Week 12

Finally, the blog you've all been waiting for! I hope Christmas break has been rejuvenating, and that you've had lots of time to eat, sleep and be merry! Unfortunately, it is quickly coming to an end, so here are the things you need to be working on to be prepared for our next class meeting:

Opinion Paper: When the war was over, and thousands had died, was it worth it?

Parent Night: Please have your presentation piece ready to practice by January 12th!

Presentations: Last but never least, Taylor will present on famous women of the war on January 5th.

Reading: Please have Being George Washington finished on January 5th, and be prepared with a question/comment or two to discuss in class. I believe I asked Leila to lead the discussion this time. Also, we will be discussing Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund on January 26th, so make sure you have that one finished by then also.

Award Requirements: January 12th is the LAST DAY to pass off first semester requirements, so please finish those up...especially memorizing the Declaration of Independence!

Just a heads up: we have a field trip to the state capital scheduled for January 19th, and I may need an extra driver, so if anyone has a parent who is willing and able to help with that, please let me know. We'll need to leave right at 10 that day, so please be to co-op by 9:45.

I didn't assign anyone to do devotional this week, so Reina, will you please do the honors? I think that's it! Enjoy the rest of your break, and I'll see you in 2017!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 11

So is all the freezing weather making you feel a little cold? Imagine how the soldiers at Valley Forge felt during the winter of 1777-78! We learned last week that that winter was one of the most difficult challenges faced by George Washington and the colonial army. Moral was probably at its lowest point of the war as men faced homesickness, freezing, starvation and diseases, all on the heels of some devastating defeats in battle. What a debt we owe to the colonists who persevered through this formidable time to secure peace and liberty for us, their posterity! This season is a great time to remember and thank God for our patriot ancestors who sacrificed so much 239 years ago.

Assignments:

Opinion Paper: Write a letter home as if you were someone living in the colonial period. This is my favorite writing assignment for first semester! Remember, you can be anybody! Here are a few ideas:

• a colonial soldier or officer
• a wife on the front lines, tending the wounded
• a delegate in the Continental Congress
• a loyalist
• a redcoat
• a slave
• a family member of a soldier, awaiting your loved one's return from battle
• a privateer

The list could go on; just be creative and think outside the box!

Presentations: We heard a very informative and well-executed presentation from Paige last week on the different groups of people in the war. Way to raise the bar, Paige! This week, we look forward to being enlightened by Lucy on colonial fashion, and by Reina on spies.

Devotional: I forgot to assign this in class...Ethan, would you please do the honors of preparing an inspirational thought to share at the beginning of class?

Reading: Keep plugging away at Being George Washington and Freedom Factor.

Award Requirements: We have only 3 class days left to pass off requirements, so make sure you're working on checking off those requirements! January 12 is the deadline!

Parent Night: Please work on finalizing/memorizing your part and putting your costume together for our dazzling January 26th performance!

Have a fabulous week!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 10

This week we spent our time working on passing off requirements and discussing parent night. I am SO excited to show all the parents what we're preparing and knock everyone's socks off! Here's a recap of what we decided:

The presentation will be in the style of a wax museum exhibit in which each scholar will dress as a different historical figure and recite a 1-minute quote/song/bio/etc., or any combination thereof. Mrs. Brennan and I will introduce the exhibit or be tour guides. At the conclusion of the presentation all the scholars will recite the beginning of the Declaration of Independence from memory ("When in the course" through "the pursuit of happiness"). Parts are listed below:

• Dean - John Paul Jones
• Ethan - Paul Revere
• Leila - Abigail Adams
• Lucy - A Pilgrim
• Paige - Alexander Hamilton
• Reina - Betsy Ross
• Taylor - Thomas Jefferson

This week, in lieu of an opinion paper, you were asked to write your part for parent night. Remember that you need to speak for 1 full minute, so you may want to practice reading your part out loud to get your timing right. Please show what you've written to either me or Mrs. Brennan for review on Thursday.

Movie night last Friday turned into a bit of a fiasco, and I'm sorry for that. To make it up to all of you, I will hold a make-up movie night at my house this Thursday evening (12/8). Anyone who can attend can ride with me to my house directly after co-op on Thursday. We'll have dinner and watch April Morning. Your parents would need to pick you up from my house between 7 and 7:30. Please let me know as soon as possible if you will be attending! Parents can text or call me at 253-254-9064 to respond and get my address.

Presentations: We heard some excellent presentations given by Taylor and Ethan last Thursday, and this week we will be pleased to hear from Paige on Tories, loyalists, Hessians and Red Coats. 

Memorization: This week you should be working on the Statement of "Wanting" to have the whole Declaration passed off by January 12th. Remember, you can pass it off one section at a time!

Reading: Keep working on Being George Washington by Glenn Beck so you can finish before January 5th. If you have finished, begin reading Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund, which we will be discussing on the first day of second semester, January 26th.

Devotional: I'm not sure if anyone was already assigned, so if not, Taylor, would you please bring an inspirational thought to share at the beginning of class this week?

Pray for snow this week, and we'll see you all Thursday!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 9

I hope you all enjoyed watching The Winter Patriots as much as I did! I know some of the battle details can get a little tedious if you're not into that sort of thing, but seeing the maps and troop movements can really give you some perspective on the war. Considering the size of our nation today, all the most popular battles of the revolution were fought in a relatively small land area, so the war was very close to home (sometimes at home!) for most colonists. I imagine every colonist probably felt they were personally involved in the war, which is probably why Thomas Paine's American Crisis paper inspired so many colonists to stay in the fight. Here's some food for thought, that maybe we can discuss in class next week: Have you ever felt connected to or affected by a situation that didn't involve you personally? Maybe a circumstance with a friend or family member, or an event that was making news? Think about it, and we'll share in class.

Assignments this week:

Opinion Paper: "For though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire." Is this a true statement? What does this statement mean to you?

Parent Night: Please be thinking about a presentation idea for parent night that will wow them, make them laugh, cry, or all of the above! You had some good ideas last week; just remember that we'll only have about 10-15 minutes to present.

Declaration of Independence: Do your best to get as much of this document memorized as possible over the break! Looking at it only once or twice a week WILL NOT be enough! After speaking to teacher Genne, Mrs. Brennan and I decided we would let you pass off the Declaration one section at a time to make it a less formidable. So shoot to have through the Statement of "Petitioned" done by next Thursday, 12/1. Again, if you email me BEFORE then and tell me you have it memorized to that point, I will bring you a yummy treat!

Reading: Being George Washington by Glenn Beck. To be discussed on January 5th, with Leila leading our discussion.

Presentations: Thanks Reina, for the presentation on Betsy Ross! Now we know why the stars on the flag have 5 points! Next week, we look forward to hearing from Ethan on the role of the Navy in the Revolutionary War. The words "I have not yet begun to fight!" come to mind...

I think that's all for now! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and in the spirit of the holiday I will say that I am very grateful for the opportunity I have to be your mentor for Key of Liberty, and for each of you and your participation in this class. You guys make learning and teaching really enjoyable for me! Thank you!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 8

This week we discussed overcoming roadblocks. You guys all had some really good suggestions of what to do when you face roadblocks, and now that we've studied about people who have overcome really hard things (the pilgrims, Ji Li Jiang, the American colonists, John Adams, the other 55 signers of the Declaration), you should have a lot of inspiration to draw upon when you hit roadblocks in your own lives. You all are a strong, intelligent, faithful bunch of scholars, and we have no doubts that you'll be able to achieve anything you set your minds to do!

**Remember Friday, December 2nd is the class pizza and movie night. We'll possibly watch April Morning at my house in Graham, but we'll let everyone know as soon as we finalize plans.

Assignments This Week:

 

• Presentations: Reina will give us a presentation on Betsy Ross and the first flag. We're excited to hear what you find out, Reina! I hear Lucy's and Dean's presentations were excellent, and I'm sorry I missed them...except for the moving rocks part!

• Opinion Paper: How do you overcome roadblocks in your life?

• Morning News Discussion: Be prepared with news tidbits to share!

• Reading: Make sure to read The American Crisis by Thomas Paine (in your binder) by next week and take note of any questions or comments you have so we can discuss them in class. Also, keep working on Being George Washington by Glenn Beck.

• D.o.I. Memorization: If you haven't memorized through the Statement of "History" yet, do your best to get it done this week! If you have, start on the Statement of "Petitioned," which comes right after the 27 Injuries of the King. I'll bring an extra special treat for those who email me before Thursday to tell me they have through the Statement of "History" memorized! 

 

• Other: Remember to come up with some ideas for a short skit or presentation that our class can do for parent night. We want to show all those parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. that learning about our nation's founding isn't stuffy or boring! (And we want to outshine the Sword of Freedom class!)

Have a great week, y'all!

 

-Mrs. Hellyer

 

Week 7

We learned about the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence this week; that they were men of fortune and reputation that had a lot to lose by putting their names to the document. They definitely were not changing their government for "light and transient causes!" Reading and discussing the John Adams book helped to give us a little more insight into the impact the path to independence had on these men, and also the influence they had on their fellow colonists. Thank you, Lucy, for having some thought-provoking questions prepared for our discussion! I encourage you all to read and study more about these men, because the few minutes we spent talking bout them in class really did them little justice. You will find their stories are both humbling and inspiring...

"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

 -Benjamin Franklin, encouraging the delegates to the Continental Congress to unite and vote for independence from Britain.

 

Here is a link to the video we watched in class for those who were absent:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa8IdmKapYk

Assignments

Opinion Paper: What is more important: your family or your country?

Morning News Discussion: The presidential election is on Tuesday! Please pay attention to the results, and what predictions are being made about the election and the next presidential term so we can discuss this in class.

Presentations: Thanks to Paige for a great presentation on Continental soldiers (very creative use of Legos)! This week we look forward to hearing interesting presentations from Lucy on life as a prisoner and prisons, and from Dean on Francis Marion "the Swamp Fox."

Reading: Being George Washington by Glenn Beck is the next book we will be discussing, so please have it completed by January 5th. Everyone needs to prepare 2 questions or comments to share during book discussion. A good tip: while you are reading the book, jot down or underline anything you think is comment-worthy or anything you have a question about. It's that easy! Leila is the lucky scholar who gets the honor of leading the discussion for this book!

D.o.I. Memorization: Our goal this week is to have through the Statement of "History" memorized by Thursday. Please work on this for a few minutes several times a day. I know you guys can do this!

**Don't forget about your other award requirements for this semester! All first semester award requirements need to be completed by January 12th. I know your parents would really like to see those keys jam-packed with ribbons on display for parent night! If you need help getting things finished, please come talk to either me or Mrs. Brennan.

See you all Thursday!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 6

This week we learned a little about the battles of Lexington and Concord. I recommend watching the movie April Morning for a good, dramatic depiction of those battles. We also began talking a bit about John Adams and the kind of man he was. Make sure you finish the John Adams book by next Thursday for our book discussion!



Check out this video of the dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence that I told you about in class:







We have Friday, December 2nd on the calendar for a class pizza and movie night, so keep watching the blog for more details!

Assignments This Week:

• Presentations: We will be pleased to hear from Paige on life as a soldier in the Continental Army, and from Taylor on hospitals and doctors in the War.

• Opinion Paper: Define the word stubborn. Is it good to be stubborn?

• Reading: Finish John Adams: Reluctant Patriot of the Revolution. I would like Lucy to lead the book discussion this week, so please read through the page in your binder titled Steps in Leading a Colloquium, which gives you information on how to do this. If you have any questions about this, please call or email me before Thursday.

• Declaration of Independence: Memorize through the Statement of "Patient" by Thursday for a candy treat!

• Other: Try working on 2 items for the Heritage Award to mark them off your list, or memorizing the 10 Commandments.

 

Have a fun and safe Halloween, and don't each too much candy!

 

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 5

We had a lengthy discussion this week on the tipping point of the revolution. We learned that the colonists were more angry at being taxed without representation than they were about paying the taxes themselves. What really sent them over the edge, though, was the Massachusetts Government Act which took away MA colonists' right to govern themselves (which they had been doing for the previous 83 years). I also forgot to mention the Administration of Justice Act which replaced all locally elected magistrates with judges appointed by the king. The colonists wouldn't hear of it! They showed up by the thousands at courthouses all over Massachusetts and blocked the entrances, and non-violently demanded the king's judges to disavow the king and leave their posts, or else the judges would be chased out of their homes. The judges were greatly outnumbered, as were Governor Gage's troops, and so did as they were told. No royal courts were ever held under the Administration of Justice Act, and thus the colonists successfully overthrew the British government in Massachusetts, eight months before "the shot heard 'round the world" began the war!

“So how do the people resist unjust authority, which, we all agree, they must and should do and have done in the past? The best solution anyone has come up with is to say that violent revolutions can be avoided (and therefore, violent mobs legitimately suppressed) if 'the people' are understood to have the right to challenge the laws through nonviolent civil disobedience.”  -David Graeber

Assignments This Week:

• Pay attention to the news! We would like to hear from everyone this week, something in the news that is relevant to our rights or liberty.
• Opinion Paper: When is it right to defend your liberty with guns?
• No presentations this week, but awesome job to Ethan this week on teaching us about the Boston Massacre and the Sons of Liberty! Our next presentations will be on November 3rd given by Paige on Life as a soldier, and by Taylor on hospitals and doctors.
• Reading: John Adams: Reluctant Patriot of the Revolution. Please have this book completed before class on November 3rd. One of you lucky scholars will be leading the book discussion that week!
• Award Requirements: Work on memorizing the Declaration of Independence through the Statement of "Train;" we will recite it together in class, and treats will abound for those who can meet the challenge! Also, keep plugging away at that Heritage Award and the others!

Carry on, scholars!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 4

This week we discussed unalienable rights, which are entitlements that come from God alone and cannot be taken away by any man. The Declaration of Independence names life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as among these rights, and implies that we have more rights that are not specifically named.

"The state of Nature has a law of Nature to govern it, which...teaches all mankind who will but consult it, that being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions; for men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent and infinitely wise maker; all the servants of one sovereign master, sent into the world by His order and about His business; they are His property..."  -John Locke

We also discussed the Landing of the Pilgrims, and the important influence their sacrifices and courage have had on all the generations of Americans who have come after them. Thanks, everyone, for sharing your thoughts!

Assignments this week:

• Opinion Paper: What are your God-given rights? *If you need some ideas, try reading the Bill of Rights (the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution).
• Presentations: Ethan will be presenting his research on the Boston Tea Party and the Sons of Liberty. Nice work, Leila, on your presentation on the Boston Massacre!
• Memorization: Try to have through the "Statement of Prudence" memorized by next Thursday (more is better!) if you want a treat!
• Reading: Work on John Adams: Reluctant Patriot of the Revolution, which we will discuss in class on October 26th. Please have the book FINISHED before class on that day!

As always, don't neglect your other award requirements. We know you all have a lot to do each week, so use your time wisely! By the end of the year, you will look back and be very proud of all you will have accomplished and learned!

Keep up the good work, young patriots!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 3 Update

This week we learned the importance of morality in government. People cannot practice republicanism or "self-governance" without first practicing virtue. We also learned a surprising insight by Thomas Paine, that most Americans were more virtuous because they were free-holders of property, and this led to an increased involvement by the colonists in public affairs. A spirit of reformation swept through the colonies in the 2 years prior to the revolution, which inspired the colonists to want to maintain their improved quality of life by becoming independent from Britain, which they viewed as wallowing in "elegance, luxury, and effeminacy."

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." -Ben Franklin

"The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy the gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people; then shall we both deserve and enjoy it." -Samuel Adams

Here is the video I tried to show in class:



Your opinion paper topic this week is: Why is a moral people required for good government?

Kudos to Dean and Leila for their well-done presentations! Next week, we will hear from Leila again on The Boston Massacre. I'm excited to see what creative visual aid you come up for this one, Leila!

Make sure to complete The Landing of the Pilgrims by Thursday for book discussion, and please come prepared with some questions and/or comments to share.

Please keep working on your award requirements. Remember, I will bring a special treat next week for the scholar who can recite from memory the most of the Declaration of Independence!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 2

This week we experienced our first Key of Liberty simulation. Each scholar played the role of a delegate in the Continental Congress as we reenacted the process of voting to sign the Declaration of Independence. Some kids found it difficult to argue points that they disagreed with on a personal level, but overall, it was a good learning experience. For an even better understanding of the signing process, I recommend watching the musical 1776. It's a little silly in some parts, but it does have its merits!

Your opinion paper assignment this week is a debrief on the simulation. Answer the following questions in one paper:

What did you learn about the founders? What did you learn about yourself? How are you going to change because of the simulation?

Remember to use your free write as notes or a rough draft of the final copy of your paper.

Below is the schedule for presentations for the entire semester (I will update the schedule with Paige's information as soon as possible):

October 6th - Leila, Dean
October 13th - Leila
October 20th - Ethan
November 3rd - Taylor
November 10th - Dean, Lucy
November 17th - Reina
December 1st - Ethan
December 15th - Lucy, Reina
January 5th - Taylor

Continue working on your Award Requirements; beginning next week you'll have time at the end of class to start passing things off. And, good news! By participating in the simulation and writing this week's paper, you will have all earned your key (to be awarded next week)! Well done!

If you have finished reading The Landing of the Pilgrims, you will want to start reading John Adams: Reluctant Patriot of the Revolution by Leonard Falkner, which we will be discussing on November 3rd. If you need a copy, please let me know ASAP.

As always, please contact me or Mrs. Brennan if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Keep up the good work, young patriots!   

-Mrs. Hellyer

2016-17 Week 1

Welcome to Key of Liberty! Mrs. Brennan and I were so pleased to see familiar faces and to meet the new scholars last Thursday. I hope you all are as excited to go on this journey of discovery about the founding of our great nation as we are!

Our first lesson was all about how this land is YOUR land. America is your precious inheritance to preserve, protect and improve for generations to come. We also had a great discussion on Red Scarf Girl and the similarities between the oppressions experienced by the Chinese people during the Cultural Revolution and the oppressions experienced by the American colonists at the hands of  British rule.

Your assignment this week is to write an opinion paper answering this question:

• What is your responsibility to America and freedom?

Remember to use any notes you may have taken, as well as your free-write paper you wrote in class. Don't be afraid to be honest! This is your opinion and it matters!

 

We will be pleased to hear our first 2 presentations of the semester on October 6th given by:

• Leila on life as a Puritan and the Salem Witch Trials and
• Dean on the French and Indian War

Thanks, Leila and Dean, for being brave enough to go first!

 

We will be discussing The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty on October 13th, so please be sure to have the book completed before class on that day. 

 

Keep working on your first semester award requirements, especially memorizing your Declaration of Independence. A good tip for that is to practice it for about 10 minutes, 3 times a day. It's not as hard as you think; you'll have it memorized in no time if you work at it every day!

 

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me or Mrs. Brennan via email, phone call or text.

• Carrie Hellyer - chellyer78@gmail.com or 253-254-9064
• Isabelle Brennan - isabellebrennan86@gmail.com or 253-359-0657

Happy studying!

Week 14

This week we discussed the 18th and 21st Amendments, which authorized, then repealed, the prohibition of the manufacture, sale, transportation and use of alcohol for the use of beverages. You may still be wondering, "Why did the American government ratify the prohibition Amendment in the first place?" In that case, I highly recommend watching the Ken Burns documentary, Prohibition, (which you can borrow from the library) if you're curious about learning more about this period of American history. If you've ever wondered what caused Americans to make certain decisions or pass certain laws that seem outrageous or irrational, learning the history (economics, politics, moral and social influences, customs and traditions) is essential to gaining that understanding. So, as always, I encourage you to never stop studying and learning about whatever inspires you--but especially history--for many reasons; most importantly, because it will help you make better decisions when you are in charge of protecting and preserving this great nation.

Assignments:

Opinion Paper: Now that you have studied and understand our Constitution, what do you plan to do in your life to see that it is not trampled down by power seeking men? Please be prepared to read this paper aloud in class. 

Award Requirements: PLEASE complete as many of these as you can before Thursday! Just think of how proud you'll be to display your key, decorated with all those ribbons that symbolize all your hard work over the past 9 months! You scholars now know way more about the Constitution and our nation's founding than most college graduates--which is...AWESOME!!

Extra Credit Paper: Where should the line be drawn between personal freedom and public safety? Remember that Mrs. Brennan will have a treat for those scholars who want to write this paper.

We'll be watching A More Perfect Union in class next week, so you can cross that off your list of award requirements. See you all Thursday!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 13

Last week we finished up the Bill of Rights, and learned what our rights are should we get accused/convicted of crime...not that any of you will EVER be accused of a crime, but good to know, nonetheless. Also, we had a fun time on the Constitution Journal reward field trip (even though the museum was closed--so frustrating!) eating ice cream and hanging out. I'll put together another outing to the museum this summer and let you all know, so we can try it again.
 
An important reminder: May 12th will be the LAST day to pass off award requirements for the semester. Hurry and get that Heritage Project done, late opinion papers written, George Washington's farewell address read and vocabulary done, scriptures and the Preamble to the Constitution memorized, and/or movies watched so you can all earn your ribbons.
 
Also, my records indicate that I am still missing one or more opinion papers from Tillie, Hannah, Eliana and Micah. My records could be wrong, so please email me if you want to know which papers I am missing, so we can get it straightened out. You will earn your opinion paper ribbon only if ALL the papers have been completed.
 

This Week's Assignments:

 

 

• Book Discussion: We will be discussing The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson in class this week. Here is the link,

http://www.properroleofgovernment.com/





 
and the cool thing is that you can read it or listen to it. You may want to print it (about 16 pages) and bring it to class with you, so you can reference it during discussion. Please come prepared with questions/comments for discussion.
 

• Opinion Paper: Should a criminal convicted of killing someone have to die in the same way that he killed the person?

 

• Presentations: We will be pleased to hear presentations from Micah and Zachary this week. Thank you Eliana and Hannah for teaching us a bit more about Patrick Henry and Henry Knox! Great job, and very nice visual aids!

*You must complete your written Hero Report AND give a presentation to earn this ribbon.

That's it from me. Study hard, and get those award requirements done! Don't let the warm, sunny weather this week distract you!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 12

Great job on the Constitution Bowl! Please be sure to thank Teacher Amber for putting together such a fun event for us, and Teacher Genne for hosting our game. It was a blast!
 
This week we dug into Amendment IV which protects our right against illegal searches and seizures, and Amendment V which protects us from double jeopardy and self-incrimination, ensures due process, and prohibits possession by the government of private property (eminent domain) without just compensation.
 
"We have been taught here to believe that all power of right belongs to the people; that it flows immediately from them, and is delegated to their officers for the public good; that our rulers are the servants of the people, amenable to their will, and created for their use."

-Charles Pinckney

 

 

This Week's Assignments:

 

 

• Opinion Paper - If a person is suspected of doing evil, should the government be allowed to search his property without his knowledge? (This is a correction of the original question which was written "with his knowledge.")

 

• Finish your Constitution Journals!!!! We will be going on the field trip IMMEDIATELY after co-op this Thursday, leaving at 2:45, so no dilly-dallying! Our destination is the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum located in Wright Park,  http://www.rain.org/~karpeles/taqfrm.html                                                                             followed by ice cream (Parents and siblings--if age-appropriate--are welcome to attend, and I may be able to give some kids rides home afterward if needed.) The cost is free, and I will have permission slips available on Thursday.

 

• We will be pleased to hear presentations next week given by Eliana and Hannah. Kudos to Zane and Tillie for enlightening us this week about Benjamin Franklin and Joseph Smith. Nicely done! 

 

• I want to leave time at the end of class on Thursday for you to pass off award requirements and to hand out ribbons, so please have your things in order for that.

I think that's it from me...if you have any questions, comments or concerns, you know what to do!

 

-Mrs. H.

 

 

 



Week 11

Sorry I missed the debate on raising the minimum wage, but I'm sure it was fun and that you guys learned a few things you didn't know before! We learned a little more about the Bill of Rights; that it is not a list of people's rights as much as it is a list of prohibitions for the federal government. Specifically, we looked at the 1st Amendment, and we learned what the "separation of church and state" was actually intended to mean; despite that it has been so badly misinterpreted in modern times.

"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

-Alexis de Tocqueville

Your assignments this week:

STUDY FOR THE CONSTITUTION BOWL!!!!!!! This Thursday evening, April 21st, we will begin promptly at 6:00 pm. Teacher Amber wants all the Key scholars to wear red, and the family team to wear blue, so make sure you pass on the message to your participating relatives. This will be a potluck dinner event, so please bring a dish to share.

Opinion Paper: According to the First Amendment, does a person have the right to go to a public park and swear around children?

Constitution Journal: There is no new assignment because you should have finished the entire Constitution! If you do not have it completed, you have until April 28th to finish it, so PLEASE catch up! I really want ALL of you to be able to go on the field trip! The field trip will be either during class on April 28th, or immediately after co-op. I will poll the parents (and discuss it with Mrs. Brennan) to find out what everyone prefers.

Presentations: Great job to Emma for setting the bar with her presentation on Malala Yousafzai! She is a very inspiring young woman whom we should all be familiar with. Next week we will be pleased to hear presentations from Zane and Tillie.

Keep up the good work, everyone!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 10

We learned a little more about the supremacy clause (Art. VI--that's 6 for all of you non-Romans), and what the heck "the Constitution is the supreme law of the land" really means. We also had a good, rousing discussion about revolution, why it's important to know your rights, and how to give the power back to the people.

"If a nation expects to be ignorant AND free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be."  -Thomas Jefferson

Your assignments this week are:

• Hero Report - 2 to 4 page report on your selected hero due April 14th.

• Opinion Paper - What would life be like without the Constitution? And last week's paper topic is (for those of you who chose not to write it down and have thus increased your spring break work-load, tsk, tsk, tsk), If you were to make an amendment to the Constitution, what would it be? 

• Constitution Journal - Amendments XXIII (23) through XXVII (27). **Congratulations to Zachary for being the first to complete his Constitution journal, and the first on the list to go on the cool field trip!**

• Constitution Study Guide - STUDY IT!!!!!! (So you can kick some serious butt at the Constitution Bowl, of course!)

• After everything else is done, you may want to:
• Begin reading The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson, available online here: http://www.properroleofgovernment.com/ where you can read it or listen to it! (Yay, Tillie!) We will be discussing it on May 5th.
• Work on your other award requirements--memorizing scriptures, George Washington's Farewell Address & vocabulary, the U.S. Heritage Award, watching movies, etc.

Think of Spring Break as a time to catch up without the interruptions of class! Use this time to learn at your own pace and enjoy it in the process! Have fun, and we'll see you in 2 weeks!

P.S. Happy Birthday, Eliana!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 8

What a fun class we had, debating over majority rule and minority rights! You guys did great, and we were so impressed to see you really listening to each other and questioning each other's positions! You can look forward to doing more debates in class!

We also learned last week about the structure and importance of strong local government. I hope you all will feel the desire to become more involved--whether in your neighborhood or HOA, or your city or county councils. Even kids--you--can get involved and make a difference in your own community!

This week's assignments:

• Opinion Paper: NONE...unless you are behind, then this is a good week to catch up!

• Constitution Journal: Amendments 11-17 (again, with no opinion paper, use this week to catch up on your journaling if you've fallen behind.)

• Reading: Finish The Great Little Madison, and come prepared with a question or two for book discussion this Thursday

• Research: Make sure you are doing some light research on your Hero Report, and not leaving it all until the last minute:

 ALL PAPERS ARE DUE APRIL 14th!

 

The Presentation schedule is as follows:

 

• 4/14 - Emma, Zachary
• 4/21 - Zane, Tillie
• 4/28 - Eliana, Hannah
• 5/5 - Micah
• 5/12 - Gabe, Ethan

We expect great reports and presentations from you all, because we've seen what you can do, and we know what you are capable of! Happy studying!

 

-Mrs. Hellyer

 

Week 7

This week we learned about the judicial branch as explained in Article 3 of the Constitution. We also discussed the landmark Marbury v. Madison decision that gave the federal courts judicial supremacy, giving the Supreme Court the final word in all cases of law and equity. Below are 3 Crash Course videos on law and the judicial branch if you are interested in learning more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sualy8OiKk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWYFwl93uCM *This one explains Marbury v. Madison

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjLcLguoKC4

(**Maybe one of you tech-savvy kids can teach me how to embed videos, not just copy links!)

Assignments this week:

• Opinion Paper - Have the Supreme Court rulings helped or hindered our nation? Explain.

• Constitution Journal - Amendments 1-10 (The Bill of Rights)

• Reading - The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz  *Must be completed by next week, March 24th

Also, we're throwing around the idea of Friday, April 1st for a movie night, so check with your parents to see if that works. Keep up the good work!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 6

This week we went over the powers of the executive branch. Mrs. Brennan made it fun (as usual!) by throwing in some trivia and some entertaining videos, too (Below is the link for the video we couldn't finish because of uncooperative wifi).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnHb-zyWh14

Here are your assignments for this week:

Opinion Paper: According to the Constitution, Congress has the power to declare war, but, for the last 60 years, the President has declared war. In your opinion, which branch of government should have that power, legislative or executive?

Constitution Journal: Articles 5-7

Other things to be working on:

• Reading The Great Little Madison
• Studying the Constitution Bowl study guide  
•  ***Tip: Memorize the subheadings (the bold-type description) for each Article and Section; that way, you'll know right where to go in the Constitution to find your answers***
• Researching for your Hero Report
• Completing award requirements, including the Heritage Award

I know you guys have a lot to do in the next few months, especially if you're taking other scholar classes, but if you work hard, and don't slack off, I know you can do it all (I know this because I've done it, and I survived! Heed the voice of experience!) Happy studying, y'all!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 5

This week we talked about the powers of Congress (Article 1 Section 8). There is a TON of information on this topic--specifically how these powers have been distorted from their original intent--but unfortunately, we only had a short time to go over all of it! If you want to know more, I recommend doing some research on the expansion of the powers of Congress, online or by reading parts of The Making of America by Cleon Skousen. There's lots of good info out there, it just takes a little looking!

This week's assignments:

Opinion Paper: Does Congress have too much power or not enough?

Constitution Journal: Articles 3 & 4   **Tip: Try counting all the clauses you would have to journal about, then divide that by the number of days until the next class. Use that number to determine how many clauses you will work on each day. This will help you spread out the work, and keep you from getting behind. And please, please, ask your parents for help if you are struggling! I know this can be difficult work, but I also know that you are smart and hard-working enough to do it!

Keep studying for the Constitution Bowl, and start reading The Great Little Madison if you haven't yet.

See you all Thursday...and there may be TREATS for those who do their journaling!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 3

This week we had a great discussion about Montesquieu's 3 principles--virtue, honor and fear--that are required for the success of the 3 forms of government--Republican, Monarchial and Despotic. We also learned that when men cease to be virtuous in our own government we see the usurpation of legislative power by the branches (executive and judicial) that were never intended to have it.

Upcoming assignments:

• This week's opinion paper is: Is it better to have a man of faith in office with a minimal education, or a man of knowledge with minimal faith and questionable character?

• Your Constitution journal assignment this week is: Article 1, Sections 6-10 (**Remember that this optional assignment comes with a special field trip reward!)

• Our next book discussion will be February 25th, on Fifty-Five Fathers by Selma R. Williams.

Don't forget to work on your Award requirements...we know you have a lot to do, but we really want to see you all earn your ribbons! Just think of how much more informed you'll be about the history of our nation's founding than most kids your age by the time this class is finished! In fact, you'll know more than most Americans! Yes, that's sad, but true; but you all are the ones who will be able to preserve and protect this nation for the next generation!

Here's a link to the Article 5 Project that we talked about in class--the "safety net" for the states, built into the Constitution for when the federal government gets carried away:

http://www.conventionofstates.com/

Please read through the website and watch the videos...they're very interesting and informative (and they give you a little hope that we really CAN restore the Constitution to what our founders intended it to be).

Keep up the good work studying that CB study guide, because we'll have a quiz or practice each week. There may even be candy involved!

Carry on, scholars!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 2

I hope you all had fun doing the sovereignty simulation in class, and thank you to Teacher Isabelle for putting it all together! It was very interesting to see your different personalities emerge in this mock "stressful" situation. Who knew that the usually calm, quiet Tillie would want to be president, or should I say...dictator? Hmmmm...

A few reminders:

• If you haven't already, select a person about whom to research for your Hero Report by this Thursday (2/11), and get your selection approved by myself or Teacher Isabelle. The person must be someone who has promoted the principles of freedom and liberty, and NOT be George Washington or John Adams. That's it. There are like a million+ people who fit those criteria! The actual reports are not due until April 14th, but this will give you time to get some research done early.

• Opinion paper this week: Write a debrief on the simulation. What did you learn about the founders? What did you learn about yourself? How are you going to change because of the simulation?

• Keep working on your Constitution journals. We're still working on the preamble and Article 1, Sections 1-5. If you have questions or need help, please ask! (Trust me: someday, you'll thank us for pushing you to do it!) *Also, if you do all your journaling, there will be a special field trip to the capital (or possibly a museum--we'll talk it over in class)--for those who complete the requirement--involving ice cream!

I think that's it...if I forgot anything, let me know! Thanks guys, for being good, hard-working kids: it makes teaching this class fun for us!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 1

Second semester has begun! Here's a recap of the things we went over in class on Thursday:

Hero Reports: You must choose (and have approved by either myself or Teacher Isabelle) the name of a person you would like to report on by February 11th. The person must be someone who has promoted and/or fought for the principles of freedom and liberty, and can be from any time period and any place in the world (but it can't be George Washington or John Adams, since we've already discussed them). Papers must be 2-4 pages in length, and will be due April 14th. You will also have to give an in-class presentation about the same person; we will sign up for presentations in the near future, and will begin presenting on April 14th as well.

**Teacher Genne suggested that you check relativefinder.org to find out if you are related to any of the founders, then report on that person (bonus: family history work!).

Your opinion paper question this week is:

Why is America different? How is the American government different from nations now and in the past, and why have we lasted so long? 

I strongly encourage all of you to look through your award requirements for this semester, and plan to get them done in a timely manner, so as not to leave them all for the last week of class. Remember also, that you can still pass off the Heritage Award requirement from first semester, but all other awards have expired.

Please remember to respond to Teacher Amber ASAP about which of your family members will be participating in the Constitution Bowl, so that person can receive study guide information.

Congratulations to all of you for completing ALL of the writing assignments...not many Key classes do that, but then, you are a pretty exceptional group! Keep up the good work, and contact me, Teacher Isabelle, or Teacher Amber if you have any questions/concerns.

-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 14

Great job to all of you for all your hard work during first semester...we're half-way done! Also, you all did really well on your recitation of the Declaration of Independence at parent night. I hope your parents are proud of you, because your mentors certainly are!

This Thursday is the first day of second semester, and thus begins some new projects and new material to study. We will be discussing the book Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund, so make sure you have it read BEFORE class. Each of you also please come prepared for the book discussion by bringing a discussion question with you. If you need help coming up with a question, please read the "Steps in Leading a Colloquium" page in your binder. The rest of the semester's book discussions will be led by the scholars, so keep that in mind while reading the books.

Here is the reading list and due dates for the rest of second semester:

• January 28th - Freedom Factor by Gerald Lund
• February 25th - Fifty-Five Fathers by Selma R. Williams
• March 24th - The Great Little Madison by Jean Fritz
• May 5th - The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson (available free online)

A few changes this semester will be that Mrs. Brennan (Teacher Isabelle) will be joining us as the second co-mentor for Key, and Teacher Amber will be our Constitution Bowl coach. We'll hold Constitution Bowl (CB) practice the last 20 minutes of every class period, and because our bowl will be held early this year (March 31st), we will hold off on presentations until after the bowl. The good news is that you'll only have to give 1 presentation each this semester! Woohoo!

So, enjoy the rest of your week, and rest up...next week we dive right into the Constitution study, and we have a lot of hard work ahead of us!

-Mrs. Hellyer

Battle Week

Thank you all who attended the Battle against Sword of Freedom this week. Even in the rain you all showed up and fought hard. You all seemed to enjoy yourselves. I will have the photo of the epic standoff soon. (Thank you parents for bringing kids out. Because we are all spread out this means some people drive a long distance to make these events happen.)

This week in class we had TWO students pass off their Declaration Memorization Requirement! 

Congrats Emma and Isaac! 

We still have some kids that need to get their requirements signed off through us. We know you all can do it, put in the hard work for the next few days. We did find a few things that did not match up from the student manual and the mentor manual, one being the Heritage Award. With the error found, we are extending the date for check off of the Heritage Award Requirement. The date will be announced this week during class. Do not let this catch up to you however, second semester has its own list of sign offs.

We are preparing for Parent's Night and everyone got their parts. All paragraphs need to be memorized for our class presentation. The exception to this rule are the King's injuries. These (only the King's Injuries) presenters are allowed to have an index card to help them. I do however challenge those presenters to try to memorize their parts. 

Here is each part and the presenter...

Statement of Course: Hannah

Statement of Truths: Tillie

Statement of Secure: Micah

Statement of Destructive- Ethan

Statement of Prudence: Isaac

Statement of Train: Isaac

Statement of Patient: Hannah

Statement of History: Gabe

Injuries 1- Emma 

Injuries 2- Tillie

Injuries 3- Ethan

Injuries 4- Zane

Injuries 5- Zane

Statement of Petitioned: Zachary

Statement of Tyrant: Emma

Statement of Wanting: Gabe

Statement of Appealed: Eliana

Statement of Acquiesce- Eliana

Statement of "We the Rep": Micah

Statement of Support: Zachary

Also for Parent night, I was thinking it would nice, if we can all try to dress like those who signed the Declaration. I know we don't all have the outfits readily available however at the very least a pair of black pants and a white button up. If you have more, PLEASE feel free to plan to dress this way (do not feel like you must go out and buy anything). I believe this will make our class presentation that much better.

Please also do not forget any of your class presentation visual aids, opinion papers and anything else you would like to have out for our parents and other family members to see. You all have accomplished so much this semester, use this night to show off your hard work. 

We do not have an opinion paper this week however I did give out some homework... YEP I SAID HOMEWORK. Please watch the State of the Union address. My hope is that you find the time each year to put in the time to hear what our President has to say. Remember it doesn't matter who is in office, we need to respect the position. 

Here is a direct link https://www.whitehouse.gov/sotu 

We do have a speaker coming this week. I think you all will enjoy this. Following this presentation, we will do a run through of our Parent Night and allow for a few more sign offs. 

Thank you all for the Semester, please if you remember anything, just remember you do have a voice and YOU all can do something. You are our future leaders and we see so many bright and positive things in you. 

If you guys have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. 

Thank you,

Teacher Amber 

Week 12

We had a great first week back from Christmas break! I hope you all enjoyed learning about the Battle of Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris, and setting up the siege on the big map...it sounded like you all had fun!

Next week is our last week of regular class, and thus the last week to pass off award requirements. Teacher Amber and I KNOW you can all get that Heritage Award if you work really diligently this week (we completed ours for training in only 2 days)! Also, practice like crazy memorizing the Declaration (give it 30 minutes a day--in smaller increments--and you'll have it made).

Your Opinion Paper this week is: What would you be willing to do to pay the price of freedom?

If you have any missing papers, this is the week to get them finished and turned in, in order to earn your ribbon.

Presentations this week are:

Tillie: Fashion of the Colonial Days

Zachary: The Role of Spies in the Revolution

 

Dates to Remember:

• January 14th - Last day to earn Award ribbons
• January 15th - Key vs. Sword Battle at the Hellyers' - 10:00am to 1:00pm
• Bring a sack lunch, an airsoft gun if you have one, and eye protection
• Wear a rainproof jacket and boots
• January 21st - Parent night at Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 6:00pm. This is a potluck dinner and each student is encouraged to bring a dish from the time period being studied (labeled, please). We will be showcasing what we've learned this semester, so bring any visual aids you have made for your presentations, and maybe your best opinion paper to set out for display; and be prepared to recite the Declaration of Independence!

If you have any questions, you can post them to the blog, or email them. Keep up the good work, and we'll see you all Thursday!