Lesson #1: The Legislative Branch
Activity 1.2: Making Laws
As shows in this diagram, lawmaking can be a complex and time-consuming process!
In this activity, students will look carefully at the lawmaking process. During each congressional term, thousands of bills are introduced and less than 10% of them become laws. Most die in congress, and a few are vetoed by the president. When you stop to think about the complexity of the lawmaking process, it is surprising that even a few hundred new pieces of legislation are enacted each term!
Social Studies Benchmark:
9.1.4.6.2: Explain the purposes, organization, functions and processes of the legislative branch as enumerated in Article I of the United States Constitution.
Reading Benchmarks:
9.12.4.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, geographic, historical, or economic aspects of history/social studies.
Learning Target:
I can explain how congress works and describe the lawmaking process.
- I can describe how a bill becomes a law.
- I can create a flowchart depicting the lawmaking process.
Essential Question:
What is the role of the legislative branch, and how does Congress function?
- How does a bill become a law?
To complete Activity 1.2 please follow the steps below:
Complete the tasks listed below and submit your responses by uploading a file to the “Add Submission” box. Respond to the critical thinking questions below as you go through the website. Please submit your responses to each question using the text submission box located at the bottom of this moodle page. Please answer with proper response construction and make sure to include your name properly on the assignment. Name, Course, Grade, Date.
STEP 1: Introductory Activity
Watch this Schoolhouse Rock video entitled “I’m Just a Bill” and think about following questions:
- What is the term for a proposed law? (Hint: It’s in the title of the song!)
- One line in the chorus read, “It’s a long, long wait while I {the bill} am sitting in committee.” Why do you think this is true?
- What path does a bill take to become a law?
STEP 2: What Does the Lawmaking Process Look Like?
Explore the steps involved in the lawmaking process by examining this website and watching the following videos: “Proposing a Law: Writing a Bill”, “A Bill Makes its Way through Committees and to Congress”, “Voting and Vetoes: Congress and the President Interact” and “A Bill Becomes the Law: A Statute written into our Codes”. Use the Google Lucidchart add-on (or another format of your choice) to create a flow-chart that illustrates how a bill becomes a law. Each step must include a one- to two-sentence description. Your diagram should be clear, accurate, detailed, and easy to follow. Use of colors and graphics is encouraged. Be sure to include the following steps (which may each have sub-steps):
- Introduction of the Bill
- Committee Action
- Floor Action
- Conference Action
- Presidential Action
- Post-Presidential Action (What happens if the bill is signed? What can happen if it isn’t?)
Rubric:
The following rubric will be used to assess your work.
Criteria | Meets | Partially Meets | Does Not Meet |
Introduction of the Bill: Correct placement in diagram, content covered comprehensively, description is accurate and appropriate in length | |||
Committee Action: Correct placement in diagram, content covered comprehensively, description is accurate and appropriate in length | |||
Floor Action: Correct placement in diagram, content covered comprehensively, description is accurate and appropriate in length | |||
Conference Action: Correct placement in diagram, content covered comprehensively, description is accurate and appropriate in length | |||
Presidential Action: Correct placement in diagram, content covered comprehensively, description is accurate and appropriate in length | |||
Post-Presidential Action: Correct placement in diagram, content covered comprehensively, description is accurate and appropriate in length | |||
Format: Diagram is clear and easy to follow | |||
Visual Appeal: Diagram is colorful, interesting, and visually appealing |
Upload your flow chart to the “Add Submission” box!
- Open document to your computer
- Complete the Activity
- Click "Save As" and save it onto a special place on your computer
- Click "Upload a File"
- Upload the file to this Moodle page
- Click Save
