Posted by debbiestephens | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on October 24, 2012
During Genius Hour this week the students began to ask and share what we needed to know to truly cast a genius ballot at the polls. Whether they are old enough to vote or not, they felt they could have a voice in this election process by connecting with parents, teachers, neighbors, and friends. They started with the questions you see in the picture above. One question we really loved is shared below.
We know there is more to being a genius than to know many facts, so just what makes a genius choice for our ballot?
SO many us did not realize all the responsibilities of the president! Discovery time!!!! What did we learn? How will this knowledge help us cast that genius ballot?
I learned in reading class that a President’s job is a big responsibility. You have to know what is going on in each state, and if it’s bad then you have to know how to fix it. You also have to go to other parts of the world to declare peace with them so you don’t go into war. I now realize that being President takes a lot of effort and work. You have to live up to the responsibility. I also now know that I will never become President with this much work to be in control of.
We have been asking many genius questions about the upcoming Presidential Election. We have learned that the President has many jobs along with leading our country. The President is The Chief of the Executive Branch. He oversees the major departments of the US government and tries to make sure that all of the nation’s laws are obeyed. He picks federal judges and Supreme Court Judges with approval of the Senate. He is also the Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces, he is in charge of defending the nation during war and keeping it strong during peacetime. He is the Head of State and is the most important representative of our country. He is responsible for attending major events and hosting dinners for important visitors from other countries. He is the Head of Foreign Policy, in other words, he decides how the US will work with other countries. He is also a Political Party Leader, he helps raise money for his party and they campaign for other party members that are running for office. He is a Legislative Leader as well. He can recommend laws to Congress and he has the power to sign a bill into law or veto it. He is the Guardian of the Economy, he may set up government programs that aim to help the Americans get jobs and to help businesses stay strong during tough times.
Wow! You really learned about all the responsibilities of this office. That is a great deal to consider as you try to prepare yourself to cast a genius ballot! Which responsibility do you feel is the most important?
I would say the most important job of being president is being the Head of Foreign Policy because not all countries are like America, a land of freedom for all. Some countries think that women shouldn’t have any rights at all, if the ambassador gets a bad first look of our country, they could start a war with us just because they think that we have unfair rights for women.
We have been asked many genius questions about the upcoming presidential election. Before we began class we got to put up a sticky on the board about the presidential debate. Mine was what does the president do to help? I learned that he/she makes sure that all of the laws are obeyed, commander and chief of armed forces, is in charge of defending our nation if in war, keeping strong at peace, attending special ceremonies and hosting dinner parties for other countries, head of foreign policies,political party leader,he guardian of the economy, and helps by making more jobs for people to take. I have learned that the president is more than just a fun job. it takes a lot of pressure to make the right choices and do all of these thing correctly. I have watched one of the debated and I have found out the differences between Mitt Romney and Obama. I can not wait until I can vote. I can’t wait until next genius hour!
I learned that the President can do these responsibilities:
1. Chief of the Executive Branch- makes sure nation’s laws are obeyed.
2. Head of State- hosting major events for ambassadors or other important people, attending important events.
3. Guardian of the Economy- helping citizens find jobs and keeping businesses running by government programs.
4. Commander and Chief of Armed Forces- declares war against another country, send troops to help in another country.
5. Head of Foreign Policies- controls how the nation will interact with other countries.
6. Political Party Leader- supports his party by raising money for campaigns.
7. Legislative Leader- recommend laws to Congress, can sign a bill into law or veto it.
The President is definitely busy! But to make our ballot a genius ballot, we have to ask “Who will do these jobs better?” and other genius questions.
I think the most important responsibility to being a President right now is Guardian of the Economy. The economy is not very good now, and hopefully our new President will turn it around!
In genius hour we discussed what we needed to know if we wanted to make a genius vote. In the Current Events, I learned the president has many jobs. The president has to visit foreign leaders in order to establish good relationships with that country. Also, the president appoints the Supreme Court justices. The president has many important jobs, but the checks and balances make it fair. The checks and balances gives each branch equal power, which I thing is a smart idea. The board is covered with genius questions, and one of those is mine.
During Genius Hour, we have been asking genius questions about the upcoming presidential election. We learned that the president is the “boss” of the country. He has many responsibilities, including: Chief of the Executive Branch, Commander and Chief of the Armed Forces, Head of State, Guardian of the Economy, Head of Foreign Policy, Chief Legislator, and Political Party Leader. There is so much to consider when deciding which presidential role is most important. The president has to be everything to everyone, both domestically and internationally. It helps when other countries like him.
Knowing all the roles of “POTUS” (The President of the United States), I now feel we have the information we need to make an educated decision for our choice for president. When I am old enough to vote, I believe it will be important to go through this process again where I will learn as much as I can about the candidates and where they stand on issues that are important to me and my family.
In Genius Hour, we discussed what we need to know if we want to make a genius ballot. In the article we read, we learned about the many jobs the president must carry out. The president is our Commander and Chief of Armed Forces, Chief of the Executive Branch of government, Chief Legislator, Guardian of Foreign Policy and Head of State. He is our leader and representative both in the US and abroad.
After watching the debates and knowing the roles of the president, there are many facts to consider in making a genius ballot.
In class today, I learned that the president has many great tasks. Chief of Executive Branch, Commander in Chief of Armed Forces, Head of State, Head of Foreign Policy. These are just a few. We can cast a genius ballot by knowing what platform each candidate stands on and deciding which one you agree with. You can learn about where they stand on the issues on their websites or listening to their debates.
Hello everyone,
What a seemingly simple yet challenging task you were set.
I particularly liked the comment, “We know there is more to being a genius than to know many facts…”
This is an important distinction. If you were able to know all of the facts in the world, the facts would be useless unless you also knew how to use them for the benefit of others. In my opinion, genius comes in when we are able to use facts and skills in creative ways for the betterment of others.
I can see you have all learned many new facts and I see you recognise a genius ballot isn’t necessarily voting for one or the other party, it involves making an informed choice. Well done, everyone. 🙂
@RossMannell
Teacher (retired), N.S.W., Australia
In genius hour my class discussed with Mrs.Stephens about casting a genius vote. I learned to not be influenced by other people’s opinion about voting for the right president, but to vote for the canadiate that have proved to me that he can make a reponsible president. I wish that I could vote because I know that I am a genius voter!
Mitt Romney or Barack Obama?!
In Genius Hour we discussed casting a genius ballot for the upcoming election. The President has many jobs. One of the most important jobs is the head of Foreign Policy. This job keeps the relationship with other countries strong. Another important responsibility, for the President, is Guardian of the Economy. The President helps citizens get jobs and keep buisness running. The President has many important jobs.