Midterm Preparation

Class, I have posted our jeopardy game on my website. Just copy the label below....
Check yesterday's post for info on the FRQ's. Good luck on the midterm.

Midterm Preparation

I just spent the last two hours putting a PowerPoint Jeopardy review together for the mid-term. Unlike last time, I will not put the review on my website until after the game (and before the midterm) tomorrow. I can tell you that the midterm FRQ's will be on the following topics of which you may select TWO:

(A) Low Voter Turnout
(B) Presidential Primaries and National Party Conventions
(C) PAC's and influence on national policy making, and
(D) Congress and the War Powers Act and Budget Impoundment Control Act

See you tomorrow.

Wednesday

For tomorrow, pages 250-54 in Subato. There will be a quiz.
Following that, there be a short video on the Congress from the 1940's.
Then there will be a reading (solo reading) on Congress with questions of its "lack of effectiveness."

Subato Reading

The Subato reading for tonight is pages: 242 to 250. I believe I told you as you exited class today to read the next 10 pages. If people who don't have access to the blog do that, they will be fine for tomorrow. Also, strap yourselves in for a lecture tomorrow on the Congress.

Hi Guys. Remember, the reading for tomorrow is Subato Chapter 7 (pages 239-242). There will be a quiz. I will also be showing you a video on Checks and Balances with associated questions. There might be something else, but I'm not sure. Laters. MTB

Chapter 10 Uploaded

Chapter 10 on the Media with questions can be found in the Workspace of my website.

FRQ 3 Follow Up

If you go to my web page, in the APGOPO Workspace link, you will find the Unit 3 PowerPoint. Look at the last 4 slides of the presentation. That information lays out the answer for the FRQ.

Here's some additional info on how CANDIDATES use the media during elections (to hopefully win the election)

*seeking contributions
*leaking information
*candidate creating choreographed opportunities
*use of Internet to disseminate information
*sound bites

Here's some additional info on how the MEDIA uses candidates during elections (to make money):

*talk shows/TV debates
*candidate sound bites
*convention coverage
*investigative reporting/scandals
*focus on candidate gaffes (mistakes)

I hope this is helpful...

In the 1990's presidential election campaigns have become more candidate centered and less focused on issues and party labels. This change has been attributed both to how the media cover presidential campaigns and to how candidates use the media. Identify and explain two ways in which the media have contributed to candidate-centered presidential campaigns. Identify and explain two ways in which presidential candidates' use of the media has contributed to candidate centered campaigns.

Your answer should NOT include a discussion of presidential primary elections.

My answer:

It's fair to say that both the media and presidential candidates have benefited symbiotically from one another during presidential campaigns. Both stand to gain significantly under this relationship with media recording profits from their coverage while candidates stand to potentially win an election with the appropriate amount of media exposure.

A. One way in which the MEDIA contributes to candidate-centered campaigns is through the coverage of background on a perspective presidential candidate. During the 2008 election profiles of all of the major candidates were covered on most of the major networks. Many Americans tune in with fascination to learn about a candidates' early beginnings.

B. Another way in which the MEDIA contributes to candidate-centered campaigns is through feeding frenzy coverage of a candidate's potential wrong-doing. In the case of John McCain during the 2008 election, allegations of an alleged affair with a staff member while unsubstantiated played to a huge spike in audience attention-undoubtedly boosting ratings and revenue for the media.

C. One way in which CANDIDATES use of the media contributes to candidate-centered campaigns centers around the use of negative commercials and mudslinging to defame their competitor during election time. Millions of dollars are spent by campaigns to buy advertising time during elections and attempt manipulate public opinion usually through attack and smear campaigns that are viewed during prime time.

D. Another way in which CANDIDATES use of the media contributes to candidate-centered campaigns is through attention-gathering public appearances to enhance public attention to individual qualities. One public attention appearance that backfired against George W. Bush was his entry onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier with the emblem "Mission Accomplished" emblazoned on the ship. The war in Iraq could hardly have been characterized as completed during this publicity stunt. This public appearance actually had the opposite effect and led to a precipitous decline in Bush's popularity.

Monday's Homework

Here is the Homework Due Monday:

*Chapter 6: APGO Reading and Worksheet: "Interest Groups"
(10 Questions)

*Chapter 7: APGO Reading and Worksheet: "Political Parties"
(9 Questions)

*Chapter 10: APGO Reading and Worksheet: "The Media"
(7 Questions)

*FRQ on Interest Groups (see earlier entry in this blog for suggested answer)

*FRQ on Media (passed out today. Suggested answer will follow in next blog)

All 5 assignments due Monday and worth 20 p0ints apiece for 100 point total. Please gather these up and staple to turn in as bundle.

Thursday

Tomorrow:
We will take the Vocab test, I will review for the Unit Exam on Monday. Notes will be provided. With time remaining, we will finish "The Paper Chase." You will have an FRQ to work on over the weekend. You test on Monday will include ONE of the 3 FRQ's you have completed (among Interest Groups, Political Parties, or Media). See you tomorrow!

Wednesday

I got a good report on just about all of you from Mr. Cisneros. Thanks for working well today in my absence. Tomorrow, we will have Subato 3 on Media, we'll review for vocab via Jeopardy, and time remaining, watch the movie. On Friday, Subato Quiz 4, Vocab Quiz, review for Exam 3. We'll also watch (finish?) video then. You will also be given an FRQ on the Media on Friday....I have posted the Powerpoint Unit Review on my webpage if you want to check it out. Hasta Manana!

Tuesday Post

Class went fine today. I have created the Jeopardy Review for the Interest Groups, Pol Parties, and Media Vocab. You can find this on my webpage in the AP Govt Workspace. This Jeopardy terms review will be given on Thursday when I get back. Mr. Cisneros will have readings tomorrow breaking y0u out into groups of his choosing. The Vocab Quiz will be on Friday. The Unit Review will take place probably on Tuesday with the Unit Exam on Wednesday. Cheers!

Monday's Post

So, we are taking a little detour over the next couple of days. We talked about the differences between Liberals and Conservatives. The big packet of readings I handed out today, I think you will read in groups tomorrow and then continue to work on the questions (the columns) from today. You can work together. I would hope also to see more FRQ's turned in on Interest Groups. I want you to at least take a crack at the question. On Thursday your Political Parties reading questions will be due. Here's how I would answer the FRQ on Interest Groups. The question with the answer below:

FRQ on Interest Groups

National interest groups often target national level policymaking institutions to achieve their policy objectives.

Select one of the following national interest groups:

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
American Medical Association (AMA)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)

For the group you selected, do each of the following:Identify one major national level policymaking institution that this group targets.

Describe one resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen AND explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).

Describe another resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen AND explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).

My Answer

Interest groups play multiple roles in influencing government. One specific way in which interest groups influence government is through issue advocacy. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons (NAACP) has an over 100 year legacy in advocating for laws dealing with discrimination against African-Americans.

1(a) Arguably, the groups greatest success in achieving its goals of anti-discrimination has been through the targeting of the United States' judiciary.

2(a) The NAACP targeted the judicial branch vis a vis the United States Supreme Court with an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in support of Linda Brown in the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954 that was ultimately supported by the Court. As the result of the NAACP's advocacy, The Plesy v. Ferguson ruling going back over 100 years was reversed.

2(b) The NAACP has also targeted the judicial branch in ensuring the enforcement of Civil Rights laws. Specifically, the NAACP went to court to sue communities did not comply with the Supreme Court's order on "all deliberate speed" related to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lobbying of the courts by the NAACP has had an historic impact on the reversal of many "Jim Crow" era laws.

Thursday

Today, we took the Subato quiz one on political parties. Those that were gone on a field trip can make it up tomorrow. For homework tonight, students are to complete the FRQ on Interest Groups that was posted in the last entry on this blog. We will probably watch something related to Political Parties tomorrow. There will also be the AP Political Parties reading (with questions) that will be assigned over the weekend. See you tomorrow.

Tuesday

Continue to read the next 15 pages of Subato on Political Parties. Additionally, you will have a four page reading to complete in class tomorrow on political primaries. With time remaining, I will give you time to work on the FRQ below. For completion of this you may use your notes. You can also work in pairs of two if you so desire:

National interest groups often target national level policymaking institutions to achieve their policy objectives.

Select one of the following national interest groups:

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
American Medical Association (AMA)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)

For the group you selected, do each of the following:

Identify one major national level policymaking institution that this group targets.
Describe one resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen AND explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).
Describe another resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen AND explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).

Monday

Remember class to finish the10 questions on the Interest Groups reading that was given on Friday. I will collect them tomorrow in class. Additionally, please read pages 419 to 435 in Subato. This is the chapter on political parties. There will be a Subato quiz on the reading. I will also be lecturing tomorrow on political parties See you tomorrow!

Sunday Reminder

Class. For those of you who get this tonight. Be sure to bring the Interest Groups reading to class that you picked up on friday. Also, bring the ten questions that accompanied the reading. After our quiz, you will be working in groups of five to read through and answer the questions. See you tomorrow.

Another Wednesday

Why do I persist in writing each day? I don't know. I seriously thought about "bailing" on tonight's entry. Would Eddie write a note saying, "what, no blog today?" I feel this is getting to be a chore, rather than something of an inspiration.

I was happy with the class today. You all settled down and completed the reading which was great to behold. You also seemed interested in the videos. The Jon Stewart video was funny and very truthful in terms of the ridiculous lengths that campaigns (and interest groups) go to in order to "smear" the other candidate. Rather than stating what a candidate stands for, it's much easier to tear one's opponent down....

The "60 Minutes" segment on the drug lobby was disheartening. It's amazing what big money can do in order to muzzle reform or to stand in the way of something like providing affordable pharmaceuticals to senior citizens. Some of the same big money and lobbying is behind the attempt to defeat meaningful health care reform. To be very clear. This is not a problem for which one party can be blamed. Both Republicans and Democrats are equally guilty of receiving vast amounts of money from lobbyists and are therefore, significantly influenced. To get a better sense of this, go to: http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00007360 I linked you to Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House. Check out her top donors. What do you think of this?

Anyway, tomorrow we will quiz on Subato, listen to my lecture and then possibly watch a video clip.

See you tomorrow.

Tuesday

Thank you for a stress-free class today! I felt we go a lot covered. Keep reading forward on Interest Groups in Sabato. Work towards the end of the chapter. There will be yet another quiz tomorrow on the reading. I will try and find something productive (no lecture) for us to learn about Interest Groups tomorrow. Ciao!

Monday

It's Monday again. Today we started Unit 3 on "Interest Groups, Political Parties and the Media." You should continue your readings from 154 to 162 and beyond. There will be 10 more Subato questions tomorrow on the reading. We will also have a lecture tomorrow. I tried to introduce the Unit but felt that rude students basically killed my introduction. If distractions continue (students talking out of turn, particularly when I am talking), I will be moving current student seating arrangements. I felt today that I had to compete with students who were talking when they should have either been working or paying attention. I am very pleased as mentioned, with the results of our second unit test, so a lot positive can be said about that. See you tomorrow.

MJF 2009

Saturday

Hello. At the end of yesterday I ran over to the scantron grader and passed your tests through the machine. You will be happy to know that the results for the Unit 1 test are far better than those from Unit 2. Clearly the Review Session, and the Jeopardy game were factors for improvement. Thanks to you for your suggestions. Your feedback on how you best learn is incredibly important to me since this is my first "go" at teaching the class. I am convinced that the daily quizzes and the lecture were very important as well. Breaking the lecture up and inserting student led activities (such as reading groups) are also important. My point being that the execution of this unit was far better than the first one. Let's keep improving!

Thursday

Glad the review was helpful today. Good luck on the Unit 1 exam tomorrow!

Study Guide Review for Tomorrow

For those who want an early start on tomorrow's review--

The Powerpoint Study Guide on Constitutional Underpinnings can be found at: http://mtbarclay.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/apgounit1review.ppt

The Word Notes that accompany the Powerpoint are here: http://mtbarclay.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/apgounitonereview.doc

Yours Faithfully,

Mr. Barclay

Wednesday again

Here we are again. I don't know how productive having you do a group read on the Constitutional Underpinnings Notes was. A couple of groups seemed to make their way through it, while three other groups seemed more interested in chatting. Needless to say, you should continue doing the reading tonight (the six pager) as well as review the lecture notes. We'll have a another review for tomorrow.

Tuesday's Post

Okay, we've finished the lecture notes. Now is the time for students to review the entire Constitutional Underpinnings lecture and the unit overview which was provided to you on Monday. You also should be reviewing Subato's Chapters 1-3 placing particular emphasis on Chapter 3. You should have a working definition of federalism (ie. a constitutional separation of federal and state power). You should know the basic stages on how federalism has changed throughout the history of the United States, understanding that during crises, the federal government has asserted tighter control over the states. You should also know the various differences between block and categorical grants, mandates, and etc. You should also understand the significance of the 10th Amendment to the Constitution and how states have asserted it in order to assert more of their control. Keep the review going for the next couple of days. Your exam will probably be given on Friday. There will be 30 multiple choice questions as well as an FRQ. The FRQ undoubtedly will be on some aspect of federalism. Many of you performed respectively on the Terms quiz. At least 30% of you receive 50% or better on the quiz. We only had a handful who got at least 3/5 on the FRQ. We need to continue to improve on FRQ's. The Constitutional Underpinnings quiz was much better this time than our first terms quiz on Political Beliefs and Culture. The Jeopardy review helped significantly. Thanks to Teddy I. for the suggestion. Tomorrow, we will have some review of both the lecture notes and the unit overview. Students will work in groups to cover the material. See you tomorrow!

Monday's Post

I should have the results of your quizzes on vocabulary and the FRQ ready for you by class time tomorrow. For tonight as mentioned, please review the study guide that I released to you today. We will be using it for our general review in the next couple of days. I plan to give the unit exam no later than Friday. For tomorrow, I will deliver the final lecture of unit one. I was struck by a student's comment today that our AP government course was considered a high school class until one passed the exam ( and received college credit). That's not the way to look at it. In fact you are taking a college course and will pass if you put in sufficient amounts of time studying the readings (between 1 and 2 hours a night), take good notes, and participate in class-with clarifying questions as necessary....

Follow up

I appreciate your feedback. Therefore, we will have the quiz on Monday. Thanks!

Thursday

So, I hope you enjoyed playing the Jeopardy game today. I also hope it was a helpful form of review for you. Tomorrow you will take a quiz on the "Constitutional Underpinnings" terms. There are two quizzes with about 20 questions or so. Additionally, you will be tested on the FRQ concerning federalism.

For the FRQ, you will define what federalism is as well as demonstrate in writing how federalism has allowed both the national and state governments to assert their own control. You will need to incorporate the following terms into the FRQ: "block grants", "categorical funding", welfare reform, and the 10th amendment. You will have to demonstrate how these terms impact whether federal or state governments are in control. You may not write your essay in advance this time. Please study your terms as well as re-read sections on federalism (consult the photo copy reading on federalism and grants-in-aid).

With any remaining time, I will start the movie on Harvard Law school called "The Paper Chase." See you tomorrow...

Wednesday

Well, another Wednesday in the books. The lecture material is long, but an absolute necessary. If you find this sort of thing too hard to bear, than you need to seriously consider whether you should go on to a university such as the University of California which is research based and the professors tend to stand up at the podium and 'spray and ....actually, many of them don't pray. They feel it is up to the student to capture their shared 'brilliance.' I hate to say it, but the stand up lecture (oftentimes without visuals) is the predominant method of teaching delivery at many a university, even today (mostly at prestigious private schools and the UC's.) I honestly believe that this is not the best way to 'educate' students, but times have not changed. This method has been around since the very beginning of formalized teaching. Students have to learn by listening, reading, as well as participating in seminars (which requires reading ahead of time so that you don't come across as 'clueless' to either the professor or the Teaching Assistant.) It takes a lot of hard work. I'm talking literally of hours in the library or in your home study without distractions....

For tomorrow, something new and different. We will have a Jeopardy Game over the "Constitutional Underpinnings" terms. This will take most if not all of the class. I'm sure you will enjoy this over another lecture....You can sneak peek it on my webpage at: http://mtbarclay.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/constitutionalunderpinnings_jeopardy.ppt
Happy hunting...

Tuesday, the 13th

Did you like the Standard Deviants? It is a humorous way to present the material we are covering. I am trying to go at it teaching this stuff from a few angles. Tomorrow, I will have some more lecturing to do. We will start with quiz number four from Subato, so be sure and complete the reading. There will definitely be an FRQ for Friday--probably the one we covered in class today. We will need to be wrapping up this unit within a about a week or so. The unit test will be coming up next week. I realized that quarter grades are coming due. Some of you have not turned in your notebooks. 150 points can really affect your grade. I will still accept some late assignments. Perhaps, some of you should check on your grades to make sure you know where you stand before Thursday. I will try and post a hard copy before class tomorrow.

Monday

Well, we had a couple of distractions in class today-a couple of visitors. Fortunately, I don't have too many students coming to see me. I think it best for the student to let me know ahead of time if he or she plans a visit. I can't just stop everything when someone comes. Try to keep this in mind if you plan a visit down the road in a year or two. My former student teacher, Mr. Smith actually was not imposing at all. I enjoyed working with him a couple of years ago.

I hope you are doing your reading for this evening of the article I assigned to you. I may end up calling on you to see if you indeed did the reading and answer sheet. For the last 30 or so minutes, you will be watching a "Standard Deviants" video on Federalism. This video is humorous. See you tomorrow.

It's Saturday!

Hope you all are having a great weekend! I am enjoying myself. Went out to my son's school carnival/fundraiser near Coral De Tierra (Highway 68) for most of the day. My children are growing up fast. They are a complete joy in my life, though sometimes a challenge. They are totally worth the effort!

I hope you enjoyed the West Wing episode ("Mr. Willis of Ohio") . There were a number of important points at play. The census is counted every ten years in the United States. It is used to determine the number of congressional seats in the House of Representatives. Additionally, federal funding and other important matters are determined by a state's population. Nearly 1 million Americans count the +350,000 million, plus or minus in our population. The homeless, recent immigrants, and inner-city minority groups often go uncounted and thus, unrepresented. These groups tend to vote more for the Democratic Party so that is why in the episode, the Bartlett administration wanted to make sure that sampling continue to be an option for the next election cycle. By the way, this episode imitated a real life event (see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/daily/aug98/census25.htm
As it stands the US Supreme does not allow for statistical sampling to completely replace the traditional "head count" method. There are simply too many chances for bias in a sampled survey. Many would argue (as Toby Ziegler did in the episode) that to allow sampling as the official method of census taking would set a bad precedent and would be undemocratic. See you on Monday.

In My Absence...

Hope you all had a good day today in my absence. Mr. Cisneros is as good as they come in terms of someone I would trust to sub for me. I hope you listened to him and got some constructive work done. As mentioned, block and categorical grants are a very important aspect of Federalism. They tie both national and state government together. Federal grant funding is one way by which the national government tries to impose some form of control over states- packet from today-it is your homework. Hopefully, tonight you will do your reading in preparation for being "called out." I may ascribe points to your performance tomorrow, so be prepared.

Tired Tuesday

Well, a number of students really struggled with the FRQ. I have not graded them all yet. We definitely need to get in more practice. Fifty percent of your AP exam relies on your ability to answer most elements of the FRQ. If you do not develop proficiency, you will not pass the exam, plain and simple.

I spoke with Ernesto Garcia today. He is responsible for the AP program at Alisal. He mentioned that the test actually costs $50 and not $85. Also, there is a good possibility that funding will exist to pay at a minimum, a portion of the tests cost. We can also explore potential fundraising opportunities, if necessary. In speaking with my wife, her company provides a charitable matching program. If, for example students could come up with $25 dollars a piece, the company will cover the rest. In other words, there are many options, so don't worry about it. Just keep working to do your best.

Remember, tomorrow Mr. Cisneros will be subbing. I expect that you will cooperate with him and go over the assigned reading as well as present in class. This section is very important. I noticed that categorical and block grants have been covered on pretty much every past APGOPO test in the last 7 years. See you on Thursday.

Monday's Post

Here's something that will greatly assist you in answering the FRQ for tomorrow. There are advantages to following this blog:

http://teachers.sduhsd.k12.ca.us/mmontgomery/american_govt/sample_freeresponse.htm

Write up the answer tonight (i.e. copy from this guide) and turn it in tomorrow at the end of the FRQ write up. DO NOT SHARE THIS WITH YOUR CLASSMATES TOMORROW. If you do, I will know. I have ways of finding out. I have secret powers. I will put a curse on you. Big Brother is watching you....

Not Coming In

Mr. Barclay at his computer on Facebook. He doesn’t see his wife come up behind him with the rope. As she tightens it around his neck, she changes his status: is DEAD!

WON'T BE COMING IN TOMORROW

Humped

Not feeling well at all today. I will take a sick day tomorrow. Mr. Cisneros will sub for me. You may have the first 15 minutes to work in pairs in order to finish Federalist 10. The last 35 minutes shall be dedicated towards watching a video on the First Amendment. Talk to you soon.

Tuesday's Post

Well, I am glad we did a C-SPAN classroom today. This was an opportunity for me to use the Socratic Method with you guys. I feel this is a better way to learn. Initially, I felt some "push back" from a few students who didn't understand why I didn't want them to copy the questions. I think students have to be more open-minded when I come up with something new. Usually, I have "field tested" my teaching strategies (with five years under my belt) in other classes. At the college level, the instruction is "non-negotiable."

The lecture was better today. We covered limited government, judicial review as well as introduced formal and informal ways to amend the Constitution. I smell a practice FRQ on the ways in which the Constitution can be amended (formal vs. informal).

Tomorrow, we will cover Federalist 10. It is a little longer than Federalist 51. I heard at the weekend conference that James Madison really wrote the Constitution (rather than Jefferson). I'll have to look into that. Make no doubt, Madison had a huge impact on the writing as well as the ratification of the Constitution. You will be paired in groups of two to get the reading done. This will take all class period (hopefully with a shorter transition time than last week). See you tomorrow.

It's Monday Again...

The quiz scores seem to be fairly impressive. The average score is 8/10. Remember to concentrate on the federalism chapter in Subato (pages 66-72). Additionally, you need to complete the assignment from today's class (the jigsaw reading). The constitutional scavenger hunt will be due on Friday. I will be collecting it and assigning up to 30 points for its completion. The homework will keep coming throughout the week as well. Today, I felt went well. Keep up the good work.

Conference

Just a quick note-a very quick one at that. I have returned from my "We the People" conference in Morro Bay. I am inspired with some new curriculum. I take note of students who have some difficulty with teacher-centered curriculum, where I stand up front and lecture (it's been called 'spray and pray'-the teacher sprays out his/her lecture and prays that the students learn the content). While I will continue to give lectures (not every day!), I also plan to have more student-centered learning take place. We will be getting a classroom set of "We the People" textbooks. You will also have one to take home as well as one copy inside the class. These units are designed with more student-directed activities. For tomorrow, after our quiz, I will put you to work on a jigsaw reading on the federalists and their "struggle for ratification." You will be working together to teach each other some of the material for a change. Just so you know, I am willing to adjust my teaching however necessary to ensure the best success for you guys.

Constitution Scavenger Hunt

If for any reason, you were unable to obtain the worksheet, "Constitution Scavenger Hunt" in class, I have added it to my webpage. Just go to the "APGO Workspace" link. It is the second to last link on the bottom. Remember, it's due next Friday. I will be collecting it and adding up to 30 points for its completion.

Off to my AP conference (with family in tow) in Morro Bay. Ciao!

Blow Up

Well, you can probably expect a few more blowups before the year is over. Don't take them personally. There's not one "bad" person in the class. You are all great people. Sometimes the behavior (such as I described) can be annoying. It's nothing fatal, however. We do seem to get quite a bit accomplished during our class sessions. This being my first attempt at teaching the course, I am paranoid that we will run out of time and not be able to cover a unit or something like that....

Great job for those who participated on Federalist 51. James Madison made some interesting points: (1) He was paranoid about tyranny (2) he believed that "if men were angels, no government would be necessary"-I love that quote! (3) he argued that the republican system proposed by the Founding Fathers contained sufficient "Checks and Balances"--most important. These checks and balances included (a) each branch checking each other, (b) national and state playing off each other (c) multiple factions in such a large country as the USA would prevent the 'tyranny' of one all powerful group from taking over.

Work hard on the "Constitution Scavenger Hunt." Remind students who missed today's lesson to pick it up at the big table in front before their weekend. It will be due on Friday, October 1st.
Cheers!!!

Another Hump Day

The reading of Federalist 51 today was a good activity. It took a lot of concentration but the essay was definitely readable. I must say however, that a few students made it harder for some of us to get going. We need to better discipline ourselves and settle in faster. I mean come on. If you signed up for the class, you have to expect a lot more rigor in the curriculum. You have to work a lot harder in the AP class than in a regular class. This is a college course! I am doing my damnedest to stay on schedule as there is so much to cover within specific time frames.

Anyway, don't ever hesitate to mark up the document you are reading. When you buy the college textbooks, you should go through them with a highlighter and a pen. The highlighter is to cover the important general information. The pen is to make notes in the margins. You've got to read and re-read the material so that you understand it. Usually the books you read in college are a lot tougher than in high school-duh! So it takes a lot of self-discipline and concentration. You need to pace yourself. Set up a consistent time for studying and hold to it. Remind me to show you guys the movie, "The Paper Chase." This movie was made in the late 70's but really portrays life in college (at Harvard Law school) realistically.

Anyway, a long blog. Tomorrow, we will go over Federalist 51, take a quiz and have a brief lecture. On Friday I will be attending yet another AP conference. You will have Mr. Cisnero's brother subbing. He will show you a West Wing. Hooray!!!!

Tuesday's Post

The results on the T/F quiz were all in all, postive. Students scored roughly in the 67% percentile. Remember, I will give you 10 points regardless of y0ur score. I want you to understand that you will be rewarded from time to time for keeping up on the nightly reading.

We covered some pretty important concepts today in lecture. Kind of the "meat and potatoes" of the Constitution or the "big ideas." Remember, the Founders had a real fear of tyranny. They had lived under colonial rule and did not want to replace "one tyranny for another." The ideas of the Enlightenment figured very prominantly in the formation of the Constitution. This was exciting stuff this idea of "unaliable rights"--downright revolutionary. Keep in mind though that the Founders did not equate women or slaves or even the poor into their definition of who was entitled to popular soveriegnty.

Anyway, tonight's Franklin primary source reading is a warm up for Federalist 51 for tomorrow. This will be somewhat challenging, but we'll muster through together. Pasen feliz noches...

It Monday Again?!!!

Well hello again. Not much inspiration to write about. I thought the Constitution video was an appropriate thing to watch. It provides a nice summary and puts things into understandable terms. I booed John Yoo as mentioned, because of his work in the Bush Administration in the Office of Legal Council. He helped Bush craft a justification on torture and called the Geneva Convention 'quaint'. Obama has supposedly reversed the policy. An official torture policy sets such a horrible precedent. As official policy it sends a message to the world loud and clear that human rights are not a priority for the United States. This is very damaging to our country which touts itself as a beacon of Democracy.

Tomorrow you will have a 29 question T/F quiz on Chapter 1. A little re-review is never a bad thing.

Chucky Cheese and Me

Took my son to Chuck-E Cheeses tonight. I wondered why they didn't serve beer there, and then it dawned on me. There is so much child-generated mayhem that serving alcohol to parents would lead to all sorts of problems...Anyway, we survived my son's seventh birthday party...

I hope you enjoyed the West Wing today. It's a great show in my opinion. Lot's of good, relevent information on how government works. A lot of it (the show ran for eight seasons from the early 2000's) the plots were taken right out of the daily news. One of the best episodes focussed on the killing of a gay teen (Mathew Shepard) and The White House's slow move towards enacting hate crimes legislation to include the GLBT Community. There were many other great episodes as well.

Anyway, I'm going to call it a night. Have a great weekend!

Can't Believe It's Thursday Again...

Time flies when you're having fun, I guess. Class went fine today, in my opinion. I enjoyed telling you my UC Santa Barbara professor story. Despite the shocking details that transpired and the fact that the described incident could never happen in today's world, the aforementioned professor deeply cared about his students, valued their opinions, gave generously of his time and was a true inspiration to me...

Our quiz in retrospect kind of bums me out. I shouldn't have "caved in" (giving you 5 free points) to the fact that you students had read ahead to Chapter 2. Big deal. The info on today's quiz is just as important and potentially likely to be on the AP exam as anything else. What's more, it's good for you to read ahead....

Huntington's thesis. I know that more than a few of you were probably offended by this guy's so-called thesis: that Mexican immigrants pose a danger to American society. I totally disagree with his contention. Look at history's past and the same things could be said about Irish- Italian- Polish-Americans at the turn of the Century. Cultural pride is nothing to bury away or tone down for that matter. It's what makes this country stronger--a confluence of many cultures, perspectives, and talents. I think Dr. Huntington is a reactionary....

Anyway, tomorrow we will watch the "West Wing." I hope you enjoy. Don't expect to see this too often. Just a special treat for once in a while....

It's Hump Day

Do you know why Wednesday is called "hump day?" Get those unclean thoughts out of your brain. "Hump Day" signifies Wednesday being at the mid-point of the week which is like a hump to roll over-like a roller coaster, as it were. Well, we have gotten over the hump of Wednesday. Please re-read the FRQ strategies page that I spoke to you about today. It is important to really understand the differences between the verbs such as "analyze" and"list" and so on. What do the readers want to see when those verbs are used?....

Make sure you read pages 26 through 34 in O'Conner and Subato. These pages should cover the Origins of the American Republic. You will be given your usual quiz tomorrow to start the day. That will be followed by alas, more lecture and then finally, let's watch some more of the video I introduced today. It is actually pretty entertaining.

On Friday, I will have some sort of a video for you (government related, of course). We all need a break from the daily grind, don't we?

It's Tuesday...

So, I guess we all managed to survive the Williams visit. I had one Williams guy come into my second period class. He seemed slightly bewildered. No harm, no foul.

You guys got to see your scores on both the multiple-choice and the FRQ. I am hoping you take away a sense of resolution. You can improve. No doubt about it. It might mean bearing down a little more in the reading (like actually doing it), or perhaps paying a little closer attention during lecture. Most of the key information is found in the lecture notes. You need to study the notes and when necessary, ask for clarification from me.

Tonight's reading as per the schedule are pages 12-24. Double-check the lecture notes from lecture one to be even more prepared.

Oh, and I hope you saw how easy writing an FRQ can be. Each bullet point only needs one or two sentences to demonstrate your understanding of the concept. Peace Out, Mr. Barclay

Monday, Monday...

Happy Monday! Well, got the results from both the multiple-choice as well as the FRQ's. Not the greatest....About 50% of the class (15 students) received 50% or above on the multiple choice. I think that is a workable percentage. Five students received 30 to 40% on the multiple-choice. That's not very good. Eight students received 30% or below on the multiple-choice. Those scores are simply unacceptable. I will reiterate. Those students either (1) Were lazy and didn't study the material, or, (2) Don't understand the material (neither lecture nor textbook). I am available to tutor if necessary, but if this trend continues for the same eight students on the next exam, they should consider changing their schedules....

About the FRQ's. For a five point essay, about one-third of the class received 3/5's on their FRQ's. The rest of the class received two's or one's. I think we can continue to work on FRQ's. A good number of you wrote TOO MUCH. You can scale it down. That's the good news. I will work with you on this. USE THE OUTLINE FORMAT. Some of you wrote long paragraphs. Don't do it!!! For some students the bad news is that they tried to BS their way through the FRQ. IT WON'T WORK. The ironic thing is that the question was one in which we had covered already in class with a very similar FRQ from two weeks ago. Also, all of the factors leading to voter participation was read about as well as lectured about. So, we need to work on this more. I am more than happy to work with all of you to refine your skills. Check out the Free Response Writing Guide in the APGO workspace of the website ...We'll talk tomorrow. Remember, all is not lost. You guys have great potential. Let's get better.

OH YEAH, DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK TOMORROW!!!

Sunday and Football

Unfortunately, here are only ELEVEN students who have signed in or commented on the Guestbook. They are the ones who will receive 20 points. Regrettably, the rest of the class will receive ZERO for this assignment (two quiz scores). If you see this message, you might want to text your friends in APGOPO and tell them to get the entries done before class on Monday.... Way to go Niners!!!

TGIF

I was pleased with class today. I'm glad we started with a tribute to 9/11. I remember pretty clearly what I was doing on that day. At the time in 2001, my wife and I both worked at UC Santa Cruz. We had to leave our house by 6:30 each morning to drive from Salinas to Santa Cruz. We were listening to the usual NPR broadcast when the announcer interrupted the program with news of the "accident" at the World Trade Center. Less than an hour later (we were still driving to Santa Cruz) the second plane hit and everyone had concluded that we were under attack. When I arrived to work at the Educational Partnership Center, we as a staff went outside to gather in a circle holding hands and reflecting (some of us prayed) for the victims of 9/11--a very Santa Cruzian thing to do. It was very cool that we spent the entire day following the news at the Center. We met in the conference room and talked about the attack. The director of the center, Carol Moran kindly asked if I had any family on the East Coast. My brother worked in DC for the Department of State at the time. He did some of his work at the Pentagon (very infrequently), but I was nervous nonetheless for him and his wife. Thankfully, he was not there on that day....A long story. Anyway, the memories of the incident are more vivid for me because of the generosity of my work environment allowed us a lot of quality time to reflect on this horrible event.

Anyway, I haven't graded the vocab quiz, but should have it done for Monday. Remember the Unit 2 test is Monday. Bring your textbooks if you would, please. Also, there will be an FRQ on voting behavior-for those of you who read this blog. Have a great weekend :)

SoHappyIt'sThursday....

I thought the Obama piece was well worth watching. I was glad three students watched the address and brought in write-ups for 20 points apiece. The video on Campaign Finance Reform did not articulate very clearly the main issues behind the problem: Corporate access to candidates, "Soft money" (a loophole which allows millions of dollars to be given without real oversight. The McCain-Feingold bill of 2004 does not have any teeth. The video focused on how Arizonans are trying to deal locally with the issue-they have courage. It was cool to see both Democrats and Republicans there agreeing to campaign limits. Please double-check the lecture notes from today on Campaign Finance Reform. Don't forget that tomorrow, you will have your terms quiz. On Monday, you will have your unit exam. Peace out.

Today is Wednesday 9/9

Well, I thought the FRQ would go well. I guess there was an error in construction. I should have taken an FRQ from our unit on Political Socialisation instead of Civil Rights. I couldn't find one that was dissimilar to the first FRQ we attempted last week on low voter turnout. Anyway, I think the practice was all in all, well worth the effort. I am feeling that you need something else this week besides quiz taking and FRQ's. I will look for a Frontline special on campaign finance issues. We'll see. Anyway, continue reviewing chapters 11 and 13, study your terms for the unit as well as review your notes for this unit. Remember, our unit test will be on Monday. Laters

P.S. I hope some of you got to catch Obama's healthcare address with write up summary for 20 pts!!!

Homework Assignment

Read and complete Chapter 13 ("Voting and Elections") in O'Conner and Subato Text; Pages 461 to 507.
Study your flashcards for quiz on Friday.
For Tomorrow be prepared for FRQ voting rights and African-Americans
Monday 9/14: Unit Test for Unit 2
Study all notes and re-read Chapters 11 and 13