Week 1 (14): A New Form of Government


Welcome to 2nd Semester! This one is my favorite because, even though we have a little more more work to do, we get to learn about how our government affects us today, and what rights and responsibilities we have right now. By the end of this semester, you will know more about this country than even most college students! (Sad, but true!) Please watch the video below with your notes open and write down anything you might have missed in class.




Some reminders about what's new this semester:
  • Hero Reports: This is a written report AND presentation. You need to choose a famous American from the past or present who is known for promoting the American values of freedom and liberty (not George Washington, John Adams or James Madison). You need to sign up (with the name of your chosen hero) for a presentation no later than March 3rd. Papers are due April 21st, presentations begin on that same day.
  • Constitution Journal: Complete this to help you prepare for the Liberty Bowl. I will assign a segment of the journal each week for homework; if you keep up with the assignments, you will have the whole thing completed by the end of the semester. (AND you'll be a Constitution expert!)
  • Liberty Bowl: We will hold a Constitution and Revolutionary War trivia competition in May. I'm still working out the logistics, but it will most likely be the evening of Friday, May 21st. More details will be given in the next couple of weeks. Families are encouraged to attend this event, which is a super fun way to show off how much you know about our founding history, and includes treats and prizes!
  • Debates: We didn't discuss this in class, but we will be holding 2 in-class debates later in the semester, which will be evaluated by a guest judge. Studying and knowing the Constitution will be a great help to you for these activities!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

ASSIGNMENTS:

*WRITING: Why is America different? How is the American government different from other nations now and in the past? 

*I'm going to give you an extra week for this paper, since we didn't get a chance to get through all the lecture material. If you've already completed your paper, just hang on to it until Feb. 24th bacause you will learn some additional information in class this week that will help you answer the questions.

CONSTITUTION JOURNAL: Preamble & Article 1, Sections 1 & 2

READING: Finish The Freedom Factor if you haven't yet (we will be discussing this book in class often throughout the semester). Also, begin reading Fifty-Five Fathers by Selma R. Williams, due March 10th.

DEVOTIONAL: Sarah


Candy Trivia:

Name 3 Powers of Congress that were enumerated in the Articles of Confederation.

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