HW due Mon., 11/3

In preparation for the discussion/debate about the presidential candidates on Monday, do the following:

1. Review the issues sheet you filled out at the time of the candidate debate two weeks ago. If you did not finish this homework, you need to do it! Bring it to class with you on Monday.

2. Go to John McCain's website at http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/.
Watch at least one video, and look at the the economic and energy issues. Take a fair and final look at him. What are some good qualities about him that you can defend in front of the class? What are some policies you agree with? Find at least one. He is qualified to be president.
IN A DIFFERENT COLORED PEN, ADD NOTES TO YOUR ISSUES SHEET TO UPDATE IT IN TIME FOR OUR CLASS DEBATE. BE SERIOUS AND THOUGHTFUL.

3. Go to Barack Obama's website at http://www.barackobama.com/issues/.
Watch at least one video, and look at the the economic and energy issues. Take a fair and final look at him. What are some good qualities about him that you can defend in front of the class? What are some policies you agree with? Find at least one. He is qualified to be president.
IN A DIFFERENT COLORED PEN, ADD NOTES TO YOUR ISSUES SHEET TO UPDATE IT IN TIME FOR OUR CLASS DEBATE. BE SERIOUS AND THOUGHTFUL.

4. Add final touches to your TYPED Community Service Report. It is due on Monday. See information belowt for details:

COMMUNITY SERVICE REPORTS

You will turn in a word-processed document to Ms. Allen with a St. Luke’s heading that answers each of these questions for each different type of activity. For example, if you went to a couple of Amnesty meetings, you can put them in one paragraph, and write a different paragraph for a different activity. Make sure the work is done up to SLS standards for 7^th/8^th grade writing.

WHAT and WHERE were the events? Describe them.

WHEN did they take place – and for how long? Keep a running total of your hours on each monthly report.

WHY were these activities meaningful examples of community service? What did you learn from them? How did they help others?

Helpful Tip: Every time you complete service, note it somewhere in your plan book. As soon as possible, slip a note with the date/place/how much, etc. into your folder in Ms. Allen’s classroom. You can then take the folder home with you (and bring it back!) to complete your reports.

HW due Friday, 10/31

Work on your Community Service Report due Monday, 11/3.

HW due Thursday, 10/30

On Tue., plan for the in-class essay quiz (see below).
On Wed., plan for the open-book Constitution quiz (see below).

Due Thursday, do the two SHORT worksheets on the election.

1. The humor/cartoons worksheet.
2. The electoral college worksheet. Use these websites below to explore:

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/calculator/

http://www.270towin.com/

HW due Mon., 10/27

Please have a conversation with your parents about your work in social studies, checking things off on the sheet as you go along. At least one of them should sign the sheet. Please forgive me for the hardship it might cause you!

Also, work on preparing for your in-class essay on Tuesday, and familiarize yourself with the Constitution for the open-book quiz on Wednesday. Here is the link to the online organization tool for the essay:

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/essaymap/

NO HW due Thu. or Fri., 10/23 or 10/24

However, you should be preparing for your quizzes next week.

Alert: I am postponing your quizzes to Tuesday and Wednesday, not Monday.

HW due Wed., 10/23

NOTHING DUE TUESDAY... BUT CHOOSE ESSAY TOPIC AND GET STARTED ON PREPARING FOR QUIZZES ON OCT. 27 AND 28....SEE INFORMATION ON POST BELOW.

DUE WEDNESDAY:

For Constitutional PSA....

plain language summary of the right

the Constitutional text of the right chosen (just relevant excerpts)

state exactly where in the Constitution the right comes from

images that can be used to illustrate the right

images should be saved on your folder on the network

be thinking about music to go with the images (nothing due Wed.)

HW not due Mon., 10/20

ERB WEEK -- NOTHING DUE MONDAY... BUT CHOOSE ESSAY TOPIC AND GET STARTED ON PREPARING FOR QUIZZES ON OCT. 27 AND 28....SEE INFORMATION BELOW:

______________________________________________________________________
Constitution In Class Essay Quiz Date: Monday, 10/27

Choose one of the four questions. Write the question at the topic of your answer sheet. You may not bring any notes with you to the quiz, but you may do any research ahead of time or practice as many times as you wish.

You will have the full 40 minutes.

1. Are the Indian and Algerian struggles for independence more similar to or more different from the American Revolution of 1776?

2. How did European thought and history shape the U.S. Constitution, and what was most influential?

3. How does the U.S. Constitution maintain the concept of the “presumption of innocence”? Through amendments and court decisions, do the accused in America have rights?

4. Why is the U.S. Constitution a “living” document? Provide examples to explain why it remains a viable basis for government after nearly 220 years.

You will also have an open-book (you can use your CSG and/or AJ or even your binder if you want) quiz the next day, on 10/28. You’ll be asked to USE the Constitution and quote directly from it, or locate items within it.

GRADED ESSAY FOR HIGH SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PURPOSES:

This in-class essay is primarily for testing purposes. However, if you really like the topic and your performance, it could be an essay sent to a high school.

In that case, inform me that you’d like to do a second, final draft.

Then, revise and TYPE it. Turn it in to me with the original draft, and I’ll grade it.

I’ll expect an improved essay and will not automatically give you the same grade you received in the testing situation.

When you send the essay to the high school, send the test question sheet, the rough draft, and the final draft. They’ll want to see HOW YOU LEARN, not just the final project.

FINAL DRAFT DUE BY November 17.

HW due Wed., 10/15 and Fri., 10/17

Using the Constitution text in the back of the CSG, write out the date and text of the main part of the 14th Amendment, highlighting the important words: citizenship/citizen, due process, and equal protection.

Then, read the Amnesty case and study it carefully. Be prepared to answer: who's in trouble? Whom do we write to? What's the case about? You can access the case by going to:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/aikids/ceua/aikids0908.pdf

Assignment due Friday:

Option A

Watch the last presidential debate at 9pm on any of the major networks tonight. It is optional because it is very late. You should be able to fill in the chart using the debate as a source. Anything you cannot get can be gleaned from the websites.

Option B

Use the candidates’ websites to glean this information.

GOAL:

WE WILL BE WATCHING A COUPLE OF FILMS AND ENGAGING IN SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE ELECTIONS (in an unusual format). This work will be essential for you to properly engage in this discussion. You will not be able to discuss properly unless you have information about both candidates.

JOHN MCCAIN’S SITE:

http://www.johnmccain.com/Undecided/WhyMcCain.htm

BARACK OBAMA’S SITE:

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php

Issue/Topic	John McCain	Barack Obama
Economy / Jobs
Foreign Policy or Iraq or the Nation’s Security
Health Care
Energy
Any Other Issue
A Quote
A Specific Policy or Promise

HW due Tue., 10/13

CSG, pp. 67-75.

This weekend is a good time to do the LA HW due next weekend (parent chat re: alcohol).

HW due Wed., 10/8

CSG, pp. 63-66, the rights of the accused (like Gideon). No groaning.

Tomorrow, I will be picking up yesterday's homework.

HW due Tue., 10/7

Read and answer CSG, pp. 43-47. On p. 47, do only the minimum writing on only in the workbook, not on separate paper. For example, where it says, "write two sentences," write only one. Where it says, "write a paragraph," you only need to write a sentence.

Then, make an ILLUSTRATED BILL OF RIGHTS. Make a list of the ten rights, summarized (not the actual text -- too long!), and then come up with an icon or a picture to go with each one as a memory tool.

Put this illustrated bill of rights on a separate page. Make it neat -- do a nice job. Use the Bill of Rights in the back of the CSG.

No HW due Mon., 10/6

HW due Fri., 10/3

LA HW due Friday -- index card (w/parent initial) with 4 steps of decision-making process attached to LA folder. Memorize the steps for a quiz at 1pm.

For social studies, due the Three Branches worksheets.

HW due Thu., 10/2

Write an EXCELLENT letter to your buddy, including the following. It may be typed or neatly handwritten:

1. a response to the buddy's topics/questions
2. new questions and topics for the buddy to respond to
3. information that might be useful for your buddy to know about the Constitution
4. some information about the bailout plan