Welcome Back!
For 9th Grade we will be studying CIVICS (another way of saying American Government).
"WE THE PEOPLE" means essentially WE are the government...or at least that's what our Founding Fathers thought when they created our nation.
So....if WE are the government, and WE are supposed to be running this nation, through our representatives...shouldn't we know how it's supposed to work?
You will see this guy alot. His name is CIVIE.
He represents every common American citizen.
He represents....well, YOU!
What should CIVIE know about his nation's government?
What should CIVIE expect from his government officials?
What should CIVIE do to become apart of his society?
These questions, and more, will be what we will discover and explore...
You know the drill...you will find all your assignments and deadlines here on the blogspot - 24/7. I will be updating the blogspot on a MONTHLY basis instead of weekly.
You may always contact Mr. Johnson directly with questions - email him here.
FIRST - you still MUST have your own copy of the U.S. Constitution in each and every class! That hasn't changed...and never will in Mr. Johnson's classes...
We will have several GUEST SPEAKERS throughout the class. Yeah, you'll write alot in this class! But I will provide you work days to help. The schedule is still being finished, but you will be given plenty of time knowing when your essays will be due. For those speaker's essay, you will be assigned:
- An essay of explanation for the government position/job/role (your essay will be due the THURSDAY prior to the guest speaker's arrival
- EVERYONE will be required to provide three thoughtful 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 use Google Docs for your Essay, but may send questions via Google Doc or email BEFORE CLASS BEGINS [all assignments are due at the beginning of class] - that will ensure I do not make a mistake by copying your questions and leave something out. I want them in your words.)
Here is the link for the Instructions and Rubric for the ESSAY for each Guest Speaker.
To help you organize your thoughts for both the essay and questions, I am also providing you a Guest Speaker Form, just a format to help you know what information to look for - if you need another, click here.
For the QUESTIONS you will provide before the Guest Speaker arrives, here is the rubric. You do NOT have to attach a rubric to your questions. But again, you must send me a Google Doc file or email of your questions!!!
To help you in your research for STATE and LOCAL GOVERNMENT for the state of Idaho, the Blue Book is the BEST source available!
To help you organize your thoughts for both the essay and questions, I am also providing you a Guest Speaker Form, just a format to help you know what information to look for - if you need another, click here.
- FOR ALL ESSAYS, you MUST TYPE them (they must be shared on Google Docs)
- FOR ALL ESSAYS, you MUST use MLA format (that's Sources Cited Page and in-text citations).
- FOR ALL ESSAYS, you MUST include a Rubric. If you wish to have JUST the Rubric, click here (pdf file). If you are using Google Docs, here is a .jpg file you can use (just cut and paste). I want to know that you are using the rubric!
For the QUESTIONS you will provide before the Guest Speaker arrives, here is the rubric. You do NOT have to attach a rubric to your questions. But again, you must send me a Google Doc file or email of your questions!!!
CONSTITUTIONAL COMMENTARIES
You will learn the Constitution fluently in this class!
On the final Thursday of each month you will provide an essay analyzing each portion of the "law of the land."
Here are the portions of the Constitution with a rubric and a Federalist Paper you may use - but only if you want an "A" (you don't have to use the one I provide - feel free to use another one. You can find all the Federalist Papers here). Remember to quote it or allude to it IN CONTEXT - don't just toss it in and expect credit...
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ALWAYS INCLUDE A RUBRIC WITH EVERY ESSAY!
When using Google Docs, use this .jpg file for the rubric (just cut and paste).
And, yes, you must MLA (with in-text citations) and you must type all essays.
You must also include a FEDERALIST PAPER in your research if you want an "A". Quote it and/or allude to it IN CONTEXT!
VOCAB TERMS!
You must also include VOCAB ULARY TERMS from your VOCAB LIST in your essay!
INSTRUCTIONS:
COMMENTARY BOOKS
You are also required to KEEP ALL YOUR COMMENTARIES in one combined book, to be turned in at the end of the year for credit. All you must do is keep them in one folder (that includes all the copies from your classmates on Constitutional Commentary #9).
So for the assignment, you will use Google Docs, but you still will need to print out a copy of all commentaries to keep in your folder.
MidTERM Exam
DATE to be provided later.
Federalist Forum
In April, following Spring Break, one assignment is coming you should be aware of - a debate against one of the FEDERALIST PAPERs.
Details are coming - but just to forewarn you....yes, you will be reading some of the FEDERALIST PAPERs, you lucky few!
You will learn the Constitution fluently in this class!
On the final Thursday of each month you will provide an essay analyzing each portion of the "law of the land."
Here are the portions of the Constitution with a rubric and a Federalist Paper you may use - but only if you want an "A" (you don't have to use the one I provide - feel free to use another one. You can find all the Federalist Papers here). Remember to quote it or allude to it IN CONTEXT - don't just toss it in and expect credit...
- Constitutional Commentary 1 - Due September 27
- Constitutional Commentary 2 - Due October 25
- Constitutional Commentary 3 - Due November 29
- Constitutional Commentary 4 - Due December 20
- Constitutional Commentary 5 - Due January 31
- Constitutional Commentary 6 - Due February 28
- Constitutional Commentary 7 - Due March 21
- Constitutional Commentary 8 - Due April 25
- Constitutional Commentary 9 - Due May 30
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ALWAYS INCLUDE A RUBRIC WITH EVERY ESSAY!
When using Google Docs, use this .jpg file for the rubric (just cut and paste).
And, yes, you must MLA (with in-text citations) and you must type all essays.
You must also include a FEDERALIST PAPER in your research if you want an "A". Quote it and/or allude to it IN CONTEXT!
VOCAB TERMS!
You must also include VOCAB ULARY TERMS from your VOCAB LIST in your essay!
INSTRUCTIONS:
- You must UNDERLINE the term in the text
- You must provide a DEFINITION (either in parenthesis or in the text itself)
- You must use the term correctly in the CONTEXT of your paper
COMMENTARY BOOKS
You are also required to KEEP ALL YOUR COMMENTARIES in one combined book, to be turned in at the end of the year for credit. All you must do is keep them in one folder (that includes all the copies from your classmates on Constitutional Commentary #9).
So for the assignment, you will use Google Docs, but you still will need to print out a copy of all commentaries to keep in your folder.
ESSAY CORRECTIONS - I will provide you up to half a perfect score if you take the time to make the corrections on any of your essays. I will give you comments via Google Docs (which you will receive email prompts). If you go through and fix the errors I provide you (and I will know via Google Docs if you have made those changes), I will take your grade and award you half of what you need for a 100%.
[So....if you had a 16/20, you need 4 points for a perfect score. I will give you half of that....that's a 2, by the way - 18/10]
DATE to be provided later.
In April, following Spring Break, one assignment is coming you should be aware of - a debate against one of the FEDERALIST PAPERs.
Details are coming - but just to forewarn you....yes, you will be reading some of the FEDERALIST PAPERs, you lucky few!
This semester, you will be reading excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America. The French, deTocqueville, travelled to America to study our penal system. He ended up writing a four volume exposé of America in the 1830s. Not only is his writing an interesting analysis of the early, post-Jacksonian America, but a European interpretation and perspective. But has America changed radically since them?
Every Monday, you will be expected to provide three paragraphs on a sheet of paper:
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Here is the rubric for weekly reading compositions.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO ATTACH A RUBRIC TO YOUR READING - but use it...
REMEMBER - your Reading will be due each Monday (or Tuesday, if it is a holiday on Monday)! We will discuss in class - make sure your answers are in FULL SENTENCES!
In every two weeks (every other Thursday) you will be required to turn in a vocabulary sheet - just to make sure you know certain, various terms.
Yeah, yeah, I know - boe-reeeng!
But this should really help you understand how your government works and help you comprehend what is being said by your representatives.
Someday....you'll thank me!.....now I sound like your parents, don't I?....
By the end of the year you will know several terms - the entire list is here. The list also has a SCHEDULE OF DUE DATES for each vocabulary sheet.
The entire packet of vocabulary assignment sheets is provided here, but each week you will be given a printout of each segment that is due every two weeks.
We'll have a good time learning together....what it means to be part of WE THE PEOPLE...
CLASS CODE: hfr6au
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