Period 2: Feedback and Mock Trials - Class Recap

Fireworks at the start of the US Open in 2011. Yay, I get to stay as your teacher! :-)

Hi everyone,

I am delighted to be able to say that this will not be the last class recap blog entry for you! Hopefully, you are almost as excited as I am that I will be staying until January 10 or so. It was sort of a whirlwind process this week and I am left not entirely sure what we will be doing in class next (because today was supposed to be my last day), so hopefully I will be better prepared next week. On to the recap!

Soundtrack: “Stay With You” by John Legend. Selected for the obvious reason that I am going to stay as your teacher through January 10, due to Ms. Youngblood extending her leave. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 11/14/13:
Status Update
Tort Reports
Feedback Review
Mock Trials

Homework: Read the blog! Have a great weekend!
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Status Update: Before I started the rest of class, I wanted to go over the updates with the teaching situation and let everyone know that I will be continuing on and the reasons for why I did not know this for sure until yesterday afternoon (thus, leaving me not a lot of time to plan). Hopefully, I was able to answer any questions you had about what is going on, as well.

Tort Reports: Unfortunately, nobody remembered to bring in a tort report today. Next class, then! At least it isn't a permanent zero, like if I had left today!

Feedback Review: Here is the PowerPoint full of the anonymous feedback that everyone gave me last class. I always love looking at this to see what is going well and what needs to be improved on.

Google Drive: Period 2 Class Feeedback PowerPoint

The word clouds (the bigger the word, the more times it was used) were created using Wordle.net.

To sum it up, it appears that the class likes our discussions and debates, thinks that we can improve checking the blog and studying, that I am nice and funny, and that I should assign less book work. I will try to incorporate these into my plans!

Mock Trials: For the rest of class, we had a little fun with some mock tort trials that were from this document. I had students feel free to elaborate and create back stories that would make the jury (the rest of the class) side with them. This was a last minute find last night, but I think it was a pretty fun activity.

I will probably come in tomorrow (Friday) on my own time to try and figure out a long term plan for class, so feel free to come find me in Lower North Teacher Cluster if you need to check in.

Period 2: Torts Test Day, Class Recap

Congratulations! If you completed the torts test in class today (and hopefully did well), you have climbed to the top of the torts knowledge pyramid. This is Chichen Itza in the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, 2010.

Hi everyone,

I hope the torts test went well! I am looking forward to grading them and getting them back to you next week. Other than that, it was a really basic day.

Soundtrack: “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project. This song has no lyrics, but I was hoping that you would take the test "sirius-ly" and also be pumped up by the song, which in my mind is most known for being the Chicago Bulls entrance music. Listen here.

AGENDA 11/6/13:
Tort Reports
Torts Unit Test
Quiet Work

Homework: Notebook check next class (see below for the requirements). All missing, late, make up work and tests are due by Tuesday (next class). Read the blog! Next tort reports assigned to: Quinn, Brenda, Shelaleh.

Tort Reports: Alekzander was the only student to bring in a tort report today. He selected this story (not really an article, but a response by OSHU to a civil case, which counts): OHSU.edu - OHSU responds to tort claim trial jury decision.

Torts Unit Test: The rest of class was devoted to taking the torts unit class. Thank you for working hard on this - I hope everyone studied hard and did well!

Quiet Work: After completing the test, it was quiet work time in class. Hopefully, your notebook is all good to go for next Tuesday, but if it is not, here is what needs to be turned in:

Civil Law Notebook Check #2:

Mosely v. Portland Public Schools Answers. If you missed this in class or somehow forgot the questions/case, here it is to look at again: ClassroomLaw.org - Mosely v. Portland Public Schools Handout.

Chapter 18: Torts Introduction Definitions and Answers 18.1-11

Chapter 19: Intentional Torts Definitions and Answers 19.1-19.9

Chapter 20: Negligence Definitions and Answers 20.1-20.7

Chapter 21: Strict Liability Definitions and Answers 21.1-7 (except 21.4 and 21.6)

Thank you for all of your hard work! See you next week - enjoy the long weekend!

Period 2: Intentional Torts, Class Recap

The Rocky statue in Philadelphia. Boxing is usually not considered any sort of crime or tort against either party, since both fighters usually agree (or consent) to take part.

Hello all,

Today was another one with a decent amount of book work, in learning about intentional torts. Hopefully we can continue to dive into the details of these next class, so you know the main concepts a bit better.

Soundtrack: “Bring it on Home” by Led Zeppelin. Selected for today because some intentional torts are torts that harm property, like homes. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/17/13:
Tort Report
Worksheet Answers
Chapter 19 Definitions/Questions
Review

Homework: Know tort vocab! Read the blog. Next tort report is assigned to Ryan.

Tort Report: Erin brought in this article about a woman suing for harassment: DailyMail.co.uk - Advertising exec sues boss for $6MILLION for saying she looks like Susan Boyle. As I said in class, I wonder about the specifics of the case. The number of damages sought for a remedy is quite high, which prompts us to think it might be frivolous in nature, but I hope we learned in the Hot Coffee case to withhold judgement until we know the details. Thanks, Erin!

Worksheet Answers: This was in regards to the Chapter 18 worksheet most students completed in class last time. There were some true or false statements and a fill in the blank about various concepts related to our torts introduction. Use these to help study for a probable upcoming quiz next week (not Monday).

Chapter 19 Definitions/Questions: For much of the rest of class, students were working on a sheet of definitions from Chapter 19 and answering the "You Be The Judge" and 19.1-19.9 questions. It seemed like everyone was working really hard on this, so we will pick it back up next class (I wish we had the books to allow you to check them out and do it as homework, but alas, we do not) and go over the various answers to the scenarios.

Review: We will review next class, but please be studying and looking over your notes on the various vocabulary terms we are learning about.

Have a great weekend - see you next week for the last three-B-days week of my time as your long term substitute!

Period 2: Introduction to Torts - Class Recap

One of the slides in the presentation today was from my trip to Vietnam in 2011. This is one of my favorite pictures from that trip - a man and his child in Hanoi.

Hi everyone,

First off, here is the calendar of what we will be doing in class until November 15th, which is my last day. This is a rough guide, but should definitely help you in planning and knowing what you will be doing. Please refer to this!

Google Drive - Civil Law Calendar Until November 15

Soundtrack: “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol. Selected for today because we were talking about various forms of car insurance. Lyrics here.

AGENDA 10/15/13:
Tort Report/Debrief Hot Coffee
Torts PowerPoint
Chapter 18 Worksheet
Start Chapter 19

Homework: Study terms for possible quiz upcoming. Turn in missing work. Read the blog! Next Tort Report assigned to Erin.

Tort Report/Debrief Hot Coffee: To begin class, Ellen brought in this article about an interesting recent lawsuit: DailyNews.com - North Hollywood woman sues her psychic.

What a case! Love curses, expensive paintings, gift cards... what more could you ask for? Fascinating. Thank you, Ellen!

We also went through the answers on the Hot Coffee worksheet, which is here, if you missed this:

Google Drive - Hot Coffee Documentary Questions

Hopefully you found this interesting. I thought we had a good discussion about it.

Torts PowerPoint: This was over the concepts and terms addressed in Chapter 18. I'm not sure if the video embedded in the presentation will play, but here is the document again if you wanted to check it out (or missed class).

Google Drive - Introduction to Torts PowerPoint Presentation

Most of these should not be new concepts, but some of the ways of explaining them might have helped you understand better. These terms will be on a test, for sure.

Chapter 18 Worksheet: We started this at the end of class - I think many people were able to finish. Next class, we will go over it, then start on the work in Chapter 19.

See you on Thursday!