How Many Warnings Does it Take?

I hope everyone finishes the Ch. 2 reading tonight and comes prepared for the discussion tomorrow.  There COULD be a POP QUIZ tomorrow. I may ask MANY questions about the chapter and the Federalist Papers (47,48, and 51).  I will also offer Extra Credit to anyone who answers A,B,C,D for the first 4 questions - no matter what the question is.  I will divide up the EC among those of you who read this and follow through.  So, if only 10 of you do as I suggest, you share the EC (which could be about 3% added to your overall grade at the end of the qtr).  If all 110 of you do so, you will get MUCH less (about 0.34%)...so you would be wise to not share this tidbit with others...Let's see how many of you actually read this...

If you wanna share the warped vision experienced today, hit the vid below:

"Oh No! Not Brown!"

I quoted Lisa Simpson there as an recap title for what I shared with you today...my college application and selection experience.  I am willing to be an open book - if you have ANY questions for me, i will not only answer them truthfully and bluntly, but I'll turn them around and ask you other follow-ups.  Long story short - I applied to 12 schools, got into 10, ended up at Brown, had a terrible academic start to my college career, got some help from the dean, found my true path, and succeeded...all the way back to Mpls...where I now teach and hopefully help others reach their dreams.  I left out the story about a student I had as a 9th grader during my 2nd year teaching.  He graduated and went to Brown as well...becoming the captain of the football team and graduated with a chemical engineering degree.  Ask me about it sometime.

I asked you to read the Declaration of Independence when you find the time.  It really is well-written and a powerful indictment.  A lot of history, I know, but you need to understand the people, places, themes, etc. in place when the Constitution emerged - something we still follow over 200 years later. You will also need to make a Forum entry on Moodle and prepare for the test next Weds, with another one on Ch.3 on Friday.  Wow - you are going to hate me.

Lastly - you get to quiz me on Friday since I have finally created my cheat sheets and should be able to have your names and faces matched up - even though you have all aged a full year, trying to pass yourselves off as more mature.  Appearances can be deceiving.  I'm 36 (37 in Dec), sometimes move like a 90ish geezer (had a tree fall on my back when I was 18 - REALLY feeling it now) yet always seem to act like a 12-year-old.  And remember, just 19 years ago, I was where you are now...laughing at all those interest inventories and suggestions of "you should be a teacher" blah blah blah.  What fools. I had it all figured out and was going to be an engineer.  Funny thing happened - my engineering plan was like the Articles of Confederation...my Constitution was more like teaching...a perfect fit that is ever-changing and evolving...just like all of you.

Living and Dying

So, we talked about the Constitution today.  Is it a living document?  Or is it dead?  I, of course, hinted at its zombification over time.  We'll watch some video segments tomorrow about earlier documents that influenced the establishment of our current form of government (which happens to be the BEST EVER!!! - ROCK ON!!!)  But more importantly, I will now work hard to get all your names and faces committed to memory.  I have been assured that schedules are no longer changing, so my memory will begin to take shape tomorrow.  If you have annoyed me by talking when you're not supposed to, or simply sat there quietly with a zombie stare as I ask for responses, this week is your chance to start fresh - especially with Friday's discussion about the Obama Health Care Speech.  You'll also be REQUIRED to make a Forum comment on Moodle about what you liked and disliked about the speech...until then, enjoy this video of how a Bill becomes law (from the popular Schoolhouse Rock series of my youth - back when there were actually cartoons on all major networks every Saturday morning):


Or you can watch the Family Guy version here:

I Understand

Well, I just returned home after a long day of teaching and then working the girls games against Wayzata - the varsity girls had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 and ended up tying 2-2.  Well played.  So, when some of you complain about not having time to do your work - I call bologna (or baloney) sandwich.  I get mine done, so can you.  All I ask for are 30 minutes a day (average).  It's reading and thinking - no real quantity of writing...yet.  Get Ch. 2 read ASAP and you absolutely positively MUST hit the Moodle site and download the docs for the Obama speech analysis due Friday.  If you missed it, watch below (there may be an ad - sorry!?!?) and follow through to parts 2,3,4, and 5:

MN Rodents' New Nest

I was lucky enough to attend the opening of TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday.  Wow.  The stadium is amazing, and the atmosphere was electrifying.  Aside from some logistical problems (long lines to enter, no more water or food at halftime, the lack of cash registers resulting in the use of handheld calculators, and other concerns), it was great to see the Gophers outdoors again.  If you can go to a game this year, do it - and then look forward to seeing the Twins outdoors next year.  Now, as for the Vikings...ugh.  We built them their Metrodome and now it is no good. That monstrosity ruined Gopher football for 27 years, gave us comical baseball, and shortened the careers of numerous athletes.  Now they want a $1B "upgrade" somewhere downtown...in this economy.  Yeah, right.  Even with Peterson zigging, zagging, cutting, stopping, and then blazing down the field for touchdowns on a regular basis.

I updated the calendar to reflect this week's plan.  The Obama Health Care speech will be shown in class tomorrow - it will take the whole class period.  You will have to download the file of analyses (pre and post) and your worksheet to be completed at home from moodle.  We'll discuss your findings on Friday.  We're getting into the Constitution this week, with some video segments about historical documents sandwiched between lectures on Tuesday and Thursday.  Your quiz will be Monday.  We'll close up Ch. 3 and Unit 1 next week as well.  A little behind, but expected.  You should anticipate a "triple-up" of chapter analysis in 2 weeks - 6,7,11.