Introduction
The United States Congress consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The United States Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to enact legislation and declare war, the right to confirm or reject many Presidential appointments, and substantial investigative powers.
As part of the federal government, the United States Congress works for YOU! And sometimes, congress members need to be reminded their constituents are watching their every move. To gain an understanding of how this works, your task is to persuade your congress members (Senate and House of Representatives) to vote either for or against a bill.
Before you get started, please review the following videos as a reminder of what has been covered in class to this point.
Overview of the legislative process http://beta.congress.gov/legislative-process/
Introduction and Referral of Bills http://beta.congress.gov/legislative-process/introduction-and-referral-of-bills
How a Bill Becomes a Law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag
When you are finished watching the videos, click on the "Task" tab to continue your webquest.
Task
Objectives:
1. You will create and present a 4-slide PowerPoint Presentation identifying your two Senators and one House Representative as well as your findings about a Congressional bill that interests you and your support for or against the bill.
2. You will write a letter to each of your three representatives explaining your stance on the bill and whether you think they should or should not support it.
Task #1:
You have 2 Senators and 1 House Representative. You need to find the state and federal addresses for each of these representatives as well as general background information on each member.
Task #2:
Investigate current bills under consideration. Select one that interests you.
Task #3:
Research the bill and present 1 PRO and 1 CON argument for the bill.
Task #4:
Write a letter addressed to all three of your representatives explaining your position on the bill and why you think they should or should not support the bill.
Review the rubrics under the "Evaluation" tab before you begin so you are aware of what you will be evaluated on.
Process
Task #1:
Find your representatives.
Within the two houses of Congress, you have two Senators and one House Representative. Each of these leaders work on committees devoted to some aspect of our country's business, such as education, the economy, defense, the environment, and health and welfare.
Your slide must include the following information.
Senator's/Representatives' name, political party, years in office, federal and state addresses, and committees they sit on.
Resources:
Use the following websites to find out who represents you in Congress. Remember to gather information on both Senators and your House Representative.
Research a bill.
1. Identify the House Bill (HB) or Senate Bill (SB) number and title of the bill.
2. Identify the senators/representatives that introduced and/or support the bill.
3. Outline the main provisions of the bill.
4. Explain how far the bill has progressed through Congress.
Resources:
Use the following websites to find out which bills are currenty under consideration in the Senate and House of Representatives.
Task #3:
Pro and Con Arguments.
1. Pro arguments - these can be both from congresspersons and political experts/analysts
2. Con arguments - again, you may use both politicians and experts/analysts for your sources
You should include a slide for each side of the argument.
Resources:
Use the following websites to find pro and con arguments on the bill you have decided to research. This portion of the wequest will consume most of your time. Make sure you find some solid arguments. You must include information that supports the pros and cons of the bill. If you find another reputable website please notify your teacher.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members
https://www.opencongress.org/bill/pending
http://www.policymic.com
http://www.healthreformwatch.com
http://ideas.time.com/
http://www.weeklystandard.com/politics-and-government
http://www.motherjones.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/politics/index.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Task #4:
Write a letter to your representatives.
Prepare a letter to each of your three representatives. Include the following elements:
• introduce yourself and explain why you are writing
• explain your position on the pending bill
• describe the opposition's arguments and explain why they are flawed
• close the letter with a last plea to consider your position on the bill
Resources:
Use one of the following templates as a guide for your letter. If you find another suitable template, please see your teacher for approval.
www.scstatehouse.gov/studentpage/who/samplelettertoyoursenator.docx
https://www.altaread.org/letter-senator.asp
http://www.asbmb.org/Advocacy/advocacy.aspx?id=14388
Evaluation
Rubrics:
Make sure you review the rubrics BEFORE you begin so you will be aware of what you will be evaluated on.
PowerPoint Rubric
|
|
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Style |
The slides contain no noticeable errors in the area of grammar, spelling or mechanics. The slides are easy to read and contain relevant illustrations, graphs, etc. |
The slides contain few (1-3) errors in the area of grammar, spelling, or mechanics. The slides are mostly easy to read and contain relevant illustrations, graphs, etc. |
The slides contain several (4 or more) errors in the area of grammar, spelling, or mechanics. The slides are difficult to read and contain no or irrelevant illustrations. |
|
Requirements |
The presentation includes comprehensive information on the representatives and the bill. Pro and con arguments are well explained and logical. The student has taken a clear position on the bill. |
The presentation contains most information required on the representatives and the bill. Pro and con arguments are somewhat explained. |
The presentation contains inadequate information on the representative and/or the bill. Pro and con arguments are not well explained. |
|
Delivery |
The presentation began with a hook and the audience was consistently engaged. The student was well prepared and answered all questions. The student met the minimum 5 minute requirement with ease are articulated the points and information with expertise. |
The presentation began with a hook and the audience was mostly engaged. The student was somewhat prepared and answered most questions with expertise. The student met the minimum 5 minute requirement. |
The presentation failed to hook or engage the audience throughout. The student did not answer questions with a sense of expertise. The student failed to meet the 5 minute minimum requirement. |
Letter Rubric:
|
|
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Mechanics |
The letter contains no noticeable grammar, spelling or sentence structure errors. |
The letter contains few (1-3) grammar, spelling or sentence structure errors. |
The letter contains several (4 or more) grammar, spelling or sentence structure errors. |
|
Requirements |
The letter successfully meets all requirements. The student introduces himself, outlines both pro and con arguments and closing includes a request for action. |
The letter meets the requirements to varying degrees. |
The letter does not meet one or more of the stated requirements. |
|
Content |
The arguments posed are logical and the opposing arguments are rebutted convincingly. |
The arguments posed are logical yet the opposing arguments are not convincingly rebutted. |
Both the pro and con arguments are not well explained or rebutted. |
Conclusion
Through this webquest you will be able to idenitfy your Senators and House Representative as well as learn about bills being disputed in both houses of the Legislative Branch. Your research during this webquest will make you more aware of the prevalent issues being discussed during Congressional sessions.
Make sure you have reviewed the rubrics and have included all required elements. Please e-mail your PPT and letter to your teacher.
Mrs. Jenkins jenkinsk@bcssk12.org
Coach LaChappelle lachappellej@bcssk12.org
Georgia Performance Standards:
SSCG9 The student will explain the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, with emphasis on terms of office, powers, organization, leadership, and representation of each house.
SSCG10 The student will describe the legislative process including the roles played by committees and leadership.
a. Explain the steps in the legislative process.
b. Explain the function of various leadership positions within the legislature.
SSCG11 The student will describe the influence of lobbyists (business, labor, professional organizations) and special interest groups on the legislative process.
a. Explain the function of lobbyists.
b. Describe the laws and rules that govern lobbyists.
c. Explain the function of special interest groups.
Credits
Original source of webquest: (current webquest adapted from)
http://branchesofgovernmentwebquest.weebly.com/index.html
Information about the Legislative Branch retrieved from:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/legislative-branch
Photographs retrived from the following websites:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Congress.svg
