Reading Notes Assignment
Unit #2 Assignments are structured in a complex way – it is essential for you to read all instructions and follow these.
The Reading notes are DUE on march 15th – refer to instruction in syllabus. While you’re reading these pages; in addition to taking notes for this “notes assignment,” pay attention to the “readings essay assignment” which will ask you to self-evaluate & score your own ideological mix(%Liberal, %Conservative, %Radical) and use those results in the “readings essay” and discussion forum.
So! For this “notes assignment,” Read assigned pages in the “Democracy in 21st Century America” (PDF) book and the articles for this unit. Take notes on all of the assigned readings. Then, in an extended memo format using the format provided below:
- Summarize & Explain (in about 400 words+) the highlights (use one paragraph summary of narrative with additional bullet points using whole sentences to illustrate the highlights) of what the major points of knowledge (ideas or concepts or facts) you gained from the book readings for this unit.
- Then, summarize & outline (in about 400 words+) the major points (use one paragraph summary of narrative with additional bullet points using whole sentences to illustrate the key thinking skills you seek to highlight) of critical political thinking (ways to think about political questions and how to see & understand social & political phenomenon that affect your life in your world).
- Finally, in about two or three paragraphs (about 600 words+); make a conclusion with commentary explicitly using ideas you take away from reading the articles to suggest how these (with in text citations) and ideas from the book, offer us lessons we should all learn from what you have read and thought about as to how the material in this unit section relates to the following explicit question:
Reflection Question: What is “Good” (as in: what does it mean to say “the good society” or a “good life”)? What are Values? What is Culture? Reflect on the values that you see most Americans sharing in regards to government and politics. Reflect on American culture and the values that you see most Americans sharing in regards to government and politics. List five examples of shared values/ideas that contribute to American political culture.