Civil Disobedience Current Event

Here is a good example of civil disobedience that is currently in the news. The Sierra Club, an environmental group, is trying to change our government's policies in dealing with climate change. Specifically, the Sierra Club is trying to stop the building of the Keystone XL pipeline.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/sierra-club-goes-bolder-in-climate-fight-87973.html?hp=r18

Monday's Agenda

Today we will be discussing current events regarding civil disobedience, and discussing and extending Task 7.  Tomorrow I will be checking Project Citizen documents in class tomorrow.

*** Check Edmodo for further instructions for Task 7.

Friday's Agenda

On Friday we shared our Task 6 assignments about social change and civil disobedience, and began Task 7, to be completed for homework.

Block Day Agenda

Next Monday we will be attending an assembly about Martin Luther King Junior and Black History Month. During block day, we will be looking and analyzing some of Dr. King's Speeches and gaining a further understanding of his mission and message. We will also begin work on Task 6, which will be looking at how change is created and who is creating change in today's world. (Directions will be posted on Edmodo)

Tuesday's Agenda

Today we will be completing Task 4 and Task 5 for our Project Citizen Unit (posted on Edmodo). In addition, I will be having individual conferences with students to review Tasks 1-3.

Friday Agenda

We are reviewing answers to Task 2, and beginning Task 3 "Research". Students will have time to complete the task in class. It is due by Monday (no school) when I will be checking Project Citizen Google Docs.

Please check Edmodo for instructions on Task 3, as each class has different topics.

Block Day Agenda

We will be completing an inference activity based on the President's State of the Union address last night, exploring the most important factors in dealing with our Project Citizen Topic, and completing Task 2 (posted on Edmodo).

Tuesday's Agenda

Today we will review answers from Task 1 of Project Citizen, and discuss the State of the Union, its purpose, and watch some clips of past speeches.

HOMEWORK for BLOCK DAY (posted on Edmodo) - Please watch part of the State of the Union speech and record 5 key phrases or ideas that the President mentions. You can answer and list the 5 phrases directly onto Edmodo, or bring them in on a piece of paper if you do not have computer access. If you can not watch the State of the Union tonight or record it, you can find it online, or you can select an article which reviewed the speech and find the key ideas there.

Monday's Agenda

Project Citizen Topic Showdown! Last Friday's vote resulted in a tie between school safety and bullying issues. We will discuss the pros and cons of each issue, then we will hold a final vote.

Once our topic is settled, we will begin our work, defining key words and concepts regarding our topic.

HOMEWORK TONIGHT - Complete TASK 1 questions on your Project Citizen Google Doc that you created last week. Please check Edmodo for the questions you should answer, as all classes will have different questions. Please use complete sentences.

Friday's Agenda

Today we will:
- Vote on our Project Citizen topic
- Learn how to search effectively on Google
- Complete GoogleADay search assignment (to be completed and submitted through Edmodo) -- It is due by Sunday night.  Homework cancelled. Enjoy your weekend. 

Thursday's Agenda

On Thursday we reviewed what public policy is and is not, how problems can be solved through public policy solutions, and how problems can be solved through community solutions.

Wednesday Agenda - Early Release

I am out sick today. In class (and for homework) I would like you to answer the following questions about your public policy problem on Blogger (but remember to submit the link on Edmodo so I know you turned it in!). You may work in groups (2-3 people) but each member must turn in these questions individually. You may stay with the problem you introduced yesterday, or change to a problem your classmates brought up . However, this must be a public policy problem. You must use complete sentences and provide well-thought out answers. You may need to research questions to find answers as well. 

Names of group members:
Date:
The PUBLIC POLICY problem:

1) Is this a problem that you and other people in your community think is important? Why? 

2) What level of government or governmental agency is responsible for dealing with the problem? 

3) What policy does government now have to deal with this problem? 

3a) What are this policy's advantages and disadvantages? 

3b) How could this policy be improved?

3c) Does this policy need to be replaced? Why? 

3d) What disagreements are there, if any, about this policy in the community?

4) Where can you get more information about this problem and the positions taken by different individuals and groups?

5) Are there other problems in your community that you think might be useful for your class to study? What are they? 

Tuesday's Agenda

Today we are reviewing the background of Project Citizen (below), and then we will have a full class discussion over public policy problems we (7th graders) face, and brainstorm possible solutions that can be reached through petitioning the local and state governments.

Monday's Agenda

Today we will reviewing our independent research project, then beginning our Project Citizen project. We will discuss public policy, and begin debating what topic/policy we would like to focus on in class. 

Homework (posted on Edmodo) - Create a Google Doc
Title your Google Doc your "first initial last name Project Citizen Notes"
Ex = BBrandstrader PC Notes
Share your document with your teacher (bbrandstrader@nssd112.org)
You will answer ALL future tasks in the Google Doc created. Each individual must have their own document for notes. Do NOT share your document with other classmates.

Friday Agenda

Friday we will be completing an Independent Research Activity, posted on Edmodo. 

As we begin our Project Citizen Unit, one key skill necessary for success is the ability to independently research. Find the answers to the following questions. YOU DO NOT NEED COMPLETE SENTENCES. YOU MUST GIVE TWO SOURCES TO VERIFY YOUR ANSWER. List those sources right next to your answer. In addition, please include 2 PICTURES relevant to your answers. 

Please complete this assignment on Blogger, and submit the link.

1. It has been said “The sun never set on which empire”? This was the most powerful empire during the 16th and 17th centuries.

2. The Bolsheviks, under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin, took control of what country AND in what year?

3. Which Aztec emperor was killed by Cortez and his conquistadors?

4. Which North American country became part of the British Empire at the end of the Seven Years’ War in 1763?

5. Who was the commander of the first expedition to circumnavigate (go around) the entire globe?

6. The first atomic bomb used for war was dropped on which city AND on which date?

7. In 1982 a dispute over which islands caused Argentina and the United Kingdom to go to war?

8. Which Southern Hemisphere country was founded by the British as a place to send criminals during the 18th century?

9. Which 16th century empire stretched from the Balkans, through Turkey, and into Arabia and the Middle East?

10. Which two neighboring Asian countries are bitter enemies and both tested nuclear weapons in 1998?

11. Which empire was Cleopatra the queen of?

12. Which country did the USSR (Russia) invade in 1968 to end it’s attempt at freedom?

13. The storming of the Bastille in Paris was the beginning of what major event?

14. Which Mesoamerican civilization followed the Olmec?

15. In which U.S. state did the hydrogen filled blimp the Hindenburg explode in 1937?