Bill and the Fed’s Excellent Adventure

Younger students don’t spend much time thinking about laws, or how they are created. They understand laws as “rules” that are meant be followed, and that the appearance of police officers and general unpleasantness may occur if the rules (laws) aren’t obeyed. It’s not until upper elementary and middle school that students really start to grasp the notion that laws don’t just arbitrarily happen, but are in fact the result of a lengthy process that often takes unexpected twists and turns.

In many American public schools, students begin learning about the branches of government and the legislative process in 8^th grade. There are, however, many good lessons, activities, and online sites that present information on the workings of government and how bills become laws for younger students. If you’re of a certain age, your introduction to the legislative process was likely the Schoolhouse Rock video I’m Just a Bill, which is still as good as you remember and widely available on YouTube, SchoolTube, and similar sites. A basic understanding of how bills become laws is critical for civic literacy, and students of all ages should be exposed to age-appropriate resources that explain the journey that bills take on their way to becoming laws.  At younger ages, students can learn how bills are proposed and sponsored, while older students’ lessons can incorporate how bills are debated, tweaked, negotiated, and voted upon, as well as how lobbyists can affect the legislative process.

The vast majority of bills never become laws. Many fizzle somewhere along the route for a lack of Congressional support, or are perhaps ultimately vetoed by the President. Learning the legislative process not only exposes students to the workings of Congress and how laws are created, but also allows them to more fully understand how laws help to regulate our society and improve the way we live. My picks this week all focus on the journey that bills must take in order to become U.S. laws. I’ll also be featuring many different types of resources and materials for all ages on the legislative process on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to check those pages.

From a Bill to a Law

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-06-27.1468897480

Subjects: Civics, U.S. government

Grade: 3-6

This activity is designed to familiarize students with the legislative process and increase student awareness of their district Representative and the responsibilities of Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. This resource was produced by the U.S. House of Representatives, which offers a variety of lesson plans and resources for teachers and students.

How a Bill Becomes a Law: Charting the Path 

http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2009-02-16.6574511645/

Grade: 6-8

In this lesson, students learn the steps of a bill becoming a law and use this information to write a story about "the life of a bill." Students then evaluate the effectiveness of our system of creating laws. This lesson was produced by The Dirksen Congressional Center, a non-partisan organization that seeks to promote a better understanding of Congress and its leaders through educational programs and research.

Congressional Committees and the Legislative Process http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-06-27.0918290792

Subjects: Civics. U.S. Government

Grade: 9-12

This lesson plan introduces students to the pivotal role that Congressional committees play in the legislative process, focusing on how their own Congressional representatives influence legislation through their committee appointments. Students begin by reviewing the stages of the legislative process, then learn how committees and subcommittees help determine the outcome of this process by deciding which bills the full Congress will consider and by shaping the legislation upon which votes are finally cast. With this background, students research the committee and subcommittee assignments of their Congressional representatives, then divide into small groups to prepare class reports on the jurisdictions of these different committees and their representatives' special responsibilities on each one. Finally, students consider why representation on these specific committees might be important to the people of their state or community, and examine how the committee system reflects some of the basic principles of American federalism. This lesson is a product of EDSITEment, an educational outreach program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. EDSITEment offers lesson plans and activities for social studies, literature and language arts, foreign languages, art, culture, and history classrooms.

~Joann's Picks - July 14, 2011~