Tuesday 4/21: Executive Branch

Information: 

Just in case you haven't heard about the grading yet..

The Executive Branch: The Many Roles of the President

Today, we are going to begin our review of Article II of the Constitution, The Executive Branch.  Over the year, we studied how the Executive Branch has substantially grown in power over the last 200 years.  Let's review what Article II is all about!

Activity #1: What is Article II all about?

Check out the following website, look at Section 1 and answer the following questions in your notebook...

1. Who does the Constitution vest, or give, executive power?
2. What is the term of office for the president?
3. How does one get elected president?
4. What are the qualifications to be president?

Activity #2: Powers of the President:

Read and watch the video about the jobs of the president at the following website.  Once you finish, complete the following sentences in your notebooks by describing what the president does in each one of these roles...

1. As the Chief Executive, the President...
2. As Guardian of the Economy, the President...
3. As Chief of Party, the President...
4. As Commander in Chief, the President can...
5. As Chief of State, the President...
6. As Chief Legislator, the President...
7. As Chief Diplomat, the President...

Activity #3: Scenario Claim:

As we begin to focus on the second question for you AP Exam, we need to look at how we would respond to the following prompt.  In your notebooks, answer the following question...

Over several weeks in March, a new virus, which originated in East Asia, slowly spread across the European continent.  The virus demonstrated "pneumonia-like" symptoms but seemed to be a little more deadly and difficult to contain than typical pneumonia.  The virus finally reached American cities on the East and West Coast of the United States.  Many US citizens began panic and shortages of medical and food supplies began to appear as the virus slowly spread across the United States...

1.  Describe an action that the president could take in response to the scenario listed above.


Review Materials & Videos:

Article II Constitution Video

Formal & Informal Powers of the President Video

Executive Orders Video

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Thursday 4/16: Congress Review FRQ AP Classroom

Good Morning Everyone,


I attached a video from Mr. Edinger bc he did a great job explaining what is going on for the writing portion of the AP Exam.

Activity #1: 

Non-Legislative (non law-making) Powers of Congress
Watch the following video over Legislative Oversight and answer the questions in your notebooks...

1)What are Congressional Committees and what do they do (This not in the video)?
2)What is Legislative Oversight?
3)How does Congress exercise oversight on the Executive Branch? In other words, what can Congress actually do to the Executive Branch after investigating the President and the Bureaucracy's actions?



Activity #2:  AP Classroom.  Log into AP Classroom and submit the prompt.

Argumentative Essay

Ok let's talk about what we will be asked to do on May 11th (Please make sure to watch video from Edinger for a detail overview)...





Ok, so really there is only one change and they are cutting your time for the Argumentative essay by 15 minutes... Makes sense right?!? Not really, but thats what we are working with.

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Tuesday 4/14: Congress Review

Hey all you cool cats & kittens.. Here are the items for today. I will post another on Thursday.

Click for the Review Sheet. There is nothing you need to complete on this, however, for those of you planning taking the exam, you may print this out and use during the test. 

Activity One: Congress Review: A Bicameral Congress

Review the following video and complete the assignment that follows...

Create a T-Chart in your notebook for activity #1 that compares the House and the Senate...  I am not worried about formatting.  I know that it can be tough to format this in your google notebook.  In your T-Chart, make sure to compare the House and the Senate in this way...

                                House of Representatives                   X                    Senate

1. Size
2. Terms
3. Qualifications       
4. Unique Responsibilities

Activity #2: Law-Making Process:

Order the following events in the process of how a bill becomes a law...

The bill is signed or vetoed by the President

The bill is referred to a committee

The bill is debated by the committee

The bill is written by anyone

The bill is debated on the floor of the house or senate

The bill is sent to a conference committee to eliminate differences

The bill is sent to the President

The bill is passed by the committee (or it fails)

The bill is sent to the other house to repeat the process

The whole House or Senate votes on the bill

The bill is introduced to the House or Senate by a member of Congress

If you need some help, you can read this document...

How a Bill becomes a Law

Activity # 3: 

AP Review Video 2.2 - Structures, Powers & Functions of the Government

AP Review Video 2.3 - Congressional Behavior

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Thursday 4/9: Writing Practice & Review Videos

Activity # 1: 

Watch the following short Video - All the info on the New AP Test

Watch the following Video - How to Write the Argument Essay

Watch the following Video - Understanding Task Verbs

Activity # 2: 

Watch the Review Video (this is another AP Teacher who works for College Board) - 1.7 Relationship between State & Federal Power

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Tuesday 4/7: *NEW* AP Info & AP EXAM REVIEW

Hello everyone,

Let me begin by saying what an amazing job you have done with this transition to E-Learning process. By now you have heard about the new grading policy moving forward, however I want to assure you that I will do everything I can to make sure as you continue to turn in work / assignments, your grade will reflect your hard work.

Now with that being said, lets talk about the news from College Board

AP TEST DATE - May 11th

HOW? - Online through AP Classroom.

RULES - From College Board..

Exam Security



Like many college-level exams, this year's AP Exams will be open book/open note. The exam format and questions are being designed specifically for an at-home administration, so points will not be earned from content that can be found in textbooks or online. However, students taking the exams may not consult with any other individuals during the testing period. We'll take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of each exam administration, as we do every year.

We're confident that the vast majority of AP students will follow the rules for taking the exams. For the small number of students who may try to gain an unfair advantage, we have a comprehensive and strict set of protocols in place to prevent and detect cheating. While some of these practices are confidential to maximize their effectiveness, students and education professionals can learn more about our security measures.

At a minimum, test takers should understand that those attempting to gain an unfair advantage will either be blocked from testing or their AP scores will be canceled, and their high school will be notified as will colleges or other organizations to which the student has already sent any College Board scores (including SAT® scores). And they may be prohibited from taking a future Advanced Placement® Exam as well as the SAT, SAT Subject Tests™, or CLEP® assessments.






























Activity # 1:


Watch the following two videos and answer the corresponding questions in your online notebooks.

The purpose of the first video is to talk to you about the process of amending the Constitution...





Diagram or explain the process for how an amendment can be added to the Constitution...
What is the constitution not clear about when it comes to the gap between proposal and ratification of amendments?
What does Hip Hughes think the 28th amendment should be, do you agree or do you have a better idea?

Activity # 2:

The purpose of the second video is to discuss why it is so hard to amend the constitution in the United States, and how other branches of government have "changed" the Constitution without amendments...





Why is the Constitution Hard to Amend video
Explain why amending the constitution is hard?
If we can't change by adding an amendments how does our Constitution change still?


Activity # 3:

Each of you have been assigned a NEW practice FRQs in AP Classroom.


Once you can get logged in, look for Amending the Constitution

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Monday 4/6: Collaboration Day

Today is the new district "Catch Up" Day and Professional Development for teachers.  This means that we will not have a lesson on Mondays.  Lessons will always be on Tuesday and Thursday from this point forward!  See you Tuesday!

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Wednesday 4/1 & Thursday 4/2: E-Learning

Debrief E.1

Answer the following question in your notebooks...

If states had been left "sovereign"or independent, as they were in the Articles of Confederation, how might national crises be handled differently than they are today?  Would this be good or bad?

Activity #1 -ASAP

Below are a collection of excerpts from our original government system (Articles of Confederation). Conduct a detailed ASAP of the excerpts below. Here the "Setting" and "Purpose" are the important components.  For the Author, Setting, and Audience, Article 1 2 and three will be the same.  But for the Purpose, create three separate Purposes, one for each article.

Article I. The Stile of this Confederacy shall be “The United States of America”. 

Article II. Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled. 

Article III. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever. . . .

Activity #2 - Scenario Creation

If the US had continued under the Articles of Confederation (without an executive, national court system, and each state behaving as an independent nation), which our states today would have...

- Prospered and been powerful nations?
- Invaded and overtaken other states?
- Rejoined with England?
- Formed alliances with other states?

Activity #3: You're own Federalist Papers

Looking back at both life under British rule, and the Articles of Confederation, how would you defend the US Constitution as the solution for a national government system?

Create an argument for why the federal system under the US Constitution (looking back at the branches, checks and balances, Bill of Rights) was the only real solution to governing the many diverse states of the United States.  This should be 3-5 sentences.

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