1. U.S. Govt & Politics Course

2. What is this class about and what am I going to be doing?
Q of the day:
What is this class about and what am I going to be doing?

3. Your Education this Far…
Preamble- AKA Warm UP/DO NOW
(Your brain is a muscle, it needs to warm up, just like an athlete before practice)
Freewrite (3 minutes)
Describe in your own words what most of your education has been like? What have you been doing in classrooms?

4. Maybe your education has been like this…
Take a look at the short clip from the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day off” and write down any observations about what you see between the teacher and student…
Jedi Partner-You watch what the teacher is doing…
Empire Partner-You watch what the students are doing…
Voo Doo Economics
Take 1 min each with your partner to discuss what you noticed…
Is this the best environment for letting brains do their work?

5. A visual for your education so far… Can you figure out what these two pictures are telling you about your education so far…

6. To slay the beast, you gotta know the beast!
What am I studying:
Why am I studying this:
U.S. Govt & Politics-
Govt is structure, systems, rules, that tell govt how to do it’s job;
Politics- how people play the game
1. Because you have to if you want to graduate!
2. Unless you have been hiding under a rock, we are not in the best of times!!!!

7. A Moment to Discuss Perspective…
Limited Perspective
360 Perspective

8. Morgana’s Approach to the class…
This is a class about IDEAS and how they play out in the real world
This is called Conceptual Learning
This is all about YOU and YOUR learning, not mine
STOP DOING WORK FOR TEACHERS!
You study the idea first, then look at how it plays out
Helps you develop critical thinking- which is what you do in college and the real world- problem solve
The 360 Degree Approach-You will “look” at everything to make rational, evidence based, logical conclusions in your analysis
This is a part of the CER work you began last year
How is this approach different than what you’re used to?

9. A Different Approach Contd
Most of you have been going to school looking to get the right answer to get a good grade and feel good about yourself…I ain’t mad atcha!
But, are you really learning? Not just the information, but about WHO YOU ARE?
I am more concerned with not getting the right answer, but the process of learning and figuring out how to solve problems
AND… in that process you learn about YOU
That is really what life is about, right?

10. Building Our Team-TBD

11. #Goals for Learning in Life…
Behavior
Skills
This is how you feel and what you do with those feelings:
I.e. For example
Confidence
Motivation
Disposition (qualities) for success
This is what you know how to do:
I.e. For example
Problem solving
Knowledge
Critically Think

12. Anyone know how to BBQ?... Marinated Steak Non Marinated Steak
Can someone explain the basics of putting a steak on the grill when it has not been seasoned or marinated?
Can someone else explain how the steak is different once it has been marinated?

13. What will I be doing to get ready for the Stampede! Part 1
Reading- You’ll be reading every week most of the time- You’ll be reading variety of documents,-goal is to get you ready for the level and volume of reading next year

14. What will I be doing to get ready for the Stampede! Part 2
Academic Discussion- How do you practice to see if what you have read, taken notes, etc has actually stuck in your head… by talking

15. What will I be doing to get ready for the Stampede! Part 3
Writing- Your time to shine! This helps you to put your thoughts and ideas and communicate to the world what you think!

16. #GOALS…Why we are doing this?...
Short Term #goals:
By May of 2018 in Economics…
Your final for the course is an 8-10 page research paper on the financial collapse of Detroit, Michigan in 2013
Long Term #goals:
In order to do the research paper and be an adult…
You have to learn how to be independent…
Independence is your final goal

17. Marinate!!!!!! (Sazonar en Español)
Why and how are reading, writing, and speaking connected? (how do they help you to learn?)
Reading Speaking Writing Critical Thinking

18. Nuts and Bolts: Day to Day
Session 1-2:
Usually will be an introduction to concept(s) of the unit
Will be some lecture of some kind, with some activities to help you chew/marinate on ideas presented
Session 3-4- Will be where YOU read the variety of documents you will use to support your arguments
Session 4-5- Will be where YOU talk about the ideas so far and together and individually work out the challenges
Session 6-7 Will be where YOU will do, make, create, write, draw, SOMETHING to make sense of ALLLL the work

19. Course Website Website where you will have access to:
Get the breakdown of the week
Documents/Resources
Turn in assignments
Participate in online discussions
This is your lifeline for the course!
Here is an example of what it will look like:
Let’s go over the basics right now.

20. Thinking Logs & Blogs
How are you suppose to know how you’re doing? How do you know if you understand a concept?
I will be providing tools to show you how to track your own thinking & learning so you can be successful in class
You will be blogging online (using site) to not only turn in your thinking but also be able to dialogue with your colleagues

21. Thinking Log Example

22. Thinking Logs & Reflections
For example:
 How do I feel about this concept?:
“I get it” = I can teach it to a stranger
“So-So” = I can’t teach it, but I know what to study & will get it on my own
“I’m lost” = I don’t get it & need help understanding it
“WTH” = I have no idea what this is at all.

23. So how do you feel about all this???
Take 1min to write about info presented so far- I will ask everyone to share:
1 strength that you feel you can bring to the Nuts & Bolts of course
1 area for possible help(where you are worried, feel anxious about, etc)

24. Debrief/Reflections (aka Exit Slips)…
You will often be writing a short reflection at the end of a session. I will collect these to get an understanding of where you are. Below are guidelines for exit slips…
In paragraph form
In full sentences
At least ONE full paragraph or more (depending on task)
More on this later…

25. Highlights from this session…
Write a reflection of some the items we talked about that stood out to you…
OR something you have a question about,
OR something you agreed with
OR something you disagreed with.
Be sure to write in full sentences!
We will be working on setting up our work for the year for the next 3-4 sessions before we hit any actual Government course work.