Day 1

Teaching Associate: Hollingsworth Tiblier Teaching Date: 10/21

School/Subject Area: University/Government Clinical Instructor: Nick Davoust

Standards:
§113.44. United States Government
(7) Government. The student understands the
structure and functions of the government created
by the U.S. Constitution. The student is expected
to:
(A) analyze the structure and functions of the
legislative branch of government, including the
bicameral structure of Congress, the role of
committees, and the procedure for enacting laws;
(20) Social studies skills. The student
communicates in written, oral, and visual forms.
The student is expected to:
(B) create written, oral, and visual presentations of
social studies information using effective
communication skills, including proper citations
and avoiding plagiarism.
Objective:
•Students will take part in a simulation on how
the legislative branch works
•Students will be able to identify and descried
steps that there is a formal process of introducing
a bill into the legislative process including
introductions, special committee hearings and
numerous stages of passage.
•Students will model the roles of committees
through imitating one in a classroom setting.
Concepts Important to Know:
•Students will be aware that they will be
responsible for creating their own individual bill.
•Students will utilize previous knowledge in the
review of the Legislative branch at the beginning
of class

Introduction: Brief PowerPoint reviewing student knowledge of the Legislative branch. Students must
answer questions over the notes while they are being presented.
Time Required: 5 min

Activity: Students will receive a brief overview of the unit. Students will answer question sheet while
notes are being discussed. If students are not sure about an answer, at the end of the notes overview,
students will share their responses with their group. If there are still questions that too many students
fail to answer, I will discuss and explain the answer.

Preplanned Questions: What do you remember from last week? What did you previously know about
Congress/Legislative branch?

Evaluation/Assessment: Checking answers, pairing and sharing answers, listening to discussion

Body: Committee assignments, bill brainstorm, begin draft proposal
Time Required: 10 min (brainstorming with committee about individual bill)
20 min (working on bill draft)

Activity: They will be placed into individual committees. Committees can be chosen at random, or by
the teacher’s discretion. The committees chosen will be their permanent committee for the rest of the
unit. With their committee, they will brainstorm possible ideas for their individual bills. Students
should know that although they are brainstorming as a group, they will be responsible for creating their
own individual bill. Once the group has brainstormed bill ideas, each student will decide what bill idea
they would like to create. Students will begin to draft the bill proposal. Students will also be provided
with resources to view bills currently in the law making process to use as a guide while planning their
own bills.

Preplanned Questions: What are you interested in? What kind of bill are you wanting to create?
Evaluation/Assessment: Noting responses, checking brainstorms, answering questions
Conclusion: wrapping up first part of activity (mock Congress)
Time Required: 5 min

Activity: Check answers from the introduction, check bill proposal drafts. I will collect student
responses to note overview questions. I will check for completion as well as whether or not they
provided a correct answer.

Preplanned Questions: What do you still have questions about? What’re you still unsure of?

Evaluation/Assessment: Noting responses, checking answers

Differentiation/Accommodations: As determined by your students’ characteristics. (Pre-AP or

Special Needs)
No pre-AP or special needs students
Materials: PowerPoint, group assignments, bill brainstorming graphic organizer

Day 1 Extension
As students walk in, I have the warmup (which will serve as the pre assessment) on a slide in the front
of the classroom. I have instructions on the slide as well as reviewing the instructions orally when the
class period begins. Once everyone has finished answering, I instruct them to pass their answers to the
person to their right. The person to their right will grade their answers. I instruct graders what to do in
the even they don’t answer the question, get it completely wrong, partially correct, or completely
correct. I also instruct them that I will be collecting these as an exit slip at the end of the period.
I instruct student that this period will be dedicated to finishing their rough draft of their bill outline. I
will check for completion and progress by walking around and checking their work, as well as
answering any questions they may have. At the end of the period I collect the pre assessments and
check rough drafts.

Online:
draft template (typeable) ((when finished submit or email somewhere because need to print off for
graffiti next day))

print:
notes questions (x26) 23 students
notes answers (x1)

include pre assessment

include sample bills (links, resources)

Groups
1. Valarie
Armando
Andrea
Jonathon
Maria N.
Topic: Homeland Security
2. Maria B.
Kiarra H.
Arely
Marvella
Fernanda
Topic: Agriculture and Energy

3. Joahan
Stephanie
Tiania
Sulema
Adriel
Topic: Education and Labor

4. Mariah
Kyaria W.
Imari
Jeremiah
Topic: Natural Resources

5. John
Sebastian
Eric
Ricky
Topic: Armed Services

Name:______________________________ Date:______

Legislative Notes Questions

What is the role of Congress?

What is an example of checks and balances in action

Is Congress unicameral or bicameral? And what makes it so?

Which house of Congress is dependent upon state population?

Does the physical state size matter?

What occurs right after a bill is introduced to Congress?

What happens if both houses approve the bill? Where does it go and what may happen to it?

What happens if the President vetoes a bill?

What options does Congress have after receiving a vetoed bill?

What happens if either house does not approve the bill?

What must happen before a bill reaches the floor?

How do committees control the legislative process?

About how many committees and subcommittees are in the House and Senate today?

When does the work of a congressional committee begin?

What’s it called when a bill lands in a committee that takes no action?

Who and what will committees hold hearings for?

What is “markup”
How does a committee report a measure to Congress?

What happens if the House and Senate pass different versions of the bill?

Write out the three types of committees and briefly describe what they are for and what purpose
they serve.

What are three committees you’d be interested in learning more about?

Use the rest of this paper to brainstorm your bill

Legislative Notes Answer Key

What is the role of congress?
Make new laws
What is an example of checks and balances in action
The president being able to veto a bill from Congress and Congress being able to vote
to override the President’s veto

Is congress unicameral or bicameral? And what makes it so?

Bicameral, bc made up of two houses, House and Senate

Which house of congress is dependent upon state population?

House

Does state size matter?

No, just population

What occurs right after a bill is introduced to congress?

It is referred to a committee, who may approve it and send it to congress for review

What happens if both houses approve the bill? Where does it go and what may happen
to it?
Goes to the President, who may either sign the bill into law or veto it

What happens if the president vetoes a bill?

Goes back to Congress

What options does congress have after receiving a vetoed bill?

1. They can change the bill more to president’s liking
2. They can agree the bill will never be passed and reject it
3. They can vote to override the president’s veto

What happens if either house does not approve the bill?

They can either send the bill back to the committee or reject it

What must happen before a bill reaches the floor?

Must first be approved by a committee, which can also amend the bill to reflect its views
How do committees control the legislative process?
By deciding which bills come to a vote, also by framing the language of each bill before
its debated

About how many committees and subcommittees are in the house and senate today?
About 200

When does the work of a congressional committee begin?

After a bill has been introduced to the House or Senate
What’s it called when a bill lands in a committee that takes no action?
Said to die in committee

Who and what will committees hold hearings for?

To gather opinions from outside experts and concerned citizens

What is “markup”
When a committee meets to frame and amend a measure

How does a committee report a measure to congress?

With a written report explaining why the measure should be passed

What happens if the house and senate pass different versions of the bill?
The committees that reported each version will take the lead in working out a
compromise through a conference committee

Write out the three types of committees and briefly describe what they are for and what
purpose they serve.
(1) Standing Committees: permanent panels with jurisdiction over broad policy areas
or areas of continuing legislative concern
(2) Select Committees: temporary or permanent panels created to consider a specific
issue that lies outside the jurisdiction of other committees or that demands special
attention
(3) Joint Committees: panels formed by the House and Senate together, usually to
investigate some common concern rather than to consider legislation, although joint
committees known as Conference Committees are formed to resolve differences between
House and Senate versions of a specific measure.

What are three committees you’d be interested in learning more about?

Subjective, ex: education and labor, ethics, natural resources

Sample Bill Format

A Bill For An Act Entitled: Title of bill

In the Senate
Write the date

Write: Senators Your names introduced the following resolution which was referred to the
Committee on fill in this blank when you know the committee name.
 Senate Proposal
Resolved by the U.S. Senate of the United States of America, that the following article
is proposed as federal law under the jurisdiction of the Untied States of America,
enforceable by Executive action.
For a bill: "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, that:"

Section 1: Explanation of terminology- Which terms need to be defined in order to understand the
bill?

Section 2: What is the act going to do? Who is going to be involved / impacted /
affected by the act

Section 3: Where? All of U.S. or a certain area / place in the U.S.?

Section 4: How is the act going to be funded? Who is going to enforce / administer
this act?(Which government agency will oversee the bill and its duties?)

Section 5: Penalties (if any) for non-compliance (not following the rules) of the act

Section 6: Enactment Date: When will the law go into effect?

END

PowerPoint
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