Good Afternoon Please grab your drill books take

Good Afternoon! Please grab your drill books, take your seat, and take out your rough draft to show Mr. Krzys if you have not already had it checked off.

1/12 Do Now: Write the answers on your half-sheet. Start every answer on a new line. 1. Maryland has a seasonal climate – it is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Is this a climate you are looking for when you are an adult and move somewhere? Where is your ideal place you’d like to live? What is so appealing about that place? 2. A recent study has suggested that if Baltimore City adds a tax on to soda beverages, then people would drink less of it and it would lead to better health outcomes for people. Would you support this measure? How you would persuade people on your position? 3. What does the media do? What is its four roles that it does? How does it influence our government? Provide some examples of media organizations, as well as the ones that you use most frequently.

Early Announcements • Entrance Procedure Check • Final Copies Due Tuesday! • Midterms Start Next Friday • Get make up work in ASAP

Mr. Krzys’ Ultimate Guide to Studying & Keeping what you Learn in Your Brain The notes below are filled with active strategies that will help keep your brain engaged as you make connections between ideas. You need to avoid passive strategies, or strategies that don’t involve your brain being engaged, like the ones discussed below.

1. Don’t just re-read your notes and readings. • Most students do this as their number one strategy for studying, but they are wrong. When you read something for you the first time, you get a lot out of it.

1. Don’t just re-read your notes and readings. • But the second or third time around, you don’t get as much. Avoid re-reading – it is a waste of your time.

2. Ask yourself a lot of questions. • After you have read something once, put it to the side and ask yourself questions (either one’s given to you or make your own). When you make your mind retrieve the information you immediately put in it, you are creating strong connections.

2. Ask yourself a lot of questions. • Even if you get the question wrong, at least you know that it’s something to fix. When you or someone else asks you questions, focus on these three: what, how, & why.

3. Connect new information to something you already know. • When you find a similarity between something new and something you already know about, your brain remembers it better.

3. Connect new information to something you already know. • For new vocabulary words, identify synonyms (other words that mean something similar) and antonyms (other words that mean something different). Relate concepts or relationships about what you’re learning with stuff or ideas you already know.

4. Draw out information in a visual form. • Your goal here is to create your own, personal understanding with the material. Creating these should also align to your notes – think about graphic organizers.

4. Draw out information in a visual form. • You should be able reproduce these from memory, as well. Make diagrams, visual models, or flow charts.

5. Use flashcards. • Flashcard can be very effective memory tool. Take a group of index cards, and either write a question or term on the front with the answer or definition on the back. If you get the card right, keep it in the deck! Don’t remove it.

5. Use flashcards. • You will remember something better if you can retrieve it from you memory multiple times – this is not mindless repetition. Use flashcards, and go through your “deck” at least 4 -5 times.

6. Space out your studying (don’t cram). Waiting until the last minute (studying the evening before a test, for example) will always lead to failure. You are not giving your brain enough practice – like becoming skillful at sports.

6. Space out your studying (don’t cram). • Studying two separate times for a half hour in an evening is better than studying for one whole hour nonstop. Space out your studying for a test.

7. Alternate study settings. • Study material in different environments instead of a single location. This goes along with spacing out studying.

7. Alternate study settings. • Choose different locations – your bedroom, the kitchen table, a classroom, the local library, or even outdoors at a park. This will guarantee that your brain doesn’t connect what you are studying to where at you are studying it.

8. Vary the type of material you studying in a single sitting. • Alternate between reading, vocabulary, and speaking out loud instead of focusing on only one skill or piece of content during a study session. Musicians and athlete do this all the time – they cover a variety of thing whenever they practice.

8. Vary the type of material you studying in a single sitting. • Select a number of strategies (think numbers 2 -5) when sitting down to study.

9. Get enough sleep. • Sleeping plays an incredibly important role in how much your brain remembers information from each day to the next. The first half of the sleep cycle helps with retaining facts; the second half is important for math skills.

9. Get enough sleep. • Staying up extra late will not help – when you get tired, that is your brain telling you that it has had enough.

Flash Cards! 1. Write the word on the front of the index card 2. Divide the back of your index card into two parts 3. Write the picture on the left side and write definition on the right side

Analysis Questions 1. Why are demographics important to the government? How do demographics help to government to make smart decisions about where to spend tax dollars? 2. Why is it important that the U. S. government count its population every ten years? 3. What is reapportionment? How does reapportionment keep the House of Representatives seats fair in the U. S. Congress? 4. What is the difference between political parties and interest groups? 5. What are referendums? How do referendum given citizens power? Why is it important that local and state government allow referendum?

Quick 5 1/12 Have you used any of the strategies we learned today to study? If so which ones? Were they effective? Which methods are you going to use to prepare for your midterms? Why? (You cannot say none!)

Quick Review Political Parties, Interest Groups, & Lobbying Questions 1 -11

QUESTION #1 Which of these explains a difference between political parties and interest groups? A. Political parties evaluate government policy, while interest groups set government policy B. Political parties influence laws, while interest groups ratify laws C. Political parties address many issues, while interest groups focus on one issue D. Political parties support candidates, while interest groups nominate candidates

QUESTION #2 Which of these explains why former members of the legislature are often hired as lobbyists? A. They keep congressional voting privileges B. They have inside knowledge of lawmaking procedures C. They are able to continue using the offices they used as congressional members D. They are elected to interest groups by the same constituents who elected them as lawmakers

QUESTION #3 Suppose the Maryland Medical Association wants to change the licensing requirements for doctors. What would be the association’s best course of action to bring about this change? A. Hiring a firm to conduct an opinion poll of Maryland residents B. Rallying support from Maryland hospitals C. Advertising their positions in Maryland periodical magazines D. Lobbying the Maryland General Assembly

QUESTION #4 Which of these describes the main purpose of an interest group? A. B. C. D. To influence government officials on specific issues To form legislative committees that study public policy To regulate the economy by setting federal lending rates To select cases for hearing in appeals courts

QUESTION #5 An interest group is most likely to: A. B. C. D. Nominate party candidates Veto proposed legislation Set government policy Lobby elected officials

QUESTION #6 What is a reason people join third parties? A. Third-party candidates usually win elections B. Third parties always raise a large sum of money C. The Democratic and Republican party dues are too expensive D. The Democratic and Republican parties do not represent their views

QUESTION #7 Which of these activities is most likely performed by political parties? A. B. C. D. Holding general elections Raising campaign money Designating voting precincts Counting absentee ballots

QUESTION #8 Which of these is an example of lobbying by a special interest group? A. A hotel association develops a plan to attract more tourists B. An animal rights organization presents its views to a legislator C. A group of citizens asks city officials for a schedule of public hearings D. A neighborhood association backs a group of candidates for an election

QUESTION #9 For which of these does a lobbyist most likely work? A. B. C. D. An appeals court A special interest group The Senate The City Council

QUESTION #10 In the United States political process, special interest groups: A. B. C. D. Vote for candidates favoring their views Vote on bills favoring their cause Conduct voting in the Congress Supervise voting on election day

QUESTION #11 Which of these is the best example of a special interest group? A. An organization whose focus is to advocate legislation favorable to the elderly B. An organization whose purpose is to nominate candidates to run for elected offices C. A private company that hires extra employees for temporary work D. A charitable foundation that gives money to help children overseas

Independent Practice: Exit Ticket Checklist Directions: Complete the worksheet titled “First Two Weeks Review” as means for you to accumulate everything that will be on the quiz tomorrow. Remember, this is a silent and independent activity.