Monday, November 30th

Class used the video from the Anneberg Institute to learn about the story of The Bill of Rights and to begin to get expert explanations for what is provided for by each amendment.

The class began by discussing Executive Order #9066.

Students received the following handouts describing the current unit and final project:

Rights and Responsibilities

Government Class Overview Winter 2015

Over the next several weeks we will be studying the Bill of Rights in Depth. To help you plan for success and avoid studying logjams, I’m providing a general outline and due dates for readings. You should read the assigned sections of the text BEFORE class, as there will be little study time during class.

For the next two weeks (until winter break) we will be focusing on the Civil Liberties of the 1^st Amendment. A detailed outline is below. You should, however, be familiar with the content and liberties provided by all 10 Amendments of the Bill of Rights before going on break. We will spend the first week back examining the 2^nd Amendment and the 14^th Amendment in more detail.

During this unit there will be several quizzes. The major project will be an annotated and illustrated guide to the 1^st Amendment. This guide book will illustrate the “do’s and don’ts” (or what you can do and not do based on the 1^st Amendment; and what our governments can and can not do based on the 1^st Amendment.) The best guide-books will help others understand the balances between individual freedoms and being part of a society created by the 1^st Amendment and how it has been interpreted; excellent work will show the limits of governmental power and influence on speech; the press; religion; and assembly.

When we return from break we will focus on how or justice system is operates to protect the rights of individuals; during this time we will also study the 2^nd Amendment and the “Right to Bear Arms.” You will get more details on this unit when we return from break. There will be a test on Amendments 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and 14 in early January.

Due Date	Assignment	Focus Study Questions
Monday November 30th	“The Unalienable Rights” Am. Government  532-536	How are rights limited? How does Federalism (the role of states) affect individual rights? How does the 9th Amendment guarantee individual rights?
Wednesday December 2nd	“Freedom of Religion” Am. Government  537-545	Describe “the wall” created by the “establishment clause.” How does the 2nd Amendment impact education and schools? How has the “Free Exercise Clause” been applied by the Supreme Court?
Friday December 4th	Quiz on Religious Freedom / Review Quiz	What areas of the 1st Amendment do you need help understanding?
Friday December 4th	“Freedom of Speech and Press” Am. Government  546-550	This reading focuses on individuals’ right to speech: What are the two basic purposes of the guaranties of free expression? How and why has the Supreme Court limited seditious speech and obscenity?
Tuesday December 8th	“Freedom of Speech and Press” Am. Government  550-553	This reading focuses the rights of a free press (reporting) and commercial speech: Describe “Prior Restraint” and when it can and can not be imposed. Describe “press confidentiality.” Understand the meaning and application of: “Symbolic Speech” and “commercial speech”
Tuesday December 8th	“Freedom of Assembly and Petition” Am. Government  555-559	What are the rights of assembly and petition guaranteed by the Constitution? What limits can b places on time, place, and manner of assembly? How are the freedom-of-assembly issues different on public versus private property? According to the Supreme Court what does the freedom of association mean?
Thursday December 10th	Quiz on Speech and Assembly / Review Quiz	What concepts do you need clarification on?
Monday December 14th	Innocent Until Proven Guilty Am. Government  564-583	How does the Constitution protect citizens from the power of the state? What is our legal system designed to protect?
Wednesday December 16th	Crime and Punishment Am. Government  585-588	What is justice? “An eye for an eye?”
Friday December 18th	Final Project: 1st Amendment Guide Book Test on Religious; Speech; and Assembly Freedoms	Please see the handout on this assignment. Please consider (I mean actually do) parts of this assignment as the unit progresses. See me during tutorial; or make an appointment to see me after school if you need any help.
January 2016	2nd and 14th Amendments	“Right to bear arms?” Civil Rights

1^st Amendment Final Project: 1^st Amendment guide Book

Due Friday December 18

Name _________________________________________ Date ________________ Period _________

We are currently studying the 1^st Amendment Guarantees for Religious Freedom; Free Speech; Free Press; and for Assembly.

You are to create a “guide book” or other document that clearly illustrates and explains what is guaranteed to the citizens of the United States and what is excluded and limited either to individuals or to governments.

Your guide should be understandable by someone who has not studied the issues in depth. The project should indicate knowledge and understanding of the “Focus Study Questions” given in the unit overview.

Your guide should include illustrations or other clear examples of what individuals and governments can do, and what they cannot do.

Free Speech Means A Person Can	Examples or Cases	Free Speech Does Not Allow	Examples or Cases
Argue against the actions of the President.		Government to punish someone for criticizing the government.
Say offensive things in public.		A person to scream, “Fire!” in a school hallway.

There are other ways of setting up your guidebook; this is just one example.

This project is worth 100 points.

Tuesday, 24 November

Class began studying our Freedoms. This unit will focus on the Bill of Rights (Amendments I-X) and the 14th Amendment.

Students wrote about and discussed the questions:
There is nothing to fear but fear itself: true?

and

What is Freedom? How and / or why is it important.

Students received a handout on the Bill of Rights and wrote their initial interpretations of amendments I, IV, and VI.

The class took Cornell notes titled Executive Order #9066
With guiding questions:
How would I feel?
Was it legal / constitutional? Was it right?

Notes were taken using the videos available at Densho.org/core-story/ .

Bonus track Allegiance the musical

Monday, 16 November

Class begins with checking homework from last class.

Next there is this review of kinds of test questions.

Students spend the rest of the class studying for the unit final on Friday, by preparing:

ten questions that they believe are likely to show up on the exam.
     there should be at least four (4) different types of questions including at one (1) short essay question
     the correct answers (key words / concepts for the essay) should be on the back of the paper (and upside down).


The following are the topics to be covered:

A) Federalism

B) Examples of the various levels of government (students wishing to exceed will include information about relevant elected officials at each level)

C) Delegated Powers; Concurrent Powers; and Reserved Powers (students wishing to exceed will include Expressed Powers; Implied Powers; Inherent Powers)

D) The Supremacy Clause

E) The Role of the Supreme Court in maintaining Federalism and the Constitution

F) Also at least one question should come from The National Government and the Fifty States and Interstate Relations chapters (today's homework).

Thursday, 12 November

Class was assigned reading and questions on The National Government and the 50 States and Interstate Relations.

Questions 1,2,3,4, and 6 on page 103 about the Government and States is due on Monday as are
Questions 1,2,3,4,5, and 6 on page 108 on Interstate Relations.

Up to 15% of the test on 20th may be about the basic information in these two chapters.

Students will have time on Monday to work on the project due on Tuesday the 24th. 

Monday, 9 November

Class began by talking about arguments for and against the Coos County Ordinance to not follow Oregon law.

The class reviewed how the concept of Federalism makes this law a bad idea; how the courts' role in the separation of powers makes this law a bad idea; and how the law seems to be unconstitutional.

Next the class examined personality characteristics, and then read Candidates Stick to Script, if Not the Truth, in the 2016 Race and discussed how the behaviors described affected our view of the candidates.

Students should bring their texts to the next two classes.

Thursday, 5 November

Class was built around five questions today:
1) How does a Supreme Court Judge understand the Constitution?
2) How do Supreme Court Judges think about doing their job?
and for the 2nd activity of the day
3) What would "I" do as a Justice?

Class began by viewing the following interview with two Supreme Court Justices.

Students were asked to attend to the following three questions while taking Cornell Notes on the video:
A) Which questions from the students are also questions you have?
B) Which answer(s) from the justices are / were most surprising to you?
C) What roles odes personal belief / values play in their role (according to the Justices)?

Today we will be viewing Our Constitution: A Conversation Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Stephen G. Breyer answer questions from students about why we need a written Constitution and what it says about the Supreme Court and its rulings. (29 min)

Next, students were asked to think about the new law passed in Coos County denying state of Oregon gun control laws in the country. Students were given the following hand out on the case Printz vs United States (1997).

Students are to create:
two arguments for their point of view for their preferred outcome.
one argument they predict someone who disagrees with them would make
one argument to counter the argument they predict someone who disagrees with them would make.
These arguments may be made based on personal beliefs.

Class was focused on ensuring students could answer the following questions:

What is Federalism?
How does Federalism impact "me"?
Why Federalism?

The class took Cornell notes on two segments on the history of the Supreme Court and Federalism (with a focus on the Marshall Court).

Students in periods 3 & 4 reviewed who represents them at various levels of government:

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
President Barack Obama
Vice President Joe Biden
Oregon (Senior) Senator Ron Wyden
Oregon (Junior) Senator Jeff Merkley
Oregon Congressman for Congressional District 3 Earl Blumenauer

OREGON STATE GOVERNMENT
Governor Kate Brown
Oregon State Senator "varies" use this link to find out who represents you.
Oregon State Representative "varies"  use this link to find out who represents you.

MULTNOMAH COUNTY
Chair Deborah Kafoury
Commissioners "varies" https://multco.us/board 

CITY of PORTLAND
Mayor of Portland Charlie Hales


PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
School Board Chair Tom Koehler

Students worked in groups and as a class to work on the following quiz:

Formative Quiz on Federalism     Group @   #  &  *  ^  $

Name _______________________________ Date _______________ Period __________

1) Amanda and her friends have noticed this problem in their neighborhood:

Problem: The garbage cans in the public park are overflowing. What should Amanda do to solve her problem?  

@ *  Answer on Page number_______

a. Write a letter to the president


b. Call his / her US Senator.


c. Call an attorney


d. Contact her local Mayor’s office

2) What does federalism mean?

 # ^   Answer on Page number_______ 

a. The right to have a government


b. Power is shared by the national and state governments

c. The power to enforce laws.


d. The power to create courts.

3) What is an example of a power that the federal and state governments share?

& $ Answer on Page number_______

a. Establish a postal service.

b. Establish public school


c. Coin money


d. Enforce laws

4) What does the statement below mean?  

“The US Constitution in Article I says that only the national Government can coin money and make treaties with other nations”

@ * Answer on Page number_______

a. Article one is referring to one of the examples of the enumerated powers.

b. This article is referring to state powers


c. This means that the Constitution does not give any powers to the states.

d. Article I gives powers to the banks.

5) The Framers of the US Constitution included the “supremacy clause” in Article VI that declares that the Constitution and other laws and treaties made by the national government are the supreme law of the land. This means that:  

# ^ Answer on age number_______

A. The National government can’t violate the Constitution. 


B. The states may do nothing that goes against the US Constitution or federal law. 


C. The states can do as they please 


D. The states are part of the supremacy clause. 


6) Which statement is true about the concept of federalism?  

& $    Answer on page number_______

A. Americans must obey only state laws.


B. Federalism was designed to give the President more power.

C. It does not put a limit on government.


D. The power is shared by the national and states’ governments.

7) In addition to their exclusive powers, both the national government and state governments share powers. Shared powers between the national government and state governments are called concurrent powers. Which of the items below is an example of concurrent powers?  

@ * Answer on Page number_______

A. Make treaties with foreign governments. 


B. Regulate trade between the states. 


C. Establish trash collection services 


D. Establish courts and prisons 


8) What information about federalism can you infer from the cartoon?

# ^ Answer on Page number_______

A. The Federal government does not care what laws are passed by the states. 


B. State laws can’t go against federal or national laws. 


C. California is a powerful state. 


D. States are allowed to do anything they want. 


9) “The Rehnquist Court is well known for its many five-four decisions in favor of enhanced state power”  

William Rehnquist was a US Supreme Court Chief Justice for many years. According to the above quote, what was he known for?  

& $ Answer on Page number_______

A. He favored the reserved powers. 


B. He favored the enumerated powers. 


C. He was known for supporting concurrent powers. 


D. He was known for favoring a conservative liberal government. 


10) Based on the following quote, which of the following is true about John Marshall?

@   #  &  *  ^  $ Answer on Page number_______

“Although, among the enumerated powers of government, we do not find the word ‘bank’ or ‘incorporation,’ we find the great powers to lay and collect taxes; to borrow money; to regulate commerce; to declare and conduct a war; and to raise and support armies and navies . . . But it may with great reason be contended, that a government, entrusted with such ample powers must also be entrusted with ample means for their execution. The power being given, it is the interest of the nation to facilitate its execution...”

— Chief Justice John Marshall

A. He wanted more powers for the national government. 


B. He wanted more powers for the state governments. 


C. He was talking about the powers of the courts. 


D. He wanted the states and national government to be entrusted with more powers. 


Answer

1. D   2. B    3. D    4. A    5. B    6. D   7. D    8. B    9. A    10. A

Period 4 discussed issues related to the following research

 Huffington Post: Social Media and Lawmakers

 Market Place: Social Media and Lawmakers

Students should bring their text books next class.