United States Government: Democracy in Action

Unit 2: The Legislative Branch

Big Idea Activity

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Is there a better way to make laws?

Step 2: Organize into subcommittees to gather the information below. Each subcommittee should have at least four students (or an equal distribution of students).
Subcommittee A: Research state standards for senior-level mathematics.
Subcommittee B: Research state standards for senior-level language arts.
Subcommittee C: Research state standards for senior-level social studies.
Subcommittee D: Research state standards for senior-level science.
Subcommittee E: Research state standards for senior-level foreign language.
Subcommittee F: Create an open or closed survey to poll students and teachers about course requirements they would like to see implemented or changed.

Step 3: Gather the information relevant to your subcommittee's responsibility as listed in Step 2. Key in "[state] educational standards" or "[state] academic content standards" or "[state] department of education" to find the information online. Take notes on at least three different states' standards regarding senior-level courses.

Step 4: Choose a subcommittee head to present to the whole class the information your subcommittee found. The heads should summarize the subcommittees' findings on the board under these categories: Math Requirements, Language Arts Requirements, Social Studies Requirements, Science Requirements, Foreign Language Requirements, Survey Results.

Step 5: Divide into two separate "whole committees," with at least two students from subcommittees A, B, C, D, E, and F on one committee, and the rest on the second committee. Both whole committees must draft a proposal for senior-year course curriculum. Utilize the information from the survey results and state standards to outline a firm plan of course requirements.

Step 6: Present both committees' proposals to the entire class. One student from each committee will list the committee's proposed course requirements on the board. If the two committees' proposals differ, three students from each committee must meet to negotiate the differences. While the "negotiating committee" comes to a consensus, the rest of the class must decide how they will approve the final proposal—by a majority vote, by a two-thirds majority vote, by a plurality, or other.

Step 7: Regroup into your whole committee. The six students from the negotiating committee will return to their whole committees and update them on the final, negotiated proposal. Then one member from the negotiating committee will return to the board to list the negotiated course requirements.

Step 8: Vote on the negotiated course requirements. Utilize the approval process decided in Step 6. Did the draft proposal for the course curriculum pass?

Self-Assessment
Self-assess your participation in the draft proposal process. Exemplary participation should demonstrate the following items:
___ excellent use of planning time
___ detailed research that resulted in informative and insightful comments
___ harmonious and respectful peer suggestions and feedback
___ superlative grasp of the issues
___ exceptionally well organized survey questions
___ clear, concise, and thought-provoking arguments and rebuttals

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After the final draft proposal has been voted on, discuss this question: Is there a better way to make laws?