Lesson Report:
### Title: **Midterm Prep with Term Connections and Essay Strategies**
_Synopsis:_
In this session, students focused on reviewing for the upcoming midterm and practiced conceptual connections between key political science terms. The class covered topics such as ideologies, regimes, institutions, and political culture, with an emphasis on understanding how the terms relate to one another. Students participated in group activities, formulating two-sentence explanations of term relationships and citing relevant real-world examples. The session concluded with a detailed lecture on constructing short-answer responses and essays effectively for exams.
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### Attendance:
– Students absent: Barfiyah, Arukiya
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### Topics Covered:
**1. Overview of Midterm Review Sheet**
– The class begins with the instructor referencing the midterm review sheet on eCourse.
– The sheet includes around 50 terms, which are divided into basic concepts from the first two weeks, such as ideologies, regimes, institutions, and political culture.
– Emphasis is placed on the need for understanding how terms relate to each other rather than memorizing rigid definitions.
– Examples of terms discussed: norms, laws, political regime types, how institutions affect governance, and political ideologies.
**2. Concept Connection Activity Recap**
– The instructor revisits the unfinished activity from the previous class where students were asked to form connections between two terms.
– The main goal: Understand how two terms interact, whether they support each other, oppose each other, or influence one another.
– Groups or pairs are formed to continue this activity, with terms reassigned where necessary. Example: “Institutionsâ€� and “Separation of Powers.â€�
**3. Group Collaborative Work**
– Students form two-sentence explanations on assigned terms and present real-world examples to demonstrate how their terms interact.
– Groups assign examples such as:
* How checks and balances relate to election manipulation (with Russia as a case study).
* How pluralism and political models relate using the United States and its political parties as examples.
– Strong emphasis is placed on practical examples connecting theoretical concepts to real situations, with additional encouragement to avoid using computers for research.
**4. Short-Answer/Essay Construction Overview**
– Students are instructed on how to construct effective short answers and essays, highlighting the following key points:
– Concise and direct answers: Avoid unnecessary “fluff.â€�
– Answer in 3-5 sentences for short-answer responses.
– Introduction, argument, supporting examples, and closing sentences are essential for clarity.
– Strategies for essays:
* Hook, basic info, and thesis statement for introduction.
* Topic sentences and supporting details for body paragraphs.
* Use of real-world examples is strongly encouraged.
* Essay should be around 4 paragraphs (introduction, conclusion, 2 body paragraphs).
**5. Exam Preparation Advice**
– Practice structuring answers and responses based on term relationships covered in class, ensuring arguments are supported by clear, real-world examples.
– Midterm details clarified:
– The exam will include a short-answer section, and on Thursday, students will write a full essay on assigned terms.
– The instructor emphasized studying both definitions and practical connections between terms.
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### Actionable Items:
**Exam Preparation (High Urgency):**
– **Access Review Materials on eCourse:** Ensure students access the midterm review sheet under the midterm header on eCourse.
– **Review Term Relationships:** Students should review class notes and term explanations to develop strong conceptual understanding.
**Next Class Preparations:**
– Be prepared for the short-answer section of the midterm on Tuesday.
– Essay-writing strategies need to be rehearsed, including practicing arguments, concise explanations, and efficient paragraph structuring.
**Absent Students Follow-Up:**
– Ensure that Barfiyah and Arukiya receive instructions for catching up on the material they missed during the activity and exam review.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
Justification: The transcript focuses entirely on an in-class midterm review activity where students connect and present terms, but no new homework assignment is mentioned. Instead, emphasis is placed on preparing for the midterm using resources available on eCourse (e.g., the midterm review sheet).