NEW WEBSITE!!!

Students,

Beginning this week we will no longer be using this blog for class. As you know, I made a new google sites website for my classes. It is located at:

http://fur.ly/0/mrellsworth

From now on, you will find what you need for class at that website.

Thank You,

Mr. Ellsworth

Week 4 Slides - Ideals & Principles of Democracy

Students,

At the end of this week, or the beginning of next week, we will have the first test of the semester. Some of you may be better at studying or learning this information when you are using something more like a textbook. Go to the following link and you can read a site that is very similar to the textbook off which I am sequencing my lessons. It may give you more information and help you remember more.

http://www.dsusd.k12.ca.us/users/kevin.husen/AmericanGov/Book/iText/products/0-13-251359-5/ch1/ch1_0_0.html

Hope this helps!

Mr. Ellsworth

Key Words for Week 4 - Ideals & Principles of American Democracy

Students,

Here are the most important vocabulary words that you will know by the end of this week. Use the flashcards, and other study games, on Quizlet to help you learn them.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

8th Period - New Spell & Write Packet

Students,

Print out Unit 1 as this week's Spell & Write words/packet.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

 

American Government Quiz #2

The Constitution and the Crisis in Syria

Students,

Over the last week we have formally, and informally, talked about the crisis in Syria as an example of several of the classic forms of government. Tonight you will be assigned to watch and outline President Obama's televised speech to the people of the United States at 9:00 pm on every major network. Today and tomorrow, in class, we will look at the the options before President Obama, and how the Constitution of the United States factors into the decision in America to go to war. As you listen to the President tonight, use these resources from class to help you understand what he is saying.

More than anything, enjoy our dialog. We live in a country where this type of debate is intended to restrict sudden decisions by one person to send our military into any old war. This is not the case in most of the world, and was not the case under King George in the 1700s.

Enjoy,

Mr. Ellsworth

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Background, the Constitutional Process, and Outline Example

UPDATE #1: Students, Here is the President's Rose Garden statement about Syria from Saturday. There is a link to its transcript (the words) on the website. We ran out of time in class today, but I promised you I would outline this speech as an example of how I would like you to outline the President's televised speech tonight. Check back here between 8:00 and 8:30 tonight to see my outline. I will also share it with you over google drive when it is finished, so check your email as it gets closer to the speech. - Mr. Ellsworth.



UPDATE #2: Students, below is my outline of President Obama's Rose Garden statement on Saturday. I want you to practice outline note-taking in my class, as it is a life-skill you will need beyond high school. Please do not be scared about my outline. I've been doing it for a long time. We will work on it throughout the semester. Do the best you can to get the major points of the President's speech tonight and as many of the details as you can. Also, I did not do this once and then walk away. I took rough notes while listening/watching it "live" (kind of like a draft), and then I went back afterwards and organized it into a more structured form. I also used the transcript of the speech to fill in details that he said too quickly for me to remember in the moment. The transcript for tonight's speech should go online within five minutes of the end of the speech. As I said in class today, I will be watching it and making an outline as well. I also plan to go to the transcript afterward. You should do the same in order to clear up any confusion you have while listening to the speech.

Good luck, and enjoy this. No president has formally asked permission to go to war or to make a minor military action since President Roosevelt in 1941. You are witnessing history and the setting of precedent that could reign in presidential power for decades to come. You are here now to see it happen. To me, that's exciting!



Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Arguments, Options, and Cabinet Meeting

Texts for 1st Quarter Informative Writing Assessment

Leveled texts for SWCS ESL Department 1st Quarter Writing Assessment (Informative Writing).

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L2
Climbing Everest - L2
Scary Snake - L2
Therapy Dog - L2

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L4
Climbing Everest - L4
Scary Snake - L4
Therapy Dog - L4

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L6

Climbing Everest - L6

Scary Snake - L6

Therapy Dog - L6

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L8
Climbing Everest - L8
Scary Snake - L8
Therapy Dog - L8

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L10
Climbing Everest - L10
Scary Snake - L10
Therapy Dog - L10

Bell Ringer - Monday, September 9, 2013

Preambles

Students,

Please memorize the great preambles from American history. You will receive a grade for the Preamble to the Constitution (mandatory=required). If you can also memorize the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, you will receive extra credit points! You will recite the preambles on upcoming test and say them outloud for credit in two weeks.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

Human Rights Discussion

Slides for Week 2

Students,

Here are the slides from this week's class. Know them! Love them! Use them to help you remember the Forms of Government.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

Parliamentary v. Presidential Democracy Comparison Video

Key Vocabulary - Week of September 2nd - 6th

Students,

Here are the most important vocabulary words that you will know by the end of this week. Use the flashcards, and other study games, on Quizlet to help you learn them.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

3rd Period DLR & Word Study

Students,

Based on your quizzes and packets from last week, I decided to take the Spell & Write words up a level. Until further notice, this is where you should access, and print, your weekly assignment.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

7th & 8th Period Word Study Packets

Students,

Based on your quizzes and packets from last week, I decided to take the Spell & Write words up a level. Until further notice, this is where you should access, and print, your weekly assignment.

Thanks, 

 Mr. Ellsworth

 

Week 1 American Government Quiz

Desert Island Assignment

My Rights vs. Yours

"The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." - Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., the year he was nominated to

the Supreme Court.

The Enlightenment

The Enlightenment, or The Age of Reason, was a movement of European and American thinkers in the 1600s and 1700s that wanted to reform society away from irrationality, superstition, and dogmatism. Enlightenment thinkers used logic and reason to challenge ideas based on ignorance and superstition.
(To see and hear the definition of difficult words, double-click on the word).

Related to government, these thinkers included John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jeffereson, Benjamin Franklin, etc. Their major contributions to government include social contract theory and the idea of natural rights. Their ideas were used throughout Europe by kings and queens as Enlightened Absolutism, and were the central ideas in the American and French Revolutions.

Slides for Week 1

Students,

Here are the slides from this week's class. Know them! Love them! Use them to help you remember the Origins of the State and the Functions of Government.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

Bell Ringers - Week of August 26th - 30th

Students,

In case you are absent or late for American Government class on Tuesday or Wednesday this week, here are the bell ringer assignments. They are due to me by the end of the day on Friday, August 30th.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

Key Vocabulary - Week of August 26th - 30th

Students,

Here are the most important vocabulary words that you will know by the end of this week. Use the flashcards, and other study games, on Quizlet to help you learn them.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

What is a Contract?

A contract is an agreement between two people that says what one person will get in return for what the other person will give. An example of a contract is a contract to play a sport for a professional team.

In the same way, John Locke suggested that government should be a social contract between the people and the government. The people give up some power to the government in order for the government to maintain order, and the government promises to protect the natural rights of the people as written in the contract. An example of a social contract is the Constitution of the United States of America.

SFL Standard Playing Contract - Southern Football League

powered by MyBookezzz.com

Student Interest Survey

Students,

If you did not receive, or lost, your student interest graphic organizer, you can download and print one from right here and turn it in.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

TESOL English Syllabus & Parent Letter

Parents & Students,

Attached to this post is the TESOL English course syllabus and a letter to students' parents explaining some details about the course. Please print out the parent letter, go over it with your child, and both sign it. If returned by Monday, August 26th, your child will receive bonus points.

Thank you, and I look forward to a good year with your child.

Sincerely,

Mr. Ellsworth

American Government Syllabus & Parent Letter

Parents & Students,

Attached to this post is the American Government course syllabus and a letter to students' parents explaining some details about the course. Please print out the parent letter, go over it with your child, and both sign it. If returned by Monday, August 26th, your child will receive bonus points.

Thank you, and I look forward to a good semester with your child.

Sincerely,

Mr. Ellsworth

American Government Pre-Test

American Government Students,

          Please take this pre-test. It is due no later than the end of class on Friday, August 23.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

 

Grammar Pre-Test

TESOL English Students,

          Please take this pre-test.

Thanks,

Mr. Ellsworth

 

Texts for End of the Year Writing Assessment

Instructions

Prompts

1. Should the internet be censored?

2. Do violent video games make people violent? Should video games be censored?

• Article #1
• Article #2

3. Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy?

• NPR Conversation: "Security Cameras in School: Protective or Invasive?" (audio & transcript)
• CNBC: Big Brother, Big Business (video)
• Part I: 28:17 
• Part 2: 27:42 

English 10 Support Position with Evidence Pre-Test

No More Snow Days!

Word Study & DLR

Here are your Word Study & DLR links until further notice.

3rd Period Danittza Ramirez Fadumo Ali Abdirahman Ali	Word Study Word Study Word Study Word Study	DLR DLR DLR DLR
7th Period Ibrahim	Word Study Word Study	DLR DLR
8th Period	Word Study	DLR

Website for #5 on Prepositions Web Activity

Click Here!!

Jackie Robinson Pre-Dodgers

The first person to earn a letter in four
different varsity sports at UCLA.

The "Midnight Express" averaged more
than ten yards a carry.

Led UCLA in scoring in '40 and '41.

Jumped 25 ft. to break his older brother's
UCLA long jump record.

Played for the Kansas City Monarchs
in the Negro League.

Stood up against segregation during WWII.

Spent one season with the Montreal Royals
before breaking the MLB color barrier.

The Jackie Robinson Story & Other Video Clips

Here's the movie we're watching in class this week along with the other short clips we watched on Monday. Happy first week of spring training! Happy African-American history month!



Same movie as above with English captions (sub-titles).

Best Wishes on the OTELA This Week!! :)

I just wanted to take a moment and wish all of my students the best on the OTELA test this week. Get a good sleep this week and eat a good breakfast before school. Take your time, and don't worry. This test is only to assess your language level in order to help your teachers see the progress you are making. I see that you are making progress. The state just needs to make it official. All any teacher can ask for is a student's best effort. I know you will give that!!

Texts for "Teens Win Big in Big Apple"

3rd Period

7th Period

8th Period

Ping Fu

Here is the story about Ping Fu that we listened to last week in class.

Word Study & DLR

Here are your Word Study & DLR links until further notice.

3rd Period Danittza Ramirez	Word Study Word Study	DLR DLR
7th Period	Word Study	DLR
8th Period	Word Study	DLR

A Christmas Carol

For anyone who was absent, or who is interested in watching it again, here is George C. Scott's version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. This is the version we watched in class. The modern, Bill Murray, comedic version called Scrooged is not available for free online. You can rent it at youtube (and probably everywhere else) for $2.99 if you want to watch it.

Texts for Mid-Year Writing Assessment

Leveled texts for SWCS ESL Department Mid-Year Writing Assessment (Informative Writing).

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L2
Climbing Everest - L2
Scary Snake - L2
Therapy Dog - L2

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L4
Climbing Everest - L4
Scary Snake - L4
Therapy Dog - L4

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L6

Climbing Everest - L6

Scary Snake - L6

Therapy Dog - L6

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L8
Climbing Everest - L8
Scary Snake - L8
Therapy Dog - L8

Biography - Jorge Gutierrez - L10
Climbing Everest - L10
Scary Snake - L10
Therapy Dog - L10