(Beef jerky portraits of President Obama, Democratic candidate for president in the 2012 election, and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate, by Jason Mecier.)

1st Quarter, Unit 1: American Values, Ideologies, and Political Parties (CH. 1, 2, 21 and 22), Sep. 4 - Oct. 4

This unit serves as an introduction to civics, the study of citizenship and government. You will analyze your values and political ideology, and create your own political party to run a presidential candidate in an election. Questions you will answer: How would you run a political campaign? Are you liberal or conservative? How would you make a campaign commercial? If you could become president, what issue would you champion? What law would you want to see passed?

Week 1:

__Tues., Sept. 4: Introduction to Civics & Econ. American Values activity. Big question: Is it a good day when people don't want to immigrate to the United States? Fill out intro card (3 points). Take home assigned textbook and syllabus: Civics and Econ Syllabus Final.doc. Homework: Ask parent or guardian what their values are.

__Wed., Sept. 5: Copy Unit 1 terms and begin looking up definitions: Civics & Econ Unit 1 Terms.doc Define beliefs and  values. Describe your values and what you think American values are.

__Thu., Sept. 6: Jigsaw reading: Define three key American values on pp. 16-18: equality, freedom, justice. Also define rules, socialization, and social institutions. Then for homework: Jigsaw reading: Read about and take notes on one of the five institutions on pp. 28-39.

__Fri., Sept. 7: (we have school, but no class).

Week 2:

__Mon., Sept. 10: Learning goal: Explain the five social institutions. Part I: Share with class: Why do we need your social institution? Write purposes for each of the five social institutions in your notebook. Why does this institution exist?: 1. Family, 2. Religion, 3. Education, 4. Economy, 5. Government. Define monarchy, dictatorship, democracy, on p. 37, in your terms list. Part II: With partner, come up with 15 ways government affects your life. Write them down and make bullet points. Homework: Reading 1: Chapter 21, Sec. 1 (pp. 456-459).

__Tue., Sept. 11: Start Values Reflection. Fill in outline for 5-paragraph reflection and start essay on lined paper. Assessment: Reflection is due Monday, Sept. 17. Outline is due Wed., Sept. 12: Values Reflection Outline.doc. Homework: Do reading if you haven't.

__Wed., Sept. 12: Learning goal: Analyze the influence of political parties on elections. Class discussion (preview of unit on the legal system and immigration): Define citizen: What is a citizen's most important right? (Voting.) For Reading 1: Answer questions 1-4 on p. 459 in notebook and quiz out. Define: political party, nominate, platform, planks, canvass. Homework: Finish "Political Ideology Inventory" Survey. Show outline, notebook for notebook check (10 points Life Skills grade). 

__Thu., Sept. 13: Vocabulary: Write down definitions of precincts, patronage, straight ticket, split ticket, independent voters in terms, from p. 459. You'll review these later in the unit. Learning goal: Analyze one's own political beliefs. Review your "Political Ideology Inventory" survey answers. How do your beliefs line up with the "liberal" and "conservative" answers? Describe: liberal, moderate, conservative, left-right spectrum, Republican, Democrat by writing characteristics under "Liberal-Left" and "Conservative-right" in your notebook. Election Project intro: Choose group members.

Week 3:

__Mon., Sept. 17: Election Project (Day 1): 1. Choose party members, 2. Take a position on 5 issues (planks of your platform) and circle the most important one. 3. Choose key issue and presidential candidate. 4. Name your party and choose a symbol for your party. 5. Choose roles in your group: speech writer, press officer, poster designer, candidate, ad designer. 6. Start poster!

__Tue., Sept. 18: Election Project (Day 2): Continue working on poster and try to finish. Begin working on campaign commercial/video using a storyboard "script" with empty boxes for each scene. Draw what you want to show and write what you will say. Review "Techniques of Persuasion" on the "Political Persuasion" sheet (get this in class) and watch two famous political campaign advertisements using those methods: "Daisy" attack ad from 1964: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDTBnsqxZ3k "Willie Horton" attack ad from 1988: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC9j6Wfdq3o

__Wed., Sept. 19: Election Project (Day 3): Finish video commercial script, write speech (include values, experience, planks of party, most important issue, plus three "Techniques of Persuasion"), start shooting video, finish poster, practice speech.

__Thu., Sept. 20: Reading 2: Read pp. 480-482 (stop reading before "Opinion Polls"). Define propaganda and bias in your notebook terms. Review "propaganda techniques" on p. 481. Then answer questions 3 and 4 on p. 482, and "quiz out" with teacher. Instructions: Civics Reading 2.ppt Learning goal: Explain the role of interest groups, corporations, think tanks, the media, and public opinion on public policy. Election Project (Day 4): Shoot your video campaign commercial. Homework: Finish your poster, video, and speech. Here's the rubric for the elections project: Pete Civics Elections Project Instructions and Rubric.doc

Week 4:

__Mon., Sept. 24: Finish all work on election project! Homework: Read Section 2, pp. 459-465. Seven short pages! Review vocabulary on p. 459 (if you were in class on Sept. 13, you wrote these definitions in your terms): precincts, patronage, straight ticket, split ticket, independent voters.

__Tue., Sept. 25: Assessment: Poster/speech/ad presentations. Reading 3: Review pp. 459-465. Answer questions 2-7 on p. 465 in notebook, then "quiz out" with teacher. Learning goal: Explain the origins of the two-party system. Instructions: Civics Reading 3.ppt

__Wed., Sept. 26:

1. Assessment: Poster/speech/ad presentations.

2. Campaign Ad Activity (just Rotations 2 and 5 did this today):

Review propaganda techniques on p 481, then listen to this introduction to the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts: http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/25/161760449/despite-pledge-gloves-are-off-in-massachusetts-senate-race

Then watch the attack ads in the story and identify which propaganda techniques they use:

Elizabeth Warren ad against Scott Brown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Lp66KISa4

Scott Brown ad against Elizabeth Warren: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xWBRNrDfw

Elizabeth Warren response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4oIVinDXzOw

Just for fun: Here's a parody of attack ads from the HBO TV comedy series Mr. Show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCfMgqnq2uo

Learning goal: Evaluate various forms of political persuasion for validity, emotional appeals, ideology, bias, and prejudice.

3. Homework for Monday: Unit 1 Word Find (3 points).

__Thu., Sept. 27: Flag Football!

     Rotations 1 and 6: Campaign Ad Activity:

Review propaganda techniques on p 481, then listen to this introduction to the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts: http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/25/161760449/despite-pledge-gloves-are-off-in-massachusetts-senate-race

Then watch the attack ads in the story and identify which propaganda techniques they use:

Elizabeth Warren ad against Scott Brown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Lp66KISa4

Scott Brown ad against Elizabeth Warren: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xWBRNrDfw

Elizabeth Warren response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4oIVinDXzOw

Just for fun: Here's a parody of attack ads from the HBO TV comedy series Mr. Show (warning: one swear word): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCfMgqnq2uo

Learning goal: Evaluate various forms of political persuasion for validity, emotional appeals, ideology, bias, and prejudice.

__Fri., Sept. 28: Progress Friday: Work on Unit 1 Word Find. Teacher-student conferences.

Week 5:

__Mon., Oct. 1: Turn in Unit 1 Word Find. 1. Electoral College lecture and pair-share (15 minutes). Which state on p. 488 would you campaign hardest for? 2. Reading 4: Read pp. 466-469, answer questions 1-4 on p. 469 in notebook, putting definitions in your terms, then "quiz out" with teacher and get homework and study guide. Define: direct primary, closed primary, open primary, registration, general election. Instructions and lecture visuals: Civics Reading 4.ppt

Homework: A. Find your polling place, send me your "real" ballot. Where is your polling place? What would your ballot look like? Find it at http://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/ by entering your address, then download your ballot and email it to me at peter.scholtes@academic-arts.org during PBL, before Tuesday's class. B. Finish your terms. Homework: Where do I vote.doc STUDY GUIDE: Unit 1 Study Guide.doc

__Tue., Oct. 2: Class discussion: Your real ballot. "Why vote?" (3 min.) Review: democracy, dictatorship, monarchy. Learning goal: Identify sources of governmental authority. Add one new term from glossary: incumbent. Also define: ideology (3 minutes). Liberal vs. Conservative ideology game (15 minutes). Here are the materials we used: LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE Beliefs for GAME.doc and Liberal vs Conservative images.doc Review: ideology, conservative, liberal, moderate, left-right spectrum. Learning goal: Evaluate various forms of political persuasion for validity, emotional appeals, ideology, bias, and prejudice. Review activity: Civics Vocabulary Taboo (15 minutes). Homework: finish and study terms.

__Wed. Oct. 3: Unit 1 Review: American Values and Elections Jeopardy (play it here): http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/usergames/Oct201240/game1349264293.php

If time: Review activity: Civics Vocabulary Taboo. Homework: Study your terms and notes.

Show me your completed terms, 10 points.

__Thu. Oct. 4:

 1. Assessment: Remaining poster/speech/ad presentations (3 minutes).

2. Vote for president in classroom (3 minutes). Learning goal: Demonstrate voting skills, including registering to vote, evaluating candidates, and casting a ballot.

3. UNIT 1 TEST!!!!!!!!! Copy down Economic Fundamentals Terms. Start Economic Fundamentals Word Find.

Back to main Civics & Economics page.

Forward to Unit 2: Economics Fundamentals.

Learning Goals:

(Before each goal, think: "By the end of this unit, I'll be able to...")

__Describe American values.

__Compare other nations' governments with America's.

__Identify sources of governmental authority.

__Define liberal, moderate, conservative, left-right spectrum.

__Analyze one's own political beliefs.

__Explain the origins of the two-party system.

__Analyze the influence of political parties on elections.

__Explain the role of interest groups, corporations, think tanks, the media, and public opinion on public policy.

__Evaluate various forms of political persuasion for validity, emotional appeals, ideology, bias, and prejudice.

__Describe election procedures, including the caucus system.

            __Demonstrate voting skills, including registering to vote, evaluating candidates, and casting a ballot. 

Leftover goals (or goals to be repeated later):
__Define citizen.

__Identify responsibilities of everyone in a republic and explain duties of citizenship.
__Explain the role of interest groups, corporations, think tanks, the media, and public opinion on public policy.

__Analyze the preamble of the U.S. Constitution.

__Identify responsibilities of everyone in a republic and explain duties of citizenship.

Find future goals here: Civics and Economics: Units and Learning Goals