Christmas Vacation — No School 🎄

Clintondale High School is currently on Christmas Vacation. Classes will resume on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 7:35 A.M.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, Dragons!

Doughnut Party 🍩

⏰ What We Did

• Enjoyed doughnuts, listened to Christmas music, and prepared for Christmas Break

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Day 1 🎞

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the structures, powers, and functions of both houses of Congress affect the policy-making process

⏰ What We Did

• Began a viewing guide while watching Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Congressional Elections and Modern Campaigns 🏛

Today's class was led by a guest teacher. 🏫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the different processes work in U.S. congressional elections
• Explain how campaign organizations and strategies affect the election process

⏰ What We Did

• Illustrated incumbency advantage data for congressional elections
• Examined gains and losses for the president's party in midterm elections
• Identified the benefits and drawbacks of modern political campaigns

⚙️ Resources

• 8 Congressional Elections and Modern Campaigns

The Road to the White House Flow Chart 🦅

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election
• Explain how the Electoral College facilitates and/or impedes democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Examined each of the ten steps of the presidential election process created by the class

The Road to the White House Project 🦅

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election
• Explain how the Electoral College facilitates and/or impedes democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Finish the presidential election flowchart

The Road to the White House Project 🦅

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election; Explain how the Electoral College facilitates and/or impedes democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Randomly assigned partners and steps in the process of electing a president
• With the paired-up partner, began creating a summary of the assigned step in a flow chart illustrating the presidential election process

⚙️ Resources

• The Road to the White House rubric

Save A Life Tour — 12th Grade 🚗

⏰ What We Did

• Attended a Save A Life assembly in the CHS Conference Center about distracted driving and driving under the influence

The Road to the White House Project 🛣

Late Start Day 🕣

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election; Explain how the Electoral College facilitates and/or impedes democracy

⏰ What We Did

• In pairs, began creating a flow chart illustrating one step of a presidential campaign

⚙️ Resources

• The Road to the White House rubric

Electing a President 🗳

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election
• Explain how the Electoral College facilitates and/or impedes democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Finished Friday's discussion and notes on Topic 3.7, Electing a President

11th & 12th Grade Town Hall Meeting 📣

⏰ What We Did

• Attended a town hall meeting for 11th and 12th graders in the CHS Auditorium

Electing a President 🗳

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the different processes work in a U.S. presidential election
• Explain how the Electoral College facilitates and/or impedes democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Summarized the stages of running for president
• Used past presidential elections to illustrate how the Electoral College works, its strengths and weaknesses, and its proposed reforms

⚙️ Resources

• 7 Electing a President

Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes 💵

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how various political actors influence public policy outcomes

⏰ What We Did

• Compared actors such as interest groups, professional organizations, social movements, the military, and bureaucratic agencies influence policy making, such as the federal budget process, at key stages and to varying degrees

⚙️ Resources

• 6 Groups Influencing Policy Outcomes

Interest Group Project 💻

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the benefits and potential problems of interest-group influence on elections and policy making
• Explain how variation in types and resources of interest groups affects their ability to influence elections and policy making

⏰ What We Did

• Student groups finished creating an informational pamphlet on the interest group selected

⚙️ Resources

• Trifold Pamphlet Template (Make a copy before adding content)
• Bifold Pamphlet Template (Make a copy before adding content)

Interest Group Project 💻

Today's class was led by a guest teacher. 🏫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the benefits and potential problems of interest-group influence on elections and policy making
• Explain how variation in types and resources of interest groups affects their ability to influence elections and policy making

⏰ What We Did

• Student groups finished researching their assigned interest group
• Groups began creating an informational pamphlet on the interest group selected

Interest Group Project 💻

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the benefits and potential problems of interest-group influence on elections and policy making
• Explain how variation in types and resources of interest groups affects their ability to influence elections and policy making

⏰ What We Did

• Pairs of students selected an interest group from a list
• Began researching the selected interest group, researching information as provided on the provided rubric

⚙️ Resources

• Interest Group Project rubric

Thanksgiving Break 🦃

Clintondale High School is closed for Thanksgiving Break. Classes will resume on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 7:35 A.M.

Have a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving Break, Dragons!

Catch-Up Day 🥫

⏰ What We Did

• Due to extremely low student census, used today's class to catch up on any previous Q2 work or notes

Interest Groups and Their Influence on Policy-Making 💬

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the benefits and potential problems of interest-group influence on elections and policy making
• Explain how variation in types and resources of interest groups affects their ability to influence elections and policy making

⏰ What We Did

• Examine the role interest groups play in influencing public policy
• Compare interest groups with Madison's factions in Federalist No. 10

⚙️ Resources

• 5 Interest Groups and Their Influence on Policy-Making

How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt 🕰Third Party Politics 3️⃣

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain why and how political parties change and adapt
• Explain how various political actors influence public policy outcomes
• Explain why and how political parties change and adapt
• Explain how structural barriers impact third-party and independent-candidate success

⏰ What We Did

• Analyze the social changes brought by political parties, how they influence public policy, and the effect third-parties have on government policy

⚙️ Resources

• 4 How and Why Political Parties Change and Adapt; Third Party Politics

Political Parties 🐘🐎

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe linkage institutions
• Explain the function and impact of political parties on the electorate and government

⏰ What We Did

• Define and identify linkage institutions
• Explain the function political parties play in voter participation

⚙️ Resources

• 3 Political Parties

Town Hall Meeting 🏫

⏰ What We Did

• The majority of the class was called down to the CHS Auditorium for a 12th Grade Town Hall

Data Analysis: How Voting Demographics Changed Between 2020 and 2024 Presidential Elections 🔎

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the roles that individual choice and state laws play in voter turnout in elections

⏰ What We Did

• Read a provided article on exit polling data from the 2024 presidential election
• Examined the voter turnout data

⚙️ Resources

• How Voting Demographics Changed Between 2020 and 2024 Presidential Elections

Voter Turnout 🗳

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the roles that individual choice and state laws play in voter turnout in elections

⏰ What We Did

• Identify the turnout trends of voters in past elections and compare it to the turnout data for the 2024 presidential election

⚙️ Resources

• 2 Voter Turnout

Voter Participation in National Elections 🗳

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the roles that individual choice and state laws play in voter turnout in elections

⏰ What We Did

• Discussed the answers to yesterday's assignment, "Voter Participation in National Elections"

Voter Participation in National Elections 🗳

Today's class was led by a guest teacher 🏫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the roles that individual choice and state laws play in voter turnout in elections

⏰ What We Did

• Identify the turnout trends of voters in past presidential and congressional elections

⚙️ Resources

• Voter Participation in National Elections

Voting Rights and Voting Behavior 🗳

Late Start Day 🕣

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe the voting rights protections in the Constitution and in legislation
• Describe different models of voting behavior

⏰ What We Did

• Examined an overview and the Big Ideas of Unit 5
• Explained the constitutional amendments that have expanded suffrage to increasing segments of the population and differentiate the four models of voter behavior

⚙️ Resources

• 1 Voting Rights and Voting Behavior

Ideology and Social Policy 👥

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how political ideologies vary on the role of the government in addressing social issues
• Explain how different ideologies impact policy on social issues

⏰ What We Did

• Assess policy trends concerning the level of government involvement in social issues reflect the success of conservative or liberal perspectives in political parties

⚙️ Resources

• 10 Ideology and Social Policy

Ideology and Economic Policy 💰

Today is Veterans Day 🇺🇸

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe different political ideologies regarding the role of government in regulating the marketplace
• Explain how political ideologies vary on the government’s role in regulating the marketplace

⏰ What We Did

• Compare the demand-side (Keynes) and supply-side (Hayek) economic ideologies that determine the government's monetary policies

⚙️ Resources

• 9 Ideology and Economic Policy

End of the First Quarter 🌛

⏰ What We Did

• Used today's class to complete and turn in any Q1 assignments

Ideologies of Political Parties and Changes Over Time ⏰

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how ideologies of the two major political parties shape policy debates
• Explain how U.S. political culture influences the formation, goals, and implementation of public policy over time

⏰ What We Did

• Differentiate how the ideologies of the two major parties have evolved to shape contemporary policy since the 1930s

⚙️ Resources

• 8 Ideologies of Political Parties and Changes Over Time

Election 2024 Post-Analysis 🗳

🎯 Learning Targets

• Analyze the results of the 2024 federal elections

⏰ What We Did

• Using reputable media websites, compare the current makeup of the federal governemnt with the incoming government following the results of the 2024 elections

⚙️ Resources

• Election 2024 Post-Analysis

Election Day — No School 🇺🇸

Clintondale High School is closed for Election Day. Classes will resume on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 7:35 A.M.

Catch-Up Day 🥫

Today's class was led by a guest teacher 🏫

⏰ What We Did

• Used today's class to catch up on any previous Q1 work or notes

Public Opinion: Impact of Polling 📉

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the quality and credibility of claims based on public opinion data

⏰ What We Did

• Examined the advantages and drawbacks polling can have on an election or policy debates

⚙️ Resources

• 7 Public Opinion: Impact of Polling

Public Opinion and Demographic Statistics 📊

Today is Halloween 🎃

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe the elements of a scientific poll
• Explain the quality and credibility of claims based on public opinion data

⏰ What We Did

• Determined what public opinion polling can reveal about societal characteristics

⚙️ Resources

• 6 Public Opinion and Demographic Statistics

Public Opinion: Measuring Data 📈

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe the elements of a scientific poll

⏰ What We Did

• Summarized the basic elements of scientifc polling and how they developed

⚙️ Resources

• 5 Public Opinion: Measuring Data

Socratic Seminar 🗣

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization

⏰ What We Did

• Conducted a Socratic seminar on the article Trump Has Changed How Teens View the News (Lorenz, T., The Atlantic, 29 August 2018.)

Changes in Ideology and the Influence of Political Events 🧠

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization

⏰ What We Did

• Examined how the political ideologies of past generations have been impacted by historic events from the 1930s to today

⚙️ Resources

• 4 Changes in Ideology and the Influence of Political Events

📖 Homework

• Read "Trump Has Changed How Teens View the News" (Lorenz, T., 2018) before class tomorrow

Political Socialization 🤔

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization

⏰ What We Did

• Examined how individuals in several demographic groups typically develop their sense of politically socialization

⚙️ Resources

• 3 Political Socialization

Where Do You Fall on the Political Spectrum? 💻

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the relationship between core beliefs of U.S. citizens and attitudes about the role of government

⏰ What We Did

• Briefly examined the general stances of the two major political parties on contemporary issues
• Completed two brief personal political inventories

⚙️ Resources

• Political Typology Quiz (Pew Research Center)
• Political Compass Test (Email your certificate to carpentc(at)clintondaleschools(dot)net)

American Attitudes About Government and Politics 💭

Late Start Day 🕣

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the relationship between core beliefs of U.S. citizens and attitudes about the role of government

⏰ What We Did

• Introduced the Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings of Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs
• Began the focus on political beliefs by presenting a generalized overview of the platforms of the two major American political parties

⚙️ Resources

• 1 American Attitudes About Government and Politics

PSAT/NMSQT Testing ⚫️

⏰ What We Did

• 11th Grade students were taking the PSAT/NMSQT

Unit 1 Personal Progress Check: FRQs ✏️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Assess comprehension of Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Completed the FRQ portion of the Unit 1 Assessment, due to the fire drill conducted during Friday's Personal Progress Check 1

Unit 1 Personal Progress Check: FRQs ✏️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Assess comprehension of Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Complete the FRQ portion of the Unit 1 Assessment

Unit 1 Personal Progress Check: MCQs ⚫️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Assess comprehension of Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Complete the MCQ portion of the Unit 1 Assessment

Unit 1 Big Ideas Review ♻️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Review concepts of Unit 1, Foundations of American Democracy

⏰ What We Did

• Finished developing Argument FRQ on the government's role in public education
• Reviewed the Big Ideas of Unit 1 in preparation for tomorrow's MCQ portion and Thursday's FRQ portion of the Unit 1 Personal Progress Check

⚙️ Resources

• Unit 1 Big Idea Review

Federalism and Policy Making: Education 🏫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the distribution of powers among three federal branches and between national and state government impacts policy making
• Explain the ongoing impact of political negotiation and compromise at the Constitutional Convention on the development of the constitutional system

⏰ What We Did

• Examined how federalism influences education and the actions taken by the federal government to affect the policies pertaining to public education

⚙️ Resources

• 14 Federalism and Policy Making: Education
• Argumentative FRQ Carousel
• Scoring Rubric for Free-Response Questions

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) 💰United States v. Lopez (1995) 🔫

Today is Columbus Day 🌎

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the appropriate balance of power between national and state governments has been interpreted differently over time

⏰ What We Did

• Reviewed McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), identifying the constitutional issue and the landmark decision rendered by the Supreme Court
• Reviewed United States v. Lopez (1995), identifying the facts, constitutional questions, decision, and reasoning of the Supreme Court

Class to Gymnasium 🏀

Today's class was led by a guest teacher 🏫

⏰ What We Did

• The class went to the CHS gymnasium with the guest teacher