Welcome Back!

I wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays! I hope all had a Great Thanksgiving and enjoyed having a few days off to spend with their friends and family.

Homework 7th and 8th Grade Due 11/30/2010

7th Grade: 7th Grade students need to accomplish 2 tasks by class tomorrow. The first part of their assignment is to define the following words:

• Manufacturing
• Tariffs
• Imports
• Exports
• Industry

The second part of their assignment is to answer the following question:

• Why were tariffs important in making the United States an Industrial Giant?

8th Grade: 8th Grade students need to complete a chart, similar to the one we did in class today together, listing the advantages and disadvantages of a Unitary Government.

Social Studies Update!

7th Grade: The 7th grade students are currently exploring the settling of the Western Frontier. This unit includes an examination of the opportunities the Western Frontier offered to pioneers, and to the new immigrants coming into the United States. Within this Unit we have also analyzed the significance of Judicial Review and how specific decisions, like Dred Scott, Plessy vs. Ferguson, or the Scopes Trial impacted the Country. Following our discussion of the Frontier, the students will immediately begin the Unit on the Age of Revolution which as a class we will determine the effect of the Industrial Revolution on the Western World.

8th Grade: The 8th grade students are diligently working on their Government Unit. As a class we have examined how the following philosophies and documents influenced the creation of the Constitution: The Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, John Locke’s theories of natural law, and the social contract, the Articles of Confederation, and the Mayflower Compact. Furthermore, in our studies we have also uncovered the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and as such gained an understanding for the purpose of The Constitutional Convention. We will continue on with our Government Unit for another two weeks.

7th and 8th Grade Homework Due November 9,2010

7th Grade: The 7th graders are responsible for answering the following 11 questions:

1. What is Judicial Review?
2. Give 2 examples of court cases where Judicial Review was used.
3. What were the Black Codes?
4. How did the Civil Rights Act of 1866 effect African Americans?
5. Who is the current Vice President of the United States and what political party does he/she represent?
6. Who is the current Governor of Arizona and what political party does he/she represent?
7. Explain how separate but equal affected the country.
8. Why do we study history?
9. Give one example of a proposition that Arizona citizens voted for on Tuesday November 2nd 2010.
10. Explain the difference between direct and representative democracy.
11. What is the difference between the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments and how did they each affect African Americans? Also, Define the word Amend.

8th Grade: 8th grade students need to answer the following question, "Explain the difference between a Unitary Government in a place like England vs. a Unitary Government under a dictatorship in a place like North Korea."

8th Grade update!

8th grade: The 8th graders are in the process of learning about government and the important documents used by our founding fathers to help in their creation of the United States Constitution. Currently they are using the Learning about Government book to aid in their understanding of this material.

8th Grade homework: On Monday November 1st 8A was responsible for completing pages 5 -10 in their government books for Tuesday. On Tuesday November 2nd 8B was given the same assignment which is due today, Wednesday November 3rd.