Please vote

Hello,

We went on a little impromptu jaunt down the street to the Jr. High to check out the voting process.  I think the class was a little upset that they missed recess, but they got their exercise.  We were treated to a mini-tour of how it works.  Voters stand in line alphabetically according to their last name.  They get their ballot(s).  You get two this year, a local ballot and a state referendum ballot.  We got to see the some finished ballots placed into the counting machine.  This was a good follow up to our morning discussion.  I handed out a copy of the state referendum ballot and we discussed the four issues on the ballot.  We held a class vote and tallied the results.  The class voted yes on number one to repeal the law that would make voters register at least two days before any election.  We were split on the casinos.  Number two, centered around Scarborough and Washington County casinos, won by one vote.  Number three, a casino in Lewiston, lost by one vote.  The class voted to not change the state constitution in number four. 

I tried to give both sides of the issues, without letting them know where I stand.  Please continue this dialogue.  Even better, I hope you have the chance to take them voting with you.  We will be studying government in a few weeks and I hope to draw on some of today's experience.

My math class made it into the computer lab this morning.  We went to two sites to help with our study of multiplication facts.  Math Magician is a good site that isolates certain problems and times you for one minute.  The goal is to finish 20 facts correctly that time.  The Baby stroller races is another multiplication review site.  In this one, you are in a race.  The more questions that you answer, the faster your stroller goes. 

I hope we can get those links up soon.  I heard our links page is coming soon.  In the meantime, we just did a search for math magician and for multiplication games.  The class had some other ideas for what they wanted to play, but some were more play than review.

The teachers get to meet with the superintendent tomorrow.  We're hoping that some of our concerns get addressed.  Tomorrow's blog may be late. 

Thank you for the responses that I got on homework on the weekends.  At least three of you are out there. 

Have a good night.

Mr. Shea