3.2 How Candidates & Groups Try to Influence Your Vote 🧠

HOMECOMING 2025: TODAY IS TOMATO DAY 🍅

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe ways that candidates get their messages to voters
• Analyze the role of interest groups in the election process
• Explain how candidates and interest groups try to influence the way people vote
• Explore the importance of the media in election campaigns

⏰ What We Did

• Used notes from Lesson 3, Part 2: How Candidates and Groups Try to Influence Your Vote, to answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. Define direct mail, media, propaganda, and bias.
   
2. List four methods candidates use to get their messages to voters.
3. What are the goals of interest groups?
4. List the major propaganda techniques that might be used in campaign messages.
5. How might opinion polls affect the outcome of an election?
6. Evaluate Abraham Lincoln was one of our greatest presidents. He was also awkward and tired-eyed. Do you think that Lincoln could become president in today? Explain your answer.

⚙️ Resources

• 
  

💻 Homework

• Finish Lesson 3, Part 2 review questions by T 30 Sep, if necessary

3.1 Being a Voter 🗳️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the purpose of general elections
• Describe how and when elections are held and who may vote in them
• Explore the importance of becoming an informed voter

⏰ What We Did

• Examined why the voting age was lowered to 18 and analyzed the meaning of an editorial cartoon on the relationship between voters and the media

⚙️ Resources

• A4 - 18-Year-Olds and the Vote; Voting and Elections

💻 Homework

• Finish "18-Year-Olds and the Vote; Voting and Elections" before M 29 Sep, if necessary
• Watch and take notes on Lesson 3, Part 2: How Candidates and Groups Try to Influence Your Vote, before M 29 Sep 2025

3.1 Being a Voter 🗳️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the purpose of general elections
• Describe how and when elections are held and who may vote in them
• Explore the importance of becoming an informed voter

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on Lesson 3, Part 1, Being a Voter
• Examined voter turnout in previous national elections

⚙️ Resources

• Civics ✮ Lesson 3 Instructional Notes
• Lesson 3, Part 1: Being a Voter
• A3 - Voter Participation in National Elections

💻 Homework

• Finish Voter Participation in National Elections before F 26 Sep, if necessary

Lesson 2 Review 2️⃣

Today is a Late Arrival day 🏫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Review the key concepts of Lesson 2

⏰ What We Did

• Took — and then discussed the answers to — a quiz on Lesson 1, Part X: X
• Began work on Lesson 2 Lesson Review

⚙️ Resources

• LR2 - Civics ✮ Lesson 2 Lesson Review

💻 Homework

• Complete Lesson 2 Lesson Review before class on R 25 Sep 2025, if necessary

2.3 Choosing Candidates 🗳️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain the process of nominating candidates
• Describe how political parties choose presidential candidates

⏰ What We Did

• Using the provided "Election 2025" packet, reviewed an overview of the two presidential candidates who will appear on the ballot for a mock trial
• Completed "Meet the Candidates" worksheet

⚙️ Resources

• S1 - Election Booklet
• A2 - Meet the Candidates

💻 Homework

• 
  

2.2 Our Two-Party System 💭

🎯 Learning Targets

• Summarize the history of political parties in the United States
• Describe the role of third parties in our democracy
• Compare the organization and basic beliefs of the two major parties
• Explore how people choose which political party to support
• Explain how party strength has changed

⏰ What We Did

• Discovered personal ideologies by focusing on 14 current issues

⚙️ Resources

• A1 - Finding Your Political Ideology
• 1s vs. 4s on the Issues

💻 Homework

• Watch and take notes on Lesson 2, Part 3: Choosing Candidates, before T 23 Sep 2025

2.1 The Role of Political Parties 🗳️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how political parties help government function
• Describe the ways that political parties link citizens to their government

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on Lesson 2, Part 1, The Role of Political Parties
• Used notes to answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. Define political party, nominate, platform, planks, and canvass.
2. List four ways in which political parties help government.
3. What are the ways in which political parties help citizens get involved in government?
4. Analyze How can political parties be seen as the oil that makes the machinery of American democracy work?

⚙️ Resources

• Civics ✮ Lesson 2 Instructional Notes
• Lesson 2, Part 1: The Role of Political Parties

💻 Homework

• Finish Lesson 2, Part 1 review questions before M 22 Sep, if necessary
• Watch and take notes on Lesson 2, Part 2: Our Two-Party System, before M 22 Sep 2025

Lesson 1 Quiz 💯

🎯 Learning Targets

• Review the key concepts of Lesson 1

⏰ What We Did

• Took — and then discussed the answers to — a quiz on Lesson 1

⚙️ Resources

•  

💻 Homework

•  

Lesson 1 Review 1️⃣

Today's class was led by a guest teacher.

Today is Constitution Day 📜

🎯 Learning Targets

• Review the key concepts of Lesson 1

⏰ What We Did

• Began work on Lesson 1 Lesson Review

⚙️ Resources

• LR1 - Civics ✮ Lesson 1 Lesson Review

💻 Homework

• Complete Lesson 1 Lesson Review before class on R 18 Sep 2025, if necessary

Lesson 1 Review 1️⃣

Today's class was led by a guest teacher.

🎯 Learning Targets

• Review the key concepts of Lesson 1

⏰ What We Did

• Used Lesson 1 notes to answer the following questions:

For 1 and 2, the vocabulary terms in each pair listed below are related to each other. For each pair, explain what the two terms have in common. Also explain how they are different.

1. laws and morals
2. common law and statutes
3. How do laws differ from other types of rules found within society ?
4. Describe the two main sources of American law and explain how those sources differ.
5. Explain the importance of constitutions and legal codes.
6. Making Predictions What would the world be like without laws? Predict how your life would be different.

⚙️ Resources

💻 Homework

Lesson 1 Catch-up 🥫

Today's class was led by a guest teacher.

🎯 Learning Targets

• Review the key concepts of Lesson 1

⏰ What We Did

• Completed — and turned in — any and all missing work from Lesson 1

⚙️ Resources

💻 Homework

9/11: An American Tragedy 🇺🇸

🎯 Learning Targets

• Students will interpret primary and secondary sources regarding the basic facts, perpetrators, victims, the history, timeline of events, and effects of the events of September 11, 2001

⏰ What We Did

• Reflected upon yesterday's 9/11 activity by writing answers to wrap-up prompts

⚙️ Resources

• 
  

💻 Homework

• 
  

9/11: An American Tragedy 🇺🇸

🎯 Learning Targets

• Students will interpret primary and secondary sources regarding the basic facts, perpetrators, victims, the history, timeline of events, and effects of the events of September 11, 2001

⏰ What We Did

• Walked through six stations, reading and viewing primary sources pertaining to one specific focus of 9/11
• Responded to reflection prompts at each station

⚙️ Resources

• 9:11: An American Tragedy ✮ Center Responses
• 9/11: An American Tragedy slides

💻 Homework

• 
  

1.4 Where Our Laws Come From 🏛️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how laws made by legislatures differ from guidelines established by judges' decisions
• Explore the history and importance of legal codes
• Analyze our Constitution and state constitutions as sets of laws
• Describe how laws are carried out by government agencies
• Explain why laws are sometimes changed

⏰ What We Did

• Signed up with Remind (@carp6th on the Remind app)
• Took notes on Lesson 1, Part 4
• Used notes to answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. Define statutes, common law, and legal code.
   
2. What are the two main ways that our laws are made?
3. How are constitutions and codes similar and different?
4. Why do laws made by our legislatures sometimes become out of date?
5. Evaluate What is one law that you think should be changed? Explain why.

⚙️ Resources

• 1.4 Where Our Laws Come From

💻 Homework

• Finish Lesson 1, Part 4 review questions, if necessary (due R 11 Sep)

1.3 Why We Have Laws 📜

Today's class was led by a guest teacher.

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain how laws help bring order to society
• Describe how laws protect safety, property, and individual freedoms
• Explore ways that laws protect society as a whole
• Define the common purpose of laws
• Analyze the link between laws and morals

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on Lesson 1, Part 3
• Used notes to answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. Define laws, morals, and civil disobedience.
2. Describe four of the main reasons we have laws.
3. Give one example of a law that protects both the individual and society as a whole.
4. Explain how laws are related to morals.
5. Synthesize Choose a law that you consider to be particularly important and predict what would happen if that law no longer existed.

⚙️ Resources

• 1.3 Why We Have Laws

💻 Homework

• Finish Lesson 1, Part 3 review questions, if necessary (due W 10 Sep)

1.2 Forms of Government 👑

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe the classic forms of government
• Explain how national power is organized differently in unitary, federal, and confederal systems
• Contrast presidential and parliamentary systems

⏰ What We Did

• Completed "Gummy Bear Governments"

⚙️ Resources

• How to Complete Gummy Bear Governments

💻 Homework

• 
  

1.2 Forms of Government 👑

🎯 Learning Targets

• Describe the classic forms of government
• Explain how national power is organized differently in unitary, federal, and confederal systems
• Contrast presidential and parliamentary systems

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on Lesson 1, Part 2
• Used instructional notes to begin creating representations of the various types of government using gummy bears

⚙️ Resources

• 1.2 Forms of Government
• A-0 Gummy Bear Governments

💻 Homework

• Obtain a 1" three-ring binder and 5 tabs before class on M 8 Sep 2025

1.1 The Purposes of Government 🏛️

🎯 Learning Targets

• Explain what government is
• Identify the major characteristics all states share
• Describe the major functions of government
• Summarize the three theories of rule

⏰ What We Did

• Took notes on Lesson 1, Part 1
• Used notes to answer the following questions in complete sentences:

1. Define government, power, policy, state, sovereignty, and legitimacy.
2. What are the three basic types of government power and what does each involve?
3. Identify and describe the four characteristics all states share.
4. What are two key ways governments provide for the public good?
5. what is the social contract theory? Who are its three main contributors and what did each of them believe?

⚙️ Resources

• Civics ✮ Lesson 1 Instructional Notes
• 1.1 The Purposes of Government

💻 Homework

• Obtain a 1" three-ring binder and 5 tabs before class on M 8 Sep 2025

Course Overview: Civics 🦅

🎯 Learning Targets

• Summarize the classroom expectations and the course
• Examine the influences government has on daily life

⏰ What We Did

• Provided an overview of the class website and the course syllabus
• Examine the influences of government on daily life

⚙️ Resources

• Civics Syllabus 2025
• Civics Addendum 2025

💻 Homework

• Purchase a 1" three-ring binder and 5 tabs before class on M 8 Sep 2025

Welcome Back! 🏫

🎯 Learning Targets

• Establish classroom rapport and expectations

⏰ What We Did

• We shared our names and introduced ourselves
• Created name cards to help learn student names
• Discussed and clarified classroom expectations

⚙️ Resources

💻 Homework

• Purchase a 1" three-ring binder and 5 tabs before class on M 8 Sep 2025