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.

JA 8 A Civics: Nov. 30-Dec. 4

This week we will continue to discuss how the media influence how we choose our government officials and how the media plays the role of "watchdog" for the citizens. We will also investigate the problem of bias in the news media and how it can play a role in shaping our opinions about political issues. We will continue to discuss the influence of special interest groups as well.

US History: Nov. 30-Dec. 4

This week we will continue our investigation of World War II. We will discuss some of the turning points of the war, including D-Day, Iwo Jima, and the dropping of the atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that essentially ended the war. We will discuss whether or not the United States should have dropped the bombs on the cities. Finally, we will investigate the lasting impact of WWII on the United States and the rest of the world.

American Govt./Econ: Nov. 30-Dec 4

This week we will continue our investigation of needs and wants, consumers, and money. We will discuss how these play a role in everyday economic decisions that WE make. We will look at the opportunity cost involved in making decisions. We will also discuss how we determine the value of money. We will also begin to discuss how people use credit in our economy.

JA 8 A Civics: Nov. 23-27

This week we will look at the different people and groups that influence government in the United States. We will discuss how public opinion helps shape the decisions of our government officials and how public opinion is measured by opinion polls. We will investigate the importance of the mass media and how it influences the public opinion and the government. We will also discuss the "watchdog" role that the media can play. Finally, we will discuss interest groups, and how they influence government as well.

US History: Nov. 23-27

This week we will begin our investigation of the impact of American involvement in World War II. We will discuss the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, which was the event that finally brought the United States directly into the war. We will also highlight the new roles for minorities and women during the war years. We will discuss the turning points of WWII, as well as internment camps, and the effect that the war had on the United States economy.

American Govt./Econ: Nov. 23-27

This week we will continue to investigate the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. We will discuss resources, and how their scarcity is a huge factor in the study of economics. We will look at the production and distribution of goods and services and how that relates to the needs and wants of people. We will investigate and discuss consumers, who are the true guiding force of the economy, as well as the role of government in the economy.

JA 8 A Civics: Nov. 16-20

This week we will begin investigating the voting and election process of the United States. We will discuss how candidates are chosen by their party and eventually elected. We will discuss the importance of advertising and the power of the media in the process as well. We will discuss the Electoral College in detail and describe just how the president of the United States is elected to office.

US History: Nov. 16-20

This week we will continue looking at the Roaring Twenties and the Stock Market Crash that followed. We will discuss how President Hoover dealt with the Great Depression vs. how President Franklin Roosevelt handled it. We will investigate how people's lives were forever changed by the Depression and how Roosevelt's "New Deal" transformed the way government interacts in the lives of citizens. We will discuss the creation of government programs as well as the brewing tensions in Europe during the depression years that eventually led to the outbreak of World War II.

American Govt./ Econ: Nov. 16-20

This week we continue our discussion of scarcity and how it effects everything in economics. We will also investigate opportunity cost, trade-offs, and cost-benefit analysis. As consumers we must realize we can't always have what we want, and so we must make tough decisions in the process. We will also begin looking at the two branches of economics; Macroeconomics and Microeconomics.

JA 8 A Civics: Nov. 9-13

This week we will begin our investigation of political parties and their role in the process of government. We will look at the development of political parties in the United States. Then we will look at the role of political parties today. We will discuss the platforms that each party supports and investigate the major functions of political parties as well.