Semester 2 Week 5: The Powers of Congress

Hello! This week we re-capped last week's Three Branches of Government. From there, we went on to discuss the powers of Congress. Remember, Congress is made up of the House of Representitives and the Senate. Do you know what powers Congress has? Here is a video to explain them.

 We also had an excellent opportunity to practice Parliamentary Procedure. Parliamentary Procedure is a code of ethics that is followed in Congress to keep the meeting respectful, organized and efficient. We practiced Parliamentary Procedure by making a trail mix in class and voting on what should or should NOT go into it. Dried blueberries, mini-marshmallows, chocolate chips, fish flakes, cat treats or olives? This was a fun activity and we were sad that some of our classmates couldn't make it. If you email me at JenniferSellsHouses@Gmail.com, I will send you the instructions on how you can do this at home with your family! It's so fun! Here is more about Parliamentary Procedure:

 One job of Congress is to decide how we spend money collected from taxes. Ever wonder what the US National Debt per citizen is? It's around $70,000 per US citizen! You can see how important it is that we elect moral representatives that can manage a budget well! Click here to see the live US debt clock!

ASSIGNMENTS:

-OPINION PAPER: Does congress have too much power or not enough? 

-Our book colloquium is NEXT WEEK! Finish Fifty-Five Fathers by Selma R. Williams. For the love of everything good, read the book and high light the parts you would like to discuss in class! This is a student lead discussion. It's going to be great! 

-HERO REPORTS and PRESENTATIONS are on 3/27/2019. We will be dedicating our class that day to those presentations. So fun!

-Watch the required movies, work on your Constitution Journals, Memorize Scriptures, etc. This list of Ribbon award requirements is found in your binder. 

Remember,

Semester 2 Week 3

Semester 2 Book List

Please gather these wonderful books and read them before the colloquium dates:

1.) Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund  COLLOQUIUM DISCUSSION ON 1/30/2019
Here is a link to purchase on Amazon... Used or on a kindle looks like the best option.

2.) Fifty-Five Fathers by Selma R. Williams COLLOQUIUM DISCUSSION ON 2/20/2019
Here is a link to purchase on the LEMI Website...

3.) The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz COLLOQUIUM DISCUSSION ON 3/20/2019
Here is a link to purchase on Amazon...

4.) The Proper Roll of Government by Ezra Taft Benson COLLOQUIUM DISCUSSION ON 4/17/2019

Click here to listen to this 43 minute talk for FREE! No book is needed.

5.) The Constitution of the United States  COLLOQUIUM DISCUSSION ON 5/1/2019

This can be found in the student's binder.

Week 9: Overcoming Roadblocks/The Law of the Wall

  Hello! This week we discussed how we react when we come upon a roadblock. You may be tempted to give up, but that's usually NOT the best option. The great thinkers of the world didn't give up when things became hard or dangerous and were persistent enough to accomplish GREAT things eventually! A worthy goal is NEVER a bad thing! :)

We held a simulation! The class was divided into two groups and given one blank piece of paper. They had to cross the room, without touching the carpeted areas, etc., using only the assistance of the paper. After this was accomplished, we ripped the paper in half to see if it was still possible! It was. Nice Job!

OPINION PAPER: How do you overcome roadblocks in your life?

Week 8: "Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor"

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." These are the final words of the Declaration of Independence to which the 56 delegates unhesitatingly signed their names, as it were, in blood. We learned that these were men who had much to lose by attaching themselves to this document, and in fact, many of them did lose all they had in the world--money, property, loved ones, even their lives. What they gained, however, was the respect and honor of the American people--us--who even now should still revere these men for their selfless devotion to the causes of liberty and justice. "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall hang separately."-Benjamin Franklin

Here is a re-enactment from the HBO John Adams series of the vote for independence:

And another great video about the sacrifice made by the signers of the Declaration of Independence:

We had a great book discussion on "John Adams, the Reluctant Patriot" by Leonard Falkner.

OPINION PAPER: What is more important, your family or your country?

First Semester Opinion Papers

Here is your list of opinion papers. Please complete up to WEEK 8, and complete the rest as assigned. :)

WEEK 1- What is your responsibility to America and Freedom?

WEEK 2- Write a debrief from the simulation answering these questions. what did you learn about the founders? What did you learn about yourself? How are you going to change because of the simulation? 

WEEK 3- Why is a moral people required for a good government?

WEEK 4- What are your God-given rights?

WEEK 5- When is it right to defend your liberty with guns?

WEEK 6- Define the word stubborn. Is it good to be stubborn?

WEEK 7- What is more important, your family or your country?

WEEK 8- How do you overcome road blocks in your life?

WEEK 9- "For though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire." What does this statement mean to you?

WEEK 10- What made Washington a great man? How can you be more like him?

WEEK 11- Write a letter home as if you were someone who lived in the colonial period.

Week 7: Perseverance in HARD Things

Hello!

 Last week we had some wonderful presentations. This class is. ROCKING. THOSE. PRESENTATIONS. Seriously.

 We had an epic simulation on Pilgrim food by popping (non-GMO, thank you Z and M!) pop corn kernels on the stove with coconut oil, then scooping it into bowls and adding buttermilk and some sugar. Totally interesting and fun! We even watched a video about how a pop corn kernal pops in slow motion. The possible RABBIT TRAILS in this class are killing me every time! Here is the video in case you need to witness it AGAIN!

 

  We also discussed John Adam's life and how, for the most part, he did not receive the credit he deserved to our country's MIRACULOUS foundation. He persevered through the tough times, SCARY times, when he didn't feel well, when his family was suffering, when things weren't fun. YOU CAN TOO! We can do hard things and push through to a greater outcome. We just have to have the right mind-set about our ending goals! Here is an excellent video of JOHN ADAMS in action, giving a persuasive argument about why independence from Britain is necessary:

Here is also the reading of the Declaration of Independence from celebrities that we starting watching.

 Please work on your ribbon assignments, so that you can take away as much as possible from this historical learning opportunity. We love attending and teaching this class with all of you! It really makes us appreciate all of the freedoms that we enjoy on a daily basis, thanks to the sacrifices that have been made by our nation's founders. 

ASSIGNMENTS FOR OUR NEXT CLASS:
NOVEMBER 7th, 2018
Devotional: Kimberly M.
Presentations:
 Life as a Prisoner and Prisons-Donovan


Opinion Paper Assigned: Define the word Stubborn. Is it good to be Stubborn? 
Memorize for next class: Declaration of Independence Statements. Work on the next one you can pass off!
Pass off your Colonial Maps!
Start: Heritage Award Requirements found in your binder!
Finish: John Adams, the Reluctant Patriot of the Revolution. Due: 11/14/2018

Week 6: Tipping Point

Hello! This week we discussed Thomas Jefferson and his life. Did you know that he did not start his formal education until age 9? Did you know that he studied for about 15 hours per day? Or that he wrote the Declaration of Independence?

 CHALLENGE: Tell me something on Wednesday about Thomas Jefferson that we DID NOT go over in class for a treat!

We also discussed different "tipping points". From the balance of power needed to make freedom for a country, one extreme brings anarchy (the total absence of authority, usually leading to someone stepping up that you DON'T want to be in power.) to tyranny (where the authority has all of the power, not leaving any voice for the people.) We also discussed the tipping point/out break of the Revolutionary War. The colonists were fed up with not having representation and being under the King's monarchical/tyrannical rule.

We also discussed the Pen, the Sword and the Voice. These terms represent the different part significant figures in the American Revolution played in the birth of our country. So interesting!

ASSIGNMENTS FOR OUR NEXT CLASS:
October 24th, 2018
Devotional: Elise J.
Presentations:
 Elise J. (Life as a Soldier in the Continental Army)
 Donovan (Hospitals and Doctors in the War)


Opinion Paper Assigned: When is it Right to Defend your Liberty with Guns?
Memorize for next class: Declaration of Independence Statements. Work on the next one you can pass off!
Start: Heritage Award Requirements found in your binder!
Finish: John Adams, the Reluctant Patriot of the Revolution. Due: 11/14/2018

Week 5: Johnny Tremain Movie Day!

We hope our students enjoyed the movie and treats from Marie! So fun!

Week 4: Declaration of Independence Simulation

This week we did our first simulation. The class did awesome. Did you learn anything about the give and take and time that is required to make decisions sometimes? Slavery was a hot topic when it came to making America a "free" nation from England. Some colonies were ready to address it and some were not. They had to agree to take it off of the table for a time, in order to get all of the colonies to agree to detach from the King.  We had fun with this, complete with battery-operated candles on the table, table cloths, and some surprisingly fabulous British accents!

ASSIGNMENTS FOR OUR NEXT CLASS:
October 10th, 2018
Opinion Paper Assigned: Write a debrief from the simulation answering these questions: 
What did you learn about the founders? What did you learn about yourself? How are you going to change because of the simulation?

Memorize for next class: DOI "Statement of Truths" and read over your Constitution Bowl Questions and Answers!
Start: Heritage Award Requirements found in your binder, along with any other ribbons you can complete at home.
Finish the Book by November 14th, 2018: John Adams, the Reluctant Patriot of the Revolution by Leonard Falkner

We also started decorating our keys. We will have many more ribbons to fill in this week! 

Week 3: Know Your Rights!

Hello again!

 This week Ava B. gave her presentation on Life as a Puritan and the Salem Witch Trials. It was awesome and we had discussions about how the Puritans were at the time, "guilty until proven innocent, etc." and those discussions took us on a rabbit trail adventure to other discussions, such as current events going on in the Supreme Court right now! Can I just say that we have an awesome class (again!).

We also went over our Unalienable Rights, as found referenced in the Declaration of Independence. 

"All men are created equal...[and] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

Here is a link to define our Unalienable Rights, and list additional rights to recognize: 

https://www.conservapedia.com/Unalienable_rights


 We also started a video on Unalienable Rights, but my laptop speakers were annoyingly quiet! URGH. Please feel free to microwave some popcorn and watch it here:

We must be educated to know our Unalienable Rights, like the colonists, so that they cannot be taken away from us.

 From there, we watched one of my FAVORITE scenes from televised mini-series on Amazon Prime, "John Adams".

 Later, we had another great discussion on what the average American chooses to study (consensus: video games, social media..?)  and how it will benefit or harm the future generations. Let us be the people who inspire and teach others about the importance (and totally AWESOMENESS) of history and why it is so beneficial for future generations to be interested in it. While you are at it, keep on keepin' on! Be interested in other cool stuff, too! Follow those Rabbit trails that lead you to other interesting topics and have a mental feast!

 We also went over The Stamp Acts. Here is a video that discusses this topic:

 We also worked on memorizing the first paragraph in the Declaration of Independence, "Statement of Coarse". See if you can pass it off next week!

ASSIGNMENTS FOR OUR NEXT CLASS:
October 3rd, 2018
Devotional: Makayla
Presentations:
 Tyler (French and Indian War)
 Zeke (King George III)
Kimberly (The Boston Massacre)

Opinion Paper Assigned: What are your God-given Rights?
Memorize for next class: DOI "Statement of Coarse"
Start: Heritage Award Requirements found in your binder!
Finish: "Rush Revere and The Brave Pilgrims" and/or "The Landing of the Pilgrims" or another book on the Pilgrims of your choosing!

Have a nice week. We enjoy each and every one of you. Enjoy your homework and if you feel overwhelmed, you are growing! Just relax, do your best and have fun with it! :)