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