Achtung!

 There are a few things that I've noticed while reading your blogs.  First, some of you have not sent me an email with your blog url in it.  Therefore, I have been unable to comment on your blogs.  Please email your blog url asap.  Enough acronyms for ya?

Second, there is some really good discussion going on before and after class.  Your work on the blogs has definitely raised the level of discussion in class, and for that I am grateful.  However, there are still some really good questions being asked in the blogs that are not being voiced in class.  Make sure that you assert yourself and take part in the discussion. 

Don't forget that Huck Finn is very close.  You should be able to connect all of the semester's readings with at least one of the episodes in the novel, so make sure that you are writing these things down.  Some of you are already blogging about it, and I am answering questions and posing other questions as they come. 

I encourage you to check out the following link:
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development
Yes, it's from Wikipedia.  But it is one theory of what we have been discussing quite  a bit in class.  Let me know what you think!

Blogs!

I've just finished reading the most recently posted blogs about the Federalist and Anti-federalist papers.  (and there was a fire alarm...aaargh!)  Your posts look good overall, but some of you were very confused about what the papers actually said.  I'm hoping that some of the incorrect summaries I saw on your posts were resolved in our class discussion today. 

Some interesting points and/or topics for further discussion that were not mentioned in class, but were mentioned in your blogs are:  1.  the necessary and proper clause - does this affect us today?  in what way(s)? 2.  the idea that the anti-federalist paper was less informative and more inflammatory than the federalist paper - what does this tell you about the authors?  the audiences?  Our class discussions develop organically.  In other words, I don't usually have a set "lecture" or list of things that you "should get" from the readings.  I let your comments direct discussion.  In other words, if you have something you want to discuss...speak up!!! 
: )

See you tomorrow.  Remember that all the readings "go together," or inform each other.   Try to make connections when you can.

Have a safe weekend!

My thoughts are with you all this weekend.  Please be safe, and come back Monday ready to talk about Ben Franklin.

What did you all think about Ralph Linton's "100% American"?  

First Day!

I enjoyed meeting all of you this morning.  I look forward to working with you this semester.  I will post information on this blog from time to time.  Feel free to make comments!  If you become a "follower" of this blog, you will be notified every time a new post is made. 

I hope you are all having fun reading Cooke (30 or so lines, under the first unit under assignments), and I look forward to our discussion Friday morning.  Come with questions!