sem2-USG

Josh L. : Click here for your assignments for the last two weeks of school (May 26th- June 5th)
= =

Welcome Seniors to your final semester here at TGHS. Get used to coming to this "wiki" for many different activities, assignments and outside readings associated with our class.

ASSIGNMENT POSTING PAGES:
Click on your class hour, and then click on your name to post an online assignment. Hour 7 Hour 8

=The End - Monday May 11th - Thursday May 21th= This is it Class of 2009, get done with this and you are in the clear!

IMPORTANT DAYS - //**Monday, May 11**: Create card lists, decide what information will go on what suit of cards, have lists completed for Tuesday// //**Tuesday, May 12**: Begin finding photos for your first suit, complete one suit if possible// // **Wednesday, May 13** : Work day, finish suit one, begin suit two// // **Friday, May 15** : Work day, finish suit two, start three// // **Monday, May 19** : Work day, finish suits three and four, demo box creation IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS __MONDAY__ IS THE LATEST DAY THEY CAN BE ANSWERED... PLEASE PLAN AHEAD! // // **Wednesday, May 20** (or sooner): Print off cards, IN COLOR ON CARDSTOCK!!!// //**Thursday, May 21**: Cards due, automatic loss of 25 points if not done & turned in on Thursday. If not turned in on FRIDAY, MAY 22 - you will earn a ZERO out of 100 for the assignment score.//

We have had to change our class work time due to scheduling conflicts. You will still have the same number of in-class work days, but we lost lab time for next Tuesday.

**Task Overview**:
=== Your task is to design a deck of playing cards highlighting key aspects of the foundations of our government, the Federal Budget & taxes, the US Constitution, the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch and the Judicial Branch. It is alright to discuss with classmates the layout & plan for this project but this is an __INDIVIDUAL__ student assignment. Duplicate cards between classmates will earn a score of ZERO. ===

1) For the first suit (be sure it has 13 total cards):
 * Remember,** of the things you believe are especially important for everyone to know about our US Government, select:
 * The Federal Budget & Principles of Government

2) Then:
 * 13 things (people/concepts/processes/powers) on the Legislative Branch - in one suit (one must show the location of the branch in the Constitution)
 * 13 on the Executive Branch - in one suit (one must show the location of the branch in the Constitution)
 * 13 on the Judicial Branch - in one suit (one must show the location of the branch in the Constitution)
 * The design of your jokers are up to you, remember they should be in good taste.
 * Design your card box appropriately - including an image and your name

1. Make a list of things as listed above (could be people, facts, duties, dates, powers, anything you see as important to know). 2. Write a brief definition for each of the things you selected. 3. Rank the things you listed, 1-13 for each list. 4. Determine what suit will represent each category. 5. Access the template for your desired suit. (WHEN WE ARE IN THE LAB) 6. Enter the necessary information for each card. a. You may play with fonts and colors if you wish but keep the sizing and layout of each card the same. b. You will need to find a quotation or graphic for each card. If you select a picture, carefully delete the text in the box which reads, “Put your picture or quotation here” and then paste your picture into the textbox. You should also then paste the URL onto the photo credits page. 7. Determine and create the layout for the back of your cards. 8. Using a color printer, print your cards onto heavier paper. 9. Run a test to see which way to load paper into your printer so you can accurately print the backs of your cards. 10. Reload the card sheets into your printer and print the backs of your cards.
 * Directions**

These are directions for creating both: 1. Click once on the picture so the black lines are around it and there are small black squares in the corners. 2. Under FORMAT select PICTURE 3. Under the LAYOUT tab you can try either SQUARE or IN FRONT OF TEXT (if one doesn't work the way you want it to, the other will)
 * //About images for the card backs and box://**

Also, in class Friday I will be sharing directions for making lines invisible - something I recommend once you get your images for the backs positioned the way you want them.


 * When you have created your lists for the cards in the different suits, use the card templates provided.

=**Thursday, May 5th, 2009 - ONE DAY TO PROM!!! OMG!!!! **=

==== Exercise Two : Preform an internet search to find TWO national debt calculators that are as recent as May1st. In your notebook, record the URL, the national debt, and if possible what is you "fair share."====

==== Exercise Three: Do your best to balance the federal budget The information on this site may be dated, but the challenges of trying to balance a budget are evident. Keep in mind what is best for the community, country, and the rest of the world as you make your decisions.====

====Try your hand at balancing the Federal Budget in "[|Budget Hero] - This is the challenging be sure to go through the "briefing" that gives detailed instructions.====

=Monday, May 4th, 2009= The end is near... T - minus 14 days, but who is counting? Today we will working on the process of selecting a jury for either a Criminal or Civil Trial. Follow the directions given on the website, chose a trial, and begin the process of jury selection.

The goal of this simulation is to select an EXCELLENT jury - read the cases carefully and make intelligent decisions in choosing from the "pool."

Record the following on a piece of notebook paper to turn in at the end of class from your experiences in the simulation:

1) Describe what may have happened at an ancient TRIAL BY ORDEAL? 2) What is the significance of the MAGNA CARTA to modern day courts? //**From "Pick Twelve"**// 3) What does the term VOIR DIRE mean? 4) What is considered when looking for the ideal juror? 5) What trail did you choose? 6) What side did you choose to select jurors for (plaintiff, defense; prosecution, defense) **//From YOU!//** 7) How many attempts did it take to create your "EXCELLENT" jury? 8) What challenges/problems/ or issues did you experience in the jury selection process?
 * // From "The Jury System" introduction: //**

= = =[|The Jury Game]= This is a game/simulation which displays the challenges of selecting a jury for either a criminal/civil trial.

= = =Friday, April 24th= Check this out for the Supreme Court case concerning the "[|Bong Hits For Jesus]" ruling.

=Friday, April 17th, 2009= Great work yesterday on the introduction packets... it was interesting to hear some of you talk about the different things that you already seem to know about the Judicial Branch - thanks in part to the overwhelming number of TV courtroom/crime dramas.

FIRST click on Link #1, use the drop-down menu below "Choose a court case from this menu, then click Submit" to learn about the following cases. Note the case title and what was decided in you notebook on a new page entitled, __"Landmark Cases."__

NEXT, for the two cases you find most interesting, click on Link #2, click on the title of your court cases (listed on the left side of the screen), read the background information about the case and write a one paragraph analysis on the back of your paper. Answer the following question for the responses on the back of the page. //Why is this specific landmark case still very important to society in 2009?// THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT!

1) Plessy v. Ferguson 2) Brown v. Board of Education 3) Marbury v. Madison 4) Gideon v. Wainwright 5) Miranda v Arizona 6) Tinker v. Des Moines 7) U.S. v. Nixon

Link #1: [] Link #2: []

= = =Thursday, April 9th, 2008= For today's class: 1) Post your "Toondoo" assignment to your name on the ASSIGNMENT POSTING PAGES. 2) Partner up & take on a classmate in the [|Presidential Election Game]. (Be patient it may take a moment to load)

=Friday, April 3rd, 2009= In class Monday we worked with a partner on identifying on the 8 Roles of the President, and now today you are going to display that you alone understand what those roles actually mean.

This is your task: create a cartoon using the website [|TOONDOO.com] in which you create scenarios displaying 3 of the 8 roles of the President. Think about what we did in class with the flash cards, look at your class notes as a reference, and maybe even scan the headlines for ideas. Looking on ANY of the below major news outlets home page should give you plenty of news about President Obama, then think of how his actions reflect any one of the 8 roles.

[|CNN] [|MSNBC] [|FOX News] [|CBS] [|ABC] [|The Associated Press]

Save your "toon" to Toondoo website- we will post them in class next Thursday (April 9th) under your name on the assignment posting page. (If you get done early, I will help you post your assignment)

I F YOU ARE A FIRST TIME TOONDOO USER:
 1. Go to [|toondoo.com]  2. Click "Register"  3. Create your username and password AND provide an email address for them (__you will not receive spam__)  4. Sign in to toondoo and begin!

 - Click "Create Your Own"  - Select a 3 panel cartoon.  - CREATE! (you can upload your own pictures/images if you need/ want)  - you can save your cartoon, and wait to publish it until you are done.

 //Here is an example of what you may create:// 

=Friday, March 27, 2009= Judging from the deafening silence (except Danny WInd) when asking the class to name members of the Obama cabinet during our lecture the other day- it became clear that we need to learn a little about some of the names that are dominating the news these days. Today's assignment focuses on the staff of President Barrack H. Obama.

Fill out the handout distributed in class using the following links.

a. [|Click here to see the staff members of President Obama] b. [|Click here to learn about Obama's Chief of Staff] c. [|Use this link] to get the information required under "Executive Office of the President" on your "Obama Staff" sheet.

For those who have misplaced the sheet that I gave you at the beginning of class - here is another copy

= = = = =Friday. March 13th, 2009 -= Friday is an exam day for our unit on Congress... These should help... = LEGISLATIVE BRANCH REVIEW GAME -- give this a try & see how you do!=

=Wednesday, March 11th, 2009= In this task you will use the following links to learn more about Congressional Leadership. Title this assignment CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP and answer the following questions in your notebook. Keep your answers in your notebook. Completion of this task is ESSENTIAL in preparation for your exam Friday!

1a) Who is the [|Speaker of the House]? 1b) What is his/her political party? 1c) What is his/her home state? 1d) What is the role of Speaker of the House?

2a) Who is the [|House Majority Leader]? 2b) What is his/her political party? 2c) What is his/her home state? 2d) What is the role of House Majority Leader?

3a) Who is the [|House Minority Leader]? 3b) What is his/her political party? 3c) What is his/her home state? 3d) What is the role of House Minority Leader?

4a) Who is the [|House Majority Whip]? 4b) What is his/her political party? 4c) What is his/her home state? 4d) What is the role of House Majority Whip?

[|Senate Leadership] [|Definition of Senate Leadership Roles] 5a) Who is the President of the Senate? 5b) What is his/her political party? 5c) What is his/her home state? 5d) What is the role of the President of the Senate?

6a) Who is the President pro tempore of the Senate? 6b) What is his/her political party? 6c) What is his/her home state? 6d) What is the role of the President pro tempore of the Senate ?

7a) Senate Majority Leader 7b) What is his/her political party? 7c) What is his/her home state? 7d) What is the role of the Senate Majority Leader?

8a) Senate Minority Leader 8b) What is his/her political party? 8c) What is his/her home state? 8d) What is the role of the Senate Minority Leader?

9a) Minnesota's presence in the Senate... who represents us? 9b) What is his/her political party? 9c) What is one committee or subcommittee he/she is on? [|Members of the 111th Congress]

=__Friday, March 5th, 2009__= Use the following links for today's Expressed vs. Implied Powers of Congress...

[|CNN] [|MSNBC] [|FOX News] [|CBS] [|ABC] [|The Associated Press]

=__Wednesday, March 4th, 2009__= Yesterday in our class notes we examined some of the basics of Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Today we will be looking at the creation of Congressional districts, and the challenges in re-districting. Today we have two tasks...

Task #1:
 * READ THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE AND IN YOUR WRITE DOWN A 2-3 SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE TERM //GERRYMANDERING// **
 * MEANS**.

Task #2: Try you hand redistricting in the following simulation... [|The Redistricting Game] There are five "missions," it your assignment to complete each of them. Follow the directions for each mission. After each mission is COMPLETE, write in your notebook under the Gerrymandering description what challenges or successes you had in your attempts at redrawing congressional districts.

=__Tuesday, March 3rd, 2007__= For everyone that was gone today here is a copy of the Power Point we went over in class... I have also attached a chart that lists differences between the two houses of the United States Congress.



=__Friday, February 27, 2008__= Today we are going to continue leaning some basics of the legislative branch of the United States.

You must complete two tasks using the [|Center on Congress] website, and please do so in your notebooks.

__Task #1:__ [|Some Public Criticisms of Congress] - On the **front** page of your paper please list & briefly explain four common criticisms of Congress. For each criticism also give a 2-3 sentence summary of what the reply stated.

__Task #2: The Impact of Congress on Everyday Life__ - On the **back** of your paper use the following [|Pop-Up] website and move through the virtual town and list 30 ways Congress & Government impact our everyday lives. Be sure to browse around the home, the school, the music shop & the factory.

= = =Unit II Wrap Up=

Here is a Power Point from the unit we have just completed, check it out for some review time...

=__**Friday, February 13th, 2009**__= //This assignment is on hold for the time being... the "Fantasy Congress" website is under construction.// Today we will be starting a "fantasy" simulation that will provide insight to the functions of government, and the role of some specific members of Congress. You will assume the role of "General Manager" over your own team of members of Congress. Follow the directions below (you will also get the same information in a handout, and a PDF document is attached to this posting as well in case you lose your directions).

CLASS ID & CLASS CODE will be written on the board in room 111. Like any of our other Web related activities be sure to write down your name and password in a safe place for future reference.

[| FantCongDirections.pdf]

**Playing Politics Step One: JOIN A LEAGUE**
You will join a league of up to 99 other players. You will compete against these players (our class) to see who is the best at picking members of Congress. [|Go to: http://fantasycongress.com/edu/] Use our class code & ID to register. Our Class ID: on the white board in room 111 Our Class Code (for registration): on the white board in room 111

Click to Join the League Click to draft a group of Congresspersons

Playing Politics Step Two: DRAFTING
Your team consists of sitting Members of Congress (MCs) from all parts of the spectrum of seniority. The more senior a Representative or Senator, the more powerful they are. For your team, you will draft:


 * Upper Senators- Senators with seniority more than half the Senate
 * Lower Senators- Senators with seniority less than half the Senate
 * All-Stars- Senior Representatives
 * Supporting Lineup- Mid-Range Representatives
 * Rookies- Junior Representatives

You can swap MCs at any time to react to the changing political climate.

Playing Politics Step Three: EARNING POINTS
The Members of Congress (MCs) on your team score statistics by performing their duties. None of this action is simulated or imaginary; every real action your MC takes in Congress reflects in your points daily. We evlauate MCs in the following categories:

1. Legislative Success- How well a Member of Congress moves his or her bills through the legislative process. Check out our Legislative Tutorial for more info. 2. News- Receiving noteworthy national news can indicate that an MC is working hard to achieve goals valued by the country. Additionally, coverage by local media can indicate that legislators are working on issues important to their constituents. 3. Maverick Votes- It takes guts to stand as an individual against the party. If the vote is tight and your MC breaks ranks, they score higher in this category. 4. Voting Attendance- Ever since elementary school, absences have counted against you. Members of Congress are also evaluated on whether they show up to do their job. Based on how the statistics of your MCs compare to the statistics of the other teams you will gain or loose ranking points. Playing Politics Step Four: MANAGING YOUR TEAM

Balance. Your team of MCs must do well in many categories. As the Citizen manager of your team, it is up to you to choose how to win.

You can swap out MCs at any time so keep a close eye on your Members and make sure they don’t start to slip in the rankings.

As with any manager, you can message fellow league members and other folks within the community with bluffs, hopes for the season, and generally talk smack.

It is up to you who you pick, D, R, I, etc but you might want to consider the following tips:

Think of yourself as a political operative choosing Members of Congress. Each Member of Congress only has so much time in the day, but you need to choose a team that can score well in Legislation, Votes, and News. Here are our hints.

1. More Votes (attendance and maverick scores) means Less News, and vice versa. Each Member of Congress can only spend so much of their time voting and also making news. 2. Rookies are good for Attendance and Maverick scores. Usually Rookies don't make much news and don't have a lot of successful legislation, so their votes are generally considered their most powerful asset. 3. All-Stars are great for legislation because most are high-ranking members and chairs of committees. 4. Supporting Lineup are great for co-sponsorship. 5. Senators are great for everything. Many will make more news than usual because they will likely campaign more.

Ultimately, you need to focus on a balanced team- the key of success. Points are calculated across a number of categories. These categories require a balanced team:


 * Legislation- how far a bill goes in the legislative process primarily sponsored by your MC
 * Co-sponsored Legislation- the progress of co-sponsored legislation (3/5 of total points if sponsored on date of bill introduction, 1/5 of total points if sponsored within one week of bill introduction)
 * Maverick Votes- Maverick votes are points awarded to Members of Congress when they vote against their party during tight and deciding votes. Many centrists and even some radicals have high maverick scores.
 * Voting Attendance- If your Member of Congress is likely out campaigning, then they are likely not going to be able to attend their votes as much.
 * News Mentions- Points are awarded for the number of times mentioned in the news. Members of Congress want to be in the news to be able to communicate their priorities and show the public they are doing something. They try to sway national opinion.
 * Speeches- how often and how much your MCs advocate on the chamber floor (COMING SOON!)

Composite Statistics The following formulas are currently used to calculate composite stats for both individual players and fantasy teams.

Legislation Metrics
 * Legislation (LEG) = All sponsored pieces of legislation (including amendments) receive a higher score as they move further down the legislative process. See our Legislative Tutorial. For example, an introduced bill that passes both chambers could receive up to a total of 80 points.
 * Co-sponsorship (CSP)= All cosponsored pieces of legislation (including amendments) that receive a higher score as they move further down the legislative process. (3/5 of total points if sponsored on date of bill introduction, 1/5 of total points if sponsored within one week of bill introduction)

Voting Metrics
 * Voting Attendance (ATD)= # of Votes Taken this Session/ Total Votes in House or Senate
 * Maverick (MVK)= Cumulative score of (Votes Against Majority of Party * Tightness of the Vote)

News Metrics
 * News (NWS)= number of prominent news articles mention the Member of Congress within the season


 * Reported Bills Average (RBA)* = Number of Sponsored Bills With Movement (Reported out of Committee or Passed by Chamber)/ # of Introduced Bills; NOT USED FOR GAMEPLAY, ONLY FOR SELECTION**

=__Thursday, February 5th & Friday, February 6th__=

//For Friday, Feb 5th create a power point quiz using the template provided.//
You are responsible for creating a power point quiz in which you show your understanding of the difference between "liberal" and "conservative" statements. This will be done INSTEAD of a traditional unit exam.

- Mix your liberal & conservative questions up (DO NOT make the first 6 Liberal and the second 6 Conservative) - Fill out your text first (statement & reason why) then look for your pictures. - Each slide MUST include a picture that depicts the issue. (example: Abortion-- a picture of "Roe v. Wade") - Your quiz should include 12 statements (6 liberal & 6 conservative) along with a description if WHY your statement falls into either category. - Use the "22" statement sheet from earlier in the unit and your lecture notes as a reference -- but attempt to look further than the issues discussed in class. - After downloading the template save it to your documents folder on the TG server, your desktop, or a jumpdrive. - Upon completion you must turn in a printed out copy of your slides. On your copy to hand in CIRCLE the correct answer. - This assignment must be COMPLETED on FRIDAY, February 6th. Copies of slides turned in -- PPT must be saved on your name on the assignment posting page.



//Posting your completed PowerPoint// 1. Be sure to save your powerpoint using your name (ex. BeefcakeHr7) 2. Click on your name on the class posting page 3. Make sure that you are loged into the Wiki & click EDIT THIS PAGE 4. You should see a Media Box from you Political cartoon assignment, we want to post above that 5. Type today's date... and the title LIBERAL & CONSERVATIVE QUIZ 6. Click on the image on your Editor bar that looks like a TREE 7. Click BROWSE to find your file (it should be saved on your desktop, click on that file 8. Click UPLOAD 9. Your file will show up, and it will be briefly highlighted in yellow 10. Double click on your file (the one that was highlighted yello) 11. Close the Images & Files box 12. Click save on the editor page 13. Look at your page now, you should have your political cartoons & a powerpoint file saved in YOUR space 14. Fini

=__Friday, January 30th & Monday, February 2nd__= Directions: Using “[|Daryl Cagle’s Professional Cartoonists Index],” collect one liberal and one conservative political cartoon. Follow the directions below to copy each cartoon onto a slide in Zoho Show (you might find it helpful to print them). On the slide, explain your cartoon and its bias. You can see a sample of the assignment here: [|SAMPLE ONE] & [|SAMPLE TWO]. Link your Zoho slideshow onto the page linked below by the end of class Monday, February 2nd.

[|CONSERVATIVE vs. LIBERAL] beliefs can be found on this link. Use this link to serve as a reference to distinguish between the two perspectives.

1. Go to [|Zoho Show] and register for the program 2. Write down your username and password (in your US Gov. notebook would be a good place, we'll probably use it in the future) 3. Log into Zoho Show. 4. The program will automatically open a new blank show for you. Create a title and subtitle, include your first name, last initial and hour on your title slide. 5. Save your slideshow. (Click “Save,” name the file, and click save. 6. In another tab or window, open Cagle’s Cartoonist Index. 7. Find a cartoon that has a conservative bias/slant (you can look around by topic from the splash page or you can search for donkey or elephant if you wish). 8. Save the cartoon on your desktop. (If on a PC, right click, select “Save image/picture” name it, and save it to your desktop. – If on a MAC, press the Control key & Click on the cartoon, select “Save Image as,” give it a name, and save it to your desktop.) 9. Repeat steps 7 & 8 for a cartoon with a liberal bias/slant. 10. Add a slide (suggested layout: Title with 2 text boxes). 11. Click the icon that looks like a mountain with a sun (between the bold “T” and the “Edit Background” button on your Zoho screen – see below, picture a). 12. Click “Browse” and use the menu that pops up to find one of the cartoons you just saved to your desktop. 13. Once you find it, click “Open” and once the file name shows in the Zoho box to the left of the “Browse” button, click the “Insert” button. Your cartoon should show up on your slide. 14. You can click on the cartoon and resize it, move it around on your slide, etc. 15. Give your slide a title and write your explanation of the slide and its bias (you can change the font size if necessary). 16. Save your show. 17. Repeat steps 11-17 for the second cartoon you saved to your desktop. 18. When your slides are finished, click "PUBLISH” (near the top LEFT of the Zoho page). 19. A box will appear-- make sure the top TWO boxes are checked and click on MAKE PUBLIC AND CONTINUE. 20. KEEP THIS WINDOW OPEN and open another window or tab to our class wiki, [|litecky111.wikispaces.com], log in. 21. Go to the assignment posting page the corresponds with your class period & click on your name. 22. Click “Edit This Page” 23. Above any of the already added names and “Custom” boxes, type your first name and last initial, then click the button that looks like a TV (see below, picture b). 24. Paste the URL (it is very long! from the open window on the ZoHo page) into the box that shows up on your screen. 25. Click “Save” and that menu should disappear, leaving you with the original edit screen. 26. You should now see your name as you typed it and a box that says “Custom” next to it. Click the Save button. 27. You will see your Zoho Show on our wiki – Congratulations! You are published!

We have two tasks to complete today in Lab 109.
**First**, all students will complete registration for our classroom Wiki Account. __Wiki Registration Directions__
 * For you to be able to publish to our wiki, a two-part registration process is required. If you do this successfully, you will only do it once. If you have an account with another teacher’s wiki, skip steps 1- 6 below, begin at #7. ***


 * Read and follow the directions carefully. Check each step off as you do it to guarantee you did not miss any of the steps.**


 * Step 1.– Be sure you have an email address. If you do not have an email address, go to gmail.com and set one up.**
 * 2. Go to [|www.wikispaces.com]**
 * 3. Pick a username. This should be the first two or three letters of your first and last names and then the last two digits of the year you were born, e.g. Mary Anderson born in 1986 would be: marand86**
 * 4. Select a password. This should be a password you will remember.**
 * 5. Write down your username and password in your agenda book or US Government notebook .**
 * 6. Enter your email address – you can use your family address if you do not have siblings who have a wiki account already. No spam will come to your email account. (If you do not have an email address, see step 1. )**
 * 7. Check your email to verify your registration.**
 * 8. Go to our wiki: litecky111.wikispaces.com**
 * 9. Click “Join this space” (left side of margin)**
 * 10. In the message box, type you full name & hour**
 * 11. Click the Request Membership button & wait for Mr. Litecky to approve your request.**


 * Second ****, ** take the following online surveys to get an idea of where you fit into the political spectrum ** . **

1) [|www.idealog.org] - click on "Run IDEAlog" and follow instructions 2) http://www.blogthings.com/howliberalorconservativeareyouquiz/ 3) http://typology.people-press.org/typology/ 4) http://www.politicalcompass.org/test
 * Take the following online Political Spectrum Quizzes &** write in your note book the results of your findings**.

Have a good weekend!

=__Thursday, January 22nd, 2009__= Today we took a brief //citizenship-government-current events// quiz. If you would like to see if your friends, siblings or parents can do as well (or as poor) as you did... here it is: [[file:20-Questions.ppt]