Making of Modern America

Making of Modern America Unit 10 Week 1

Homework for the week • Monday • Read and Cornell Notes on p.731-733 • Tuesday • Finish the questions for Ch. 56 from today’s activity • Block Day • Finish thesis statements • Friday • Read and Cornell Notes on p.744-745

Agenda, Monday, 4/29 • Celebrating Our Community: Shoutouts for class members • Guidelines for how to write a good shoutout • Computer lab time for shoutouts • HW: Read and Cornell Notes on p.731-733

Agenda, Tuesday, 4/30 • HOT ROC – Political Cartoon analysis • Vocab – review terms liberal and conservative • Background on Reagan • Liberal and conservative pov on the Reagan Revolution HW: Finish class activity and questions for sections 56.3, 56.4

Immigration HOT ROC: • 1. What is happening in the cartoon? Who are the people in the boats? • 2. In what ways are these people “undocumented”? • 3. What point is the cartoonist trying to make about undocumented immigrants and U.S. history? • 4. What was one of the solutions to undocumented immigration that was given on p.740-741? "well they look pretty undocumented to me"

The Reagan Revolution

Background on Reagan • Actor, TV host, and governor of California • Elected in 1980 with an 8 million vote lead • Supported the Moral Majority- Strong Christian political activists who were concerned about the moral decline in society • Supported the New Right- Political group who pushed for conservative causes • Known as the “Great Communicator”

Part 1Political Debate Analysis • Question: • Review the terms “Liberal” & “Conservative” • Activity: • On the television show Across Fire, guests debate current political topics. • The following is a transcript from one episode. During this episode, liberal guests Laura and Lyle debated the role of government with conservative guests Carl and Connie. • Create a T-chart on a piece of paper. Label the left side Liberal and the right side Conservative. Based on the transcript, list at least three characteristics of a liberal and at least three characteristics of a conservative.

Carl (contemplatively): You know, in general, I believe that our national government governs best when it governs least. This is especially important in economic affairs. • Laura (shaking her head): I disagree, Carl! I think the federal government has an obligation to monitor businesses. It needs to prevent them from polluting the environment and taking advantage of consumers and workers! • Connie (exasperated): No one is saying that we want businesses to abuse our citizens, Laura. But when businesses prosper, prosperity will trickle down to all Americans. • Lyle (pointing a finger at Connie): But how long will that trickle-down effect take, Connie? One year? Ten years? I believe that the government has a duty to take care of all of its citizens now! • Laura (with enthusiasm): Lyle’s right. You know, a lot of people these days talk about cutting taxes. But we need to be careful. Cutting taxes might lead to cutting federal programs. I fear the programs that will be cut will be those that help the most needy! • Carl (pounding fists on desk): Regardless of tax cuts, the national government shouldn’t be spending our limited resources on programs that give people free handouts. When a government takes care of people too much, they become leeches on society. • Connie (nodding): We need to shrink the size of the federal government. The role of the national government should be to provide for the national defense and conduct international affairs. Let the state and local governments take care of the needs of citizens. • Lyle (in a patronizing tone): I wish it were so simple, Connie! But the national government exists to ensure that ideals like equality and opportunity are attainable to all Americans . . .

Part 2 • Discuss the debate • What are the liberal views? • What are the conservative views? • Then, on the T-chart give the 2 perspectives on the following topics: • 56.3 – Tax cuts, deregulation, deficits • 56.4 – Gov’t programs, HIV, drug abuse, civil rights and immigration • Pgs 734- 739

T Chart Analysis – Complete these questions for HW • Section 56.3 Questions • 1. Is New Federalism good for America? • 2. Is supply-side economics good for America? • 3. Is deregulation good for America? • 4. Are Reagan’s budget priorities, which have led to high federal budget deficits and a high national debt, good for America? • Section 56.4 Questions • 1. Are reductions in federal social welfare programs good for America? • 2. Is Reagan’s antidrug approach good for America? • 3. Have the Reagan-era Supreme Court decisions on student privacy been good for America? • 4. Are Reagan’s civil rights policies good for America?

Block Day Agenda, 5/1-5/2 • HOT ROC – Vocab card quiz • “Political Civility” and Effective leadership • Evaluating Reagan’s domestic policy Prompt: Evaluate was Reagan an effective leader? Essential Question: Was Ronald Reagan an effective leader? Homework: Finish up thesis statements from class

“Political Civility” and Effective Leadership • Read over the following document “Political Civility” in pairs and answer the accompanying questions. We will debrief this as a class after you are done!

Brainstorm: Effective Leadership • What traits or characteristics do effective leaders have?

Criteria Evidence Evaluation Prejudice Directive word: Evaluate • Evaluate- For a subject, identify criteria and measure evidence against the criteria. Decide if the subject meets the criteria or not. • 1. Set criteria • 2. Gather Evidence • 3. Compare Evidence and Criteria to make your Evaluation

Evaluate: Ronald Reagan • Was Ronald Reagan an effective leader? • Use the criteria we came up with as a class, as well as the following criteria: Did he identify REAL problems and come up with REAL solutions?

Optional Writing Prompt • Do you think Ronald Reagan was an effective leader? Why or why not (or you can decide he’s a little of both)? Use two quotations from the documents to support your argument. 1 page expectation.

Agenda, Friday, 5/3 • HOT ROC • Project Overview and rubric HW: Read and Cornell Notes on p.744-745

HOT ROC • What are three controversial topics that you are interest in that relate to US history?

US History Final Project Spring 2013 – Due May 22ndOpposing Viewpoints Assignment: Choose a controversial topic from the list below, or develop one on your own, and complete the following activity:

Final Project – Poster layout

Scoring Guide Advanced __Includes all aspects of a proficient project __shows quality craftsmanship, attention to detail, time and effort __2 historical connections are made __presentation shows excellent understanding of the topic __Thesis or other writing connects the topic to larger trends studied in the year (such as fostering or challenging the ideals, big gov’t vs. big business, rights of minorities) Proficient __Thesis statements clearly supports opinion with 2-3 reasons why. __1 historical connection is made __Research is detailed and explained clearly in your own words. __Citations are complete and follow MLA format. __Summarization clearly explains the pros and cons of the issue. __Prepared on the due date to present material __Writing is clear and grammatically correct. __Completes all parts of the assignment Basic Completes 6-7 of the proficiency criteria Below Basic Completes 5 of the proficiency criteria Far Below Basic – 4 or fewer of the proficiency criteria

Making of Modern America