Projects, Projects, Projects

Last Friday we began our 18 powers of Congress presentations.  They were great!  I saw poems, puppet shows, youtube videos, skits, songs, raps, and powerpoints.  We have a few more to give this week, so let's keep up the good work!
Remember, Wednesday is your Preamble test.. 
I know you can do it.

The Powers of Congress

This week we will study the powers of Congress as listed in Article 8 section 1 of the U.S. Constitution.
Your job will be to simplify the 18 powers (hence, the dictionaries around the room!) on the chart you were given in class, then create a song, rap, poem, or cheer.  Your performance is due on Friday.
Have fun with it and learn a few things about our Congress!

The Three Fifths Compromise

Yesterday we studied the "Great Compromise".  The question of representation was an ongoing obstacle throughout the Constitutional Convention.  Even the issue of slavery, which was in itself controversial among many of the Founding Fathers, was entangled in the debate involving the number of votes each state would receive in a national legislature.  Today, we will look at the three fifths compromise and ask the question:  "Was the Three-Fifths Compromise fair?"  Click on the title of today's blog to go to today's lesson.

The U.S. Constitution

This week we will start my favorite part of our curriculum- the U.S. Constitution. Knowledge of our government and how it operates is an integral part of being an American. Our Founding Fathers believed from the beginning, that citizens would need to be educated properly in government and history in order to participate in our federal system. Indeed, it was their knowledge of world history and political philosophy that led them to design a new style of government.

Before we can begin our study of the Constitution we will need to discover why they designed this particular type of government ... and how!

Constitutional Convention Vocabulary

Chapter 8 sections 3 (pg. 236) and 4 (pg. 242) from the textbook.
Vocabulary words:
Section 3
popular sovereignty
federalism
legislative branch
executive branch
judicial branch
Constitutional Convention
James Madison
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Great Compromise
Three-Fifths Compromise
Section 4
amendments
Antifederalists
George Mason
Federalists
Federalist Papers
Bill of Rights