Monday, May 15: Today we discussed how the court "elevator" works (trial to appellate to supreme). We then learned about different sources of the law, including criminal, civil, military, and juvenile courts. Students then started playing Trial Court Go Fish, learning about the different roles of people in a trial court.
Due: None In Class: Sources of Law, Trial Court Go Fish Homework: Sources of Law Wednesday, May 17: Today we re-enacted a transcript of a trial about the James Bond movies. Students had to look at the evidence and come up with a verdict. With leftover time, they continued their Trial Court Go Fish games. Due: Sources of Law In Class: Bond in a Honda Homework: None Friday, May 19: Today we practiced interpreting the Constitution as the Supreme Court has to do. We also learned more specifically how the federal and state court systems work. Due: None In Class: Interpreting the Constitution, Judicial Deep Dive Homework: Judicial Deep Dive, Study for Judicial Branch Quiz next class
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Tuesday, May 9: Students took the executive branch unit test today. If absent, please come to a lab to make it up ASAP. They then completed the assignment Judicial Branch in a Flash.
Due: None In Class: Judicial Branch in a Flash, Executive Branch Test Homework: Finish Judicial Branch in a Flash Thursday, May 11: Today was the Cabinet Simulation. We then started talking about sources of law. Due: Judicial Branch in a Flash In Class: Cabinet Simulation, Sources of Law Homework: Sources of Law Monday, May 1: Today we learned about foreign policy, taking some notes and completing an assignment about it. Students also played some games on iCivics.
Due: Kid's Coin In Class: Foreign Policy (turned in) Homework: Very Big Branch assignment due next class Wednesday, May 3: Today we reviewed what we have learned about the Executive Branch. Students were also introduced to the Cabinet Simulation and given roles. Due: A Very Big Branch In Class: No specific assignment Homework: Study Cabinet assignment Friday, May 5: Students played the game "Executive Command" on iCivics. They then met with their Cabinet members to discuss their strategy in the simulation next class. If time left, students read the Judicial Branch in a Flash assignment as a table, and began to work through the assignment. Due: None In Class: Executive Command Game, Cabinet Sim Strategy, Judicial Branch in a Flash (started) Homework: Prepare for Cabinet Simulation next class Tuesday, April 25: Students who were absent last class presented their bill advocacy speeches. We then learned about the powers given to the executive branch by the Constitution. Students then began to learn about how big the executive branch really is.
Due: Starters In Class: All in a Day for the President; Started A Very Big Branch Homework: Finish All in a Day Thursday, April 27: Students learned about how the executive and legislative branches work together with a hypothetical bill about the creation of a 'kid's coin'. Students then created their own 'kid's coin'. Due: All in a Day In Class: Kid's Coin, Work on A Very Big Branch Homework: Finish Kid's Coin Monday, April 17: Students worked on their advocacy speeches for their bills. They must share it with Ms. Nay as well as the official bill proposal for next class.
Due: None In Class: Advocacy Speech Homework: Advocacy Speech and Official Bill Proposal shared by next class Wednesday, April 19: Students were divided into committees to present and discuss their bills. The committees decided which bills passed committee to move onto the Senate floor. Those bills chosen will present their advocacy speeches in class next time. Due: Advocacy Speech and Official Bill Proposal In Class: No assignments Homework: None Friday, April 21: Those students whose bills were chosen gave their advocacy speeches to the class. The class then voted on each bill that made it to the floor. Next, students created a report on the simulation. This can be a written essay, newspaper article, collage, or other visual representation of what happened in the simulation. Due: None In Class: Reporting the Simulation Homework: Reporting the Simulation Tuesday, March 28: Students gave their introductory speeches to the Senate. They must share with or print a copy for Ms. Nay. They then began to research a bill they would like to create.
Due: Introductory Speech In Class: Gave speeches, research and write bill Homework: Research bill Thursday, March 30: Students continued to research and write their bills. They also started to write their advocacy speech for the bill. Due: Bill research In Class: Write bill. start to write advocacy speech Homework: Work on advocacy speech Monday, March 20: Students researched their assigned state for the senate simulation, completing the state data sheet. If time, they began making their 're-election campaign poster'.
Due: None In Class: State data sheet Homework: Finish state data sheet Wednesday, March 22: We reviewed for the test next class. Students then worked on their campaign posters. If time, they began to write their Senate Introductory Speeches. Due: State data sheet In Class: Campaign poster Homework: Study, finish campaign poster Friday, March 24: Students took the test on the Legislative Branch. If absent, please come to a lab ASAP to take this. Students then wrote their Senate Introductory Speeches. Due: Campaign Poster In Class: Legislative Branch Test; Introductory speech Homework: Finish and print two copies of Senate Introductory Speech Tuesday, March 14: Today we did an activity to learn about voting in Congress. Students completed some notes about the factors that go into voting in Congress. We then discussed some issues Congress may encounter and how they would decide if they had the power to act.
Due: Congress in a Flash; Why do we have a House and a Senate? In Class: Voting in Congress notes and activity Homework: None Thursday, March 16: Students completed the web quest "Making Laws' (Link below). The questions are answered on their own paper. They then played the iCivics game "Lawcraft". After the game, students completed a simple game review assignment. If time, they began the state research for the senate simulation. Due: None In Class: Making Laws Webquest; Lawcraft game Homework: All late work due tomorrow Making Laws Lawcraft Monday, March 6: Today was our Socratic Seminar about free speech and technology. Students turned in the questions they wrote about the article, as well as a self-assessment after the seminar. IF absent, please see Ms. Nay for an alternate assignment. Next, we reviewed for the test next class on the Constitution, focusing on what the articles and amendments are about, as well as what each branch does.
Due: Seminar Questions In Class: Seminar Self-Assessment Homework: Study for test Wednesday, March 8: Students took the unit test on the Constitution. We then discussed Congress in a flash. Due: None In Class: Constitution Test; Congress in a Flash Homework: Finish "Congress in a Flash" Friday, March 10: We discussed why we have a House and a Senate. Students completed various assignments discussing this concept. Due: Congress in a Flash In Class: Why do we have a House and a Senate? Homework: Finish 'Why do we have a House and a Senate? Monday, February 27: We discussed federalism and what powers are federal and state powers. Students began reading about free speech and technology, the topic of our socratic seminar next week.
Due: None In Class: The 'Federal' in Federalism Homework: Read Free Speech vs. Technology Wednesday, March 1: Students prepared for the Socratic Seminar by coming up with open ended questions about the reading. They also played Power Play and I Have Rights on iCivics.org Due: Free Speech read In Class: iCivics activities, Seminar questions Homework: Seminar prep |