It is late spring, and it's time to transition my students' excellent writing skills to shorter formats. In my neck of the woods, 120 or so seniors are wrapping up their major public policy project, which requires authentic, accurate research; selectivity and exercise of logic; and superior writing skills. In 10 pages. They are, believe it or not, rising to the occasion. I am proud of their hard work. But we have much shorter essays to write for the APGOPO exam. I am starting them off easier with a format most are familiar with... a DBQ. ('Cause APGOPO has FRQs... get 'em straight, people!) I turn to my friends at the DBQ Project for a ready to go, easy to administer and amend mini-DBQ on the Federal Budget.
It is a beautiful intro into the budgetary process, and offers some fantastic connections to the Constitution, as well as initiating thought about how to actually trim that federal budget. ("Let's nix NASA!" say students. "But wait, if it weren't for NASA's push for miniaturization of computer components to lighten payloads and spend less money on rocket fuel, we wouldn't have our smart phones! "Oh. Well, let's stop paying the national debt!" "And default? Good luck securing that federal loan next year... or ever again!" "Oh. How about Veteran's Benefits." "So, we're going to leave all those service men and women with PTSD, amputations, severe brain trauma, and paralysis under/unemployed without adequate medical care?" "Oh. This isn't fair!") Anyways, this really is a great review of writing for brevity as well as an intro to the budgetary process. I highly recommend it, and the kids enjoyed everything (but the writing.)
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Jen's bookshelf: nerdcation
I want to start by thanking Mr. Snowden and Mr. Greenwald for their uncompromising dedication to giving the NSA violations air time and transparency.
I wanted to share some of the most important things I have learned from this book bef...
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nerdcation
tagged:
nerdcation and to-read
tagged:
nerdcation and to-read
tagged:
nerdcation and to-read
AuthorI lovgov. LOVE IT! I love teaching government, learning about it, debating, discussing, asking questions about government. And not the standard boiler plate questions, but the hard ones that are NOT in the books. Archives
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