Express Your Opinion

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Overview

In this lesson students will learn about the local, state, and national levels of government and discuss which level of government they should contact to get information, express their opinions, or get help on specific issues.

Grade Levels

5-8

Objectives

Students will:

• name the purpose, roles, and function of each level of government;
• identify a specific public policy issue and list students’ concerns about that issue and their possible solutions; and

• identify the appropriate people to contact about a specific concern.

Estimated Time

2 days

Materials Needed

• E-Learning Module: Civic Participation
• Internet connection with Macromedia FLASH ® enabled
• Chalk and chalkboard or a marker and a whiteboard
• Newspapers and newsmagazines
• Pencil and paper

Procedure

Day 1

1. Write the following terms on the chalkboard, overhead projector, or computer projector: local government, state government, national government.
2. Briefly review the purpose, roles, and function of each level of government.
3. Ask students to name some responsibilities of each level of government. Write student responses on the board, and generate a list of responsibilities for each level of government.
4. Have students complete the “Where to Go with a Problem” exercise in the Civic Participation Module.
5. Explain to students that government representatives are responsive to individuals. If you want to have an impact on government, you have to make the effort to have an impact. Individuals need to ask for specific remedies to problems and target the right government official.
6. Divide the class into four groups. Distribute newspapers and news magazines to each group.
7. Have each group identify one public policy issue or problem that the group is interested in. Have students go to the library or search the Internet and find more resources about their chosen public policy issue. Have students write a summary of their chosen problem.

Day 2

1. Ask each group to write a list of concerns they have about their issue and a corresponding list of possible solutions.
2. Conduct a whole-class discussion in which you briefly talk about the three levels of government and explain how to determine whom citizens should contact when they have a concern or problem.
3. Have each group of students decide whom they should contact about their issue and discuss appropriate ways of contacting this person. Each group should write a one-page paper that does five things: a) summarizes the issue, b) discusses concerns, c) lists possible solutions, d) explains which person should be contacted to discuss the issue, and e) describes how that person should be contacted.
4. If time permits, have all the groups share their papers with the class.

Extension Activities

Have each group write a letter to an elected official about its chosen public policy issue.

Invite your city councilman/woman, state representative, or congressman/woman to come to class. Have students present their issues and concerns to the representative, and request that he or she discuss them with the students.

Assessment

Basic Concepts and Processes

Ask your students the following questions and assess their knowledge of key concepts taught in this lesson.

1. Name at least two roles of each level of government.
2. Which level of government would you contact if you are concerned about pollution in the local river?
3. Identify one issue that you would contact your representative in Congress about.

Scoring Guide for Student Paper about an Issue

Elements	Possible Score	Assigned Score	Notes
Correct spelling	10
Correct grammar (sentence structure, punctuation)	10
Good beginning, middle, and end	10
Identifies a specific issue	15
Lists at least three concerns about the issue	15
Describes at least one possible solution	15
Describes an appropriate way to contact a specific government official	25

Lesson Plan Feedback

If you have suggestions for improving this lesson plan, or if you have ideas for others using the module, please let us know. We value your input. Thank you!

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