8.2 Principles of the Constitution: May 2007

Project Update

NOTE: All History Projects must be presented in a
PROJECT PORTFOLIO

Bill of Rights Project - Nov 26 - Nov 30

--This week we proposed our Bill of Rights Project in Project Foundry.
--We also started reviewing the Bill of Rights by reading them, discussing them, and putting them into our own words.
-- Finally, we were introduced to the Parent Bill of Rights, a fake document declaring many of the freedoms we all ake for granted null and void.

Due Monday, December 3rd.
Bill of Rights Notes (all 10 amendments in your own words)

Preview Questions (Parent Bill of Rights questions)

Timeline (5 -10 events from the era of the Bill of Rights and beyond ((hint: your first event should be somewhere around the time the Constitution was being written. Your last event could be present day when one of the Bill of Rights makes an appearance in the news)

NEXT UP:

--This week we will review the above notes, preview questions, and Timeline as we get to work on arguing famous supreme court cases.

--Students will be put in groups and asked to take a position on several famous supreme court cases.

--Next week, we will begin work on our Processing assignment!

NOTE: All resources for this project can be found right here as this blog!

Project Update

CONSTITUTION PROJECT

PROJECT UPDATE week of Nov. 12th-18th

CELEBRATION!!!

Thank you so much to all the students and parents for making the celebration two of the most memorable experiences I've ever had! Wow!

We ate. We danced. We displayed your work. Students were masterful at discussing their “I Can..” statements and showcasing their S.M.A.R.T. goals for the next quarter.

I am so proud to be a part of this new community!

NEXT WEEK Nov. 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st

A three day week!

CONSTITUTION projects are due Wednesday, November 21st!

Use these three days to finish your RESEARCH, continue CREATING your projects, prepare to PRESENT your work, and ready your REFLECTION

Here's a list of what you need to turn in on Nov. 21^st.

First off, what project did you decide on? The 500 word essay? Or a Project on your own? Whatever road you took I'm looking for all the work leading up to it.

Please put all your work in one folder and turn in on my desk. Something fun. Be creative with your folder. Color it, draw on it, make it stand out.

Project Proposal Form (in project foundry or we have hard copies in class) Your proposal needs to be approved by me.

Log your hours - We've been doing research, having discussions, completing assignments, and working in groups since October 15^th. Lots of hours to log.

Journal - (In project foundry or you could always simply write your journals on paper) You need to document your 30 minutes of Reading, talk about your highlights/lowlights and ask for help, if you need it.

Present - Your research, your notes, your graphic organizers, and of course, your PROJECT.

Your Assignments - 5 I knows/5 inspirations/ 5 questions/ Preview Question/ Constitution Cards/ Constitution Dilemmas

Reflect – Here is a of the PROJECT REFLECTION (we also have hard copies in class)

Of course any assignments you already turned in have been graded and counted already, so don't worry about those. - I'm looking for the evidence of all the hard work you did. Some is on the computer, some will be a hard copy. Both will count for completion of your Project.

And finally, have a marvelous Thanksgiving. Relax. Eat lots! Watch some football, and I'll see you back on Monday, the 26^th -

Project Update

Project Update - week of 11/05-11/09

This week students turned in their Constitution Dilemmas and had their final chance to turn in their Constitution Cards or Preview Questions.

Also, students were given this week to Propose either the 500 word Constitution Essay OR Propose an original Project Idea of their own.

After a lot of begging and pleading, poking and prodding, pushing and shoving on my part students proposed some very creative, very wonderful project ideas for the culminating Constitution Project

Some noteworthy ideas:

A "Who wants to be a millionaire" Constitution Game
Constitution Trading Cards
Constitution Rap

Some students chose to simply write the 500 word persuasive essay. This is why Aveson works!

If you DREAM it, you can DO it!

DUE DATE FOR ALL CONSTITUTION PROJECTS.
(You all are working so hard, and the Celebration has been a ton of work so I decided to extend the deadline to
WED, NOVEMBER 21st

I would like very much to include student work on this project for our Celebration of Learning, so get those projects submitted early if you can.

- Every other free minute we have this week will be spent getting our Self Efficacy Portfolios ready for the Student Led Conferences. - Good luck, students.

Project Update

This week the 8th grade "law students" took the Bar Exam. And a strong majority of students PASSED with flying colors. I was very proud of you all and this week I am ready to challenge you as "young lawyers" as we dig deeper into the Constitution of the United States of America.

Constitution Cards were due. I know you completed them but you did not turn them in. I expect to see them first thing Monday morning.

THIS WEEK!

Monday, November 5

1. Creating a Constitution Project needs to be proposed in Project Foundry. (Don't forget to journal and log your hours)
Please make sure you do this. This is now the 2nd time I am posting this notice.

2. Continue work on your Persuasive Essay (500 words) The Constitution works because....... - We will work a bit on this in History and E.L.A. class. (Janus is a HUGE resource for you when it coms to writing a persuasive essay) Remember your 5-paragraph format. Introduction, Body, Conclusion. -DUE DATE - Wednesday, November 14th

3. Constitution Dilemmas
Students will form "law firms" - IN groups of 4. Create a name for your law firm, maybe even a poster.
Those young lawyers will tackle the issues listed in the Constitution Dilemmas. Be thorough.

Wednesday, November 7th

1. Constitution Dilemmas are DUE. Be prepared to present to the class your law firms findings.

NOTE: If you failed the bar exam it is your job to retake it some time this week.
Here it is again. Please find some time to study. There is no excuse for failing a quiz that you have had full access to for nearly a month.
The BAR EXAM! Study study!

FINALLY, we are two weeks away from our Celebration of Learning. We will continue work on our History/ELA Projects BUT we will also be working on our PORTFOLIOS, which is a showcase piece for parents.

Your PORTFOLIO will show off your work in English, Math, and Advisory, with a strong emphasis on Self Efficacy.

I only mention this because I want everyone to stay flexible in case we have to change things a bit to make sure we are ready for our celebration.

Either way, let's DIG!!!!

Project Update

Week of Monday October 22nd - Friday, October 26th

This week every 8th grade student mastered the Project Proposal Form on Project Foundry!
We proposed Peanut Butter and Jelly Projects, a completely fictional project where students would address a completely fictional standard!
You all did a great job and hopefully you understand how to develop a project idea even better now!

THIS WEEK!

Monday, October 29th

1. Creating a Constitution Project needs to be proposed in Project Foundry. (Don't forget to journal and log your hours)

2. Persuasive Essay (500 words) The Constitution works because.......

Wednesday, October 31st

1. Constitution Cards are due! We will spend half our session reviewing your Constitution Cards. (Hard copies only)

3. The BAR EXAM! Study study!

Remember, the Bar Exam is posted on this blog site. Open it up and start studying.

Project Update

Project Update 10/15-10/19

We are moving along nicely with our Creating A Constitution project.

Students are now young lawyers, studying to pass the bar exam. (We take the bar exam 10/31!)

We spent Tuesday(16th) reading a short play about the Ghosts of Congress past. We learned about the first black female to be in Congress, heard points of view from John Quincy Adams on the role of women in lawmaking, and were exposed to inspirational laws such as the first child labor laws in the early 1900's.

Students completed 5 question/5 inspirations/5 now I know
If you did not turn this in it is LATE. - (you can only receive late credit 1 week late)

Dominick and Steven scanned our American Revolution Magazine! (A whole magazine is in the works, but the cost is more than we can manage just now. Students will eventually pot their work on their own blogs)

NEXT UP
Constitution Preview Questions (DUE MONDAY, the 23rd) (see below)

Peanut Butter and Jelly time - Mastering the Project Proposal Form on Project Foundry (don't wory, I'll explain Monday)

REMEMBER, if you can dream it, we can do it!!

Creating a Constitution/Bill of Rights Project

For the next several weeks will be working on a Project called CREATING a Constitution/Bill of Rights

Project Length:
October 15 - December 21st

Description
During this project, students learn about the key features of the United States Constitution. Students first take on the role
of law students as they learn the features of the Constitution, then take a “bar exam” to demonstrate their knowledge. After “graduation,” students set up law firms and provide legal advice on constitutional issues.
Students will be asked to write a 500 word essay, as well.

Objectives
Students will
• identify more than 30 key features of the Constitution.
• explain how checks and balances, federalism, and the amendment process work.
• describe the roles of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
• describe the basic lawmaking process.
• discuss the opportunities that the Constitution provides for citizens to participate
in the political process.

Materials
The Constitution
Constitution (Preview and Processing Assignments)
Constitution (Reading Notes)
Constitution Cards (Hard copy, see Mr. Tom)
The Bar Exam
Constitution Dilemmas

BILL OF RIGHTS
Description
For the Bill of Rights section, students learn about the important citizen protections provided by the Bill of Rights. First, students read about the Bill of Rights and record
information about each of the ten amendments on a visual metaphor in their Reading Notes. Then, in a Response Group activity, they debate four controversial Supreme Court cases related to the Bill of Rights. Finally, students apply their
learning in a Processing assignment.

Objectives

Students will
• draw parallels between their own need for rights and the founders’ desire for a bill of rights.
• identify the rights provided in the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
• argue the issues of four contemporary Supreme Court cases that involve the Bill of Rights.
• create a comic strip that illustrates the difficulties of life without a bill of rights.

Materials
INTERACTIVE BILL OF RIGHTS
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights Powerpoint
Bill of Rights Court Case Questions
Bill of Rights (Preview and Processing)
Bill of Rights Reading Notes (coming soon)
Online Quiz

Standards
8.2 Students analyze the political principles underlying the U.S. Constitution and compare the enumerated and implied powers of the federal government.

Enumerate the powers of government set forth in the Constitution and the fundamental liberties ensured by the Bill of Rights.
Describe the principles of federalism, dual sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, the nature and purpose of majority rule, and the ways in which the American idea of constitutionalism preserves individual rights.

8.2 Students analyze the political principles underlying the U.S. Constitution and compare the enumerated and implied powers of the federal government.

Discuss the significance of the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, and the May-flower Compact.
Analyze the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution and the success of each in implementing the ideals of the Declaration of Independence.
Evaluate the major debates that occurred during the development of the Constitution and their ultimate resolutions in such areas as shared power among institutions, divided state-federal power, slavery, the rights of individuals and states (later addressed by the addition of the Bill of Rights), and the status of American Indian nations under the commerce clause.
Describe the political philosophy underpinning the Constitution as specified in the Federalist Papers (authored by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay) and the role of such leaders as Madison, George Washington, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, and James Wilson in the writing and ratification of the Constitution.
Understand the significance of Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom as a forerunner of the First Amendment and the origins, purpose, and differing views of the founding fathers on the issue of the separation of church and state.
Enumerate the powers of government set forth in the Constitution and the fundamental liberties ensured by the Bill of Rights.
Describe the principles of federalism, dual sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, the nature and purpose of majority rule, and the ways in which the American idea of constitutionalism preserves individual rights.

8.2 Principles of the Constitution

Project Update

Project Update

Project Update

Project Update

Project Update

Project Update

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

8.2 Principles of the Constitution

How do I.......

Creating a Constitution/Bill of Rights Project

Constitution RESOURCES and PROJECT IDEAS

Bill of Rights Project Ideas

THE COMPLETE 8.2

WEB RESOURCES

HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS

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