JA 8 A Civics: Sep. 27- Oct. 1

This week we will finish up our investigation of the Bill of Rights & begin our discussion of citizenship & the role that citizens play in the political process. We will investigate the rights & responsibilities of people as well as the importance of citizens being actively involved in our democratic process. We will focus on many of the major rights & responsibilities, but our main focus will be the right to vote

US History: Sep. 27- Oct. 1

This week we will continue looking at the young United States, with an emphasis on George Washington's leadership as our first president, as well as the challenges that the nation faced early on. We will then shift our focus to the period of Western Expansion after the Louisiana Purchase by President Thomas Jefferson, which created massive changes for the United States. We will also discuss the importance of Andrew Jackson as a war hero & president as well as the travels of Lewis & Clark & the War of 1812 as well. Stay focused this week as we are off for FALL BREAK next week!

American Govt./Econ: Sep. 27- Oct. 1

This week we will finish up our Constitution projects & then begin our investigation of our Federal system of government, in which power is shared between the national and state governments. We will spend some time looking specifically at how state and local governments operate as well. We will discuss the structure, powers, & roles that state & local governments play in our lives on a daily basis.

JA 8 A Civics: Sep. 20-24

This week we will begin our discussion of the Bill of Rights; the first 10 Amendments to our Constitution. We will break them down and investigate the importance of each of them, & how these rights affect us today. A certain emphasis will be placed on the 1st Amendment, which most people consider to be our most important right as American citizens! We will also investigate the historical reasons for the creation of these amendments as well! Don't forget that your Ch. 3 Packets are due this week on Tuesday!

US History: Sep. 20-24

This week we will finish up our investigation of the American Revolution and shift our focus to the first years of our new nation. We will discuss the Articles of Confederation, which was our first Constitution & a failure. We will discuss the reasons why the Articles created, as well as the reasons they did not work to maintain cooperation of the new United States. Towards the end of the week we will shift our focus towards the Constitutional Convention, a conference set up to "fix" the problems within the Articles of Confederation. However, what happenened was very different & quite a historical moment as those men created the Constitution that we use to this day!

American Govt./ Econ: Sep. 20-24

This week we will continue our investigation of the Constitution by looking more closely at the qualifications, powers, and checks placed upon the branches of our government. Students will also begin a Constitution project this week; details to come on Monday! Students should also work on completing their Ch. 3 Packets & Section Reviews as they are due on this Friday. Don't forget we have shorter classes due to conferences!

JA 8 A Civics: Sep. 13-17

This week we will continue our investigation of the Constitution 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.

US History: Sep. 13-17

This week we will continue researching the American Revolution by looking at some of the important battles & the people involved in them. We will focus on the leadership of George Washington of the revolutionary army & how he was able to bring poor farmers with little military skill together to defeat the strongest army in the entire world. As the week progresses we will also investigate the conditions that the troops had to deal with, including malnutrition, harsh winters, and poor weapons.

American Govt./ Econ: Sep. 13-17

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 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 some of the smaller states within the union.

JA 8 A Civics: Sep. 7-10

This week we will begin 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 arguments between the Federalists & the Anti-Federalists.

*Click on the image to the right for a great breakdown of the debate!

US History: Sep. 7-10

This week we will continue investigating the causes of the American Revolution by discussing the events that led up to it. Aside from the numerous taxes that were being placed on the colonists, there were also large number of British troops within the major cities that were restricting basic liberties. One of the major events we will discuss is the Boston Massacre, which became a turning point in the call for independence for the colonists. Later in the week we will begin to investigate the early battles of the revolution.

American Govt./ Econ: Sep. 7-10

This week we will begin 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.