World History: Sep. 24-28

This week we will continue our investigation of the Roman Empire. We will examine how Rome went from republic to the most dominant empire in the world. We will also discuss the lasting impact the Romans left for future generations. We will also examine the emergence of Christianity in the Roman empire, through the works of Jesus & his followers. We will investigate the impact that Christianity had in the empire, especially during Constantine's  reign, when he became the first emperor to convert to the religion & make it legal to practice. Towards the end of the week we will examine how the Roman empire began to decay, & eventually fall at the hands of European tribes.

American Government: Sep. 24-28

This week we will continue our investigation of the Legislative Branch of our Federal Government. We will discuss the many roles of the Legislative Branch, along with how checks & balances affect it as well. We will investigate how members of Congress are elected, & what the men & women of Congress actually do when they go to work! Emphasis will be placed on how a bill becomes a law (Click on the awesome infographic above!). We will discuss how bills move through Congress, are voted upon, & can eventually become law in our nation. We will also investigate the similarities & differences between the House of Representatives & the Senate and how the committee system works as well!

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JA 8 A Civics: Sep. 17-21

This week we will begin our investigation of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution. These amendments give Americans some of their most basic freedoms and we will spend some time looking at each one in detail. We will discuss each of them and how they affect our lives on a daily basis. We will also investigate how the Bill of Rights did not originally apply to everyone; including women, African American, and Native Americans. We will also investigate how people struggled to earn their civil rights, and how the Constitution has been amended to include them over the years.

World History: Sep. 17-21

This week we will begin our investigation of Ancient Rome. We will emphasize on the transition from republic to empire & our focus will be on the leadership of Julius Caesar. We will discuss how Caesar gained popularity & power in Rome through his military conquests. As the week progresses we will look at the formation of the Roman Empire & the role of Augustus (Octavian) after Caesar's murder, at the hands of members of the Roman senate on the Ides (15th) of March! We will also begin to discuss the lasting legacy the Romans left for future generations.

American Government: Sep. 17-21

This week we will continue our invesitgation of the Constitution, which will include the principle of American Federalism. We will investigate how our national government works with the state governments spread across the country. We will study the types of powers and laws that are granted to the federal and state governments, as well as those powers that are shared.. We will discuss the evolving relationship between the state and national governments, and the conflicts that can arise. We will discuss the issues of the tenth amendment, which focuses on state rights. We will also look at some landmark Supreme Court cases like McCulloch v. Maryland, that have set the precedent that actions of individual states may not impede valid constitutional exercises of power by the Federal government.

JA 8 A Civics: Sep. 10-14

This week we will continue our investigation of the Constitution. We will look at the structure of the Constitution, first by looking at the three different branches within our government & the powers granted to them. We will discuss the reasoning behind the separation of powers & the limits placed on the government. We will investigate the duties that each branch performs & how the branches must work together in order for our government to run smoothly.

World History: Sep. 10-14

This week we will wrap up our investigation of Ancient Greece by examining the empire created by Alexander the Great. We will investigate how Greek culture spread through other parts of the world as Alexander conquered new territories. We will take a close look at the impact that the Greeks have had on all of Western culture up to the present day.

American Government: Sep. 10-14

This week we will continue our examination of the Constitution by looking at how power is distributed between the three branches of government. We will discuss why there was an emphasis on the separation of powers & the idea of checks & balances. We will look closely at the qualifications, powers, & checks placed on the different branches. We will also continue to look at how early American history shaped the Constitution, as well as the inclusion of a Bill of Rights that was added to satisfy the Anti-Federalists as well as smaller states within the union.

JA 8 A Civics: Sep. 3-7

This week we will continue our investigation of the American government under the Articles of Confederation after the revolutionary war. We will discuss the problems that existed in the Articles & the reasons why they needed to be changed. As we look at the debates between the framers, we will investigate the reasons why the Articles constrained the national government's power; which basically made it inoperable. As the week progresses, we will discuss the events surrounding the Constitutional Convention and the decisions that were made there in the summer of 1787.

World History: Sep. 3-7

This week we will begin our investigation into the ancient civilization of Greece. This is truly the birthplace of Western civilization. We will discuss how geography played a role in the development of culture, religion, and politics. We will examine the significant contributions made by the Greeks in philosophy, architecture, science, and the arts. Early in the week we will focus on the powerful city-states of Athens & Sparta. Towards the end of the week we will examine the empire of Alexander the Great and the spread of Greek culture through his conquests.

American Government: Sep. 3-7

This week we will continue our investigation of the U.S. Constitution & why it replaced the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution is the foundation on which American government & society are based, and it effects our lives everyday. As the week progresses, we will break down each part of the document & examine the structure of our government within the three branches.

JA 8 A Civics: Aug. 27-31

This week we continue our discussion of the English roots of American democracy & then we will examine some of the major events that played a role in the development of the American system of government. We will look at the causes & effects of the American Revolution, and we will look closely at the Declaration of Independence.

World History: Aug.27-31

This week students will present their Pharaoh Fakebook Projects and then we will begin to look at  the origins of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. We will examine the similarities and differences of the religions and how they changed over time. We will also investigate Indo-Europeans and seafaring traders before moving onto our exploration of Ancient Greece!

American Government: Aug. 27-31

This week we will continue examining the people & events that helped shape the government of the United States. We will look closely at why such emphasis was placed on limited & representative government. We will then discuss the Articles of Confederation; which was our first constitution. We will break down its highlights and examine why it was ultimately unsuccessful.