MHS AP Government

Action Projects

2011-06-08T05:04:00.000-07:00

I've heard that some of you are concerned about getting your projects done. Please make sure you follow the handout and are ready to present next week in class. By this point you should have your research paper completed and your action plan (1/2 page) done, and you should have done your project and completed your log sheet. We will have presentations in class this week and next week. Please, please make sure that you see me ASAP with any questions.

REPOST: Publisher's Review Information

2011-05-03T04:57:00.001-07:00

Practice tests, sample notecards and other resources: http://wps.ablongman.com/long_edwards_ga_12/33/8514/2179653.cw/index.html

It might help you out if you've exhausted all of the practice tests in your own review book. Though, if you've done that, you should be looking good for next week. Good luck! :)

Plan for Sunday's Review

2011-04-28T20:24:00.000-07:00

We are going to take a full-length practice test and then review the answers. This is good practice because this is the exact format that you will confront on the exam in two weeks. I'm thinking we are going to need at least one more review session before the exam; I'll announce the date and time either in class or on Sunday. Thanks!

HW for 4/29

2011-04-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Due Tuesday, 5/3: Read the last chapter and do the terms. We are going to go over it briefly in class on Tuesday and then work through practice questions. Also, make sure you get the Review Assignment done for Tuesday.

Assignment for 4/29

2011-04-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

Review Session Assignment **Test Grade **

We are getting down to the wire – the AP Exam is looming and we’ve got much to do – so you and your peers will be responsible for helping us all to collectively prepared during our in-class review sessions. You must do the following:

1. Prepare a study outline with terms and relevant content for your assigned chapter – you will give me the handouts to copy and everyone will receive a copy of everyone’s work.

2. Be prepared to lead a 10 minute review on your assigned chapter to the class. You might want to utilize Powerpoint or other resources to help re-teach content that you think others might have difficulty understanding.

** If you aren't in class on Friday, 4/29, you need to e-mail me for your Chapter assignment. This is due on Tuesday, May 11th at the start of class. **

AP Exam Date and Time

2011-04-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Our test date and time has been confirmed and released. Your exam will be Tuesday, May 10th from 7:30-11:45 am in Rm. 184. Make sure you see Mrs. Cratty to pay for your exam if you haven't yet - it's important. The end is near... study!

Publisher's website - Review materials

2011-04-25T06:32:00.001-07:00

http://wps.ablongman.com/long_edwards_ga_12/33/8514/2179653.cw/index.html

HW for 4/25 and 4/27 - Amended

2011-04-25T05:43:00.000-07:00

HOMEWORK CALENDAR – as of 4/25

For Wednesday 4/27:
- Finish class assignment – see me with questions.
- Read pgs. 564-585 and do the terms on Pg. 585

For Friday 4/29:
- Read pgs. 588-612 and do the terms on Pg. 612.
- Read pgs. 615-651 and do the terms on Pg. 651.

Optional Review Session:

Sunday, May 1^st – 10:30am to 12:30pm – MHS Teacher’s Lounge

Class Assignment - 4/25

2011-04-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

This is an assignment that we are going to be working on during class on Monday, 4/25. You don't have to start this early if you see it beforehand but feel free to look around.

First, use the Internet to research the following primary sources and trends in social welfare spending:

- The Social Security Act of 1935
- Aid to Families with Dependent Children (1959) & Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (1996)
- Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

Then, take a look at a summary of a book by Peter Diamond and Peter Orszag (Obama's former Budget head) called Saving Social Security: A Balanced Approach. Trend lightly and quickly, despite being a summary, it's a long article.

Lastly, take a look at website dedicated to Congressman Paul Ryan's plan for budget reform. Explore. Now, google (funny how that's a verb now) responses to the Ryan Plan. How does the opposition view the plan?

Answer the following questions:
1. How was welfare changed in scope from the passage of the SS Act of 1935 to the present? Why has it changed?
2. Why do you think Social Security and then other social welfare programs are treated differently in the eyes of many Americans?
3. Congress was successful in changing how social welfare programs are administered to many poor Americans - the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act - but it hasn't found the same success in reforming Social Security? Why?
4. What sorts of provisions do Diamond and Orszag advocate for saving Social Security? Do you think these will find traction? Why or why not?
5. How does Paul Ryan hope to change Social Security and other aspects of federal spending to achieve cost savings and a balanced budget? Do you think many Americans will be supportive of this plan? Why or why not?

60 Minutes - Tax Havens

2011-04-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

For those vacationgoers that missed class today, here's some video gold. Again, this an outside link - CBS News - and MHS isn't responsible for any outside content.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7360932n
Link: 60 Minutes - Tax Havens reported. Last accessed on 4/18.

HW for April Vacation

2011-04-18T04:46:00.001-07:00

• Reading: Pgs. 540-561, do the terms on Pg. 561.

• Prepare flashcards/study guide for Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendments, and Must Know Cases.

• Purchase, if you haven’t already, a review guide and start studying.

UPDATE: Date for the Review Session

2011-03-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

Okay, I just got the new schedule for AP reviews during CAPT. We will be meeting Thursday, March 17th - St. Patrick's Day. I'll keep you posted on the location and I'll be bring breakfast goodies that morning. Mr. Jones

Youtube Clips on State of the Union

2011-02-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

We're going to be taking a look at these in class tomorrow, but if you want to watch them in their entirety, they are available on YouTube on the White House's channel (whitehouse). YouTube video's enable viewers to leave comments about each of the video, and often these comments often employ inappropriate language and/or feature crazy ideas. Please view at your discretion. Again, this isn't an MHS website so we don't have any control of YouTube. :( Potty mouths and all.

An apology and a new calendar

2011-02-28T20:14:00.000-08:00

Two of your fine classmates stopped by yesterday afternoon to chit-chat and brought up the fact that I've been remiss in updating the blog. They were absolutely correct. Sorry. I'm glad that some of you are using it to check in on assignments, etc., and I know that it's easier for some of you to get homework calendars and reminders on here versus in class. I'll redouble my efforts now that we are into Quarter 3.

IMPORTANT - SAVE THE DATE! We will be having our CAPT morning review session on Friday, March 18th. We're still working out where this will take place, but I'll be bringing coffee, juice and some other breakfast items for you. We've got from 7:30 to 10:30am, which is a long stretch of time, but we will take a few breaks and some time to enjoy breakfast. Please mark the date in your calendars/planners/cell phones now.

AP Government – Course Calendar
2/28-3/4

M	Tu	W	Th	F
	State of the Union and setting policy agendas. EQ: How go political goals mesh with the national interest? HW: Read Pgs. 434-463, and do the terms on Pg. 463.		The Budget. EQ: How does the budget reflect our national goals and mood? HW due: Terms from Pg. 463. HW: Read Pgs. 466-500, and do the terms on Pg. 500. I might have some additional reading questions for you too.

Note: Next week’s calendar is going to be a little weird because of CAPT. I’ll keep you appraised of what’s going on. We are starting to get to crunch time, we’ve got to finish the Judiciary and then personal rights before the test. If you are going to get a review guide to use, now might be the time to buy one if you haven’t already. I would suggest going up through all of the stuff that we’ve done already.

Okay, that's all. See you bright and early tomorrow morning!

Calendar 12/20-12/24

2010-12-20T12:09:00.001-08:00

Monday

Tuesday

Economics, Unions, and the Presidency; running for Congress

HW due – past assignments.

HW – Start Review Guide for unit. Finish any outstanding assignments from the past week.

Wednesday

Thursday

Finish documentary

HW due – past assignments – last break.

HW – Finish Review Guide for unit. We will have a quiz on terms, concepts and ideas on 1/3.

Friday

Enjoy your WINTER BREAK!

Winter Break HW

2010-12-20T11:48:00.001-08:00

I'm going to handout a homework assignment that many of you will choose to work on over the Winter Break. For some reason, I can't figure out how to post it here. Please shoot me an e-mail if you miss class and need a copy. I can send it to you in Word or PDF format.

Revision to HW Calendar for 12/17

2010-12-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, my bad about forgetting the handouts this morning, along with my socks, but I will make sure to have them for you on Friday. We're going to finish the Frontline special about the health care debate, read through some articles about the debate going on right now, and then stage a class discussion about PACs, moving a bill through Congress, coalition building, etc. We will still do a quiz on Tuesday, but it will be a short one and I will scale back the information on there. I'll give you a good idea of what will be on it at the end of Friday's class. I'll also have print copies of the calendar for next week.

Thanks and see you on Friday. :)

Mr. Jones

Homework for 12/13-12/17

2010-12-09T04:07:00.000-08:00

M	Tu	W	Th	F
Continue political parties and elections. HW due - Reading question from article. HW - Read pages 269-294, and do the terms on Pg. 294.		Continue political parties and elections. HW due – Pg. 294 terms. HW – Read pages 296-320, and do the terms on Pg. 320.		Elections and voting behavior. HW due - Pg. 320 terms. HW – Study for quiz on Tuesday.

Homework for 12/1

2010-11-30T21:01:00.000-08:00

Read pages 210-237 in the text, complete the terms on Pg. 237 and then answer the following questions:

1. How does the government regulate the media? How does that affect political reporting?
2. How has narrowcasting affected the manner in which Americans get their news and, by extension, how that news is reported to them? Has that change been net positive or negative? Why?
3. What is the impact of private ownership of the media? What are the advantages to having the media in private hands? What are the drawbacks?
4. How does the media dictate the policy discussion for the government?

Calendar 11/29-12/3

2010-11-27T09:55:00.001-08:00

AP Government – Course Calendar
11/29-12/3

M	Tu	W	Th	F
Media and politics. We might start in on material about political parties. HW due – Terms from Pg. 208 (if you hadn’t handed them in yet) HW – Study for Quiz – Bill of Rights, Polling, and media.		Quiz – Bill of Rights, Polling, and media HW due – none. HW – Readings and questions will be provided in class.		PARTY TIME – Political parties. Review Wednesday’s quiz. HW – Study for Culmulative Test on Tuesday.

Thoreau and Civil Disobedience

2010-11-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

We are going to be reviewing excerpts from Thoreau's Civil Disobedience (1849) treatise. If you are interested in reading more than just these excerpts, and not surprisingly, some of you might, here is a link to an online copy.

The requisite disclaimer - While this site is hosted by the University of California-Burkeley, a noted academic stalwart, Manchester High School and its faculty, staff, and administration are not responsible for the content of any outside Internet resources, including the aforementioned link.

No extra reading questions for tomorrow

2010-11-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, I got an e-mail tonight from a student about the extra reading questions, and I realized then and there that I hadn't posted any of them, so don't worry about them for tomorrow. If you are reading this before class, you would be one of the few that might be worried. We actually kind of ended at a weird spot on Friday - we didn't finish all of the material for Friday's class and we are going to have to finish that first before starting on the material I've got ready for tomorrow - so we might end up adding those reading questions and making them due next week.

Quiz Fun

2010-11-16T06:40:00.000-08:00

I'm still finishing correcting the short answer questions - don't worry though, you will get the quizzes back tomorrow - but I finished all of the multiple choice questions. The class average on the multiple choice is just under 80%, which is good given the fact that some of you said that they were difficult. Also, some redemption for your lowly teacher: that question about being "popularly elected" was one of the reading questions and they talked about the evolution of the federal government to allow more input from popular election in the chapter. So I wasn't crazy (about that), after all. Whew.

We are going to review some quizzing tips and strategies next time. I'll have handouts for you in addition to the class notes. If you missed the quiz or want a retake, see me. Thanks and hope you are enjoying the only full week of school in November. :)

Mr. Jones

Interesting article on NYT

2010-11-16T06:32:00.000-08:00

Not sure that this will ease the blow of college costs, and definitely not saying that I agree with the assertions, but I thought some of you might be interested in this review.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/there-is-no-college-cost-crisis/

Course Calendar, 11/15-11/26

2010-11-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

AP Government – Course Calendar
11/15-11/27

M	Tu	W	Th	F
Quiz today – Federalism and other underpinnings of the constitution. HW due – Terms and reading questions HW – Read pages 68-96 but just do the terms on Pg. 96. Note: the first 10-15 pages of the chapter are kind of a review of what we have already gone over – so just skim there – and focus more on the new material.		Finish federalism and underpinnings. Start Political Beliefs and Behaviors HW due – Terms HW – Read pages 98-104. Make sure your Constitutional Fun handout is complete from the Quarter 1 work.		Political Beliefs and Behaviors HW due – Constitutional Fun worksheet HW – Read pages 176-208. Reading questions will be provided on the course blog. Make sure to do the terms.
	Political Beliefs and Behaviors HW due – Pg. 208 terms and reading questions. HW – Start flashcards for the Bill of Rights and Federalism unit.	Half Day of School	Thanksgiving Day ENJOY THE TIME OFF!	No School DITTO!

Quiz on Monday

2010-11-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

Study tips: Review the all of the HW terms and cross check your definitions with those in the Powerpoint notes. Some particularly important things to review...
- Checks & Balances, how Madison perceived it, and how one branch of government works with another branch.
- The need for the Constitution versus the Articles of Confederation
- Federalists versus Antifederalists - how did they perceive a government should be organized? Why?

Don't freak out! You should know this stuff pretty well by now and you've got plenty of time to review.

Reading Questions for 11/10 HW

2010-11-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

Okay, new experiment, we are going to try to save the school some green and be more green by having you utilize the blog to get tonight's reading questions. The key terms on Pg. 66 also need to be completed.

Reading Questions (due on Monday, 11/15)
1. What was Madison's original plan for the electorial process in the Constitution? How has it changed over the years?
2. Why was the Bill of Rights enacted? What's in the Bill of Rights - what liberties do they seek to protect?

Also, DON'T FORGET TO STUDY FOR YOUR QUIZ ON MONDAY! Have a great day off tomorrow and a good weekend. Make sure to fit it sometime to go over the text, notes, and assignments. - Jones

Revised Calendar for 11/1 - 11/12

2010-11-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

AP Government – Course Calendar
11/1-11/12 (Revised on 11/6)

M	Tu	W	Th	F
First class – review grading rationale, class notes, and homework. HW – Election Assignment	Election Day – No School for you J		Constitutionalism and the founding of the American Republic. Textbooks will be distributed HW due – Election Assignment; be prepared to talk about Q1 readings. HW – Reading and questions from text.
Continue federalism topic. Review Federalist Papers 1, 47, 48, 51 as in class assignment. HW – Read pages 2-26 and answer the first two questions for Parts 1, 2 and 3 on Pg. 25. Then, define the terms under the heading “Key Terms” on the bottom of Pg. 26.		Notes and review for quiz. HW due – Reading and questions from text. HW – Read pages 30-67 and do the key terms on Pg. 66. You will be getting reading questions in class. Quiz on readings and notes on Monday 11/14. STUDY!	Veterans’ Day – No school for us. J Today would be a good day to work on the homework and to study for your quiz on Monday!

Veterans Day

2010-11-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

I forgot that Thursday, November 11th is Veterans Day, and thus we won't have school. I will give you a revised homework and class calendar on Monday. Please bring your books to class and make sure to get them covered. I'll also post that calendar here on the blog for the curious over the weekend.

Also, make sure that you get any missing work into me as soon as possible. REMINDER: Monday, 11/8 is the last day to turn in the Quarter 1 Assignment.

Thanks! Mr. Jones

REMINDER - Q1 Papers are due

2010-11-01T09:40:00.001-07:00

If you haven't gotten them in already, you have until Monday, November 7th to get it in my hands for credit. Thanks! Mr. Jones

The Race for the House

2010-10-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2010/08/26/129444160/top-50-house-races-for-2010
Assignment for tonight: Read the above article. Answer the following questions -- Why do you think so many House races are in play for this election? Why do you think the Democrats seem to be on the verge of losing the House of Representatives? What is going on nationally to cause this national trend?

Then, choose a race from Ken Rudin's list, do some research and tell us who do you predict to win. Why? What's going on in that district?

Assignment for Tuesday/Wednesday night: Were you right or wrong? How did your district wind up? How did the race play out for the Republicans and Democrats nationally? What ramifications might this have for President Obama and his administration in the weeks, months and even years to come? Why?

Calendar - 11/1-11/12

2010-10-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

AP Government – Course Calendar
11/1-11/12

M	Tu	W	Th	F
First class – review grading rationale, class notes, and homework. HW – Election Assignment	Election Day – No School for you J		Constitutionalism and the founding of the American Republic. Textbooks will be distributed HW due – Election Assignment; be prepared to talk about Q1 readings. HW – Reading and questions from text.
Continue federalism topic. Class debate activity. HW due – Reading Questions from Thursday. Absolute last day to hand in Q1 Reading Assignment. HW – Reading and questions from text.		Review Federalist Papers 1, 47, 48, 51 and 16, 17, 39 and 46 in groups. HW due – Reading and questions from text. HW – Study for quiz		Quiz – Constitutionalism and federalism. New calendar will be distributed.

Welcome to the class

2010-10-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

I will be using this space to post your assignments, articles, and other items that you might need, and it will be available for you to utilize as an area for discussion. Our plan for the week and information about the reading assignment will posted soon. - Mr. Jones