Summer Work Due Date

All summer work is due on Friday, August 22nd to the main office in the high school.  This will give me a few days to grade your work so that it is ready by the first day of school.

A reminder of your assignments:

• Read The Vanishing Voter
• Write an essay on The Vanishing Voter, 8 paragraphs total (intro, 6 body (1 per chapter), conclusion)
• Complete both sets of Introduction to Government questions (60 total)
• Respond to each of the three blog posts (one for each month, June, July, and August)

SUMMER WORK BLOG #1

This is the first of three summer work assignments you are required to complete.  Read the attached document, Democracy’s Challenge: Reclaiming the Public’s Role.  The article proposes a problem with government today, then poses three possible, but sometimes contradictory, solutions for the problem.  You must write one paragraph summarizing the pros and cons for each of the three solutions.  Three paragraphs for three solutions, to be turned in with your Vanishing Voter essay.  Then, you must decide which of the three you like the most and why and post a response to this blog post.

Again, you must write the three paragraphs, AND respond to the blog post with your favorite of the three approaches.

An additional note: if you’re having trouble viewing the PDF file, follow the directions for viewing a DOC file using Google Docs.  It works for PDF’s, too!

Thanks, and as always, contact me if you have problems.

How to Write an Essay

I’ve attached for your download a copy of a summary of the writing manual for honors social studies courses. Read it and use it! Your essays will be graded according to this handout. I use it as a kind of checklist when grading essays.

Writing Manual Summary in .doc format

Using ‘Google Docs’ to View .doc Files

For those of you that do not own Microsoft Word, you won’t be able to view any of the .doc files I might post.

However, there is an alternative! The good people at Google have an online word processing application that will allow you to view these files, even if you don’t have a copy of Microsoft Word at home.

Here’s a rundown on how to do it.

1. Save any .doc file to your hard drive. Be sure you remember where you save it – you’ll need to access it later.

2. Go to docs.google.com

3. Click ‘Upload’.

4. Under ‘Browse your computer to select a file to upload:’ click ‘Browse’.

5. Find the .doc file you downloaded to your hard drive and select it.

6. Click ‘Upload File’.

7. Read the .doc file! It should come right up in Google Docs.

As always, if you have trouble with this, let me know!