Each of the following 15 activities should be answered in a minimum
of a half-page to ¾ page response. Compile your fifteen responses with
one per page in a Word document. Your final portfolio should be 16 pages
with the 15 activities and a cover page with your name, date, title,
and school name. The project must be submitted as a file within CANVAS.
If you have any questions, please e-mail me directly.
Research a political party of choosing that is not Republican or
Democrat. In a written response, state your opinions about the party,
the issues the party supports, and any general impressions that were
felt about the party. Try to be open-minded and a undecided potential
voter when researching the third party.
Take an hour listening to a political talk show from one of the
three major cable news networks, CNN, FOXNEWS, or MSNBC. If possible,
try watching from all three channels. If cable is not an option, hear a
political talk show from the local radio. Some known news talk stations
include 550AM, 1200AM, and 930AM. If you have Sirius/XM radio, many more
stations can be found. Describe your positive or negative reactions,
feelings, and concerns about those sources of media as institutions that
drive the political agenda for many citizens.
Research an interest group of your choosing. In a written response,
state your opinions about the issues that the group supports. Try to
think of the interest group, the issue(s) or interest(s) effectiveness
or power that your interest group yields in the national government.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate basic
information about the responsibilities of your U.S.
representative—committee assignments, subcommittees, length of time in
office, and major bills he or she has sponsored. Evaluate the
representative’s Web site and/or recent copies of constituency
newsletters, usually available online, to assess the policy positions
taken by your U.S. representative.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate basic
information about the responsibilities of your U.S. Senator—committee
assignments, subcommittees, length of time in office, and major bills he
or she has sponsored. Evaluate the Senator’s Web site and/or recent
copies of constituency newsletters, usually available online, to assess
the policy positions taken by your U.S. Senator.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate basic
information about the responsibilities of an existing House or Senate
congressional committee. Research the purpose of the committee, the
bills being considered, and any other major information that would be
purposeful in explaining the goals, purpose, and effectiveness of the
committee.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate basic
information about the responsibilities of an existing cabinet position.
Research the purpose of the cabinet position, the issues being
considered, and any other major information that would be purposeful in
explaining the goals, purpose, and effectiveness of the cabinet
position. Discuss the cabinet position in its relationship to the chief
executive.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, research a
non-mainstream media site that is not affiliated with a major news
outlet like The Drudge Report, Huffington Post, or the Weekly Standard.
Research some of the major topics and commentary available about
political issues. Try reading some of the blogs or message boards.
Discuss your experience and the value of these smaller outlets of
political information in the scope of politics for the average citizen.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate information
about any current immigration policy being discussed at either the local
or national level. Discuss the information / data and reflect on your
findings.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate information
about any current environmental policy being discussed at either the
local or national level. Discuss the information / data and reflect on
your findings.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate information
about any current economic policy being discussed at either the local or
national level. Discuss the information / data and reflect on your
findings.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate information
about any current health care policy being discussed at either the local
or national level. Discuss the information / data and reflect on your
findings.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate information
about any current foreign policy being discussed at either the local or
national level. Discuss the information / data and reflect on your
findings.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate information
about your city councilperson. Locate basic information about the
responsibilities of your city council person. Evaluate any major bills
or legislation that he or she has sponsored. Evaluate the
councilperson’s Web site and/or recent copies of constituency
newsletters, usually available online, to assess the policy positions
taken by your councilperson.
As a library assignment or using the Internet, locate information
about your school board representative. Locate basic information about
the responsibilities of your school board member. Evaluate the
effectiveness of your local school board. Evaluate the policy positions
taken by your school board recently.
