Week 14 in Mr. Bruce's History

Parents and Students,

We can begin counting on one hand the number of days left before a needed two-week break for one of the best times of the year - CHRISTMAS! I am looking forward to time with family, working on a few small projects, but most of all the celebration of the meaning of the holiday.

This week in class we finished some really awesome online timelines. Monday and Tuesday were devoted to the completion of a project that covered the bulk of all conversations that led to and through the creation of the Constitution. I explained more about this project in last week's email and asked that if you wanted to know more that you visit the Creating the Constitution page on the class website. These turned out really awesome and was a great use of a very neat web tool (though, some did not finish...). Please ask your students to see them!

Before we left the computer lab all students in each class selected (or was assigned) one of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. According to the instructions on the Debating the Constitution page on the class website, we researched our chosen delegate with the intent of taking his place as we debate the merits of our Constitution the way they did 228 years ago. Over the weekend, you would to well to ask your student about their delegate. Particularly, you could ask:

• How do you feel about a strong national (central) government?
• What are your thoughts about how States should be represented in Congress?
• What are your beliefs about whether or not southern states should be allowed to count slaves as part of the overall population?
• How should the chief executive be elected?

These questions and more will be decided next week in class debates. I am considering recording some debates that I know will be "hot" and so if there is any opposition, please inform me via email. The intent is to have something to share for next year as a standard of expectation, but also to give you all a window into the classroom. 

Next week is devoted to concluding debates on the key issues from the Constitutional Convention. It will allow for a nice break before we come back in January to complete a short lesson on the ratification of this document by the people in State Conventions. 

Until then, I am yours,

Mr. Bruce