A film

Today we turned in the hard copies of our letters to be sent.
Then, we started the film, Bully that we'll continue tomorrow.

There is NO blog post due next Monday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Work Days

Wednesday and Thursday, 11/20-21 will be work days for the following assignment:
Gun Violence Letter

Sample Letter

Are these solutions?

After a discussion of the most recent school shooting and the articles you read yesterday, we'll turn our attention again to potential solutions, first by watching the videos below and then exploring the ideas offered by the websites.
We'll then go over the assessment that will end this unit. GUN VIOLENCE LETTER

Videos

• 60 Minutes Red Flag Laws 
• Overtime: Where Washington Stands on Red Flag Laws
• Georgia School District Arms its Teachers
• Some Florida Teachers Can Now Carry Guns in Classrooms

Websites

• Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
• Everytown
• Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
• NRA-ILA

Another School Shooting

Here are some articles to frame our continued discussion:

• Santa Clarita Shooting Is Another Nightmare Made Real
• PDF Version
• Editorial: Santa Clarita shooting: It’s the guns. It’s always the guns
• Inside a Deadly American Summer
• PDF Version
• Editorial: In the 20 years since Columbine, we have more school security — and more school shootings

Impeachment Update and Outside Reading

Today we began by watching a video of some of the highlights of yesterday's impeachment testimony.  This week's blog entry should be about the impeachment inquiry.
The rest of the day was devoted to outside reading.  We will return to our unit on gun violence on Monday.

Gun Laws

Today we'll explore the different types of gun laws and policies.
You'll be using this website:https://lawcenter.giffords.org/  (NOTE: This is a pro-gun control website)
Your task is to research and be able to explain your assigned law/policy to other people. You should begin to formulate an opinion of it as well as identify any problems with it. As you research, keep track of important information in your notebook.
Here are the categories/topics you'll be working with:

1. Universal Background Checks
2. NICS & Reporting Procedures
3. Background Check Procedures
4. Mental Health Reporting
5. Categories of Prohibited People
6. Domestic Violence & Firearms
7. Gun Violence Protective Orders
8. Minimum Age to Purchase & Possess
9. Gun Dealers
10. Maintaining Records of Gun Sales
11. Waiting Periods
12. Gun Shows
13. Reporting Lost & Stolen Firearms
14. Child Access Prevention
15. Safe Storage
16. Smart Guns
17. Design Safety Standards
18. Concealed Carry
19. Open Carry
20. “Stand Your Ground” Laws
21. Guns in Schools
22. Assault Weapons
23. Large Capacity Magazines
24. Ammunition Regulation
25. Machine Guns & 50-Caliber
26. Silencers

Teens and Gun Violence

Today you'll read/listen to two resources concerning different communities of teenagers impacted by gun violence:

1. The School Shooting Generation Has Had Enough
2. Chicago’s Forgotten Gun Violence Victims: “We’ve Normalized Hopelessness”

 You should write your responses to both on this form and then submit it to Schoology.

• Teens and Gun Violence

Gun Violence Discussion

Today in class, we'll have a scored discussion on gun violence considering the questions you researched for today. Mr. Kramer will score the discussion awarding points for a good comment. Additional points will be awarded for a particularly good argument and/or one that uses facts or details from your research. If during the course of the discussion one student wants to "challenge" another student, they will have the opportunity to go head to head for one-two minutes. During that challenge, points will be awarded as above, however, points may also be deducted for a particularly poor or unsupported argument. Here are the topics to be debated:

• When a greater number of people in our society own guns are we safer or more at risk?
• Should the federal government be able to dictate gun laws in individual states?
• How accurate is this statement, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”?
• Will requiring trigger locks on guns save lives?
• Will more stringent and universal background checks save lives?
• Are stand your ground laws necessary in order to provide people a means for self-defense?
• Should people (including students) be allowed to carry guns on college campuses?
• Should teachers or other personnel be armed in schools?
• Do laws permitting concealed weapons ensure or decrease public safety?
• Should online sales of firearms be allowed?
• Should assault weapons be banned?
• Should there be a national waiting period for handgun purchases?S
• hould there be increased penalties for providing guns to juveniles?

Exploring Gun Facts

Today we'll continue our research from yesterday.
When finished, you must print out your research in preparation for tomorrow's class.

Gun Violence Contd.

We'll start today by exploring and discussing information from these sites:

• Gun Violence Archive
• America's Gun Culture

Next, we'll continue to explore key questions by using this template:
Gun Violence Questions Template

Gun Violence

As promised, here is the form to vote for your favorite climate change project.
Climate Change Project Ranking

After finishing up our climate change projects last week, we started our unit on Gun Violence/Gun Control.
We began with an open discussion, sharing our opinions and then spent the next couple of days watching the film, Bowling for Columbine. We took notes as we watched, identifying arguments that the filmmaker was making.
Today, after a discussion of the film, we'll begin to get a deeper look at the issues raised. For tomorrow's class, you need to read the following background information. You should take notes, identifying key facts and statistics, main ideas, solutions, and any other information that seems important to your initial thoughts:

• Start with this introduction to the issue Gun Control Intro (Opposing Viewpoints)
• Next, read Gun Control Explained (an article posted after a school shooting in Oregon in 2015 but does a good job providing background and setting context to the issues) 
• Finally, read some of the Pro and Con arguments about gun control. Take note of those arguments that you really agree with and those that you disagree with.