GoPoPro Activities
Border Wall
Border Wall
CONVO
1-The Issue
Today’s critical issue CONVO is the Border Wall.
President Donald J. Trump wants to build a southern border wall between the United States and Mexico. Democratic leaders in Congress are opposed to his plan. Americans are divided in their support for a southern border wall. Join in our CONVO to learn, discuss and act on this critical issue. Here’s how CONVO works.
The Big Question
Should the U.S. government build a border wall between the United States and Mexico?
Related Questions to Consider
Why should we build a southern border wall?
Do you think the border wall will be built?
Do you support a Southern border wall?
Should a land of immigrants build a border wall to stop immigrants?
Is a wall the best way to stop immigrants?
Should we build a northern border wall between the U.S. and Canada?
Most immigrants illegally in the United States have overstayed their visa. Will a southern border wall affect the largest group of people in the United States illegally?
What is the history of other famous border walls throughout history?
What would the framers think about a border wall?
How would a border wall impact your life?
If the goal is to decrease illegal immigration, is a border wall the best way to achieve this goal?
Add your own question in the field below:
Student Questions in English Samoan Translation
1-How much would a wall cost? 1-O le a le tele o le tau o le pa?
2-What impact would the wall have on commerce and trade? 2-O le a le aafiaga o le puipui i luga o fefaatauaiga ma fefaatauaiga?
3-How might liberal and conservative media cover the wall differently? 3-E mafai faapefea e le aufaasālalau agavaʻa ma le le mautonu ona ufiufi le puipui?
4-Do you think this border wall is a smart idea? 4-E te manatu o le puipui puipui o se manatu atamai?
5-Why built a border wall between the United States and Mexico to stop 5- Aisea na fausia ai se puipui tuaoi i le va o le Iunaite Setete ma Mexico e taofi ai
immigrants from crossing over when they are just gonna keep coming? tagata malaga mai le sopoia o le taimi o le a latou o mai pea?
6-Are illegal immigrants bad for America? 6- E le lelei tagata ulufale mai le tulafono mo Amerika?
7-Should we build a border wall between Canada & USA to make it fair? 7- E tatau ona tatou fausia se puipui tuaoi i le va o Kanata ma US ina ia talafeagai?
8- How do we know the wall will even work? 8- E faʻapefea ona tatou iloa o le a galue le puipui?
Is it worth spending all this $ on something that might not even work? E aoga le faʻaaluina o nei tupe uma i luga o se mea atonu e le aoga?
9- Where is the money gonna come from? 9- O fea e sau ai le tupe?
Survey - Twitter poll
Before we learn more about this, share your opinion - take our Twitter Poll
Should the U.S. government build a border wall between the United States and Mexico?
Should the U.S. government build a border wall between the United States and Mexico? Add your opinion to our new CONVO on the Border Wall! https://t.co/O0PHgilQh1 #apgov #apgopo
— AP US Government (@UsGoPoPro) January 18, 2019
2-Research and Share
Use your brain to learn all about today’s critical issue with these facts, data, maps, charts, visuals, videos, and more.
What?
First some background.
Americans share approximately 2,000 miles of border with Mexico. That long stretch includes the Rio Grande, which accounts for approximately 1,255 miles of the border between the two countries. The Colorado River makes up an additional 534 miles, and the rest of the border is comprised mainly of mountain ranges and the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts.
There are 52 crossings between the two countries, including eight rail lines, 24 bridges, two dams, 17 roads and one ferry, according to a report from the Border Policy Research Institute at Western Washington University.
Where?
The BBC reports on the Border Wall.
Here are some great NY Times Interactive Maps and Graphics about the border.
Who?
Here is a comprehensive look at immigration in the United States from the Pew Research Center.
For 7th Consecutive Year, Visa Overstays Exceeded Illegal Border Crossings
Listen to these fantastic podcasts about the border from The Daily from January 2019.
How does the Government build a wall?
Because of separation of powers, both the executive branch and legislative branch are involved in funding the government, making laws, and executing the laws.. For a wall to be built, Congress would need to appropriate funding and and the President would need to carry out the building of any border wall. Check out Article I, Section 7 below.
Article I, Section 7
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law.
Popular Opinion
Elite Opinion
Pro Wall
Trump's wall is the best way to end to the humanitarian crisis on our southern border - By Border Patrol Agent Brandon Judd on June 29, 2018 on Fox News
A Secure America Requires A Secure Border Wall: So Build It - in the 12/12/2018 Investor’s Business Daily
Keep the promise on the wall - By U.S. Representative Andy Biggs in the 10/09/17 issue of USA Today
We need Trump’s border wall plus other measures to reduce illegal immigration - by James Jay Carafano on December 21, 2018 on Fox News
Con Wall
There’s Nothing Wrong with Open Borders - By Farhad Manjoo in the 1/19/2019 NY Times
2 Big Reasons We Don't Need a Border Wall - By Joe Setyon in the 1/17/19 issue of Reason
Why the Wall Won’t Work - By David Bier inn the May 2017 issue of Reason.
The Guardian view on Trump and the wall: useful for him, not for the US - By the Guardian Staff in the January 9, 2019 issue of the Guardian
POLITICAL CARTOONS
Practice
3- Listen and Discuss
Use Your Ears and Join us as we Listen and Discuss today’s critical issue.
Students discuss the topic in a setting that maximizes listening.
4-Write
Use Your Words
Students write a post-discussion Editorial about the topic to persuade the reader of their position. Students must use and name at least one source from the forum in their editorial.
5-Act
Do Something
Students act on what they have learned about the topic. Students can work alone or in teams to turn their learning into action. Here is a list of Critical Actions students can take.
Government Shutdown or Shutup
The Issue
Government Shutdown
As of 1/16/19 the federal government is still partially shutdown, which means that ,many parts of the government (national parks, NASA, and others) are temporarily closed. This is now the longest government shutdown in American history.
The Big Question
Are frequent government shutdowns a sign that our political system is not working?
Related Questions to Consider
Why are we currently having a government shutdown?
Who is to blame for the current shutdown?
When will the current shutdown end?
Will we have more shutdowns in the near future?
Have government shutdowns happened frequently throughout American history?
Are government shutdowns simply a product of separation of powers and checks and balances?
What would the Framers think about the increasing frequency of government shutdowns?
How has this shutdown impacted you?
Add your own question in the field below:
Student Questions Filipino Translation
What is this shutdown thing? Ano ito shutdown bagay?
How will this impact my school? Kung paano ang epekto na ito sa aking paaralan?
why are we having a government shutdown? bakit kami ay masasansala ang pagkakaroon ng isang government shutdown?
Survey - Twitter poll
Before we learn more about this, share your opinion - take our Twitter Poll
Are frequent government shutdowns a sign that our political system is not working?
Are frequent government shutdowns a sign that our political system is not working?
— AP US Government (@UsGoPoPro) January 7, 2019
Vote then join our latest CONVO where we tackle critical issues of the day! #apgov #apgopo @apgov216 @mr_cook1776 @MCMartirone @DCSocialStudies @RAPLewis https://t.co/6yUVXTi3HZ
Learn - facts, data, maps, charts, visuals, videos
What?
First some background.
What is a government shutdown?
Exactly what it sounds like. Much of the federal government gets its funding from annual budget appropriations decided by Congress. The majority of the government has had such funding in place since the current budget year began last Oct. 1, but other agencies had been operating on a series of temporary extensions, the last of which expired Dec. 21 at midnight.
Since funding wasn’t enacted for those agencies, they were partially shut down. Some of the employees working at those agencies have stayed on the job nonetheless, while others have been furloughed. In both cases, they will be unpaid until spending authority is restored.
Most governments (local, state, and international), businesses and organizations do not act by shutting down until competing factions within them get what they want. The U.S. Government does.
Here are some unexpected ways the government shutdown might affect you.
And here are the ways a government can cost more to shut down than to leave open!
When?
Federal government shutdowns have been more frequent in recent years. The federal government has been fully or partially closed three times since President Trump took office, and was also shuttered during the Obama administration. Even if the current shutdown is temporarily resolved, it is likely that there will be more shutdowns.
This is not the first time this has happened, but it’s happening more frequently in recent years.
And the government shutdown is affecting lots of people.
WHo?
WHy?
Because of separation of powers, both the executive branch and legislative branch are involved in funding the government. Disagreements can lead to government shutdowns, even in years where there is not divided government like in 2018.Check out Article I, Section 7 below.
Article I, Section 7
All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law.
Popular Opinion
YouGov asked about the shutdown for the Economist on Dec. 23-25. Fifty-one percent of respondents said Trump deserves “a lot” of blame, 44 percent thought congressional Democrats did and 39 percent said congressional Republicans did. But when asked who was most to blame, 46 percent said Trump, 35 percent said congressional Democrats and 6 percent said congressional Republicans.
Reuters/Ipsos found that 47 percent of Americans said the shutdown was on Trump, while 33 percent said congressional Democrats were at fault. The poll was in the field Dec. 21-25.
Likewise, 43 percent of respondents to a Dec. 21-23 survey by Morning Consult blamed Trump for the shutdown. Thirty-one percent thought congressional Democrats were responsible, and just 7 percent pointed to congressional Republicans.
POLITICAL CARTOONS
Practice
Practice what you’ve learned about the federal government shutdown with out Government Shutdown Worksheet.
ACtion
Convo
Now join us for CONVO where we will research, share, discuss, write, and act on your opinion on today’s critical issue.
Payday Paydirt
The Issue
Payday lending is big business in America. How much do you think the government should regulate payday lending?
Your Opinion
Prediction
Before we learn more about Payday Lending, make a prediction! Are there more McDonald's Restaurants or Payday Lending Stores in the US?* (you'll find the answer below*)
Critical Reading
Read the NY Times article Payday Lending Faces Tough New Restrictions by Consumer Agency. Every time you learn something new snap your fingers. Every time you learn something that makes you mad stomp your foot. Pro tip: don't stomp too loudly if you are upstairs from anyone. As you read the article answer the questions on the Payday Lending Reading Guide.
Expert Opinion
We've shared three editorials and two political cartoons offering a range of opinions on payday lending. Evaluate any one editorial and one cartoon and be prepared to explain what you agreed with and disagreed with about both.
LA Times - Finally, A Crackdown on Predatory Payday Loans
Freakonomics - Are Payday Loans Really as Evil as People Say?
American Banker - Why Payday Loans are Good for Millions of People
Teamwork
Your amazing teacher will put you in a team that will complete this Payday Lending Teamwork-sheet.*
Video
This EXTREMELY WONDERFUL video about the CFPB was not made by the DIRECTOR OF STAR WARS and is not rated NC-17! Please take note of who made this video, their point of view and bias.
Point of View
Complete the following (PLPoVP) Payday Lending Point of View Page then share your answers in class and try not to break into song!
Create
Here’s a typical payday lending scenario:
Currently, a cash-strapped customer might borrow $400 from a payday lender to purchase, for example, a car repair or, medicine, or a sofa. The loan would be due two weeks later — plus $60 in interest and fees. That is the equivalent of an annual interest rate of more than 300 percent, far higher than what banks and credit cards charge for loans. Because most borrowers cannot repay their debts quickly, the loans are often rolled over, entangling those who take them in hard-to-escape spirals of ever-growing debt. In a typical scenario, before long, the person who borrowed $400 might spend years paying back that money, having repaid the original $400 many times over, but still falling behind on the repayment of interest.
Actual Payday Loan Scenario
Find the story (in the media) of a payday lender who was caught in a cycle of repayment in a local news report, or even better, find an actual person who has taken out a payday loan and ask them to share their story with you. Answer the following questions about their story:
How much did they borrow?
Under what circumstances did they borrow the money from a payday lender?
Why didn’t they get a loan with a lower interest rate?
What did they do with the money?
What was the interest rate on the loan?
In total, how much did they pay back?
How long did it take to pay back the loan in full?
Based on their experience, would they take out a payday loan in the future?
Write up the story and share it in class or online.
Discuss
Hey, y'all! This would be a great time for a fishbowl about Payday Lending!
Write
Write Makes Might
Now let’s synthesize all we've learned by writing!
Let’s start by writing. And here’s a pro-tip, not everyone actually agrees with you. Your job is to convince other people of the validity of your argument. Start by convincing yourself and then scale up. Here’s the question you’ll be arguing about.
How should the U.S. regulate payday lending?
Write it out and turn it in to your teacher. *Bonus - send it in as a letter to the editor or to your Congressperson.
Act
Do any one of the following:
1-Payday loan rules were announced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and are likely to sharply curtail the use of payday loans. Check out the rules right here on the CFPB website, or if you are feeling happy, you can check them out at the home of all government rules- the Federal Register.
2-Rewrite any of the three rules just made by the CFPB so that (just about) any high school student could understand them.
3-Contact the head of the CFPB telling them what you think they should do regarding payday loans.
4-Go on the Federal Register and make a comment about the new payday lending rules.
5-Go to a payday loan shop in person or online and ask for information about making a loan: rates, time to repay loan, etc…. Do Not take out a loan. Share this information with class.
Re-Reflection
Your Opinion again
Now that you’ve learned about and acted on this issue, share your opinion - retake our payday lending survey.
Exit Interview
How did your opinion change?
In what way did your opinion not change?
What do you know now that you didn’t know before.
In the comment section below, share your final opinion on payday lending: