Category Archives: 2 Government

January 19, 2013 · 12:33 pm

2013 Government Final Exam Guidelines

A.C.T! Reflection: Please go here for an excellent example of A.C.T! reflection.

Podcasts: Please go here to find audio podcasts reviewing the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, and the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

This exam will concentrate on three historical political documents; The Declaration of Independence (Part I), The Bill of Rights (Part II), and 14th Amendment to the Constitution (Part III). You will be asked questions about the environment in which each was written. You will be required to interpret the meaning of each. And finally I expect you to provide personal real world awareness as to the lasting implications of each document. Grading of specific answers will take into account the depth and accuracy of your responses.

For Part IV – A.C.T! you must write up a full post A.C.T! reflection (Action Counts Today). Your requirement is to actively read the article (notate it) and write up an A.C.T! reflection. The assignment (for all students) will count as a fifty point homework grade, plus for those taking the final an additional 25% portion of the exam. It is due at the beginning of school on Friday, January 25. This portion of the Final Exam must be typed. You must also turn in the actual article. I will grade you for active reading responses on the actual article. You will be provided one hour class time in the computer lab to work on or search for an adequate article relating to your A.C.T! issue one week prior to exams.

If you have home computer access issues you may come in during any Exam period to use my computers or before or after school of exam week to work on your A.C.T! assignment. Please see me if you questions.

Each of the four sections below count 25% of your final exam grade.

I – 50 pts / Declaration of Independence (1776)
II – 50 pts / Bill of Rights (1791)
III – 50 pts / 14th Amendment to the Constitution (1868)
IV – 50 pts / A.C.T. – take home article evaluation (2013)

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December 22, 2012 · 5:37 pm

Thomas Jefferson’s Honor Roll

Congratulations to the individuals below for earning an A on the Declaration of Independence Exam.

Governments, even those long established, may become destructive of the ends that once protected “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” Should that occur, it is the right of the people (in a sense their duty) to alter or to abolish that government and to institute a new and more responsible version; one that will most likely affect their safety and happiness.

Keep those pitchforks sharpened, those torches soaked.

94% Emilia Lang
94% Chris Moore
94% Travis Simmons
94% Kelly Snow
94% Maria Vasconcelos
93% Erin Brault
93% Dakodah Roomsburg
93% Molly Payne
91% Tim Crans
91% Falisha Burroughs
90% Sam McGhan
90% Derek Masterman

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December 13, 2012 · 5:31 pm

Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness

A little Founding Fathers Rap, compliments of Jib Jab.

A fascinating look at the edited version Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration.

The Declaration of Independence is the foundation on which our democracy stands. Jefferson’s call to arms in the defense of liberty serves as the basis for all else that follows. Those rights protected in the first ten amendments in the United States Constitution derived from the self evident truths of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and the power of the consent of the governed to protect those rights served as an inspiration for the Revolution and later the writing of the Constitution. And it further inspired and continues to guide our democracy to safeguard liberty and arouse duty to personal responsibility in self governance.

And so we must know it. And know we will.

We are going to take the Declaration of Independence apart. Then we are going to re-construct it. You will present that reconstruction as a group. We will look at the real world edits from the day. By Friday December 21 you will be asked to memorize a portion of the document and pass a Common Assessment Exam that calls for an interpretation. Finally, after exploring all the in’s and out’s, we will watch it be debated and written in John Adams – Part Two.

So, let’s get going.

Go here for a copy of the in-class assignment of the Declaration.
We will deconstruct and reconstruct the Declaration in your groups.
Group 40 pt quiz grade on class presentation (Fri 14, Mon 17)
Individual 30 pt HW grade on notes on that presentation. (Fri 21)
(Tue 18) we will look at the edits made by Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams.
Finally we will watch it play out – John Adams (Part II). (Wed 19, Fri 21)
Don’t forget Thursday’s 20 CA or your memorization by Friday 21.

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December 2, 2012 · 9:48 am

Sharpen the Pitchforks and Soak the Torches

…and on to the castle walls! Oakridge Students Speak Out!

Carla Kevern – Go here to read her letter reprinted in the Muskegon Chronicle.

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November 25, 2012 · 1:22 pm

A.C.T! Requirements for – MP #2

Go here for PDF of A.C.T! MP #2 Guidelines.
Go here for PDF copy of Probationary contract.
Go here for PDF copy of examples of superior article evaluation.

Go here for PDF copy of student letter to Michigan Representative.
Go here for PDF copy of student letter to United States Congress.
Go here for PDF copy of student letter to Muskegon Chronicle.

Go here to find web, phone, and address to elected representatives.

In the second marking period A.C.T! groups will begin to contact various groups in order to:

learn more about your issue.
assert political pressure on elected representatives.
influence the voting public.
solidify ties with like minded organizations.
send a challenge to organizations that conflict with your Mission.

This portion of the assignment will be via US mail or the Internet.

Every A.C.T! Group must write a letter of correspondence (one for each student in the group) to various selected organizations. In the event that we have a group of five – five letters will be required. We will learn how to compose a quality letter. You will have various guidelines to go by. All letters must be typed in 12 point font with one inch margins and should be no longer than a single page. You may submit letters via E-mail, however E-mail letters, like regular mail, must be okayed for sending by Mr. Wood. I will NOT clear a letter that has any misspelled words, or does not convey what I think is a coherent message. You may run the letters by me as many times as you wish. When a letter is cleared it counts 100%. If it is not cleared by due date that letter counts 0% no matter how many times you’ve rewritten the letter.

The due date for A.C.T! MP #2 letters and articles is Friday, November 30 – 3:00 PM.

Your A.C.T! group must also continue in MP#2 to broaden your knowledge base on your issue; consequently you will be required to research more articles (one per group member) This time we will eliminate the Quote and the Question. Your format stays the same for everything else – However – replace the term Evaluation with Reflection. And here I expect substantial improvement. Your article evaluations will include your active notation on the article as part of the grade. So make sure to include your work up copy of the article in your A.C.T! Notebook.

Please go to above PDF’s to find specific requirements and suggestion in regards to MP requirements.