Goal for the day: To debate whether the values underpinning the Constitution are appropriate to today's society.
Today we spent the first half of the class deciding which of the values we have been discussing was most important. Students listed articles and amendments that express each value. We addressed counterarguments, whether the value was more in line with the Federalists or the Anti-Federalists, and how each value has changed over time.
We used voting to identify the top six values in the Constitution: 1) liberty 2) equality 3) justice 4) opportunity 5) progress 6) diversity. The class identified these as the core values expressed in the constitution. Supporting values in the constitution included: security, property/wealth, pursuit of happiness, community, and stability. Peripheral values that are connected to the constitution but not strongly expressed include balance, economic efficiency, and transparency.
To start the second half of this class, I showed the following video about political attitudes of 18-29 year-olds and then gave everyone time to gather their thoughts about whether the order or the values on our board were appropriate for today's challenges or whether values expressed by our government need to change.
Our discussion about this question touched on compassion, security, privacy, and whether education as a value is essential to government today.
Assignment for Tuesday, September 2nd
Claim a question on the Google document about government that I will share with you. There are twenty students in our class and twenty questions. One student. One question. Research the answer on the Internet and put the answer on the Google Doc by Tuesday morning. We'll then have a convenient study guide moving forward about the structure of government.
I will also email to you the chapter on Federalism in The Democratic Debate. I can't upload it here because the file is too large. Read pages 338-345 and pages 353-359 by Tuesday and post your answer to the question on the Federalism Google Doc. You'll need to read the rest of the chapter by Wednesday and so it might be most efficient to read the whole thing in one sitting. These Google Doc entries are all part of your First Amendment Media Project.
Today we spent the first half of the class deciding which of the values we have been discussing was most important. Students listed articles and amendments that express each value. We addressed counterarguments, whether the value was more in line with the Federalists or the Anti-Federalists, and how each value has changed over time.
We used voting to identify the top six values in the Constitution: 1) liberty 2) equality 3) justice 4) opportunity 5) progress 6) diversity. The class identified these as the core values expressed in the constitution. Supporting values in the constitution included: security, property/wealth, pursuit of happiness, community, and stability. Peripheral values that are connected to the constitution but not strongly expressed include balance, economic efficiency, and transparency.
To start the second half of this class, I showed the following video about political attitudes of 18-29 year-olds and then gave everyone time to gather their thoughts about whether the order or the values on our board were appropriate for today's challenges or whether values expressed by our government need to change.
Our discussion about this question touched on compassion, security, privacy, and whether education as a value is essential to government today.
Assignment for Tuesday, September 2nd
Claim a question on the Google document about government that I will share with you. There are twenty students in our class and twenty questions. One student. One question. Research the answer on the Internet and put the answer on the Google Doc by Tuesday morning. We'll then have a convenient study guide moving forward about the structure of government.
I will also email to you the chapter on Federalism in The Democratic Debate. I can't upload it here because the file is too large. Read pages 338-345 and pages 353-359 by Tuesday and post your answer to the question on the Federalism Google Doc. You'll need to read the rest of the chapter by Wednesday and so it might be most efficient to read the whole thing in one sitting. These Google Doc entries are all part of your First Amendment Media Project.