Presidential Candidate Assignment

Today in class we went to iSideWith, a website that asks you questions about your opinions on important issues. You need to finish the survey (don't forget to adjust the issues you think are more important by moving the left-hand marker to 'more' or 'most' instead of leaving it as 'somewhat') including the additional questions in each category.

After you click to see your results, you need to write me a good paragraph response. What did you think about this assignment? Were you surprised by your results? Did you get the candidate you already support? Did you get a candidate that you had not previously heard of? Perhaps a third-party candidate? Does that make you want to know more about that candidate? Did it make you think differently about the issues? Was your previous opinion solidly confirmed?

Email me your good paragraph response. Please do not just send me a sentence or two unless it shows deep thought about the topic!

Electoral College Homework for American History

Today we discussed the Electoral College system and how the President is elected. Your homework is to, using a site like www.270towin.com or a similar site, figure out the fewest number of states (and which ones) that a candidate could win to win the Presidency.

Supreme Court Presentation

Students,

Here are the details (again!) on your Supreme Court presentation:

• Your groups have already been arranged and approved
• Your case has already been chosen and approved
• You need to do research on the case and include in your presentation
• The basic facts of the case (what happened? when? where? who was involved?)
• What law was broken? What law was challenged?
• What were the arguments of both sides?
• What did the Supreme Court decide? Why? What was the vote?
• What do you think would have happened if the Supreme Court had decided the other way?
• All partners in your group need to speak during the presentation
• Your presentation must include visual elements (iMovie, Keynote, iPhoto, costumes and props, etc.)
• You need to be ready to answer questions about your case and presentation
• If you are being thorough, your presentation will probably be around five minutes or more

Tonight's HIstory Homework

Tonight you need to find out—and be ready to tell me tomorrow—who our US Senators are, and who our Representative in Congress is.

Go to it, problem-solvers!

History Homework

The assignment on the Cabinet is NOT due tomorrow. We will continue and finish it in class tomorrow!

American History Chapter Four

Here is the link to Chapter Four from the textbook.

Link for Technology Video: 'The Story of Send'

The Story of Send!

American History Extra Credit Opportunity

You have a one night only extra credit opportunity. Watch a portion of the Presidential debate airing tonight (at least thirty minutes; you do not need to watch all ninety minutes!) and

• write down the questions that are asked of the candidates in the portion you watch
• summarize their responses

Do the best you can. I understand that much of the conversation may be difficult to comprehend or follow. Write down keywords. If help is available to you, take it!

This is due tomorrow. Better job equals more points!

Watch it on television... or watch it right here!

Question on Articles of Confederation for Tonight

Here are the notes we took today on the Articles of Confederation and the question for homework:

Articles of Confederation

States had __________ branches of government

• ______________: to __________ laws
• ______________: to __________ laws
• ______________: to __________ laws

Articles of Confederation central government had ________ branch of government
______________: to __________ laws (required _____ of 13 to ______ laws)

Articles of Confederation could not:

• ___________ (could only ______ states for ________)
• ___________ laws (left to _______)
• ___________ laws (left to _______)
• control _________ (each state could ________ money and impose ________)

To change Articles required _____ of 13 states to approve

Articles of Confederation government was ___________ ___________

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Here's the question for homework:
Knowing what you know about the colonies, their history, and why they fought for independence, describe why they intentionally created a weak government (a good paragraph)