You have just joined the Senate and/or House of Representatives...

Act like you are not in Congress. And you are proposing your own Bill. If you could create your very own law, what would it be? What would it look like?

Now's your chance...

You can write a bill for the NATION or the STATE - your choice.

• RESEARCH [whether your bill proposal already exists or not - if it does, could you improve on the existing proposals or modify yours to handle a more specific issue? OR show that yours is completely unique...]
• WRITE IT [using the form provided in class, write your Bill; you must also number it to the most current (at the time) number of either Senate (S) or House of Representative (HR) Bill number]

The rubric and assignment description sheet will be passed out this week in class or you can obtain another copy here. The writing format is also located here, in case you lost yours, or wish to use a .doc file. [NOTE the number needs to be changed to the 115th Congress]

This assignment is not due until Wednesday, March 8th - so you have time to think and work on it. Be creative - and persuasive!

Civil Rights!

We are not quite finished with studying the CIVIL RIGHTS found in our Constitution.

But as we study them, we will take time to analyze the BILL OF RIGHTS and CONSTITUTIONAL CLAUSES of the Constitution along the way...

We will also explore our ELECTION processes...

And then we get to have some fun and explore how GOVERNMENT and ECONOMIC POLICIES provide us with our CAPITALISTIC way of life.

U.S. Constitution...
Remember you MUST have your own copy of the U.S. Constitution in each and every class!
I told you to COUNT ON A CONSTITUTION CHECK (10 point quiz)...are you ready?....

    

Civil Rights & Liberties!
Count on a test in the next two weeks over what we have discussed in class.

VOCAB QUIZZES
Don't forget the WEEKLY VOCAB quizzes on Wednesdays! Notecards are still allowed!

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2016 - 2017 ASSIGNMENT CALENDAR

GUEST SPEAKER ESSAYS - 50 points!

Here are the requirements, in case you need a reminder:

• An essay of explanation for the government position/job/role
  Those essays will be divided among the class. The due dates are on the THURSDAY prior to the guest speaker's arrival.
  NOTE: old handouts may have this assignment noted at 20 points. Since we divided the assignment up with the class, the points are now worth 50 points per essay!
• EVERYONE will be required to provide three questions you wish to ask each guest speaker (due on the Thursday before the guest speaker arrives - you may use the essays provided by students in the class, or your own research)
• YOU MUST HAVE YOUR SOURCES CITED!
• YOU MUST ALSO HAVE A RUBRIC ATTACHED TO YOUR ESSAY!
  
  Here's the .jpg of the rubric, in case you SHARE or EMAIL your assignment. Click here for a copy.

If you lost your Instructions and Rubric for the ESSAY for the Guest Speaker Essay, click on the link. If you wish to have JUST the Rubric, click here.

EVERYONE must provide QUESTIONS for each Guest Speaker the THURSDAY before their visit. Here's the rubric again.
(And remember, No - you do not have to have a rubric attached to your questions)

FOR THIS MONTH
(One more is coming this next month...March 2nd...)

• Secretary of State, Lawrence Denney  - Thursday, February 23

CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARIES
Here is your second Constitutional Commentary link, in case you lost the handout.

Remember, your CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARY for BILL OF RIGHTS 1-3 is due Tuesday, February 28!

NOTE this one is due on the last TUESDAY!!!

• Constitutional Commentary 6 - Due Tuesday, February 28

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ALWAYS INCLUDE A RUBRIC WITH EVERY ESSAY!
Remember to always site your sources using MLA style.

IF YOU SHARE/EMAIL YOUR ASSIGNMENT - you must attach a .jpg of the rubric.

You must also include a FEDERALIST PAPER in your research. Without it you will receive a ZERO! (You should know this requirement by now - no exceptions!)

YOU MUST HAVE A FEDERALIST PAPER IN YOUR RESEARCH! 

Did I mention....you need a FEDERALIST PAPER???



THE VOCAB REWARD!  
IT'S NOW MANDATORY without extra points, folks.
You MUST use up to FIVE TERMS, or I will delete 1 point per term to your final percentage score!

• YOU MUST UNDERLINE THE TERM
• YOU MUST WRITE OUT A DEFINITION
• YOU MUST INCLUDE IT IN YOUR ESSAY IN CONTEXT

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Your weekly reading is located at:
 John Locke's Two Treatises of Government.

FEBRUARY
6  -  Chapter 5 - Of Property
13 - Chapter 6 - Of Paternal Power
21 - Chapter 7 - Of Political/Civil Society
27 - Chapter 8 - Of the Beginning...

It's similar to what we did before

Every Monday, you will be expected to provide three paragraphs on a sheet of paper: A SYNOPSIS of the chapter An EXPLANATION of how this fits America (if it does) A paragraph explaining "So What?..." - why is this important to you?

Here is the rubric for weekly reading compositions. (it's the same rubric used last semester)
REMEMBER - your Reading will be due each Monday (except on four day weekends - then its due on Tuesday)! We will discuss in class - make sure your answers are in FULL SENTENCES!

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Here is what is required for the month of February:

• Vocabulary #10 - February 2
• Vocabulary #11 - February 16

In case you lost your VOCABULARY LIST, you can download a new one here.