-
Fall 2016, Subterm 1 Begins
The course is introduced, expectations and rules are explained, the course syllabus is distributed, the weekly current events requirements are distributed, and the 2016 Mock Election letter for Unit 5 - Participating in Government - is distributed. The "Guidelines for a Safe Environment" poster will be addressed as well. The "Guidelines for a Safe Environment" poster will be readdressed on Tuesday, October 11 and Thursday, October 20 as the students will be using the Internet. -
Participating in Government Unit (Unit 5) Begins Upon Completion of the Unit 4 Test
Upon completion of the Unit 4 Test students will read Chapter 16, Section 1 of their textbook, United States Government: Democracy in Action by Richard Remy, and answer questions 1-5. This section creates political awareness by explaining the development of political parties in the United States and explains the large role the political parties play in the American political system. -
Participating in Government Opening
Students will read the Political Parties chapter (16) in their textbook for homework. -
Participating in Government Day #1, Activity #2
The class will be divided into groups to begin conducting research on ProCon.org about partisan ideological issues and candidate statements (Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump). The students will use the social science department Chromebooks to conduct their research. Each group will be assigned a certain topics, such as: racial profiling, Supreme Court appointment, Obamacare, Syrian refugees, marijuana, ISIS, Black Lives Matter, gun control, etc. -
Participating in Government Day #1, Activity #1
The first activity will be a Prezi Presentation titled Political Parties. Key points will be the definition of political parties, the growth of American parties originating with Lockean Classical Liberalism, the role of parties, membership and organization, and the role of third parties. The activity will take approximately 40 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #1, Activity #3
Students will read the Elections and Voting chapter (17) in their textbook for homework. -
Participating in Government Day #2, Activity #1
Groups will continue their research on ProCon.org. The students will be required to address the ideological perspective of each party as they prepare to present their findings to the rest of the class. This will take approximately 50 minutes -
Participating in Government Day #2, Activity #2
Groups will present the results from their research on ProCon.org to the rest of the class about their specific topics. The students will be required to address the ideological perspective of each party as the class is analyzing the overall ideological stance of the two major American political parties. This will take approximately 50 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #3, Activity #1
There will be a Power Point presentation titled Nominating Process. Key points of the lecture will be: caucuses, nominating conventions, primary elections, delegate selection process, and criticisms of the nominating process. The lecture and discussion will take approximately 30 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #3, Activity #2
There will be a Power Point presentation titled Voting. Key points of the lecture will be: suffrage, enfranchisement, voting discrimination, 15th Amendment, 19th Amendment, 24th Amendment, 26th Amendment, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and influences on voters. The lecture and discussion will take approximately 40 minutes -
Participating in Government Day #4, Activity #1
There will be a museum walk with newspaper headlines, political cartoons and pictures of different perspective of voting discrimination mounted on poster paper which will be placed on tables throughout the classroom. Students will write responses to what the images provoke. This activity is intended to be as nonverbal as possible. Once everyone has responded to each piece there will be a full-class discussion. This will take approximately 40 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #4, Activity #2
Students will take the 1965 Alabama Literacy Test, the last literacy used to prevent blacks from voting prior to their elimination. The class will have 30 minutes to complete the test and must get 60 out of 67 correct to pass. These are the exact conditions that prospective black voters had to meet. They will immediately be graded. Extra credit points are awarded to whomever passes, as well as for the top 5 for the class. This takes approximately 50 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #4, Activity #3
Students will read the Interest Groups and Public Opinion chapter (18) in their textbook for homework. -
Participating in Government Day #5, Activity #1
There will be a Power Point presentation titled Public opinion. Key points of the lecture will be: the work of lobbyists, the rise of political action committees (PAC’s), Federal Election Campaign Act, PAC’s strategies for influence, nature of public opinion, political socialization, and political culture. The lecture will take approximately 40 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #5, Activity #2
The class will be divided into groups to discuss people events and experiences that have had a significant influence on their political opinions. They must brainstorm a list in which they provide very specific examples. They must list a minimum of 20 things. They must include which factor their group felt was the most influential and why. Groups will present some of the highlights of their discussion to the class. This activity takes approximately 30 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #5, Activity #3
Easy Voter’s Guides published by the League of Women Voters of California for the 2016 general election will be distributed. There will be an orientation on how to use and analyze them in preparation for the social science department mock election which will be held on Tuesday, October 25. -
Participating in Government Day #5, Activity #4
Students will read the Mass Media chapter (17) in their textbook for homework. -
Participating in Government Day #6, Activity #1
There will be a Prezi presentation titled Mass Media. Key points of the lecture will be: defining the mass media, what makes news, how the media impacts government, media and presidential campaigns, propaganda, and attack ads. The lecture will take approximately 40 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #7, Activity #1
There will be a Power Point presentation titled Influence of the Mass Media. Key points of the lecture will be: the 1st Amendment, abuses of the 1st Amendment, prior restraint, setting the public agenda, rights of the media, government regulation, and content regulation. The lecture will take approximately 45 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #7, Activity #2
The class will be divided into 7 groups and each group will be assigned a propaganda technique: transfer, glittering generalities, testimonial, mudslinging, bandwagon, card-stacking, and plain folks. Groups will use their assigned propaganda technique to create a print attack ad for each presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Students will go to www.thelivingroomcandidate.org to see examples that either subtly or openly attack a candidate. -
Participating in Government Day #8, Activity #1
The groups will continue to use their assigned propaganda technique to create a print attack ad for each presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The ad must be edited to look professional. At this point groups will research each candidate’s background, experience, and stance on issues by using the C-SPAN Campaign 2016 website as well as the ProCon.org website. This will take up the entire 95-minute period. -
Participating in Government Day #9, Activity #2
There will be a review of all of California 26th district ballot items, such as President, House of Representatives, Local offices, and California Propositions. This will be in preparation for the social science department's mock election the following day. this will take approximately 30 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #9, Activity #1
Groups will give a Prezi presentation with their attack ad for each presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The ad must be edited to look professional. It should be obvious who the opponent is that is being attacking in each attack ad. The propaganda technique must be defined as well. On the bottom of the attack ad post the following statement: “I’m (state your candidate’s name), and I approve this message.” This will take approximately 60 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #10, Activity #1
Students will be participating in the democratic voting process in the United States through a mock election that parallels the 2016 election. The activity is designed to help young people participate in the democratic process. The students will be given simulation ballots similar to the ones used by registered voters and will be allowed to cast a simulation vote in one of the booths used in the actual process. Political leaders from the community will be guest speakers during the event. -
Participating in Government Day #10, Activity #2
Students will work on the Participating in government crossword puzzle that was created with puzzlemaker.com. This activity will assist students in preparation for the unit 5 test on October 28, 2016 -
Participating in Government Day #11, Activity #1
The results of the Newbury Park High School Social Science Department's 2016 mock election will be reviewed with the students. The results will be posted on the class website for students to compare to the actual election on November 8, 2016. There will also be a debriefing of the democratic process. This will take approximately 20 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #11, Activity #2
Students will view all mock presidential debates produced by Saturday Night Live from the 2016 campaign. Issues to be addressed in a full-class discussion are: How is each is represented in each skit?, Do you believe the representation is justified? Why?, How might the representation influence public opinion at election time? This will take approximately 40 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #11, Activity #3
There will be a full-class test review for the Unit 5 Test, which will be the following day. This will take approximately 15 minutes. -
Participating in Government Day #12, Activity #1
The Unit 5 Test will be given. This is the culminating activity for the unit as well as the course (the usual foreign policy unit was omitted in order to focus more attention on the 2016 election).
