Wednesday: Hump Day

Hello Class,

You all did a very nice job today in your discussions on current events (Obama's public opinion numbers on his "handling" of the economy) as well as recounting information from the lecture notes. Some good feedback was in evidence at all classes today. I want to continue to encourage you to work on your vocabulary as well as the lecture note questions (57 remember?).

Textbooks:

Please don't forget to bring your O'Connor and Sabato textbooks tomorrow for our trip to the library at the beginning of class. You will officially check out the books I gave to you last Wednesday.

Hardball:

Tomorrow after our textbook exercise we will watch a Chris Matthews' (of MSNBC Hardball fame) special on the Tea Party Movement. It should be quite interesting. See you tomorrow!

DIA Link and Handout

For Fifth Period, at the suggestion of a student, here is the link to DIA: Public Opinion as well as the first three questions....

http://learner.org/vod/vod_window.html?pid=1921

DIA: Public Opinion: The Voice of the People
1. Why did the Republicans eventually give in on the airport security bill?

2. How did political leaders know what the public wanted?

3. Is this example atypical of the power of public opinion?

So Happy It's Monday....

Hello Class,

A reminder that tonight's reading will feature Sabato pages 403-410. There will be a quiz tomorrow on those pages. Hey, if anyone is looking for a second blog entry topic they can continue the discussion of the Mosque being built near "ground zero" territory. Is this an issue of freedom of religion or an opportunity for Mosque planners to exercise more sensitive judgement? What do you think? Also, take a look at the earlier blog assignment posted on May 25th below. You will be doing this on Tuesday night if you want a head's-up. See you tomorrow.

Happy Friday

Hello Class,

Please read Sabato pages 398 to 403 for Monday's quiz. If you want to see the actual quiz you will be taking on Monday, use this link: http://www.mtbarclay.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/sabatoquiz2.doc
That should make things easier for you. Also, you should start working on the Unit 2Political Culture Study Guide(57 questions).

Make sure your permission slip(video) is also signed by Monday. Have a nice weekend!

First Blog Entry

Hi Class,

Please take a look at my website and comment on what works for you.

Thanks,

Mr. Barclay

Welcome 2010-11 Students

Welcome to my Blog and to my class for 2010-11. Some of you were perhaps expecting to be enrolled in Mr. Pizarro's class. He has decided to take a sabatical year to focus on his law firm as well as his family. He plans to return for the 2011-12 school year.

If you want a head start to the year and are reading this before the handouts are given out on the first or second day of class, we will begin the year off focussing on Unit 2 of GOPO which concerns Political Beliefs and Behaviors. In this unit we will concern ourselves with where American citizens acquire their political identity and how they vote among other things. I believe this is a good unit to start on because it is a little more immediate and relevent than Unit 1 which has to do with the constitution and federalism. Check out Unit 2 in the AP Government Workspace found at: http://mtbarclay.tripod.com/mrbarclaysgovernmentclassalisalhighschool200708/id13.html

I look forward to meeting you soon!

Political Ideology Assignment

Class,

Here is an assignment that I want you to complete:
Go to this link: http://typology.people-press.org/typology/
Go ahead and take the typology quiz and print out your results which you will turn in with your binder when we have our first binder check.
I want you to also do another one at:http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz
and print out those results as well. Answer the following questions to accompany the quizzes you take typewritten or handwritten:

1. Where your results for both tests the same? Generally summarize where you are politically on the scales and briefly describe the characteristics of your ideology (i.e. When I took the scales I turned out to be a Republican. Republicans generally believe in....)

2. Where you surprized where you ended up on the political scales? Why or why not?

3. Does your political ideology match up with your parent's or relative's political ideology?

4. Knowing yourself as you do, do you think that your political ideology will change or stay the same as you get older?

5. Do you think it is important to know where you stand politically? Why or why not?