HW due Tue., 12/1

Make your own homework: Read up on TLO/Tinker for at least 30-45 minutes. Don't get behind on your research. By the end of this week, you'll need all your primary sources and your bibliography and should be on your way to creating a rough draft of your work.

HW due Tue., 11/24

If you haven't turned in your buddy letter, please do so tomorrow, as that is when they will be delivered:
Matthew M, Sandy, Ray, Kirk, Tristan....

Think carefully about your style choice for your case. You will talk about it with your group and with your teacher tomorrow. Don't decide yet.

Read in the document given out in the class about your case and answer the relevant questions, ready to discuss them with your group. If you missed class, you can get it tomorrow.

India, your case is TLO. Go to www.landmarkcases.org and learn more about the case for tomorrow so you can be up to speed with your group.

For those who were absent: Sandy, Athena, Paulina...
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A CHOICE IN YOUR GROUP FOR THE PROJECT, please email me about Tinker or TLO this weekend. Ms. Allen

HW due Mon., 11/23

Go to the OYEZ site and then listen to part of at least one oral argument using their media portal. You can listen to the Goss case or any other Juvenile rights case. Then, find the actual Supreme Court documents for at least one juvenile rights case. See what all the big fancy documents look like. Be prepared to report.

Here is the link:
http://www.oyez.com/cases/1970-1979/1974/1974_73_898

Life Awareness Workshop

Here is what we will be doing in Life Awareness tomorrow. If you are absent in the morning, read this so you'll know what to do at 1:00:

Freaks and Geeks Drama Workshop

1. Sit on the floor in semi-circle. Learn about the workshop approach for drama.

2. “Teach” Ms. Butler the decision-making method. It will only then be put up on Big Paper for the remainder of sessions for referral in the workshop.

3. Get scripts. View video clips and follow along with scripts.

Scene 1: Smoking Patio

Scene 2: Hallway 1

Scene 3: Hallway 2

4. Forum Theater in circle. You will take turns stepping into and changing roles.

5. Get cast lists for post-lunch re-enactments. Each re-enactment has to include one decision change. You might want to begin planning and discussing a bit over lunch time.

LUNCH

1. At 1:00, immediately move into 6 re-enactment groups (2 for each scene). Subs come in for absent students.

2. You may use construction paper and markers as props, scene markers, or to plan out the changed scripts. You will have about 10 minutes maximum.

3. Play out scenes.

4. Post-workshop discussion. Remember, Ms. Butler is both a teacher and an experienced parent. Hmmm.

What does the decision-making model tell us?

What are some practical ideas we can take into real-life scenarios like these in high school?

How hard is it to do the safe and/or right thing?

HW due Wed., 11/18, Thu., 11/19, and Fri., 11/20

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MEETING POSTPONED TO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24. PLEASE TRY TO ATTEND SO THERE IS SOME 8TH GRADE LEADERSHIP IN THIS COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITY!

INSTEAD OF SOCIAL STUDIES CLASS ON THURSDAY, WE WILL HAVE TWO LIFE AWARENESS CLASSES. FREAKS AND GEEKS WILL BE RE-ENACTED. THERE WILL BE NO CLASS HELD DURING LUNCH RECESS.

Due Wednesday:

1. Consider this question: Should juveniles (today, people under the age of 18) be treated differently in the courts? Or, when arrested? When sentenced? Should teenagers who commit truly brutal crimes be tried as adults? Think about what you know about adolescent biology and experience, both from science/LA classes, and from your own life. Consider the ethical and legal implications of such questions. Then, write your thoughts either on a separate piece of paper or, if you received the packet in class today, in the space in the packet. Take the time to really consider the questions.

You'll want to start the next two night's homework as well.

Due Thursday:

Write a NICE letter back to your buddy and include a token fun gift -- could be a magnet, a bookmark, a little stuffed toy -- you decide something symbolic and fun. Include a nametag with from/to on it. If you were absent, go ahead and begin the letter and add to it after you receive your buddy's letter. Don't let yourself get behind just because you're absent.

Due Friday: Note -- You must start this homework right away and not wait until Wednesday night.

Read about five landmark Supreme Court cases that are precedents for juvenile rights. If you were absent, you will need to get a copy of the packet from Ms. Allen with the summary of the TINKER case, along with spaces to write your comments. Go ahead and start reading about them in the CSG. All of the cases except TINKER are in the CSG.

Everyone should rank Tinker and TLO as a 1 or a 2 in order of preference for a case they want to focus on in the future.

You should rank the other cases 3, 4, and 5. If you really, really are interested in another case, indicate it on the paper and say why. Your CSG and the Tinker article on the packet should be highlighted and have comments written to show that you have read all of the cases first. Then, fill in the last sheet with one sentence each and the rankings to turn in to me.

Here are the cases and what the choice sheet to turn in on Friday will look like:

Landmark Supreme Court Cases on the Rights of Teenagers Topics: Rank Them and Explain Why They Interest You in at least one sentence. Be serious. You’ll have to live with your choice for a while! No promises that you’ll get your first/second choice, but I’ll try. You will be working together in teams to research, but writing individual essays.	¨ Tinker v. Des Moines Ind. School District, 1969 freedom of expression for juveniles, Amendment 1 (handout) Does a prohibition against the wearing of armbands in public school, as a form of symbolic protest (against the Vietnam War), violate the First Amendment's freedom of speech protections?	¨ Goss v. Lopez, 1975 due process rights for juveniles, Amendment 14 p. 52, CSG Did the imposition of the suspensions after political demonstrations, without preliminary hearings, violate the students' Due Process rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment?
¨ New Jersey v. T.L.O., 1984 freedom from unreasonable searches & seizures, Amendment 4 p. 36, CSG Does a principal’s authority to search a student’s purse for drugs violate the Fourth Amendment’s protection from unreasonable searches and seizures?	¨ Hazelwood School District et al v. Kuhlmeier et al, 1987 freedom of the press for juveniles, Amendment 1 p. 20, CSG Does the principal's deletion of the articles in a high school newspaper violate the students' rights to free press under the First Amendment?	¨Santa Fe Independent School Dist. V. Doe, 2000 freedom from establishment of religion in schools p. 76, CSG Does the Santa Fe Independent School District's policy permitting student-led, student-initiated prayer at football games violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment?

Community Service Reports -- important! Everyone should have community service reports saved in a sub-folder in the Projects folder entitled "Comm Serv Rpt Nov 09" or they should be turned in as hard copies to Ms. Allen. Emailing them to Ms. Allen does not count as turning them in. These reports are required for your first trimester grades. Please do so as soon as possible.

HW due Tue., 11/17

OK, you get to go back to your favorite website and play the other game. Play "Supreme Decision" for at least 30 minutes, but preferably until you finish the game. I will be asking you some questions about the Tinker case and juvenile rights tomorrow. Here is the link:

http://www.ourcourts.org/play-games

If you weren't at school on Monday, you'll receive instructions on the board about your community service reports. You may make up your essay test at lunch.

HW due Mon., 11/16

Get your Constitution test signed.

Do your Community Service Reports. Below are the instructions:

COOL TRIMESTER COMMUNITY SERVICE “REPORTS”
This year, you will be given a choice about HOW you report back to us about your community service each trimester. The main thing is this idea: your reports are IMPORTANT.

For those of you who are community service veterans from last year, you may recall that you were all required to write written reports. This time around, we want to make the responses to your service more special. Although you may still turn in a written report if it’s your own personal style, you are encouraged to think creatively about a different way to “report,” as long as it gives us the answers to the following questions:

1. WHAT and WHERE were the events? Describe them.
2. WHY were these activities meaningful examples of community service? What did you learn from them? How did they help others?

YOU choose the medium: could be written, PowerPoint, psa, movie, poster, artwork, song (performed privately or in public), skit, poem, lyric, and so on. Consult with Ms. Allen.

DUE DATES FOR REPORTS:
Mon., November 16
Mon., February 15
Mon., May 24


Also due Monday: In Class Essay Test. Below are the instructions from the paper given out in class:

Test Date: Monday, 11/16

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 test, but you may do any research ahead of time or practice as many times as you wish.

Unlike an ISEE test, will have the full 40 minutes since these are not personal essays and contain a great deal of historical and factual information. Because they are formal essays, do not use first or second person voices in your writing.

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? Use “Gideon” as an example.

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

Use this site to help you prepare for the essay:

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

HW due Mon.,, 11/9, Tue., 11/10, and Wed., 11/11

Also due Tuesday:
Review your Community Service Sheet. We will discuss your reports -- due next Monday, 11/16.

COMMUNITY SERVICE DATES:
Next Amnesty meeting, Wed., Nov. 18
Next St. Clement's, this Fri., Nov. 13
Creative Community Service Reports due Monday, Nov. 16

Due Monday, to be discussed on the bus:

Read in the relevant pages in the Constitution Study Guide, and then answer:

...about First Amendment rights, p. 62, # 2 and #3

...about the rights of the accused, p. 66, # 1, #2 (write answers in the side margins), and #3

Due Tuesday:

...about Civil Rights, p. 70, #1, #2, #3, #4 (answer in 2 sentences on the same page)

Due Wednesday:

....Read about Recurring Constitutional Issues and do this:

1. First, list four major recurring issues on a sheet of paper.
2. Define the terms in #1 on p. 75.
3. What is the name of the abortion rights case? What issue is it related to?
4. On this same paper, draw the chart on p. 72 (Appealing a Case to the Supreme Court).

HW due Fri., 11/6

Learn about Constitutional rights in a fun way. Seriously play. Go to
this website and play the game:
www.ourcourts.org

"Do I Have a Right?" Be prepared to discuss it. Play for at least 30 minutes. You can play for longer...

HW due Thu., 11/5

Write a one-paragraph description of our work with Newcomers. Explain these points:

-- who they are and who your buddy is (name, where from, what he/she is like)
-- when we will see them (Dec. 9) and what Human Rights Day is like and what kind of work we do there
-- How we will see them again in March when we go to their school in Astoria, Queens
-- What it's like to send and receive real letters

ASK YOUR PARENTS TO READ AND SIGN THIS PARAGRAPH. IT IS BEING WRITTEN IN PART TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

Also, do your Life Awareness Parent Chat about Alcohol. Get paper signed.

If you need to retake the quiz on decision-making, you must do so by tomorrow, or the original grade will be averaged into your social studies grade.

HW due Wed., 11/4

Study for the Constitution Test. It will be both closed- and open-book. The first part will consist of multiple choice, T/F, and short answer questions about the Articles of Confederation (why the Constitution was made) and the Constitutional Convention (how the Constitution was made), as well as some general principles and the basic ingredients of the Constitution. The second part will be using the Constitution. You will be asked to use the document to find, for example, the qualifications of a senator, or say where in the Constitution provisions are made for changing it. This part will be open book.

WHEN SAYING WHERE SOMETHING IS LOCATED IN THE CONSTITUTION:

Article ______, Section _______, Clause _____ (if there is a section or clause)
or Amendment ______.

Be familiar with the importance of the 14th Amendment.

VERY IMPORTANT: BE ABLE TO FIND AND QUOTE THE "ELASTIC CLAUSE" IN ARTICLE I. It can be found on p. 84 of your CSG. Be able to quote from it, and say exactly where in the Constitution it is (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18). It makes the Constitution flexible enough to make laws about things the Founders had no idea would come up in the future.

Below are the notes from class:

Five Principles of the Constitution Detailed Notes

1. Popular Sovereignty

-- “people rule”

-- Preamble: “We the people” : power of Constitution comes from the people, not the other way around

-- Executive power is checked by the Congress; the legislative branch is “closer” to the people than the President

-- P.222 quote – unfinished business, Barbara Jordan, inclusion

-- Bill of Rights, 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th Amendments;

19^th Amendment

-- Supreme Court Interpretations and expanding rights

2. Limited Power of Government

3. Federalism

-- System in which states and national (federal) governments share power

-- constant conflict between states and nation over power

-- we had a civil war (1861-1865) over “states’ rights”

-- states are considered “closer” to the people, but the

federal government has done a better job of

protecting civil rights

-- states don’t like the Federal Government to tell them what to do

4. Separation of Powers

Three Branches of Government:

Legislative—makes laws

Executive—carries out (executes) laws

Judicial—interprets laws

5. Checks and Balances

The branches have power to “check” one another’s power

Why is it a LIVING CONSTITUTION?

1. Can be ____AMENDED_____________________

2. Can be __INTERPRETED (by the courts)_______

FORMULA FOR THE LAW OF THE LAND:

Articles in the Original Constitution

+

The Amendments

+

Supreme Court Decisions

EVERY LAW OR EXECUTIVE ACTION MUST CONFORM TO THE CONSTITUTION OR IT WILL GET OVERTURNED EVENTUALLY IN COURT.