Beyond Gangs and Government

Government- A Different View

2008-11-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Definitions:

Rogue Government

Private Prison

DAILY SHOW #1
(Please write a full description; a minimum of one paragraph each)

What was the scandal current Vice President Dick Cheney is involved in?

What do the Senator of Alaska, Ted Stevens, and Senator Joe Lieberman have in common?

DAILY SHOW #2
(Please write a full description; a minimum of one paragraph each)
What information about Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin was released after the election: be specific!!

What was Wyatt Cenac’s opinion about Sarah Palin?

Project- Proposition

2008-10-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

PROJECT- OUR VOICE

In ONE WEEK over 10 million people will vote for the next President of the United States, as well as many propositions. A proposition has the power to add or take away funding for programs, or to create a change to the Constitution that makes an action illegal for everyone.

Currently, some of the propositions being proposed range from increasing rehabilitation programs for drug offenders convicted of non-violent offenses instead of being sent to prison, to a Constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman thus making same sex marriages or domestic partnerships illegal and nullified, or requiring youth to have parental notification and permission for an abortion.

Choose Two of the Propositions. You are going to create a creative argument that demonstrates your view on what you believe people should vote for the proposition. This can be done in one of the following formats:

2 poems
2 Drawings
1 4:00 minute I-movie that combines the two.

Afterwards, you will write 2 paragraphs that explains your project, the reason the proposition matters to you or your community, and the rationale for your vote.
(REMEMBER: you are not voting on whether you agree or disagree personally, but whether there should be a change in law for everyone!!)

Examples:
Video for Proposition 6 (CLICK HERE)
Video for Proposition 8 (CLICK HERE)
Artwork for past propositions Click HERE and HERE
Poem

Due at End of Thursday!!

Focus on Proposition

2008-10-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Writing Prompt:
How would your parent or guardian react on the day of your graduation, to see you walk across the stage?

How would they react if they knew you were flunking classes you needed to graduate?

Proposition:
Please answer the following for EACH of the propositions below

1) What is the name of the group sponsoring the proposition?
2) What do current polls show for each of the propositions- how many yes and how many no?

Proposition #4
Proposition #5
Proposition #6
Proposition #8
Proposition #9

PROJECT
Pick 2 of the propositions to do a specific research on.
For the two you choose, please answer the following.
1) Why does the proposition personally matter to you?
2) Why should anyone else care?
3) Why should or shouldn't this proposition be a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT?
4) Find 5 images that illustrate your view for EACH proposition (10 total).

Over the next couple days we will be creating an Imovie or Image arguement over your view on the propositions

Election DAY!

2008-10-20T14:28:00.000-07:00

Writing Prompt:
What would happen if the government decided not to count the votes if Obama won?

Watch!
What is Chris Rock's opinion about the upcoming election?
Do you agree with Chris Rock? Why?
According to Chris Rock, how has the United States demonstrated unfairness in history?

Watch THIS

According to the movie, what was the controversy over the 2000 election?
What was FOX News role in the controversy?
How was the Electoral College involved in the scandal?
How did people react to Bush being elected?

Stop the Hate(rs)!!!! People Before Profit!!

2008-10-16T14:12:00.001-07:00

Writing Prompt: (L)

What is good about your life?
What could be done to make your life better?

What could be done to improve your city ?

Topics: Research how the United States pays to enforce the following per year?

Immigration Enforcement

War in Iraq

War on Drugs

Prisons (in the State of California)

Police (in the State of California)

Research the following Propositions:
Write what they are, and what would happen if passed!
After each one write whether you would vote "Yes" or "No" and why!

Proposition #4
Proposition #5
Proposition #6
Proposition #8
Proposition #9

Homework: Register to Vote (if you are 18).
Click Here
After watching the video, click here.
Click HERE!
A map will come up, where you will enter your home address and find out how to register.
Download the PDF form. Email to me to print it out! I will give it to you.

Who Runs The Streets in Your Neighborhood.

2008-10-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

Writing Prompt:
In the United States, when you turn 18, you can be drafted into the u.s. military and receive the right to vote?
Is this a fair trade off? Why or why not?

Malcolm X: Read Out-Loud
Discussion:

Power T-Chart:
One Side: "Your Name"
Second Side: "The Mayor"
List power each individual has.

List: What are the top 10 issues facing people 18 and under in your community?
Do you feel the ballot will solve any of these problems?

Power T-Chart of Solutions.

NOTEBOOKS TURNED IN

Who Runs YOur Streets: Day #3

2008-09-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

Writing Prompt and Turn in Homework
Do you feel having a person of color as president will make life better for people of color?
Does it matter the politics of the person or just the skin color?

Share Out.

Webquest Malcolm X:
Click on the following link about Malcolm X and answer the following:
1. When was Malcolm born, when did he die?
2. How did he die?
3. Based upon this "Malcolm X Clip #2"
Why was Malcolm X important to the world?

Watch the following Ballot or the Bullet- by Malcolm X
Post Video
What two sentences stood out to you most and why?
Would you agree with the sentiment (ideas) that Malcolm speaks?

Read Handout and Project.
Select 6 Paragraphs that stood out to you.
You will make an Imovie that details those six paragraphs
Pick two sentences per paragraph and two images per paragraph.
Create an IMovie using the excerpts from the video, images from history, the U.S., and the world as it relates to the speech.

Who Runs the Streets- Day 2

2008-09-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

Writing Prompt: (2L)
Who do you feel is more responsible for the problems in the U.S.A., the president or Congress (the people who make and pass laws)? Why?

1. Share Out Homework: (2R)
Listener: (Write down 2 statements that stood out to you from your partner and why.)

2. Word Bank: (2R)
Search and define the following words:
(For each word, write the dictionary definition, then paraphrase with your own definition)
Government
Direct Democracy
Participatory Democracy
Monarchy
Autocracy
Anarchy
Oligarchy
Human Right
Civil Right
Dictatorship
3/5 Clause
Citizen
Electoral College

3. Electoral College Dialogue (2R)
Click on Boondocks Cartooon
Discussion:
Answer the following:
What does the Boondocks’s Huey feel about the Electoral College? Do you agree? Disagree?
What does Huey feel about democracy?
Do you agree or disagree with his statement in the middle of the second cartoon?

4. What to the Slave is the 4th of July:
Excerpt from Frederick Doulgass Speech
1. What was your initial reaction to this speech?
2. Would you agree or disagree with Douglass? Why?

5. S.I..L.T. or S.I.C.A.

6. . Homework:
Huey of the Boondocks is not the first character to criticize the electoral college, voting, or patriotism. Your homework tonight is to read the following excerpt from Frederick Douglas’s: “What to the Slave is Your Fourth of July". After reading. draw a picture that either represents Frederick Douglas’s view of the 4th of July, your own, or compare and contrast the two.

(for excerpt read by James Earl Jones click here

Who Runs The Streets In Your Neighborhood- Day 1

2008-09-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

Goal:
To evaluate, take, and defend positions on the scope 7 limits of rights and obligations as democratic citizens, the relationships among them, and how they are secured.

Writing Prompt: (1L)
Who runs the streets in your neighborhood? How do they "run" them?

Group work: Butcher Paper
List all the problems that exist in your community on the paper given
(i.e. police violence, homeless, etc)
Share Out

Media Literacy (1R)
In the following video, there are three characters who are facing problems in their life and community. List the problems each character is facing (i.e. eviction, war..)

Eminem's Mosh

Character #1 (Young Black Man:)
Character #2 (Young White Soldier)
Character #3 (Young Mother)

Written Response:
What lyric or image stood out to you most?
If you could make your own end to the video, what would you create?

Eminem's Mosh #2

Written Response:
Which ending do you feel is more effective and why?

S.I.L.T. or S.I.C.A.
Something I Learned Today or Something I'm Confused About

Homework:
Government is the way people decide the rules and responsiblities of individuals and institutions to a community. Your family is it's own government.
Tonight, you will interview a parent or guardian how they define government and decmoracy?
Ask them what they feel about the government? Do they trust them? Fear them? Appreciate them?

After the interview, write a paragraph of what government means to you? How does they address problems, or do they?

Two Paragraphs minimum due Thursday.

From Streets to the System

2008-09-14T22:57:00.001-07:00

This course is designed to address the issues in our community and how they relate to an individual's power and a institution's responsibilty.

Description:
Government is a high level class where you will learn and evolve your ability to debate issues critical to the health of you, your loved ones, and your community. We will examine current laws, pending legislation, and their effect on various communities. A focal point of our class will be a critical examination of the Constitution, the Bill of rights, and the current state of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.

Your responsibility in class will be to learn the rights guaranteed you as a human being, parallel them to those offered you as a citizen, and the process to undertake when those rights are violated. You will be expected to debate various points of view and dialogue over multiple issues being examined by the current judicial system.

Guiding Questions:
What are basic human rights guaranteed all people regardless of citizenry?
How have these rights been challenged or denied to certain groups?
What ways has the law has been used to maintain un-just systems of power?
What is the responsibility of a community in a true democratic society?