HOMEWORK

Unit Five: Public Policy ~ Economic, Social Welfare, Health Care, Environmental, and Foreign policy making

(Chapters 17-20)

 

Community Engagment Opportunity! – Attend all or part of the Whatcom Human Rights Task Force conference on Saturday, January 17 (9:30 AM – 5:00 PM). The conference is FREE and is called “Making the Shift: Reawakening the Seeds of Sustainable Justice.”

 

~ From the syllabus ~

Homework: Expect nightly reading assignments from the regular textbook Government in America and supplementary readings. Take these very seriously – they are the foundation of daily discussions and lectures. You will be quizzed on readings and vocabulary from the readings.

 

 

Dec. 12            UNIT 4 EXAM – MULTIPLE CHOICE ONLY

                        HOMEWORK: Read Chapter 17 (all) – Economic Policymaking

                                   ** Take excellent notes and write out questions about things you do not understand

                                   ** Start making a vocab list or flash cards of key terms

                                   ** Know the difference between fiscal policy & monetary policy

 

HELP WITH CHAPTER 17 CONTENT

 

Dec. 15            Snow Delay Schedule (all classes 35 minutes)

Today: Give Ms. Johnston the email address you check the most from home. Assign Chapters 19 & 20 teaching groups (sign up). Distribute Chapter 17 Quiz to do as homework. Bring your quiz score to class on Wednesday. Lecture on fiscal policy (click here for my notes).

 

                        HOMEWORK (3 assignments):

1) Take the Chapter 17 Quiz and self-correct using your textbook. Email your score to kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu.

2) Read the information on these two websites about the current state of the economy ~                           

·         Read the White House description of economic plans: http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/economy/

Then, a) identify which activities are fiscal policy and which are monetary policy and explain how you can tell the difference; b) explain the relationship between the fiscal and monetary policy activities mentioned on the website, Congress, and the bureaucracy.

·         Read this public opinion poll from the Center for American Progress: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/12/opinion_snapshot1212.html.

Then, a) explain how this poll relates to Keyensian economics, b) describe why the public would favor such government activities, and c) explain whether these are fiscal or monetary policy activities and why.

3) Complete the Parent/Guardian tax interview handout (5 pts). The purpose of this assignment is to have a discussion with your parents/guardians about the impact of taxes on their (and, subsequently, your) lives. I will simply check this off; I will not ask to read about your parents’/guardians’ tax brackets.

 

Dec. 17            Today: Monetary Policy & Federal Reserve. Click here for my notes.

~ Videos: The Fed Today and Open and Operating (the Fed during 9/11). Video guides are in your homework packet.

If you missed class or school was closed, read this article, pages 37-40 ONLY, or this article (all) about the Fed’s response to 9/11 so that you can do the homework. You can also watch The Fed Today on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN3kD4T3ltY and complete the video guide. Open and Operating can be viewed on Google Video by doing a search for “open and operating” or trying this link: http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=%22open+and+operating%22&emb=0&aq=f#.

                        ** Glossary of Terms from the 9/11 video can be found here. Concept chart about the Federal Reserve can be found here (p. 3 of this document only).

 

HOMEWORK: Read this speech by Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve. In it, he discusses what the Fed did wrong during the Great Depression. Your task is to: Examine the differences between how the Fed operated during the Great Depression and 9/11. What did the Fed do to exacerbate the conditions of the financial system before and during the Depression, and what did the Fed do to help maintain stability in the financial system during and after 9/11? Explain the differences in the Fed’s use of monetary policy in these two events. Be specific!!!

 

Dec. 18            Today: Chapters 19 & 20 teaching groups meet to plan how to teach the content. Introduce Chapter 18.

~ If you were absent or school was closed, see this PowerPoint presentation on social policy and read this segment of a report on Welfare to Work policy effectiveness: http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/newws/synthesis02/chapt4.htm.

~ You should also read one or both of the following:

 

See Winter Break Homework for more details about Chapters 19 & 20.

HOMEWORK: Read Chapter 18 – Social Welfare Policymaking. Take the online quiz and email it to me at kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu or bring in a printout of your results.

 

Dec. 19            Early Release.

Today: In-class discussion about welfare. If you were absent or school was closed, see readings from Dec. 18.

                        HOMEWORK: See Winter Break work.

 

SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS: THE FED & THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ECONOMY

Help with any policy area (scroll down to Chapters 14-16 on this website)

 

 

Dec. 22 – Jan. 2            WINTER BREAK   

HOMEWORK

1) Read Chapters 19 and 20. Take quizzes online and submit scores to kjohnsto@bham.wednet.edu.

 

2) Work on your task for teaching classmates about Chapter 19 or 20. Your group must present the essential information out of your assigned chapter AND seek to extend beyond the book by using current events, etc. Prepare to meet with your chapter group on Monday, January 5!! You will only have about ½ an hour to meet that day, and will be presenting on Wednesday, January 7.

 

3) Watch Michael Moore’s Sicko. Do a short reflection paper that explains the relationship between the content of the video and Chapter 19. Also provide your opinion of the issues addressed in the movie – do you agree or disagree with the movie? Why? This assignment is due Thurs., Jan 8. (NOTE: I have a copy, so let me know if you need to borrow it after the break.)

 

Chapter Groups:

2nd Period

Chapter 19 – Health Care & Environmental Policy

Chapter 20 – Foreign Policy

Patrick

Leo

Diana

Evan

Katy

Tyler V.

Angela

Jared

Mandy

Sara

Eli

Sean

Bryn

Rolf

Emma B.

Mitch

 

Alejandra

 

Tyler P.

6th Period

Chapter 19 – Health Care & Environmental Policy

Chapter 20 – Foreign Policy

Brennan

Margaret

Titus

Teresa

Ben

Sarah

Joe

Evan

Tenny

Zoe

Emma C-Y

Susanne

Clinton

Brad

Jake

Ashley

Cristi

Keirsten

Kyla

 

 

Things you should consider doing over the break if you are planning to take the AP Gov Exam in May:

 

1) Making key terms flash cards for all the chapters we have covered so far

2) Organizing your notes and handouts

3) Reviewing past units and typing up your own study guides or quizzes for future use

4) Taking practice tests online or trying FRQs that you find online

 

 

Jan. 5               Today: ½ hour on welfare. ½ hour for Group meeting time.

                        HOMEWORK (2 assignments):

A) Finish preparing for your Wednesday group teaching (Chs. 19 & 20) If you have handouts you need me to make before your presentations, please get them to me no later than Tuesday after school so that I have time to make copies.

B) Connecting AP Gov to the Real World - MOYERS (20 points, due no later than Wed., Jan. 14)

1) Watch the Bill Moyers Journal of August 15, 2008, in which he interviews scholar and former Army Colonel Andrew Bacevich. (You can watch online at  http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/profile.html or come in after school to watch on DVD.I also highly recommend reading the introduction to Bacevich’s book, The Limits of Power, at http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/profile2.html.) You may have to search for the interview by typing “Bacevich interview” into the search box on Moyers’ home page.

Take notes on the issues addressed in the program. You will find that they are wide-ranging and cover a great deal of the content you have learned in this class thus far. You will turn these notes in as part of your assignment.

 

2) Identify and thoroughly discuss at least 3 main issues addressed in the program:

v     What are the issues, and how are they framed by Bacevich and Moyers?

v     Analyze the issues as presented in the video (causes/sources, why the issues continue to be problems, what can be done about them, etc.). How are the issues interconnected?

v     Finally, explain the connections to this course.

 

3) Choose one issue from #2 that you are most concerned about. Explain why and what you would like to see happen about it.

 

4) Turn in all of your work, including notes from part 1 of this assignment.

 

Jan. 7               NO SCHOOL - FLOODING

 

Jan. 8               NO SCHOOL - FLOODING

 

Jan. 9               Today: Groups teach Chapters 19 and 20. THERE WILL BE NO IN-CLASS REVIEW FOR MONDAY EXAM!!

o        2nd period video: “Perils of American Health Care” http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4546226n%3fsource=search_video

o        2nd period video: “A Conversation with Dr. James Hansen”

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/01/28/science/1194817097774/a-conversation-with-dr-james-hansen.html?scp=1&sq=a%20conversation%20with%20dr%20james%20hansen&st=cse#

 

HOMEWORK (3 assignments)

1) Anything assigned by the teaching groups.

            6th period assignments:

o        Ch 19 – Take the Chapter 19 online fill-in-the-blank quiz.

o        Ch 20 – think about when it is appropriate to transition between economic foreign policy to military foreign policy. What would trigger that transition and why?

2) REVIEW FOR EXAM. Unit 5 Study Guide

2) Letter to Congress assignment, due Fri., Jan. 16 (40 points). Must be typed, well edited. Bring your letter and envelopes w/stamps (or money for stamps) to class on the 16th. For complete details on this assignment, read the handout. NO LATE WORK ALLOWED ON THIS ASSIGNMENT!!!!

 

IMPORANT UPDATE: 1st semester has been extended to Thursday, Jan. 29 with Jan. 30 being a teacher workday (no school). Finals will be Wednesday & Thursday, January 28 & 29.

                                                      The 1-3-5 and 2-4-6 schedule will remain in place.               

 

 

Jan. 12             UNIT 5 EXAM TODAY – Multiple Choice in class, Free Response is take-home. FRQ due Wed., Jan. 14!

                        HOMEWORK:

                        1) FRQ

                        2) Letter to Congress assignment, due Fri., Jan. 16 (40 points). Must be typed, well edited. Bring your letter and envelopes w/stamps (or money for stamps) to class on the 16th. For complete details on this assignment, read the handout. NO LATE WORK ALLOWED ON THIS ASSIGNMENT!!!!

 

Work to turn in for Unit 5:

o        State of the economy homework (12/15)

o        Tax interview (12/15)

o        Ben Bernanke speech analysis (12/17)

o        Sicko Reflection (Winter Break)

o        Connecting AP Gov to the Real World - Moyers (1/5)

 

Jan. 14             Today: Start final unit! (Unit 6 – Civil Rights). FRQ DUE TODAY.

                        Letter to Congress due Fri., Jan. 16!! NO LATE WORK ALLOWED.

 

Work to turn in for Unit 5:

o        State of the economy homework (12/15)

o        Tax interview (12/15)

o        Ben Bernanke speech analysis (12/17)

o        Sicko Reflection (Winter Break)

o        Connecting AP Gov to the Real World – Moyers (1/5)