April 4-5, 2011 Mr. Gordon

Announcements and Agenda Grades are up to date: Assignments include: Parent Signature, Survey, Pre-test and Exit Slip #1 If you are missing any of these please see me! Assignment Bins Bring books to class from now on! Agenda Student survey summary Pre-test summary and a few things to note Bill of Rights activity Worksheet, Discussion, Reflection Start U.S. Court System activity in preparation for Supreme Court Simulation

Student survey summary I found out… A lot, thank you for your thoughtful answers and for feeling comfortable sharing personal information. 63% of you plan on participating in school of some kind after high school. Sweet! Let me know if you have questions. 34% of you have a job. I will keep this in mind when assigning homework. The three class average for importance of PowerPoint is 7.6/10 People want to learn more about: voting, taxes, presidents and the organization of the government. Topics I will be sure to cover.

Pre-test summary Three Class Average: 27% High Score: 60.5% Vocabulary Portion of the test: 16.8% of points possible in this section Remember to use the word wall and drill and practice station for vocabulary practice Also remember to take notes in class (preferably c-notes). We will be covering each portion of the test in detail and it will be important to take notes so that you have all the important information at your access to review. Speaking of notes…

A few things to clear up Checks and balances has nothing to do with check books or bank accounts. Checks and Balances refers to the separation of powers in government, set-up in the 3 branches of our government. This system ensures no one individual or branch has too much power. Puts checks on the other branches to ensure there is no abuse of power.

3 Branches Unit During the next few weeks we will be studying how the three branches of government work together in that system of checks and balances. The graphic organizer sheet will be a helpful tool in understanding these branches and their interactions. These branches were established, as you have learned, with the Constitution. The freedoms of individuals were later clarified by the Bill of Rights. Which is where we will focus today. But first, to review…

The Three Branches

Constitution We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Article One: Legislative Power Article Two: Executive power Article Three: Judicial power

The Bill of Rights The first ten amendments to the constitution. Constitution was ratified June 21, 1788 Bill of Rights was ratified December 15, 1791 Why? Because many feared the idea of the social contract. Having just fought for freedom from Great Britain some feared that the government could become to powerful and overbearing. The Bill of Rights clarified individual freedoms.

Bill of Rights continued… Federalism: A political system in which power is divided between a central government and smaller regional governments. Federalists vs. Anti-federalists Why do you think some people feared creating a constitution? Why fear a social contract? What were some of the rights described…

Shoeless Joe and Scott Free explain…

Bill of Rights Activity First, Individually read through the “Bill of Rights Organizer” and match the correct “summary” after reading each amendment. Next, think of a current event or create a scenario which you believe would represent each amendment and record this in the “application” box for each amendment. Second, use the worksheet included and begin to rank the rights in the order that you think they are the most important. We will then be working in small groups to discuss the same idea and come up with small group preferences. We will get into small groups in about minutes depending on how quickly people are finishing. If you need another reference of information pages in the textbook have more detail about each of the amendments.

Government: How it works for you

Did you know there are three branches of the Federal Government? Executive Legislative Judicial

The United States Supreme Court is the head of the Judicial Branch

The judicial branch oversees the court system of the United States. Explains the meaning of the Constitution and laws passed by Congress Rules on whether something is unconstitutional or constitutional

On the Supreme Court there are nine justices, or judges; eight associate and one chief justice. Judges are nominated by the President and approved by the Senate. Have no term limits. Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. Its decisions are final, and no other court can overrule their decisions.

The U.S. Court System Fill out the U.S. court system packet using the prompts from the attached sheet. Use information from chapter 15 to help you complete the graphic organizers. Page 280 in the textbook.

The President of The United States is the head of the Executive Branch

The Secretary of Agriculture The Secretary of the Interior The Secretary of Commerce The Secretary of Education The Secretary of Health and Human Services The Secretary of Homeland Security The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development The Secretary of Transportation The Secretary of Veterans' Affairs The Executive Branch also includes the Vice President and other officials, such as members of the cabinet. The Secretary of State The Secretary of Labor The Secretary of the Treasury The Secretary of Energy The Secretary of Defense The Attorney General

The legislative branch is made up of the two houses of Congress- the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Most important duty of the legislative branch is to make laws There are 100 senators in the senate, two from each state There are 435 representatives in the House of Representatives. The number of representatives is based on each state’s population

Did you know that each state’s constitution also separates power between three branches of government? Oregon, like the federal government has Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches of government to protect its citizens.

The Governor is the head of the state executive branch. The executive branch also includes the Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor and the State Land Commissioner.

The state judicial branch is made up of five court systems: The Oregon Supreme Court Oregon Court of Appeals Circuit Courts District Courts City Courts

At the top level is the Supreme Court where there are nine justices, or judges: 8 associate justices and one chief justice. Unlike the federal judicial branch the state Supreme Court Justices are elected by the people.

The state legislative branch, like the federal legislative branch is made up of two houses- the Senate and the House of Representatives. The state legislative branch also creates laws; there are 35 senators and 100 representatives. They meet every odd year in January at the State Capitol in Little Rock for their regular session.

Do you know how a bill becomes a law? We know that the legislative branch makes them, but do we know how?

First, a concerned citizen contacts his/her senator or representative about an idea that they would like to see become a law. After the researching is done the legislator has the bill drafted by their staff. After a bill is drafted, it can be introduced by any member of the house or senate, and more than one legislator can sponsor a bill. The bill is filed with the bill clerk, who assigns the bill a number.

The bill is then introduced and read in the house or the senate for the first and usually a second time ( a bill must be read three times before final passage). After reading, the bill is assigned to the appropriate committee. The committee schedules the bill to be read at a public meeting where legislators and anyone interested can speak for or against the bill. The committee can also add amendments to a bill. The committee then votes on the bill. The committee votes do pass, do pass as amended, do not pass, or without recommendation.

If a bill is amended, the bill is engrossed to include the amendment. When a bill comes out of committee it is placed on the calendar for a third reading. At the third reading, the reading clerk reads the title of the bill for the third and final time. Vote: Most bills are adopted by a simple majority. Appropriation bills require a 3/4 vote. Initiated acts may be amended or repealed by a 2/3 vote of both houses.

If the bill fails, it dies on the floor. If the bill passes, it is sent to the opposite chamber and repeats the process that it followed in the previous chamber. If the house amends a senate bill, it is then referred to the senate and then referred to a committee.

Conference Committee: If the 2 houses cannot agree on a bill, the differences are reconciled by a conference committee with representatives from each House. Compromises subject to approval by both houses. When bills are passed by both houses, the enrolled bill is certified by the presiding officer of each house and sent to the Governor.

The Governor must sign, veto, or refer the bill back to its House of origin with his objections within 5 days. The bill may be passed over the Governor’s veto by a simple majority vote of both houses. A bill not signed or returned within 5 days of session must be signed or vetoed by the Governor within 20 days of adjournment of the general assembly or they become law without his signature. All acts are given a number and filed with the Secretary of State.