Schedule
Unit 9: Interest Groups, Parties, and Elections
Please keep in mind that this schedule is subject to change. If you have any questions, please me here: email ms. t!
Last updated 5-12-08
Wednesday, May 7 (d6)
- No class: x-day
Thursday, May 8 (d7): Nationals
- Class Agenda: Interest Group Assignment
- Homework: Finish Living Democracy Chapter 13
Friday, May 9 (d1): Nationals
- Class Agenda: Finish up your Interest Group Assignment– email to me!
- Homework: Read Points of View: Chapter 9: Interest Groups
Monday, May 12 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: 4 Corners Debate: Are Interests Groups a Threat to Democracy?
- Homework: Read Living Democracy, Chapter 14, Elections and Political Participation in America, p.536- 540 & p. 543 – 550 | Study Guide
Tuesday, May 13 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Election Laws
- Homework: Living Democracy, p.552 – 562 | Study Guide
Wednesday, May 14 (d4)
- Class Agenda: Campaign Finance Reform
- Homework: Work on your Campaign Finance Reform Assignment
Thursday, May 15 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Campaign Finance Reform Assignment
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 562 – 571 | Study Guide
Friday, May 16 (d6)
- No class: x-day
Monday, May 19 (d7)
- Class Agenda: The Demographics of Voters: Analyzing Stats
- Homework: Read Points of View Chapter Five Voting
Tuesday, May 20 (d1)
- Class Agenda: Final Thought Talk: Voting!
- Homework: Start to Study!
Wednesday, May 21 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: Review for Exams!
Unit 7 Schedule: Institutions of Government
Monday, January 28 (d3)
- Homework: Living Democracy p.259 – 263
Tuesday, January 29 (d4)
- Class Agenda: Redistricting
- Homework: Points of View, Chapter 10 Representation and Redistricting (Alia and Anne)
Wednesday, January 30 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Though Talk: Redistricting
Thursday, January 31 (d6)
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 265 – 270
Friday, February 1 (d7)
- Class Agenda: Update our bulletin board!
- Homework: Connections Assignment #3–due on the Monday we return!
Monday, February 11 (d1)
- Class Agenda: The Structure of Congress (PPT)
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 279 – 282 + make a proposal for your bill
Tuesday, February 12 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: The Legislative Process & Intro. to Model Congress
- Homework: Research your bill | Resources for Bill Writing | Download Research Guide here: researchguide1.doc
Wednesday, February 13 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Work on research guide | Resources for Bill Writing
- Homework: Work on research guide | Rough draft of research guide due by end of class Friday | Resources for Bill Writing
Thursday, February 14 (d4)
- Class Agenda: Work on research guide | Resources for Bill Writing
- Homework: Work on your research guide | Resources for Bill Writing
Friday, February 15 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Finish your research guide | Resources for Bill Writing | Bill Writing Seminar
- Homework: Work on a rough draft of your bill—use the resources here to help you. | Complete Connections #4 for Tuesday.
Monday, February 18 (d6)
- Class Agenda: x-day
- Homework: See Friday’s assignment.
Tuesday, February 19 (d7)
- Class Agenda: Bill Writing Day—finish a rough draft by the end of class. Connections #4 due today.
- Homework: Continue to work on your bill.
Wednesday, February 20 (d1)
- Class Agenda: Bills Writing
- Homework: Finish up those bills!
Thursday, February 21 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: Drop your bill in the Hopper | Party Strategy Sessions | Committee Work
- Homework: Prepare for the mark-up session tomorrow | Read the bills assigned to your committee. Come prepared to discuss the pros and cons of each bill.
Friday, February 22 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Committee Mark-Up Session
Monday, March 3 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: DC Wrap Up
- Homework: Connections Assignment: This assignment should connect our DC trip with issues/themes addressed in class. It’s due by the end of the week. | Read the text of the bills scheduled for floor debate here. Click on the homework link to the right for more detailed information.
Tuesday, March 4 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Floor Debate on Bills | Click here to access the bills on the agenda.
- Homework: Read text of bills for Floor Debate round #2 | Watch primary returns.
Wednesday, March 5 (d4)
- Class Agenda: Floor Debate on Bills | Click here to access the bills on the agenda.
- Homework: Start work on Congress essay —Final draft is due on MONDAY.
Thursday March 6 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Guest Speaker: Mr. Baker (tentative?)
- Homework: Congress essay—final draft due on MONDAY.
Friday, March 7 (d6)
- Class Agenda: x-day
- Homework: Final Draft of Congress Essay due on MONDAY | No connections for this week.
Monday, March 10 (d7)
- Class Agenda: Introduction to the Presidency: The Presidency and the Constitution
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 305 – 316 | Study Guide
Tuesday, March 11 (d1)
- Class Agenda: The Evolution of the Presidency
- Homework: Living Democracy p. 316 – 326 | Study Guide
Wednesday, March 12 (d2) *
- Class Agenda: The Roles of the President
- Homework: Handouts on Presidential Greatness and Character
Thursday, March 13 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Finish the Roles of the President | Discuss Barber and Presidential Character
- Homework: Work on Presidential Character Assignment
Friday, March 14 (d4)
- Class Agenda: Work on PresidentialCharacter Assignment: Presentations on Monday
- Homework: Prepare for Presentations | Connections #6 due before Spring Break!
Monday, March 17 (d5) *
- Class Agenda: Presidential Greatness Presentations
- Homework: Read: Points of View Chapter 11 for Thought Talk | begin studying for Test
Tuesday, March 18 (d6)
- Class Agenda: x-day
- Homework: See above.
Wednesday, March 19 (d7)
- Class Agenda: Thought Talk: The Imperial Presidency (Discussion Leaders:)
- Homework: Study for Test!
Thursday, March 20 (d1)
- Class Agenda: Test on Chapter 8 and additional readings
- Homework: Have a Great Spring Break! Connections #7 due when you return.
Unit 8: The Judicial Branch & Civil Liberties
Monday, March 31 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: Introduction to the Judicial Branch
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 114 – 128 | Study Guide
Tuesday, April 1 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Court Structure and Processes
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 129 – 137 | Study Guide
Wednesday, April 2 (d4)
- No class: Ring Day!
Thursday, April 1 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Judicial Selection and Decision Making
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 137 – 144 | Study Guide & One More Connections on the Judiciary!
Friday, April 2
- No class: Conference Day
Monday, April 7 (d6)
- No class: x-day
Tuesday, April 8 (d7)
- Class Agenda: The Judicial Pathway of Action
- Homework: Points of View, Chapter 13: The Supreme Court and Judicial Review (p.191 – 203) Prepare for Thought Talk. This is due on THURSDAY. We will have a graded thought talk led by Elizabeth, Stella, and Chloe on that day.
Wednesday, April 9 (d1)
- Class Agenda: The Confirmation Battle: What role is the Congress supposed to play?
- Homework: Points of View, Chapter 13: Judicial Review (p.191 – 203). Come to class with notes.
Thursday, April 10 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: Thought Talk: Judicial Review: How should Justices read the Constitution?
- Homework: Study for a QUEST on the Court–20 multiple choice and matching. 1 identification, 2/3 short answers. NO ESSAY.
Friday, April 11 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Quest & Intro. to Bill of Rights
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 153 – 161 | Study Guide
Monday, April 14 (d4)
- Class Agenda: Intro to the Bill of Rights
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 161 – 170
Tuesday, April 15 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Free Speech & the Role of Precedents
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 171 – 174 & cases from First Amendment Center
Wednesday, April 16 (d6)
- No Class: x-day
Thursday, April17 (d7)
- Class Agenda: Freedom of the Press
- Homework: Living Democracy, p. 175 -180
Friday, April 18 (d1)
- Class Agenda: Freedom of Religion & S.C. Brief Assignment
- Homework: Points of View, Chapter 14: Civil Liberties, “Free Speech”
Monday, April 21 (d2)* Boston Marathon!
- Class Agenda: Seminar Discussion, “Free Speech”
- Homework: Work on Brief Assignment
Tuesday, April 22 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Finish Brief Assignment (due by the end of the day)
- Homework: Living Democracy, Read your assigned section in Living Democracy (either criminal rights or privacy rights) and the On the Docket project description.
Wednesday, April 23 (d4)
- Class Agenda: No Class: Mentorship Presentations
- Homework: See above.
Thursday, April 24 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Present the On the Docket Project: Divide up cases and
- Homework: If you are a justice, read the rest of the chapter in Living Democracy on civil liberties. If you are a lawyer, read the section on your amendment and start to research your case. Refer to the homework link for specific instructions.
Friday, April 25
- No class: Professional Development
Monday, April 28 (d6)
- No class: x-day
Tuesday, April 29 (d7)
- Class Agenda: Work on your philosophy or your appellate brief.
- Homework: Finish your philosophy or your appellate brief. Briefs are due the day before oral argument.
Wednesday, April 30 (d1)
- Class Agenda: No Class–Ms. Wargo’s Assembly
- Homework: See Tuesday.
Thursday, May 1 (d2)*
- Class Agenda: Justices—work on questions for oral argument | Lawyers–outline your argument
- Homework: Justices–work on questions for oral argument | Lawyers–write the argument section of your brief
Friday, May 2 (d3)
- Class Agenda: Justice–finish questions for oral argument | Lawyers–work on oral argument
- Homework: Start to read Living Democracy, Chapter 13: Interest Groups, p. 499 – 510 | Study Guide
Monday, May 5 (d4)
- Class Agenda: Oral Argument
- Homework: Keep reading Living Democracy, Chapter 13: Interest Groups, p.515 – 525 | Study Guide
Tuesday, May 6 (d5)*
- Class Agenda: Oral Argument
- Homework: Finish up Living Democracy, Chapter 13, Interest Groups, p. 526 – 528 | Study Guide
