Week 3: 9/28/17

Last week we discussed the importance of morality in regards to government. The founders were insistent that both the governing and the governed had to be virtuous for freedom and self-governance to succeed. The people had to recognize and live by a higher law (God's law) in order to create communities respectful of individuals' rights, and those in positions of power had to do the same in order to avoid the temptations that come with holding such positions. Here's the video that I wanted to show you in class. Mr. Christensen has some great insight on this topic...

 

 

 

Assignments this week:

• Opinion Paper - Why is a moral people required for good government?

• Reading - Finish reading The Landing of the Pilgrims. Our discussion will be led by Corban. There will be treats for those who read their books!

 

• Presentations - Thanks to Sariah and Elliot for teaching us a bit more about our nation's past. This week, we will be pleased to hear from Athen on the Boston Massacre.

Enjoy the rest of your week! -Mrs. H.



Week 2: 9/21/17

Great job to you all for participation in our first class simulation! That one's a doozy, too, but you guys finally figured out how to stay in character and argue as the delegates you represented. I hope you were able to realize how difficult it really was for the founding fathers to come together and decide to break away from England. There were so many consequences to consider--treason, impact on families, economics, casualties of war, interstate and international relations, etc.--before the founders were able to commit to independence. Even John Adams, who lived through some of the worst oppression from the British in Boston, didn't want to break away from Great Britain until he believed there was no other option.

 

Check out the video below that captures some of the colonists' anger and frustration with the mother country:

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENTS THIS WEEK:

• Opinion Paper - What did you learn about the founders by participating in the simulation? What did you learn about yourself? How will you change because of what you learned? (By completing this paper, you will earn your key...YAY!)

• Presentations - We will be pleased to hear our first class presentations given this Thursday by Elliot and Sariah (check last week's blog if you need a refresher about topics or dates).

• Reading - Please read the Mayflower Compact (in your binder) and write a list of vocabulary words (words you don't know) with their definitions in your notebook. Also, keep reading The Landing of the Pilgrims which we will discuss on October 5th.

• Devotional - Athen will give the devotional this week.

Keep working on those award requirements, especially memorizing the Declaration of Independence. I REALLY want to see some ribbons tied to your keys!! See you'ns Thursday!

 

-Mrs. Hellyer

Presentation Schedule

I forgot to add this to the blog, so please make sure you have written down your presentation in your planner:

9/28

1. Elliot: Life as a Puritan and the Salem Witch Trials
2. Sariah: The French and Indian War

10/05

1. Athen: The Boston Massacre

10/12

1. Elsa: Boston Tea Party and the Sons of Liberty

10/19

1. Athen: Lexington and Concord

10/26

1. Madeline: Hospitals and Doctors in the Revolutionary War
2. Elliot: Life as a Soldier in the Continental Army

11/09

1. Corban: Life as a Prisoner and Prisons in Colonial America
2. Gwen: Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox"

11/16

1. Madeline: Betsy Ross and the First Flag
2. Corban: Weaponry and Battle Tactics of the Revolutionary War

12/07

1. Elsa: The Role of Spies in the Revolution

12/14

1. Gwen: Famous Women of the War
2. Sariah: Benjamin Franklin and the Treaty of Paris

I'll also post this schedule up in the classroom. Remember, you don't need to write a paper for this, just give an oral/visual presentation of what you learned. Have fun with it; costumes, props, games, etc. are highly encouraged!
-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 1: 9/14/17

Welcome to Key of Liberty! It was so nice to see the familiar faces and meet the new scholars! I hope that you all weren't too overwhelmed with the deluge of information you were given in class yesterday. True, there will be a lot of hard work this year, but you all are more than capable of accomplishing all your goals and earning those rewards! It's going to be a great year!

This week we discussed what it means when we say "America is your land." This country is the precious inheritance we have received from the generations before us, and we must do our best to be informed, intelligent, responsible citizens who will pass that inheritance on to the next generation, in a better condition than it was received.

Here are your assignments for this week:

• Remember to look through your award requirements and start planning (using your planner) to work on those a little bit every week. This includes your Declaration of Independence journal if you want to go on the field trip to the Capitol in January.

• Opinion Paper: What is your responsibility to America and freedom? This is due at the beginning of the next class. Please use your rubric as a guide to help you turn in your best work!

• Reading: Start reading The Landing of the Pilgrims if you haven't already. Our book discussion will be on October 5th, led by Corban.

• Devotional: This week I'm assigning devotional to Elliot, because I forgot to do it in class, and he lives with me which makes it convenient!

Have a great week, everyone!
-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 13

This week we discussed the rights of the people as defined in the 6th, 7th and 8th Amendments. The basic rights are: no excessive bails or fines, fair and timely access to the courts, legal defense and trial by a jury of one's peers, and no cruel and/or unusual punishments for crimes. Although it might be our natural impulse to want to punish criminals severely, our founders had the divinely-inspired wisdom and compassion to ensure that even the least among us had basic rights given to them by God, and above all, that they deserve to have the same opportunities to defend themselves and repent of their ways.

PRESENTATIONS: We will be pleased to hear presentations given by Lucy and Reina.

OPINION PAPER: Should a murderer be sentenced to die by the same means as his victim?**Also, if you haven't turned in all your opinion papers, make sure you do so by May 11th if you want to receive your ribbon!

READING: We will be discussing The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson next week, May 4th. I would like to assign Dean to lead the discussion.

DEVOTIONAL: Assigned to Paige

NEWS: Your homework is to come to class with one story that is relevant to what we are learning in class. There's a lot going on, so this should be super easy!

AWARD REQUIREMENTS: Get 'em done! You have only 2 weeks left--May 11th is the last day to pass them off! Please take time on Thursday to check your keys and ribbons and make sure you have everything you earned, so I don't have to try to track all of this down outside of class.

I think Reina borrowed A More Perfect Union, so please be sure to bring it back as soon as possible so the next scholar in line can borrow it!

Have a fabulous weekend, and I'll see you when I get back from The Golden Triangle (and if you can tell me what that is, I might have a prize for you)! -Mrs. Hellyer

Week 11

Super job to all of you in the Constitution Bowl! Mrs. Brennan and I, and your parents are all so proud of you for all the hard work you put in to learning about the Constitution! Think back to September and how little you knew about the founding of our country and see how much you've learned over the past 7 months. You all are becoming great scholars!

Due to the field trip this week, we've had to bump the class schedule down a week. We won't be doing any Hero presentations this week, so the new presentation schedule will be as follows:

• 4/27 - Ethan & Leila
• 5/4 - Lucy & Reina
• 5/11 - Taylor & Paige (and Dean, fingers crossed!)

Please be sure to get your Hero Report turned in if you haven't yet!!!!

Also, we will have another debate on 4/27. The topic will be: Should a business have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason? We will draw sides in class on Thursday.

Assignments this week are:

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 - Finish so you can go on the field trip! I really hope you all can go on this outing; it's going to be a great time! Let me know before Thursday if you've completed it: so far, I know that Lucy, Leila, and Paige are done and have earned the field trip reward!

***Now that the Constitution Bowl is behind us, please focus on getting your award requirements competed and passed off. We're running out of time, and I know you'll want to proudly display your keys brimming with ribbons. (Also, I would like you all to make sure you have all the ribbons that you have earned, because some of them have fallen off and/or been misplaced.)

Press forward, scholars, and I hope to take you all out to the museum and ice cream on Thursday!
-Mrs. Hellyer

Week 10

I hope you all had a fun spring break! Mine was super busy and I could definitely use another week off, but that's the life of a parent! Anyhoo, this week you have a few assignments due, so here they are:

HERO REPORTS: please turn them in this Thursday, April 13th. If you need a reminder about the guidelines, please see last week's blog post. Presentations will begin April 20th, and the schedule is as follows:

• 4/20 - Ethan & Leila
• 4/27 - Lucy & Reina
• 5/4 - Taylor & Paige
• 5/11 - Dean?

CONSTITUTION JOURNAL: Amendments 24-27. Please have your journals completed by 4/20 if you want to go on the field trip. I haven't decided on a date for the field trip, but it may have to be 4/20, so I'll let you know as soon as I get in contact with the museum.

OPINION PAPER: What would life be like without the Constitution? We read a book about this--Freedom Factor--so I think you all can FILL THE PAGE with some pretty creative ideas and opinions!

DEVOTIONAL: Leila's turn!

The Constitution Bowl is this Thursday evening, 6:00-8:00pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Please dress up (that means no jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, tennis shoes, etc.)! Also, this will be a potluck dinner, so please bring a dish to share. If you or your parents have any questions, please email me.

Study hard, and I'll see you Thursday! -Mrs. Hellyer