Winter Break!

Winter Break begins at the end of the day on 12-18-09. Classes resume on 01-04-10. I hope all students have a safe and happy holiday break!! :)

JA 8 A Civics: Dec. 14-18

This week we will begin our investigation of a new unit; The Individual, the Law, & the Internet. We will discuss legal rights and responsibilities, types of laws, types of court cases, and finally we will investigate citizenship and the internet and how it applies to civics in the United States.

US History: Dec. 14-18

This week we will continue our investigation of the Cold War and shift to how it affected the United States in the 1960's. We will discuss the presidency of JFK, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the continued build-up of nuclear weapons and the Space Race. Finally, we will begin our investigation of the Vietnam War, and how it transformed the United States. We will also begin to look at the growing counter-culture movements and social reforms of the era.

American Govt./Econ: Dec. 14-18

This week students will finish and present their consumer economics projects and we will discuss the role of government in protecting consumers. We will then shift our focus to our Financial Planning Program. Students will continue to work on their SMART goals and budgeting their money. We will also take a look at the basics of banking. We will investigate the difference between fixed and variable expenses, and continue to discuss needs and wants in the budgeting process.

JA 8 A Civics: Dec. 7-11

This week we will continue our investigation of interest groups and the role they play in American politics. We will look at how these groups attract people to their cause. Towards the end of the week we will shift our focus to state and local governments. We will compare and contrast the structure of the branches at the different levels of government.

US History: Dec. 7-11

This week we will continue to investigate the impact of WWII on the United States and we will begin to discuss the Cold War that emerged between the United States and the Soviet Union for influence in world affairs. We will discuss the nuclear arms race, anticommunism, and the fear that Americans faced of a possible nuclear attack while experiencing the economic prosperity of the 1950's. We will also investigate groups that we not part of the economic prosperity that began to fight for their civil rights.

American Govt./Econ: Dec. 7-11

This week we will investigate the American Free Enterprise System. We will discuss how this capitalist system creates the most freedom for consumers and producers in a society and gives them the opportunity to make choices with little government intervention. We will break down the advantages and disadvantages of our system and talk about the force that encourages people to play a role in it, PROFIT MOTIVE! We will also touch on how our economic freedoms are aligned with our political freedoms in the United States, as well as discussing public goods and transfer programs.