"There are two types of education. One should teach us how to make a living, and the other how to live..."

--John Adams

Friday, October 23, 2020

Week 11: Oct. 26-30, 2k20

Zooooom Meeting ID: 920 2495 7857

Day 1
In Class:  Presidential Debate #3 HW due -- President Donald Trump's Resume -- Explain why he should be re-elected.  Video below is "What makes a 'great' president?"  


HW:  In your SS notebook: According to statistics, the average president is 5'11.5" tall and weighs over 185 lbs.  He is a white male who is a Protestant.  According to where most presidents are from, they are from the Midwestern part of the nation.  They have served either in the House or Senate or served as Governor and more than half of them were lawyers who were college educated.  Just over two-thirds of all presidents have served in the military and all but one of them have been married.  Just over half of all presidents have eben a Republican since 1854.  Before 1864 most all presidents were Democratic....

Based on today's discussion and the above information, you have a job.   I want you to create the "perfect candidate", not based on looks, but on who they are.  You are going to create the resume and plans of a candidate you think would be the perfect candidate...
  1. What jobs did they have before campaigning for the presidency?  
  2. Are they wealthy or middle class?  
  3. Do they live in a more urban or rural area of the United States?  Should they be from a particular state or region in the United States? 
  4. Were they born into wealthy? 
  5. Maybe they are poor?  
  6. Maybe they were a teacher, or a custodian, or a lawyer, or a computer engineer?  
  7. How old are they?  
  8. Are they married?  
  9. Do they have kids? 
  10. How many? 
  11. Are the religious?  
  12. What religion?  
  13. Are they tall, short, big, small, heavy, skinny?  
  14. What race or ethnicity are they? 
  15.  Does it even matter what ethnicity or religion they are?!    
Give me your PERFECT candidate! Give me as many details as you can!  The two links below might provide you with some insight as to what previous presidents have looked like. This ought to be interesting.

HW:  HW:  Perfect Candidate Due Day 2!

Day 2
In Class:  How should we vote? During this election, early and absentee voting are expected to reach record levels, with mail-in ballots drawing significant attention as a result. President Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that voting by mail is not safe or reliable -- but what do election experts say is the best method?

Based on the flicks below I want you to answer the following Q's in your SS notebook.  
This is  HW grade.

1. Voter suppression is a hot topic as of late. “Voter suppression” is any effort, either legal or illegal, by way of laws, administrative rules, and/or tactics that prevents eligible voters from registering to vote or voting. Many have argued that voter suppression is happening in many different states. What do you think are some ways voters are being suppressed based on what you have heard and from the flick below...

2. Why do you think so many Americans are choosing to vote by mail this year? (opinionated)

3. What are some of the issues/problems/struggles with mail in voting and early voting in this election?

4. Should Americans be allowed to vote by smartphone? Explain your answer and how this procedure would go.

5. Do you think everyone in the nation who is eligible to vote should be required to vote? Explain your answer?

6. What do you think is the best format for voting. It can be one of the methods we already vote or you can introduce and explain a new method for voting.

7. Election day is not a national holiday. Labor Day, Memorial Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and July 4th are examples of national holidays. Because Election day is not a national holiday this means millions of Americans still have to go to work on election day. Should election day be a national holiday where all businesses (nonessential) are closed in the same way as the holidays previously mentioned. Explain your answer.












Day 3
In Class:  Quiz on the Election Stuff -- Requirements to be President -- Powers of the President -- What are the general differences between Democrats and Republicans -- How many votes are there in the Electoral College? -- How many votes are needed to win the Electoral College? -- Can you win the Electoral College but lose the popular vote? -- What types of states do candidates want to win in the Electoral College?  One writing prompt that you cannot study for but trust me, you will be prepared to answer...You'll be fine.
HW:  Xtra Credit -- For 5 A for the Days I want you to read the following article from the Wall Street Journal and answer the Central Q in your notebook:  After reading the article below and based on what is stated, do you think the 2020 election should go down as a transformative election? Explain your answer in at least one paragraph and provide at least one piece of evidence from the article in your paragraph. -- Due Monday, Nov. 2 
Posted by Mr. Barry