From Checks and Balances to Individual Rights: The Bill of Rights...

Hello all Individuals,

      Yesterday you all did a phenomenal job interacting with text and media in order to understand CHECKS and BALANCES.  use those same skills you used yesterday to understand the Bill of Rights today.  Remember, the Bill og Rights is that part of the Constitution that really demonstrates the Constititutional principle of INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.  This is the part of the constitution the Anti-Federalists want so badly.  Why did some of the Framers want the Bill of Rights?  Do we still need a Bill of Rights today?  What do you think?

      Your Learning target is the same from yesterday so you should have no problem hitting it again today. 

Media in History

I can identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline specific readings

      Here are the links you will need for the day.  The first one is for you all to watch individually.  The second, is for the whole class to watch along with the reading. 

       The Bill of Rights: Brainpop

       Whole Class Video

Have a great day,

C

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Checks and Balances...

Hey Gang,

      When you come into the room, take a seat, get your History Book, and open to page 182.  When you have opened to page 182 grab 3 notecards.  When you have grabbed 3 notecards, meet me in circle with all of your notecards.  When you are in circle, read the learning target below and think about how we might go about hitting it today. 

Media in History

I can identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline specific readings

The Branches of Government set aside by the Constitution.
School House Rock

Article 1 of the Constitution:  The Legislature

How a bill becomes a law...

Article 2 of the Constitution: The Executive

Powers of the Executive...

Article 3 of the Constitution: The Judiciary

The Supreme Court...



From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Does It Still Matter...

This is the cover of the Time magazine I found.

Howdy Y'all,

      A CONSTITUTION is a legal framework for government.  It tells how a government is organized and run.  Most constitutions are in writing, but some have unwritten parts.  If a constitution tells a government how to run, then what are the purposes of government?  How should governments be organized?  How are people selected to serve in government, and how is government supposed to go about doing business? 
      Having a constitution does not mean that a nation has a CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT.  A constitutional government means that there are limits on the powers of government: Limited Government.  This means there are things the government cannot do and actions it may not take.  Our constitution limits the powers of government.  The limits are written into the Constitution. 

      Last summer I found an article in Time Magazine that totally applies to what we are learning right now.  We have spent a lot of time learning about the history of the constitution, but what about today?  Does the constitution still matter today?  Can we still use the ideas set forth in the constitution to guide our actions even in the 21st century?  The link below will take us to the Time article and a related article on how our Bill of Rights looks today.   

Document Under Siege

Our Bill of Rights

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

Constitutional Principles...

Hey gang,

      Before you look at the video, get out your notecards and a We The People book.  Think about this... How have we met this learning target with the activities we have been doing in class so far?

Media in History

I can identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline specific readings

Here is one student's view of Constitutional Principles.

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

A Quick Laugh To Start Our Day...

Hey Guys,

      Check this out, open up to the blogs you created and updated over the last three days, then meet me in circle.   

Who Shot Alexander Hamilton?

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Federalist vs. Federalist? Wait a Minute...

Hey Everyone,

      There were a few questions from yesterday that no one got to.  The questions that remain to be answered are below:

1.  What was the relationship like between George Washington and Alexander Hamilton?  What was it like for Hamilton when Washington died?

5.  From what you see about Aaron Bur, would you engage in a dual with him?  Do you think Aaron Bur is a good man?

      Now, even after watching this entire biography I had lingering questions.  Being able to ask questions after watching media or reading text means that you are interacting with ideas.  Below you will see one more question that lingered in my mind.  Try your best to answer it and ask lingering questions of your own.

Lingering Question: How did Hamilton begin the destruction of the Federalist Party and why do you think he acted the way he did?

      Please make sure you have 3 blog posts by tomorrow.  There are two sets of questions.  One set of questions is from Monday.  One set of questions is from yesterday.  The blog post for today should include...
1. A picture or image that represents something you have learned about Hamilton, The Federalist Party, Post-Revolution America, or The Constition. 
2. The answer to the lingering question. 
3. At least one lingering question you are left with.
 

Sincerely,

C

Media in History

I can identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline specific readings

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher

School District of Waukesha

Waukesha STEM Academy

You guys and girls can ask Miss Nagan to pause the video to respond and interact with ideas!

C

Hamilton: Day 2...

Happy Tuesday Gang,

      Most of you did a great job with your blog posts yesterday.  Take 5-10 minutes at the beginning of class to view 2-3 other blogs written by other 8th graders in the class.  Please post comments, questions, connections, or observations to others as you read.  Below are the questions for today's video.  YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ENGAGE IN THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION PRESENTED. 

Media in History

I can identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline specific readings

1.  What was the relationship like between George Washington and Alexander Hamilton?  What was it like for Hamilton when Washington died?
2.  What was the relstionship like between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton?
3.  Do you think Alexander Hamilton handled his scandal appropriately?  Why or why not? 
4.  Do you think Alexander Hamilton was an honorable man?  What makes you believe that he is or isn't?
You may not get this far today, but if you do here is a final question to ponder...
5.  From what you see about Aaron Bur, would you engage in a dual with him?  Do you think Aaron Bur is a good man? 


From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Alexander Hamilton: Statesman & Scandal...

Happy Monday,

      The video you will be watching today is one that forced me to think long and hard whether to show it to you at all.  There are a few events discussed in the video that will require a certain level of maturity from all of you as 8th graders.  Suffice it to say, your guest teacher will be letting me know if any of you cannot handle it and she is more than welcome to kick any of you out of the classroom.  Those removed from the learning will have to make it up with me on their own time.  Good luck.  I know you can all do it.

      Alexander Hamilton was never a president.  He was never a vice-president.  However, he was a genius.  We would not have the country we have today without him.  Please answer the questions below in the blog on Bb9.

Bb9 - A New Nation Expands - Immerse - The New Nation

ALEXANDER HAMILTON
1.  What influenced Hamilton as a young man?  Do you think these influences made him into the man he was later in life?
2.  What signs did he see during the Revolutionary War that made him think the federal government was too weak?
3.  Why do you think Hamilton was a Federalist and why did he wanted a TRUE REPUBLIC?
4.  What did Hamilton see going on with the states after the war? 

Media in History

I can identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline specific readings

Sincerely,
C
From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy

Federalists, Anitfederalists, and Our Constitution...

Hey Guys and Gals,

      Get out your SYNTHESIS from yesterday and please type it up in a word document.  Please hand your typed and printed synthesis in before you leave today. 

      As you finish typing up your synthesis take a peek at this...
Who were the Federalists and Antifederalists? 


As we continue to look at the beginning of our Nation after the Revolution, think about how we are meeting this learning target during our studies....

Media in History

I can identify main ideas, analyze supporting details, and evaluate inferences within discipline specific readings

From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
School District of Waukesha
Waukesha STEM Academy