This week we find ourselves between topics. We are winding down on Segregation and will be moving into a discussion on Imperial America.  Rather than rehash an old debate I thought we could try a current topic this week and tackle the issue of privacy and school lockers. 

Weekly Question:  Should schools have the right to search students' lockers?

http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_print.php?topicID=447 (Pros and Cons of school searches)

Initial response due by Friday at Midnight.  Follow-ups due by Sunday at Midnight.

Usual Blog rules apply.

As we make our way through Chapter 16, a unit that contains arguably the most disturbing subject matter covered in 11th grade American Cultures Honors, a key question comes to mind.  What, if anything, should we do about atoning for the evil deeds of our forefathers with respect to African Americans?  Is there a way to make up for hundreds of years of slavery, segregation, and racial injustice?  Should we even try?

This Week's Blog assignment is to read the assigned readings on reparations and answer the following question:

Are descendants of slaves entitled to reparations?  Why or why not?

A chronic problem on the blogs is the failure of some posters to reference the reading materials in their responses.  Failing to provide information from the readings indicates that the student has not performed the required readings.  As part of our continuing effort at becoming college ready, students will begin losing points for not referencing the readings in their posts.  We are several months into the school year and all students should be aware of their responsibilities by now.  Let's try to show how much improvement we've demonstrated in our blogging skills by backing up our assertions with genuine facts from the readings.

Initial Blog entry due by Friday at 6:00 PM.  Follow-ups due by Sunday at midnight.

This week we are beginning Chapter 14 which deals with the rise of industry in America. As we will discuss, one of the leading reasons for America’s industrial might was its wealth of natural resources. That is still true to some extent today. America is unique in the world for its abundant quantities of many different types of resources. However, use of resources comes at a price. This week we will discuss the merits of that by examining the issue of drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge in Alaska.

In examining the required readings look for information that will help you answer the following question:

Should the U.S. allow oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge? Why or why not?

As we are developing our critical thinking skills, I want you to focus this week on using information from sources to prove your point. Full credit will be awarded to those students who utilize the readings in drafting their responses in addition to conforming to the required 2-3 paragraph initial post format and using proper grammar, spelling, and usage. Failure to cite specific examples from the readings in your posts will result in a lower grade.

Last week saw a marked (though not total) improvement in grammar and writing style. Remember to continue with that and be sure to write 2-3 paragraphs for your initial response.

To assist discussion I will now be adding the additional requirement of having ALL INITIAL POSTS BE DUE BY FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT. Follow-up posts will continue to be accepted until Sunday at Midnight. By having earlier initial posts, you and your classmates will have more options for discussion rather than waiting until Sunday for nearly half of the posts to appear

Why did you enroll in American Cultures 11 Honors instead of American Cultures or 11th grade A.P. history?  What do you hope to get out of this course?