The Electoral College

At the Constitutional Convention the Framers of the U.S. Constitution made decisions that affect our representation in the Congress and in the election of the Chief Executive, the President.

A system called the Electoral College determines who will win the presidential election. Each state and the District of Columbia are given a share of the electoral vote based on population.

Electors are chosen by the states to actually cast the official votes for president. Learn more about how this system works by completing the internet research questions titled "Extra" that I handed out in class.

Because of how the system is set up, it is possible for one candidate to win the popular vote and a different candidate to win the electoral vote to become president. Why does the Electoral system work this way?

Information on the election can easily be found on the internet. CNN's website might be particularly useful: www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000

Consider the presidential election of 2000. In your blog post explain whether that election followed the process for electing a president that was established by the Framers of the Constitution.

The main focus of your Blog post is to answer the following question. Take a position on the issue and provide evidence to support your position.

Do you believe the electoral college is a valid way to elect the president today?

Your blog comment on the issue is due Wednesday. Next week you can use a rubric to self-assess your writing, then you will have an opportunity to revise your writing as needed. Writing Goal: Use specific details from research to develop a clear position and informed voice in your persuasive writing.

Dickens Study Group

If you are in the Dickens Study Group, please visit this Blog for instructions.

Respond to a Blogger

Peer feedback on the reader’s response:

Read the Blog comment to see how completely the Blogger answered the question.

1) Did the reader refer to the repeated motif of music?


2) Did the reader show understanding of the symbolism of the pearl?

3) Did the reader make a connection between the symbolism of the pearl and it’s effect on Kino and his family ?

4) Did the reader make a connection between the symbolism of the pearl and it’s effect on the society?

5) What was the best line of the reader’s response? Refer to the six-trait writing rubric to use words that describe the characteristics of good writing to give the blogger an explanation of what you liked about that particular line.

In your response, give the comment a rating and explain your reasons for the rating:

Superior The Blogger’s answer to the question was superior because:

Give specific examples that show how the response to the question exceeded the standard.


Met Standard The Blogger’s answer to the question met the standard because:

Specific examples that the response to the question that shows the response met the standard.

Did not meet the standard
The Blogger’s answer to the question did not meet the standard because:

Specific examples and/or reasons that the response to the question did not meet the standard.

The Pearl

Explain the symbolism embodied in the last line of the novel,

"And the music of pearl drifted to a whisper and disappeared."

In your response, refer to:

2) The repeated symbolic motif of music
3) The pearl itself (such as hope, opportunity, evil, greed)
4) The effect of the pearl on Kino's family
5) The pearl's symbolism in the society in which Kino lives

The Characters of Tom Sawyer

Write about five different characters in Tom Sawyer. One of your characters must be Tom and one must be Huck. Describe the character. Then write about what you have noticed of character’s description, their internal and external motivations, their personality, and their beliefs. Write a short paragraph about each of your chosen characters.

Later we will use these character studies to track their changes, predict what may happen, and understand the themes of the story.

Character List

Tom Sawyer
Huckleberry Finn
Becky Thatcher
Aunt Polly
Joe Harper
Sid
Mary
Injun' Joe
Muff Potter
Dr. Robinson
Mr. Sprague
Dr. Robinson
Mr. Sprague
Jim
Amy Lawrence
Ben Rogers
Mr. Walters

Short Story Podcasts

Link to Podcasts. (http://nobel.osd.wednet.edu/users/aclear/)
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Who should decide which books are suitable for young people?

Read the article on this issue. Choose one of the five discussion topics given. Write a 2-3 paragraph persuasive response on your Blogspot. If you can't get your Blogspot working the first day, make sure you go through the steps necessary to re-activate your Blog. Then write your response either in a Word document or by hand, and then make sure you go back into your Blogspot and put your response on there, either by uploading your word document or typing it on your Blog.