Write an essay (no less than four pages in length) that states an original thesis statement on what impacts/influences student learning. .Demonstrate the ability to write clearly and cohesively when expressing one’s ideas and/or intended purpose.

.Demonstrate the ability to clearly state and support a thesis in an organized and cohesive essay.
After viewing “An Education in Equality,” “Learning Begins at Home,” “A Military Education,” and “an Education,” write an organized and well-supported essay in which you make three observations about education and what impacts (and enhances) student learning. Consider impacts and influences such as parenting, home life, society, race, technology,
ethnicity, socioeconomics, etc.
A well-organized essay has a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning, or introduction, should include an opening sentence to grab your reader’s attention. Follow the opening sentence with a brief background on the topic or situation. In this case, it might be the state of education today. The
last sentence of the introduction is the thesis statement. The thesis states the main point of the essay, which in this case, would be what impacts/influences student learning.
A well-supported essay includes supporting points, details, and examples. For this essay, you must decide the best way to organize the body of the paper. Will you have a paragraph for each impact or enhancement? Will you divide the body of your paper into three paragraphs, one for each impact? In any case, each body paragraph must support (explain) your reasoning (rationale) using specific details. Each body paragraph must begin with a topic sentence that states the main point of the paragraph.
The conclusion typically summarizes the main points of the essay and/or closes with a lasting impression that connects the reader to their world.
You may wish to offer suggestions to reader about what makes for exceptional student learning.

Does voting by mail increase voter turnout?

Look at the 2012 voter turnout statistics for the states of Oregon and Washington, both of which now exclusively utilize mail-in voting, and compare the turnout statistics with two states that do not exclusively utilize mail-in voting. You may use the Voting and Registration data from the U.S. Census Web site (linked in the Resources) or another comparable source. Should states use mail-in voting instead of the traditional ballot process? Provide two specific reasons for your arguments.

In addition, briefly discuss at least two factors that have had the most influence on your opinions and attitudes about voting, politics, and government. Why do you choose to vote or not to vote? In your discussion, consider each of the following agents of socialization and provide specific examples of what has influenced you most in your political participation: family, geography, school, group identity, peers, and media.

_{The Voting Rights Act Assignment}

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. §§ 1973–1973aa-6) was a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans. The Act prohibited states from using prerequisites or qualifications to prevent people who were eligible from voting. Specifically, Congress intended the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to outlaw the practice of requiring otherwise qualified voters to pass literacy tests in order to register to vote, a principal means by which southern states had prevented African Americans from voting.

For this assignment, write a 500–700-word paper in which you complete the following:

• Explain why the federal government passed the Voting Rights Act.
• Evaluate the impact of the Voting Rights Act on political participation and voter turnout. (You might wish to study voter turnout statistics.)
• Discuss how current challenges to the Act (for example, Shelby County v. Holder) have affected the legislation.
• Discuss whether there have been any new (within the last 25 years) threats to voting rights.

Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• Length: 500–700 words.
• Resources: Use at least two scholarly sources from the Capella library or Internet.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Ethnic Situation Assignment

In this assignment, you are asked to dig deeper within the area. To prepare for this assignment, read the following:

• Pages 242–249 in The Evolution of American Urban Society.
• Pages 247–262 in The Ethnic Dimension in American History.

Use these readings, the discussion activities in this unit, the suggested Web site located in the Resources, and additional information you may find on the Internet to answer the following questions:

• What is the predominant ethnic group in your chosen area? Was this group the predominant group prior 1990? 1975?
• What are two other major ethnic groups in this area? Are they new to the area since 2000? Since 1975?
• Have any major ethnic groups faced challenges because of new arrivals since 2000? If so, what were they and what actions did these groups take?
• Have historically powerful groups fled to the suburbs?
• Does this movement by ethnic groups correlate with the economic growth and success of these groups? Explain.
• Have the languages spoken there changed in terms of number of speakers there since 2000? Does this mirror a change in the ethnic environment?
• Have employment, housing availability, and educational opportunities been impacted by changes in the ethnic composition of the area since 2000? Explain the impacts or lack of these changes.
• What ethnic groups have been empowered or frustrated by such impacts? Explain the empowerment or frustrations.

You must use APA format for your paper. Citations and resources must also be included and documented properly according to APA format.

Investigate the competing cultures within the Dallas, Texas metropolitan area also known as the ‘The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area’. To prepare for this assignment, read the attached and other information you find on the internet to answer the following.

You must use APA format. Citations and resources must also be included and documented properly according to APA format.

• What is the African American population of the area?
• Have Hispanic immigrants surpassed African Americans in numbers since 2000?
• Do the numbers of foreign born in the area exceed the number of other native born Americans (with no African American or Hispanic American backgrounds) in this area?
• Has unemployment in the area decreased since 2000? Has family income in the area decreased since 2000?
• Has unemployment in the area increased for any specific group since 2000? Has family income in the area increased for any specifc groups since 2007?
• Is there a coalition of some kind comprised of all major ethnic and racial groups in the area? Have there been cultural clashes as with the recent World Trade Center mosque proposal in New York City?

“Government Policy in the 21st Century” presentation

For this discussion, the board of directors of ACDBN focus on immigration control. Read the “Government Policy in the 21st Century” presentation and then answer the following questions.How realistic is the board of directors’ assessment that they can only work quite gradually to improve the lot of many different types of immigrants in the urban environment and beyond? Can you suggest a sharper focus?

Identify and describe three of the roles that a president must play during his or her tenure in office

The president of the United States must perform a multi-task job, taking on many roles. For this discussion, complete the following:

Identify and describe three of the roles that a president must play during his or her tenure in office (for example, commander-in-chief).

Looking closely at the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, provide one specific example from each man’s presidency in which he fulfilled a role as president in a successful manner and one example where his effectiveness was an issue.

Define the electoral college

If you have not yet done so, watch the 2009 debate about the electoral college on C-Span’s Washington Journal. The video of the debate is linked in this unit’s study and in Resources for this assignment. Using other academically credible sources, write a 500–700-word paper in which you complete the following:

1. Define the electoral college.
2. Describe the role of the electoral college in the election of the president and vice president of the United States.
3. Take a position on whether the electoral college should be abolished in favor of a direct popular vote. Defend your position using two specific arguments.

Requirements

Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
Length: 500–700 words.
Resources: Use at least two scholarly sources from the Internet.
APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (6th edition) style and formatting.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Changes and advancements in technology

Changes and advancements in technology have made access to political and government information much easier for citizens. According to a memo sent by Barack Obama to the heads of executive departments and agencies, “Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset…. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public feedback to identify information of greatest use to the public” (n.d., para. 2).

For this assignment, you will search government Web sites to find information related to food safety. In a Word document, answer the following questions:

1. What are the primary federal regulatory organizations responsible for food safety? Be specific. Hint: Start with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
2. You are concerned that the eggs you bought at the grocery store might be contaminated. Which federal agency is responsible for ensuring the safety of eggs? Provide the agency name and a phone number or e-mail address for the agency.
3. You are concerned about the safety of some grapes you bought at the store. Which federal agency is responsible for the safety of produce? Hint: The answer to this question is not the same as the answer to question 2. Provide the agency name and a phone number or e-mail address for the agency.
4. You are worried about the pesticides that farmers are using on crops they bring to the local farmers’ market. Which federal agency would you contact to find out about the safety of pesticides used on local crops?