Visualizing the Political Spectrum

Below are the slides for the political spectrum lecture. Each point on the spectrum is briefly summarized:

Teaching very broad, abstract, concepts at the introductory level (Middle School) requires some degree of simplification before students can move on to a more complex and nuanced understanding (which will occur in our first formal research project TBA) and I have done such simplification here.

QUIZ

As was announced on the 8th Grade Test Schedule , on Thursday we will have a Quiz on forms of government.

Matching Characteristics of Forms of Government

Today’s assignment.

Recommended Reading from the CCSD#66 Blogosphere

Blogs and wikis are potentially useful tools for enhancing communication because they have the capacity to be interactive – exchanging links and comments that contain information useful or interesting to the reader, blogger or (in the case of wikis) editor. In turn, repeated “virtual” interactions help build relationships that researchers term social networks which can also, when the members of the social network share a set of common professional goals, become a productive ” community of practice“.

In the interest of helping to encourage more interactivity and build an educational “community of Practice” for District #66, I’ll be periodically featuring links to other teachers ( and someday, students) with interesting or important posts. Here is today’s round-up:

Mrs. Hayes – “What’s Happening in Reading????”

Miss Casey – “Washington, D.C. ”

Dr. Tiede – “Strategic Planning Update”

Mrs. Onorato ( Ide ) -“October 5, 2007 Newsletter “

Miss Shahnasarian (Prairieview) –“Wild Week Wrap-Up“

That’s it!