and Alexis
Commerce: Trinity and Marie
Defense: Calvin and Zoe
Education: Elena and Emma
Energy: Lucas
Health and Human Services: Tyler and Paul
Housing and Urban Development: Marian and Srey
Interior: Hunter and Harrison
Justice: Seraiah and Nina
Labor: James and Ernesto
Transportation: Bara and Nic
Treasury: Edgar and Christian
Veteran’s Affairs: Olivia and Jacqueline
Homeland Security: Vinh and CJ
Environmental Protection Agency: David and Sarah
US Mission to the United Nations: Yovanka and Erick
State: Avery and Jun

We will continue working on this next week! Thanks for your hard work! :-)

Executive Branch, Day 2 - 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: "Born in the U.S.A" by Bruce Springsteen. Selected for today because the song is typically seen as representing patriotic themes, but a closer look at the lyrics (as we did in class) show that the song is really about a deep dissatisfaction with American culture and government.

AGENDA 10/31/17:
News Brief – Christian
Deputy Haley
CRLE Forms
Review Legislative Test

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

News Brief: Christian had the news brief today and selected an article about this story: CNN.com -  What you need to know about the Manafort, Gates indictment.

This was an interesting story, and I wish we could have discussed this more in class, but since Deputy Haley was coming, I made it somewhat short.

Srey was selected 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!

CRLE Forms: As a part of the guest speaker coming in, students filled out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). I did turn all of these into the counseling office for anyone that did it.

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!

Executive Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

The White House, in Washington, D.C., where the President (the head of the Executive Branch of the United States government) lives. Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Today was the Legislative Branch test in class, as well as the start of our unit on 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: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. Selected for today because it will soon be Halloween! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/27/17:
News Brief – Ernesto
Legislative Test
Executive Branch Overview
The Presidency
Questions for Deputy Haley

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

News Brief: Ernesto had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and selected an article about this story to talk about in class: CNN.com - Republican tax plan faces big hurdles ahead of 2018. We discussed this story for a bit and the challenges regarding tax reform. Christian was drawn as the next news brief.

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

Legislative Test: I was generous in the lead up to this, as I went over basically the exact questions from the test and gave some study time before I passed it out. I should have grades for it available by next class (fingers crossed).

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 2000 and 2016 Presidential Election was decided by the Electoral College, not the popular vote. 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

Questions for Deputy Haley: At the end of class, we made some questions for Scott Haley, who is the officer here at Westview. Next class, Scott will come in and answer your questions, and talk about his experience with being the Student Support Officer here. In the past, this has been an awesome experience in learning more about law enforcement (directly related to the Executive Branch) and filling out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). I am looking forward to it! See you next class.

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 4/26/17:
News Brief – Autumn and Julio
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: Arafat.

News Brief: Autumn and Julio had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: CNN.com - Judge blocks part of Trump's sanctuary cities executive order. 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.

Julio brought in his news brief as well: TIME.com - The U.S. Has Conducted an Unarmed Missile Test in California. We talked about the tensions in the world related to this, as well.

Arafat 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?

Here are the notes that I took during the presentation.

Google Drive: Notes from 4/26/2017 Cabinet Meeting - Period 8

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), plus the political spectrum again.

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 4/24/17:
News Brief - Julio
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: Autumn.

News Brief: Julio had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and talked about my weekend, along with the French election, which I found super interesting.

Autumn 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. If you have missed class the last two times, you need to select one that has either nobody or one person on it:

Agriculture: Mariah
Commerce: Nicole
Defense: Autumn and Jesus
Education: Sarah and Fatimah
Energy: Taylor and Colleen
Health and Human Services: Tsering
Housing and Urban Development:
Interior: Darius and Jacob
Justice: Julio and Anakin
Labor: Ziggy and Ja’Quay
Transportation: James
Treasury: Nate and Genevieve
Veteran’s Affairs: Isaiah and Jason
Homeland Security: Alyssa
Environmental Protection Agency: Seth and Ethan
US Mission to the United Nations: Arafat
State: Jacki and Kendall

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 Wednesday!

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: "Step in the Name of Love" by R. Kelly. Selected for today because of us stepping to start the Cabinet Project later in class. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/20/17:
News Brief - Jacob Mr. Fritz
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: Saige.

News Brief: Jacob had the news brief today, but was not in class, so I filled in and selected this article to talk about with the class: CNN.com - Judge denigrated by Trump as 'Mexican' will hear key deportation case. We talked briefly about this article, and then discussed the horrors of ACT day yesterday, before moving on.

Julio 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 Assignment Handout

As a heads up, obamawhitehouse.gov might be better than whitehouse.gov currently for this assignment, since President Obama's has 8 years of content and development, while President Trump just started and does not have much there (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:

Agriculture: Mariah
Commerce: Nicole
Defense: Autumn and Jesus
Education: Sarah and Fatimah
Energy: Taylor and Colleen
Health and Human Services: Tsering
Housing and Urban Development:
Interior: Darius and Jacob
Justice: Julio and Anakin
Labor: Ziggy and Ja’Quay
Transportation: James
Treasury: Nate and Genevieve
Veteran’s Affairs: Isaiah and Jason
Homeland Security: Alyssa
Environmental Protection Agency: Seth and Ethan
US Mission to the United Nations: Arafat
State: Jacki and Kendall

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 on Wednesday.

See you next class!

Executive Branch, Day 2 - 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 4/17/17:
News Brief – Seth
Deputy Haley
CRLE Forms
Review Legislative Test

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

News Brief: Seth had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about in class: NYTimes.com - Nationwide Search and $50,00 Rewaard in Manhunt for Suspect in Fatal Shooting Shown on Facebook. We discussed this story and the ongoing search for this person, as well as live streaming online with bad results, as well.

We selected Jacob to do the next news brief at the end of class.

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!

CRLE Forms: As a part of the guest speaker coming in, students filled out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). I did turn all of these into the counseling office for anyone that did it. I will try to have my mom come in near the end of the semester for a second opportunity, as well.

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!

Executive Branch, Day 1 - Class Recap

The White House, in Washington, D.C., where the President (the head of the Executive Branch of the United States government) lives. Photo taken in 2011.

Hi everyone,

Today was the Legislative Branch test in class, as well as the start of our unit on 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: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. Selected for today because it was sort of a pump up song for the test! Lyrics here.

AGENDA 4/13/17:
News Brief – Nate
Legislative Test
Executive Branch Overview
The Presidency
Questions for Deputy Haley

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

News Brief: Nate had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about in class: CNN.com - First on CNN: US drops largest non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan. This was a breaking news story in class, so we talked about what was known so far with this drop being dropped and why it was done, as well as President Trump's statements about it. Seth was selected to do the next news brief.

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

Legislative Test: I was generous in the lead up to this, as I went over basically the exact questions from the test and gave some study time before I passed it out. I should have grades for it available by next class (fingers crossed).

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!

Questions for Deputy Haley: At the end of class, we made some questions for Scott Haley, who is the officer here at Westview. Next class, Scott will come in and answer your questions, and talk about his experience with being the Student Support Officer here. In the past, this has been an awesome experience in learning more about law enforcement (directly related to the Executive Branch) and filling out a Career Related Learning Experience form (I believe you need to have 4 of these completed as a graduation requirement). I am looking forward to it! See you next class.

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 effort on the test and with the in class work today! 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: "Princess of China" by Coldplay. Selected for today because a princess is a monarch, which is a form of government. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/18/16:
News Brief – Katelyn
Executive Branch Test
Judicial Branch Overview
Cases Every Teen Should Know

Homework: Read the blog. Turn in any missing work ASAP! Next news brief: Alessandra.

News Brief: Katelyn had the news brief today and selected this article to talk about: CNN.com - Officer charged with manslaughter in Philando Castile killing. We discussed this story and the ongoing uproar over police brutality in the United States, before moving on to talk about the upcoming weekend.

Alessandra was selected 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 later today. Thirty questions, multiple choice. Not too bad, I hope! Thanks, as always for your effort on this! It seemed like most students felt okay about how it went.

Judicial Branch: To start, 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 later on in the unit (probably after Thanksgiving):

Google Drive: Judicial Branch Overview

10 Supreme Court Cases: After going over the introduction to the unit, I passed out this reading (which was copied incorrectly, so we were only able to do a few of the cases - I will pass out the full reading next class):

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.

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 finish this, discuss, then move on to some more case studies.

Thanks! See you next time! :-)

Executive Branch, Day 6 - 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: "Paris, Tokyo" by Lupe Fiasco. Selected for today because it's a really good song, and also, the Department of State has to talk with countries all around the world. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/16/16:
News Brief – Nathan
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: Katelyn.

News Brief: Nathan had the news brief today and selected an article about this story to talk about: FoxNews.com - Minnesota woman blames drunken driving crash on the election. We talked in class for a bit about this, and how obviously there is never a good excuse for drunk driving. Thanks, Nathan.

Katelyn was selected to do the next news brief.

Cabinet Simulations: 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?
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?

It was great to have this discussion in class, and I'm sure everyone is better prepared for the test as a result of going through the various different departments.

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

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