1. Monday, September 21, 2015 Objective: Agenda: Notebook: Daily Quote:
English 12
Notebook:
Earth Cam Story
Daily Quote:
“You have to let people see what you wrote. It will never be perfect, but perfect is boring.”
Tina Fey
Objective:
Utilize close reading strategies to understand and identify the main points of an informational text
Understand what Bill Keller means about a “surveillance state”
Agenda:
Warm-Up
Where do you stand?
Read “Living with the Surveillance State”
Answer questions provided
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
BEGIN YOUR WRITER’S NOTEBOOK
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PRESENTER

2. Barometer Questions ARE YOU CONCERNED WITH A “SURVEILLENCE STATE?”
Arrange yourself in the hall based on your comfort level with the following. Strongly opposed should stand near the sign by the science wing, while those strongly in favor should stand toward the sign by my classroom. If your beliefs are undecided or unsure, stand between the two signs in varying degrees based on your agreement or disagreement.
I feel comfortable with the police using drones in the sky to look for criminals on the run as well as illegal activities.
I feel comfortable with the police using facial scanning technology to spot terrorists and to know who is attending crowded events, like concerts, marathons and parades.
I feel comfortable with police using GPS cellphone tracking to follow the activities of terrorists, criminals and others suspected of wrong doing.
What other thoughts do you have about the issues surrounding the legalization of same-sex marriage in the US?
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
ARE YOU CONCERNED WITH A “SURVEILLENCE STATE?”
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TEACHER

3. “Living With the Surveillance State” Questions
Answer the following questions while reading “Living with the Surveillance State”.
What is the gravest thread to our civil liberties, according to Thomas Friedman – as paraphrased by Bill Keller?
What is the price we have to pay to prevent a shutdown of “the world's most open society,” according to Mr. Friedman?
Do you agree with Mr. Friedman?
What are some examples of the “surveillance state” that Mr. Keller is concerned about?
Do any of these examples make you concerned as well? Why?
Be prepared to discuss your answers!
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
SURVEILLANCE STATE QUESTIONS
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TEACHER

4. Tuesday, September 22, 2015 Notebook: Rewriting the 4th Amendment
English 12
Notebook:
Rewriting the 4th Amendment
Daily Quote:
“Being alive is exquisitely rare. Being alive and human is possibly one of the rarest things to ever be…I forgot that. You hit a bulls-eye 20 million times.”
Donald Glover
Objective:
Understand the 4th Amendment of the Constitution
Discuss/debate if new technologies invade our 4th Amendment rights
Agenda:
Read the 4th Amendment to the constitution
In your WNB, rewrite the amendment in you own words
You may use your phone to look up any unfamiliar words/phrases
Small Group “Surveillance State” research
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TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
UNDERSTANDING THE 4TH AMENDMENT
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PRESENTER

5. 4th Amendment Rewrite UNDERSTANDING THE 4TH AMENDMENT
Consider the following question while reading the 4th Amendment
How clear is the amendment in defining exactly what the government is allowed and not allowed to do?
Be prepared to discuss your answers!
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TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
UNDERSTANDING THE 4TH AMENDMENT
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TEACHER

6. Group Surveillance Research
DNA Databases
Exhibit A: In last Thursday’s Times Joseph Goldstein reported that local law enforcement agencies, “largely under the radar,” are amassing their own DNA databanks, and they often do not play by the rules laid down for the databases compiled by the F.B.I. and state crime labs.
Cop-Cams and CCTV
Exhibit B: Nothing quite says Big Brother like closed-circuit TV.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
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TEACHER

7. Group Surveillance Research
Domestic Spy Drones
Exhibit C: Congress has told the F.A.A. to set rules for the use of spy drones in American air space by It is easy to imagine the value of this next frontier in surveillance: monitoring forest fires, chasing armed fugitives, search-and-rescue operations.
Facial Recognition Technology
The federal government is making progress on developing a surveillance system that would pair computers with video cameras to scan crowds and automatically identify people by their faces, according to newly disclosed documents and interviews with researchers working on the project.
GPS Tracking
Law enforcement tracking of cellphones, once the province mainly of federal agents, has become a powerful and widely used surveillance tool for local police officials, with hundreds of departments, large and small, often using it aggressively with little or no court oversight, documents show.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
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TEACHER

8. Group Surveillance Research
Read the articles about your topic that are provided on my website. As a group answer the following questions:
What is the surveillance method and how does it work?
Why is it useful to the police and the government?
How does it potential threaten our constitutional rights?
When does the use of this government surveillance method violate the Fourth Amendment?
What safeguards need to be in place to prevent government abuse?
Be prepared to discuss your answers!
Place all of your answers on a single sheet of paper and include all of your names.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
WHEN DOES SRUVEILLANCE BREAK THE 4TH AMMENDMENT?
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TEACHER

9. Wednesday, September 23, 2015 Notebook: None Today! Daily Quote:
English 12
Notebook:
None Today!
Daily Quote:
“…so when the world knocks at your front door, clutch the knob gently and open on up, running forward into its widespread greeting arms with your hands before you, fingertips trembling though they may be.”
Anis Mojgani
Objective:
Understand your assigned topic
Consider if it breaks the 4th amendment, and at which point law makers should step in to protect the innocent
Share your research with the class
Agenda:
Finish “Surveillance State” research
“Surveillance State” Presentations
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TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
INTRODUCTION TO ARGUMENT
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PRESENTER

10. Group Surveillance Research
Read the articles about your topic that are provided on my website. As a group answer the following questions:
What is the surveillance method and how does it work?
Why is it useful to the police and the government?
How does it potential threaten our constitutional rights?
When does the use of this government surveillance method violate the Fourth Amendment?
What safeguards need to be in place to prevent government abuse?
Be prepared to discuss your answers!
Place all of your answers on a single sheet of paper and include all of your names.
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
WHEN DOES SRUVEILLANCE BREAK THE 4TH AMMENDMENT?
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TEACHER

11. Thursday, September 24, 2015 Notebook: None today! Daily Quote:
English 12
Notebook:
None today!
Daily Quote:
“Curious that we spend more time congratulating people who have succeeded than encouraging people who have not.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Objective:
Understand the basics of writing a letter to the editor
Research local and national issues that are timely and ongoing
Brainstorm the issue you are going to write about in your editorial
Agenda:
Letter to the Editor Basics
Flint Journal Independent research
YOU ARE LOOKING AT
TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
LETTER TO THE EDITOR BASICS/RESEARCH
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PRESENTER

12. Friday, September 25, 2015 Notebook: None Today! Daily Quote:
English 12
Notebook:
None Today!
Daily Quote:
“What day is it?” asked Pooh. “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. “My favorite day,” said Pooh.
Objective:
Draft your letter to the editor
Consider brevity, spelling and grammar
Respond to an issue that is ongoing
Agenda:
Begin drafting your Letter to the Editor
Remember, it must be shorter than 250 words!
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TODAY’S TOPIC IS
WE ARE CURRENTLY HERE
Mr. McGregor
DRAFITING YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR
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PRESENTER