It’s been another stellar year! Thanks for the part you played in our successes and failures; we learn from each of them.
A few things to take care of before we get to the prompt for the Semester Exam post:
1. Seniors – if you have not done so already, create an e mail account at gmail, hotmail, etc NOW – your state e mail account will go “poof” and be gone very soon.
2. Make a note of your blog address, user name and password. We’ll be using the blogs again next year. Having yours already set up will save time next fall.
3. Underclassmen – make sure your SAE records are uploaded to dropbox.com. They will be there for you to access all summer so that you can keep your records up to date. Keep track of hours worked, money made, money spent on things for your SAE. For instance – if you buy cattle or seed to plant, write it down so we have that information for next year.
4. Shoot me an e mail with your summer contact info. If you’ll still be checking your K12 e mail; let me know, otherwise, let me know where and how to contact you. I’d also like your cell phone number if I don’t already have it.
5. Have someone shoot pictures of you doing your thing this summer. We will need at least 6 photos of you working in your SAE for proficiency applications next year. If you will be applying in more than one area, you will need pictures for each area. There is cash money to be earned here!
6. Semester Exam Post – On your blog react to the following: (There’s a lot here, so read carefully)
Based on the movie and your vast knowledge of American History, do you believe that Lincoln ignored the courts? Do you think that he twisted the meaning of his Presidential powers where freeing slaves was concerned?
Why did Lincoln stall the commissioners by having them wait at Hampton Roads?
What do you think upset the House of Representatives more – the possibility of allowing African Americans to vote or granting that right to women?
Who was your favorite actor/character in the film? What surprised you in the movie? What did you learn?
If we look at History vs Hollywood – how accurate do you think the film was?
What are your impressions of Mary Todd Lincoln as portrayed in the film? What impact do you think she had on Lincoln’s Presidency? His convictions?
I enjoyed Lincoln’s story telling in the movie. Especially his quote of Euclid and it’s significance to what was happening in our country’s history at the time. The quote is this: ”Things which are equal to the same thing are equal to each other.” What favorite lines or stories do you have from the film?
Why do you think congress people abstained? What does it mean to abstain?
If you had served in Congress during this time and had been Speaker of the House, would you have wanted to vote on the 13th amendment?
What were your thoughts when you discovered why Mr. Thaddeus Stevens (Tommy Lee Jones) took the original copy of the bill home with him?
I believe that the film Lincoln does a great job of telling the story of how one person can make a huge difference in the lives of others. Granted, he had the power of the office of President of the United States behind him. He chose to stand up for what he thought was best for the country and it’s people. He paid for that with his life.
