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Friday, October 28th: Think Tank Study for College Debt

10/28/2016

 
Complete pages 12-14 of your notebooks!  If you get done early, work on senior project research and be sure you have scheduled your meeting with your senior project teacher!  See below for Senior Project research guidelines.

Think Tank Article Study
Summarized from Wikipedia:  A think tank, policy institute, or research institute is an organization that performs research and advocacy concerning various topics.  Most policy institutes are non-profit organizations.  In the United States, these groups are tax-exempt.

These organizations are a huge resource that is often used by policymakers and researchers to inform their opinions.  They also often have a particular political perspective.  Today you’re going to use think tanks from different political perspectives to further research the student loan problem.  These can also be a great resource for other issues as you’re writing legislation!  Below are the think tanks we’ll be using.  The links to these websites are on the DOCUMENTS page of my DP.

Senior Project Research/Guidelines


Thursday, 10/27: College Debt Day 3

10/27/2016

 
  1. Finish the Gainful Employment simulation with your group (pages 7-8)
  2. Debrief as a class
  3. Solution Analysis (page 9)
  4. Party Platform Research (10-11)

Homework: ​Finish pages 9-11

Wednesday, 10/26: College Debt, Day 2

10/26/2016

 
College Inc. Documentary NotesAccording to the documentary, College Inc., what’s wrong with the student loan system?  How does it define the problem?  What are your main takeaways/insights from this film?

What’s the Solution?Now we’re going to explore one potential proposed solution to the problem of debt and for-profit colleges.

  1. Read the handout to get background knowledge on the issue and proposed solution.
  2. I will assign you a stakeholder position—you read the description of their position, and make sure you understand what your stakeholder wants.
  3. Get in a group that has each stakeholder represented
  4. Run through the process described on the next page to try to come to some sort of policy agreement!

Tuesday, 10/25: Intro to Issue Study #3- Student Debt

10/25/2016

 
Picture
- Here is the digital copy of the student debt notebook.
Feel free to use this and if needed, modify the format to fit your needs as long as you're getting the same content I'm asking of you!





​
Framing to Student Debt Issue Study:
Today we're beginning our final issue study on student debt and college loans.  As with the last two issue studies, the goal is for you all to develop a solid foundation of the problems, party perspectives, and potential legislative solutions.  

Opening Brainstorm (page 2 of the notebook)
Check out the political cartoon and answer the questions on page 2!

Senator Position Research (page 3)- 10 minutes
Go to your Senator’s Official Website, do some digging, and find their positions.  Include relevant quotes, legislation, or policies they’ve supported.  Can’t find anything?  Check these out:  Democrats  and Republicans.  (google: democrat position education or republican position education and it’s the first link)

PBS Video: “Student Loans: More Debt, More Defaults, More Problems” (page 3)
As you watch this video, jot down notes on what the PROBLEM is and who is RESPONSIBLE for the problem.  Also, take note of anything else that stands out to you.

  • Example: Students don’t have the information they need about student loans to make good decisions.  Students are responsible for note seeking out the information, lending institutions are also for not educating them.

Chart Analysis Parts 1 and 2
Complete chart analysis in issue notebook.  
Part 1: The Student Loan Debt Crisis in 9 Charts
Part 2: 
These 9 Charts Show America’s Coming Student Loan Apocalypse   


Discussion
Get into a small group, follow the discussion prompts in your issue notebook.

Homework:  Be sure to complete  THROUGH page 5 in your notebook
​

Monday, 10/25: Immigration Party Caucus

10/24/2016

 
ANNOUNCEMENTS 
  1. We need Experts!  We are looking for experts on immigration, climate change/energy, and college debt.  If you know anyone who might be willing to come in and consult with students about their legislation, please let me know, or email me with their contact information.
  2. Class Shuffle Schedule- This will be in effect from Weds. November 2 through Weds. Nov. 16.  This is only two weeks, so please bear small inconveniences cheerfully!
    1. Immigration:  3rd- Math, 5th and 6th- Humanities (Ashley)
    2. Climate: 4th- Math, 5th and 6th- Humanities (Lori)
    3. College Debt: 3rd and 4th- Humanities (Lori), 6th- Math

Immigration Party Caucus
Follow the lead of your student leaders as they guide you through this process.  The goal is to clarify your party's position and potential solutions, and to fully understand the other party's perspective.

Caucus Notes
Each party should email or share their caucus notes with me, so I can post them to my DP!

Legislation Brainstorm
Done with your party caucus?  Brainstorm potential ideas to include in your legislation, and who you might want to work with. 

Senior Project Initial Research
Done with the party caucus, but not on the immigration committee?  Work on the initial research for your senior project!  See the Senior Project page, and look for the document titled "Senior Project Brainstorm Phase 1 and 2" for details.

HOMEWORK:  ​None!  Be ready to tackle College Debt tomorrow!

Friday, October 21: Immigration Reform Day 4

10/21/2016

 
​Ashley's out today to write letters of recommendation.  Be sure to get as prepared as you can for Monday's Party Caucus!  
 
Watch PBS’s Homeland: Immigration in America, Episode 3: “Refugees” (53 minutes)
Take notes on page 13 of your issue notebook as you watch
 
Discuss/Debrief
 
Refugee Article Study (pages 13-15)
Read TWO articles:
  1. From your political party
  2. From the "Articles for Everyone" column.

Take notes on pages 13-15. When you're done with your two articles, find someone from the other party, meet up, and verbally summarize your articles with them.

 
Homework: Finish the article study from today!

Thursday, 10/20: Immigration Reform Day 3

10/20/2016

 
Quick Announcement:  Check the email from Libby about the opportunity to get a helicopter ride over Mesa Verde NEXT Friday, 10/28.   There is also a follow-up seminar at DHS. Topic is Natural Parks, Diversity in people in the outdoors, and how you can be an advocate for environmental conservation.  Deadline for the lottery is TOMORROW.  I'm chaperoning this trip and it's going to be SAWEEEET!

Class Shuffle Schedule- This will be in effect from Weds. November 2 through Weds. Nov. 16.  This is only two weeks, so please bear small inconveniences cheerfully!
  1. Immigration:  3rd- Math, 5th and 6th- Humanities (Ashley)
  2. Climate: 4th- Math, 5th and 6th- Humanities (Lori)
  3. College Debt: 3rd and 4th- Humanities (Lori), 6th- Math


Watch PBS’s Homeland: Immigration in America, Episode 2: “Enforcement” (53 minutes)
Take notes on page 10 of your issue notebook as you watch
 
Discuss/Debrief
 
Article Study (pages 10-12)
Choose two articles about your party.  Coordinate with your party to make sure that not everyone is doing the same articles (obviously, it's okay if there's some overlap).  Take notes on pages 8 and 9 of your issue notebook.

When you're done with your two articles, find someone from the other party, meet up, and verbally summarize your articles with them.

Homework: Finish the article study from today!

Wednesday, 10/19: Immigration Reform Day 2

10/19/2016

 
Take this quick feedback survey to help me plan the Student Debt issue study unit
​
Watch PBS’s Homeland: Immigration in America, Episode 1: “Jobs” (53 minutes)
Take notes on page 7 of your issue notebook as you watch
 
Discuss/Debrief
 
Article Study (pages 7-9)
Pair up with someone from the other political party. Go to the “Documents” page on my DP and between the two of you, decide on 4 articles to read, 2 from each political party.  Now, decide who will read which two out of the four. In other words, you each need to read and take notes on 2 articles, but they need to be different ones. 
 
Once you’re done taking notes, summarize the articles to each other!
 
Homework: Finish the article study from today!

Tuesday, 10/18: Intro to Immigration Reform

10/18/2016

 
Class Biz
  • If you were absent yesterday, make sure you get the Exhibition dates for Model Senate from yesterday's blog and get a copy of the Senior Project Teacher Conference handout from me.
  • If I marked you wrong for a FALSE answer on question 5 of the Bill to Law Quiz, turn it back in. Sorry!
  • A note about Model Senate, debating, and understanding the nature of people's roles and the principle of being hard on ideas, soft on people.
  • Notes from yesterday's Party Caucus are now available on the Documents page!  These will be helpful for committee legislation work.

Please take this quick survey for our Model Senate Class Switcheroo

We are now beginning our 2nd issue study: Immigration Reform
Your task this week will be to:
  1. Understand in a nuanced way the problems our nation faces with regards to immigration in these three realms: Refugees, jobs, and border enforcement
  2. Understand your parties’ position on immigration reform
  3. Analyze various Immigration reform policies in the three realms of refugees, jobs, and border and law enforcement. 
​
Ashley to pass out the Immigration Notebook (feel free to download the electronic copy linked here if you'd prefer)

Starter: (On page 2 of your notebook) Where do you come from? (5 minutes)
  1. Where (what countries) does each side of your family come from? List as many countries as you can, and what side of the family they are from.
  2. How long has each side of your family been in the U.S.?
  3. To what extent do you feel that immigration is an American value?
 
Pair-Share: Share your starter response with a partner (10 minutes)

Watch Obama’s 2014 Immigration Reform Speech where he announces Executive Action meant to override Congress’s inaction. (First 10 minutes only)

Discuss! Get with someone from your same political party and discuss the following questions (10 minutes)
  • What surprised you from his speech?
  • Obama spoke about a bipartisan immigration reform bill that passed the Senate in 2013.  What did that bill include? Why didn’t the bill become a law?
  • Do you, personally, think undocumented immigrants should have a pathway to citizenship? Do you think your Senator would support it?
  • What are the actions Obama is taking to override the House of Representatives’ refusal to pass the Senate bill?  (He lists 3 specific actions)
  • What don’t his actions include? In other words, what is the “commonsense middle ground approach”
  • What VALUES or IDEALS does Obama speak to in this speech?


Read Time Magazine article: “Not Legal, Not Leaving” (7 pages)
http://marcushumanities12.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/9/0/37903231/time_magazine_not_leaving.pdf
Take notes on page 2 of your notebook as you read this article:
  1. What is ICE?
  2. What is the DREAM Act?
  3. What are two things you learned about immigration (or living illegally) from the article?
  4. What are two questions you still have about immigration or immigration reform?
  5. What is your one takeaway from the article?
 
Position Research: Now it’s time to wrap your head around what your Senator and party believe about immigration and immigration reform.  Complete pages 3-5 of your issue notebook.
 
Homework: You should have pages 2-5 complete by tomorrow!

Monday, 10/17: Climate Change Party Caucus

10/17/2016

 
Today is our Party Caucus!
I am empowering you all to be totally self-sufficient and with the help of your party leaders today, to organize and run a productive party caucus. See below for caucus guidelines

Announcements
1. Senior Project Fall Teacher Conference guidelines (hard copy in class)
2. Model Senate Exhibition Dates- Mark your calendar now!  Wed, Thur and Friday AFTER Thanksgiving break.  Wed and Thur will be during the school day. Friday is from 5-8 pm at FLC.

​

Friday, 10/14: Climate Change Day 4- Article Study

10/14/2016

 
Dearest students!
How do I love thee? Let me count just four of the numerous ways:
1. You are funny
2. You are intelligent
3. You are hard working
4. When I am out for the day, you are super duper respectful to the sub and use your class time effectively to accomplish the tasks I have set out for you.  Read on!

**Please read today's blog carefully and use all of your class time so you are ready for Monday's Party Caucus when your party will get together and hammer out your position on climate change and potential legislative solutions!**
​

12:40-1:40 Optional Guest Speaker in Lori's classroom
Coleman's Grandfather is coming today to talk about his work as a state Senator in New Mexico!
I'll let you decide if you want to attend his talk in LORI's classroom or if you'd rather use all of class to complete the climate change notebook to avoid having homework.  

Starter 20
1. Legislation:  As of right now, what solutions would you propose in legislation?  Think about passability, and your senator and party positions.  What questions do you still have about potential solutions to climate change?
2. Try to track down the answer to at least one of your questions above.  Google it!  Write what you found in your starter.
​
Article Study- LINKS TO ARTICLES ARE ON THE DOCUMENTS PAGE!!!
Okay, partner up with a senator from the opposite party.  With your partner, decide on 4 articles to read, two from each perspective.  If you have time, I STRONGLY suggest that you read more, especially if you’re on this committee!  Take notes on pages 13, 14, 15, and 16 of your climate change packet.

HOMEWORK:  Make sure your entire notebook is complete. I'll collect them on Monday!

Thursday, 10/13: Climate Change Day 3

10/13/2016

 
Senior Project Reminders!
1. Sign up for Senior Project Conferences (we're missing around 20 students from that sign up list)-- sign up sheet is on the Senior Project page of my DP.
2. If you signed up for Lori or Ashley check their email!  Deadlines are approaching.​


Today's Essential Question:  How does each party define the problem of climate change, and how does that definition shape the solutions they support?
 
Objective:  To understand how our party defines the problem, and what solutions are being proposed.
 
Framing:  Today we’re going to transition from background knowledge and context to looking at different solutions being proposed to fix climate change.   Today combined with tomorrow’s in-depth article study is going to get us ready for the party caucus and legislation brainstorm on Friday.  Remember, the goal by the end of this week is to have some concrete ideas for legislation, and a solid understanding of your senator and party positions.
 
Years of Living Dangerously: Part 6 (50 min)
Watch, and take notes in your Climate Change packet on page 10 of your packet.  Discuss and debrief.
 
-Break-

Platform Study: 
Partner with another senator from your party.  Go to your party’s political platform. 

1. For Democrats, go the section titled “COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE, BUILD A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY, AND SECURE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE”  You’ll see there are three subtopics here—read all three!
2. For Republicans, go straight to the section titled “America’s Natural Resources.”  Read the subtopics here titled “A New Era in Energy” and “Environmental Progress.”

​After reading these sections, answer the questions in on Climate Change packet pages 11 and 12.
 
HOMEWORK
None!  Unless you didn’t finish the platform study.  Then you need to finish it.

Wednesday, 10/12: Climate Change Day 2

10/12/2016

 
Objective:  To develop a more nuanced understanding of how climate issues have been approached in the past, and to get a broad working vocabulary around climate change issues and actions.
 
Framing:  Today is going to be a really important day, and a really independent day.  You’re going to work together with your partner to gain a more cohesive sense of climate change issues and actions.  As you do this, you should be thinking about potential solutions you could put in your legislation!
 
Video:  Years of Living Dangerously, Part 3
We’ll watch part 3 of this award-winning documentary (50 minutes).  As we watch, you’ll fill out page 6 of your issue packet.
 
Movie Debrief:
Take a few minutes, and finish the movie questions.  Now pair up with someone from (GASP!) the other side of the room, and share your takeaways from page 6 only. 
  • Find at least 2 similarities with your partner
  • Find at least 2 differences with your partner

Timelines:
With your new soulmate, turn to pages 7 and 8. Use the following timeline resources to fill out your climate timelines. Pay attention to the vocabulary on page 9!   Fill it out as you encounter it.  By the end of class today, you should have finished through page 9.

Timeline Resources: 
  1. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24838.html
  2. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/environment/climate-of-doubt/timeline-the-politics-of-climate-change/
  3. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/12/07/science/20091207_CLIMATE_TIMELINE.html?_r=0
  4. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-15874560
  5. http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015/11/30/timeline-of-key-events-in-un-effort-against-climate-change
  6. For 2016, do a quick google on Climate Change 2016—see what you find.
 
 
HOMEWORK
Finish anything you didn’t finish in class.  When you walk into class tomorrow, you should be done with…
  1. Pages 1-9 of your Climate Change packet

Tuesday, 10/11: Issue Study #1- Climate Change Intro

10/11/2016

 
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL RESOURCES/HANDOUTS ARE ON THE DOCUMENTS PAGE OF MY DP!  Scroll down to "Science Issue (Issue Study #1): Energy and Climate Change"

Essential Question: 

1. What do you already know about climate change?  What new things do you want/need to learn?
2. What is your senator’s position on climate change/energy?
3. What political dynamics keep lawmakers from taking action on urgent issues?
 
Objectives: 
1. To review what you already know, and get a sense of what you need to know
2. To understand your senator’s views/positions on climate change and energy
3. To compare what is blocking action on issues like climate change with conditions in the 1970s leading to unanimous passing of the Clean Air Act under Nixon.
 
Framing:
Over the next three weeks, we’ll be engaging in some intense study of two critical and controversial issues in preparation for Model Senate.  After that, you will be writing legislation on one of the issues (whichever committee you are assigned is your issue).  The speeches and bills are the primary assessments for Model Senate, so it’s essential that you feel knowledgeable about these issues.
 
STARTER 19: Senator Position Research (20 min)
Turn to page 2 of your Climate Change notebook.  Complete initial research about your senator’s position on climate change and energy policy.

Initial Climate Change Brainstorm (30 min)
Okay, now go to page 3 of your Climate Change notebook.  Work through the initial brainstorm—we’ll check in as a class once you are done.
 
Political Pressure  (30 min)
Turn to the top of page 5, and with the political pressure graphic, consider our question: What political dynamics keep lawmakers from taking action on urgent issues?
1. On the LEFT side, fill in bubbles with forces that apply pressure for lawmakers to RESIST passing legislation.
2. On the RIGHT side, fill in bubbles with forces that apply pressure for lawmakers to act.
3. You must fill in ALL the bubbles!
 
If you are stuck, consider…
1. Lack of voter support in district
2. Party position
3. Persuasion from other lawmakers
4. Mass protest
5. Negative media exposure
6. New, reliable scientific data
7. Increasing technology
8. Individual campaign contributions
9. Personal/social ties
10. Needs of their district and voters (constituents)
11. WHAT ELSE?
 
Clean Air Act  (15 min)
Setting the Stage:  The CAA is important because it is the law under which our EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.  This is THE major political fight on climate change right now, so understanding this law, and the history of it is critical to our political debate.

Video 1:  A summary of the CAA and its social and political context.  (5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk8NN4nNgs4
Video 2:   An interview with Senator Edmund Muskie who authored the bill. (we'll watch the first few minutes).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oSA5marDzI

After the videos, write your top 3 take-aways on page 5 of your issues packet.
 
HOMEWORK:
Make sure that you have pages 1-5 of your issue packet complete.

Monday, 10/10: Is Congress Broken Seminar

10/10/2016

 
Starter
  1. What are three questions that you would like us to address in our seminar today and/or that you think would spark interesting discussion in our seminar today?
  2. Write them on your seminar prewrite.
  3. Please turn in ONE document with ALL of the following:
  • Reading questions
  • Summary of your additional source
  • Seminar pre-write

Sign up for your senior project check-in conference with one of the senior teachers!
  • Lori's students are beating you guys to it!  Hurry up before your preferred teacher's conference schedule is full. Lori is already full! FYI and for future reference, all senior project documents are on the Senior Project page of my DP.
 
Honors announcement- ESSAY guidelines
Take notes during seminar today to fuel your essay!  See the honors page for guidelines on your 2nd honors essay on the prompt "Is Congress Broken?"

Ashley's overview of Citizens United  (See the back of the seminar questions handout I passed out in class)


Socratic  Questioning
  • What role does money play in our political system?  In your view, is this a problem?  Why or why not? 
  1. What problems are created by money in politics?  Why do you think it is this way? 
  •  What can campaign finance tell us about the challenges our elected officials face in their professional lives?
  1. Citizens United = Corporate Personhood + Campaign money as free speech.
  2. To what extent should campaign contributions be considered free speech? 
  3. What are the dangers of commercial speech?
  4. What are the dangers of restricting commercial speech?
  5. If we begin restricting certain kinds of speech over others, to what extent will we be endangering all of our freedoms? 
  • Can our political system function without lobbyists?  Why or why not?
  1. What positive functions do lobbyists engage in?
  2. Without lobbyists, what would get done?
  3. Can we expect our legislators to be experts at EVERYTHING?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of this model?
  • If you could fix one thing in Congress right now, what would it be?  What would be the potential consequences of making this change?  
    1. What is your change and why, specifically, would you make it?
    2. What are the potential negative aspects of making this change? 

Presidential Debate
We’re going to watch some of last night's debate then use that as the basis for a discussion.  We'll start with the candidates' responses to a question about their approaches to energy production and climate change beginning 1 hour and 57 minutes into the linked video above.   If time we'll watch more of the debate with an eye toward each candidates' moral values and foundations, use of rhetoric, and stance on the issues.  Remember, the five moral foundations are:  Harm/care, Fairness, In Group Loyalty, Authority, Purity/Sanctity. 

Debate Discussion
  1. Summarize both candidates' positions on energy/climate change.
  2. What was Clinton and Trump's proposals on: Healthcare, Immigration, Taxes, Defense (War on Terror), Humanitarian Aid (War in Syria).  What moral foundation(s) did they seem to be emphasizing throughout these various issues? How can you tell?
  3. Which of the moral foundations is most important in this issue to you?  To the candidates? 

Homework?
None!  Hooray!
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    Ashley Carruth

    Humanities teacher at Animas High School

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