Second and Fourth Amendments: The Balance Between Freedom and Security ⚖️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the extent to which states are limited by the due process clause from infringing upon individual rights
• Explain how the Supreme Court has attempted to balance claims of individual freedoms with laws and enforcement procedures that promote public order and safety

⏰ What We Did

• Examine how technology and the Fourth Amendment are related, preview the Essential Questions of Topic 3.6, and both listen and respond to a scenario regarding the Second and/or Fourth Amendments

⚙️ Resources

• Social Order and Civil Liberties: Examining the Second and Fourth Amendments (Day 1)

2025-2026 Scheduling and Xello ℹ️

Juniors were called down to schedule classes for next year and complete Xello career readiness.

Good Friday — No School ✝️

Clintondale High School is closed for Good Friday. Classes will resume on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 A.M.

MME Testing — M-STEP 💯

The M-STEP portion of the MME was administered during today's class

Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused 🚔Gideon v. Wainwright 🏛

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the extent to which states are limited by the due process clause from infringing open individual rights
• Explain how the Supreme Court has attempted to balance claims of individual freedom with laws and enforcement procedures that promote public order and safety

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the states' power to restrict rights, the public safety exception to Miranda, the rights of the accused, and the Supreme Court upholding right of all defendants to have legal counsel represent them
• Add Gideon to the Supreme Court graphic organizer

⚙️ Resources

• 3.5 Amendments: Due Process and the Rights of the Accused, Gideon v. Wainwright
• Gideon v. Wainwright Case Summary

Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms 📜Selective Incorporation ⚖️McDonald v. Chicago 🔫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the extent to which the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First and Second Amendments reflects a commitment to individual liberty
• Explain the implications of the doctrine of selective incorporation

⏰ What We Did

• Take notes on the Second Amendment and student-led interpretations of the amendment, what selective incorporation is, and how McDonald v. Chicago — as well as District of Columbia v. Heller — used selective incorporation to extend the right to bear arms to the states
• Add McDonald to the Supreme Court graphic organizer

⚙️ Resources

• 3.4 Second Amendment: Right to Bear Arms, District of Columbia v. Heller, Selective Incorporation, McDonald v. Chicago
• McDonald v. City of Chicago Case Summary

First Amendment: Freedom of the Press 📰New York Times v. United States (1971) 🗞

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the extent to which the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First and Second Amendments reflects a commitment to individual liberty

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the concept of prior restraint and the Supreme Court case that bolstered the Freedom of the Press against prior restraint
• Added New York Times to the Supreme Court graphic organizer

⚙️ Resources

• 3.3 First Amendment: Freedom of the Press, New York Times v. United States
• New York Times v. United States Case Summary

Kahoot! Review 📱

⏰ What We Did

• Reviewed 3.1 and 3.2, as well as previewed 3.3, by playing a Kahoot!

MME Testing — ACT WorkKeys 💯

The ACT WorkKeys portion of the MME was administered during today's class

First Amendment: Freedom of Speech 💬Tinker v. Des Moines Schools (1969) 🏫Schenck v. United States (1919) ⚠️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the extent to which the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First and Second Amendments reflects a commitment to individual liberty

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on protected and unprotected speech under the First Amendment and discussed the facts leading up to Tinker v. Des Moines Schools (1969) and Schenck v. United States (1919)
• Added Tinker and Schenck to the Supreme Court graphic organizer

⚙️ Resources

• 3.2 First Amendment: Freedom of Speech, Tinker v. Des Moines, Schenck v. United States
• Tinker v. Des Moines Schools Case Summary
• Schenck v. United States Case Summary

MME Testing — SAT 💯

The SAT portion of the MME was administered during today's class

Catch-Up Day 🥫

⏰ What We Did

• With Q3 ending on F 11 April 2025, used today's class to catch up on any previous missing work

First Amendment: Freedom of Religion ⛪️Engel v. Vitale (1962) 🙏🏼Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) 🏫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the Constitution protects individual liberties and rights
• Describe the rights protected in the Bill of Rights

⏰ What We Did

• Examined the First Amendment's Establishment and Free Exercise clauses
• Discussed the facts leading up to Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), regarding disputes focused on both clauses
• Added Engel and Yoder to the Supreme Court graphic organizer

⚙️ Resources

• Engel v. Vitale Case Summary
• Wisconsin v. Yoder Case Summary

Intro to Civil Liberties 📜

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the Constitution protects individual liberties and rights
• Describe the rights protected in the Bill of Rights

⏰ What We Did

• Examine a brief overview of Unit 3
• Take notes on the Bill of Rights, including each specific amendment, the definition of civil liberties, and how the Bill of Rights is interpreted

⚙️ Resources

• 3.1 Intro to Civil Liberties, First Amendment: Freedom of Religion, Engel v. Vitale, Wisconsin v. Yoder

Unit 2 Personal Progress Check: MCQs ⚫️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Assess comprehension of Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government

⏰ What We Did

• Complete a 28-question MCQ covering Unit 2

Unit 2 Big Ideas Review ♻️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Review concepts of Unit 2, Interactions Among Branches of Government

⏰ What We Did

• Reviewed the Big Ideas of Unit 2 in preparation for tomorrow's MCQ portion of the Personal Progress Check

Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable; Achieving Administration Goals 🔎

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how Congress uses its oversight power in its relationship with the executive branch
• Explain how the president ensures that executive branch agencies and departments carry out their responsibilities in concern with the goals of the administration
• Explain the extent to which governmental branches can hold the bureaucracy accountable given the competing interests of Congress, the president, and the federal courts

⏰ What We Did

• Collected "Bureaucracy Superheroes" projects from before Spring Break
• Took notes on congressional oversight of the bureaucracy, executive authorization, and ideological influences shaping how the bureaucracy carries out the administration's goals, in addition to examining the challenges of compliance monitoring and the system of checks and balances that constrain bureaucratic power

⚙️ Resources

• 2.15 Holding the Bureaucracy Accountable, Achieving Administration Goals

Spring Break — No School 🏖

Clintondale High School is currently on Spring Break. Classes will resume on Monday, March 31, 2025, at 7:35 A.M.

Have a fun and relaxing time away, Dragons!

Bureaucracy Superhero 🦸🏼‍♀️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government
• Explain how the federal bureaucracy uses delegated discretionary authority for rule making and implementation

⏰ What We Did

• Continue creating a superhero character representing one executive agency, office, or bureau (NOTE: Due on M 31 March 2025)

Bureaucracy Superhero 🦸🏼‍♂️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government
• Explain how the federal bureaucracy uses delegated discretionary authority for rule making and implementation

⏰ What We Did

• Begin creating a superhero character representing one executive agency, office, or bureau

⚙️ Resources

• Bureaucracy Superhero (Presentation)
• Bureaucracy Superhero (Directions/Research Record)
• Bureaucracy List & Sign-Up
• Superhero Drawing Templates
• Bureaucracy Superhero Examples

The Bureaucracy, Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority 🔖

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government
• Explain how the federal bureaucracy uses delegated discretionary authority for rule making and implementation

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the constitutional authority of the bureaucracy, its functions and responsibilities, the concept of iron triangles and their role, key reforms aimed at improving the bureaucracy, and its organizational structure
• Examined the bureaucratic regulations of pizza delivery
• Define types of bureaucracies and identify that-which-doesn't-belong

⚙️ Resources

• 2.14 The Bureaucracy, Discretionary and Rule-Making Authority
• Bureaucracy of Pizza
• The Federal Bureaucracy

Checks on the Judicial Branch ✅

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power
• Explain how other branches in the government can limit the Supreme Court’s power

⏰ What We Did

• Wrapped up last week's notes on 2.12 Marbury v. Madison, Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch
• Took notes on the constitutional restrictions placed on the Supreme Court and the Court's decision-making process, using the 16th Amendment as a case study
• Use notes from previous sections of Unit 2, answer the following questions as thoroughly as possible:

1. Which branch of government is the most powerful? Why?
2. Are there really checks and balances when one political party controls all three branches of government? Why or why not?
3. In what ways has the evolution of government powers affected Americans and their daily lives?

⚙️ Resources

• 2.13 Checks on the Judicial Branch

Judicial Restraint vs. Judicial Activism 📇

Today is St. Patrick's Day 🍀

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power

⏰ What We Did

• Completed a cardsort from a provided text on the application of stare decisis and the debate between judicial activism and judicial restraint

⚙️ Resources

• Judicial Activism vs. Judicial Restraint (Text)
• Judicial Activism and Judicial Restraint (Assignment)

Ideological Change of the Supreme Court 🧑‍⚖️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the ideological changes of the Supreme Court and how presidents have influenced the federal judiciary
• Finished yesterday's review of stare decisis and preview of ideological change of the Supreme Court

Stare Decisis and the Ideological Change of the Supreme Court 🧑‍⚖️

Half-Day Due to Parent-Teacher Conferences 🐲

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power

⏰ What We Did

• Reviewed stare decisis and previewed ideological change of the Supreme Court

⚙️ Resources

• Stare Decisis and the Ideological Change of the Supreme Court
• Stare Decisis and Precedent in the Supreme Court (Khan Academy)
• Supreme Court Justices Get More Liberal As They Get Older (FiveThirtyEight)
• John Roberts Will Probably Be The Supreme Court’s Next Swing Justice (FiveThirtyEight)

Stare Decisis and Precedent 🧑‍⚖️

Late Start Day 🕣

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the differing forms of Supreme Court opinions and the principle of stare decisis and precedent

Marbury v. Madison (1803) 🏛

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments

⏰ What We Did

• Discussed the facts of Marbury v. Madison, regarding the establishment of judicial review
• Add Marbury to the Landmark Supreme Court case graphic organizer

⚙️ Resources

• 2.12 Marbury v. Madison; Legitimacy of the Judicial Branch
• Marbury v. Madison Case Summary

The Judicial Branch 🏛Article III of the Constitution 📜Federalist No. 78 🪶

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the organization of the judicial branch and the justification of having a federal court system written into the Constitution

⚙️ Resources

• 2.11 The Judicial Branch; Article III of the Constitution; Federalist No. 78
• Federal and State Court Systems

State of the Union 2025 Bingo 🗣

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how communication technology has changed the president's relationship with the national constituency and the other branches

⏰ What We Did

• Watched a recorded broadcast of the 2025 presidential address to a joint session of Congress and played policy/buzzword bingo for Fun and Exciting Prizes™️

⚙️ Resources

• President Trump Full Speech to Joint Session of Congress (C-SPAN)

YMTR: Washington's Farewell Address 🪶Presidential Communication 🤳

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how communication technology has changed the president's relationship with the national constituency and the other branches

⏰ What We Did

• Answered Mr. Carpenter's ten yes/no questions regarding Washington's Farewell Address
• Took notes on the methods by which presidents have shared their message to the American people and with the other branches of government

⚙️ Resources

• 2.10 Presidential Communication

YMTR: Washington's Farewell Address 🪶

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how presidents have interpreted and justified their use of formal and informal powers

⏰ What We Did

• Read the warnings George Washington gave to both his successors and the public following his second term as president
• Developed ten yes/no questions related to Washington's Farewell Address (NOTE: Ten teacher-developed yes/no questions will be provided to answer at the beginning of class tomorrow)

⚙️ Resources

• You-Make-The-Read: Washington's Farewell Address, In Modern English

Expansion of Presidential Powers ↔️Federalist No. 70 🪶

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how presidents have interpreted and justified their use of formal and informal powers

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the development of a unitary executive, the qualifications and term of office of the president, and how the presidency has changed from the role envisioned by the Framers

⚙️ Resources

• 2.9 Expansion of Presidential Power; Federalist No. 70

Checks on the Presidency ✅

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how the president’s agenda can create tension and frequent confrontations with Congress

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the organization of the Executive Branch, the president's ability to make judicial nominations, and the conflicts that can develop between the president and Congress

⚙️ Resources

• 2.8 Checks on the Presidency

Powers of the President 💪

🎯 Learning Targets

• The presidency has been enhanced beyond the expressed constitutional powers

⏰ What We Did

• Continued the notes from Tuesday on the president's use of the veto for legislation and signing statements, the president's formal and informal powers in making foreign policy, the president and Congress, and the use -- and purpose -- of executive orders

The Roles of the President Gallery Walk/Reflection 🖼

🎯 Learning Targets

• The presidency has been enhanced beyond the expressed constitutional powers

⏰ What We Did

• Completed the gallery walk begun yesterday, if needed or absent
• Reflected on the gallery walk on the roles of the presidency

The Roles of the President Gallery Walk 🖼

🎯 Learning Targets

• The presidency has been enhanced beyond the expressed constitutional powers

⏰ What We Did

• Conducted a gallery walk with photographic and video examples of American presidents exhibiting one of the roles of the presidency

The Roles of the President 🎩

🎯 Learning Targets

• The presidency has been enhanced beyond the expressed constitutional powers

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the roles played by the president

⚙️ Resources

• 2.7 Roles and Powers of the President

Baker v. Carr (1962) and Shaw v. Reno (1993) 🏛

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how congressional behavior is influenced by election processes, partisanship, and divided government

⏰ What We Did

• Quickly reviewed reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering
• Discussed the facts leading up to Baker v. Carr (1962) and Shaw v. Reno (1993), regarding redistricting and gerrymandering
• Added Baker and Shaw to Supreme Court graphic organizer

⚙️ Resources

• Baker v. Carr Case Summary
• Shaw v. Reno Case Summary

Reapportionment and Redistricting ✏️

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

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how congressional behavior is influenced by election processes, partisanship, and divided government

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering in the House of Representatives
• Simulate the state legislature drawing congressional districts to meet various criteria

⚙️ Resources

• 2.6 Baker v. Carr, Shaw v. Reno
• Gerrymandering

Congressional Behavior 🧐

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how congressional behavior is influenced by election processes, partisanship, and divided government

⏰ What We Did

• Reviewed notes on the use of compromise in Congress, how Congress interacts with "lame duck" presidents, and the theories of congressional behavior
• Identified examples of theories of congressional behavior by reading a first-hand account by former Congressman Lee Hamilton

⚙️ Resources

• How Members Vote (Rep. Lee Hamilton, 2004)

Congress and Money 💰

🎯 Learning Targets

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

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the process by which Congress passes a budget, the various types of spending, and the influence of pork-barrel legislation and logrolling

⚙️ Resources

• 2.4 Congress and Money

📖 Homework

• Review 2.5 Congressional Behavior before class tomorrow

Mid-Winter Break — No School ❄️

Clintondale High School is out on Mid-Winter Break. Classes will resume on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 7:35 A.M.

Mid-Winter Break — No School ❄️Presidents' Day 🇺🇸

George Washington's Birthday Observed (1732) 🇺🇸

Clintondale High School is out on Mid-Winter Break

Function of Congress: Rules for Debate 🏛

🎯 Learning Targets

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

⏰ What We Did

• Continue taking notes on Function of Congress, specifically comparing rules for debate in both the House and Senate

Inclement Weather — No School 🥶

Clintondale High School is closed due to inclement weather. Classes will resume on Friday, February 14, 2025, at 7:35 A.M.

Who's Who in Congress ❗️

Abraham Lincoln's Birthday (1809) 🇺🇸

🎯 Learning Targets

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

⏰ What We Did

• Discussed the answers to yesterday's "Who's Who in Congress" internet webquest

Who's Who in Congress ❓

🎯 Learning Targets

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

⏰ What We Did

• Conducted an internet webquest to identify current members of congressional leadership

⚙️ Resources

• Who's Who in Congress

Function of Congress 🏛

🎯 Learning Targets

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

⏰ What We Did

• Discussed the answers to Friday's "How a Bill Becomes a Law: Reading a Diagram"
• Continued taking notes on the duties and leadership of Congress
• Completed a "Who's Who in Congress" internet search

Function of Congress 🏛

🎯 Learning Targets

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

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on the differing structures, powers, and functions of the Senate and the House in the policy-making process
• Examined "How a Bill Becomes a Law" handout
• Watched Schoolhouse Rock's "I'm Just a Bill"...because we had to
• Identified the steps in the legislative process by following the flowchart handout

⚙️ Resources

• 2.3: Function of Congress
• How a Bill Becomes a Law
• Schoolhouse Rock's I'm Just a Bill
• How a Bill Becomes a Law: Reading a Diagram

Inclement Weather — No School 🥶

Clintondale High School is closed due to inclement weather. Classes will resume on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 7:35 A.M.