Why Does Congress Work That Way?

 

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Overview

In this lesson students will read Article 1 of the Constitution and analyze how the Constitution defines the legislative process. Students will then discuss how people think Congress should work and evaluate how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created.

 

Grade Levels

9 – 12

 

Objectives

Students will:

• explain how the Constitution defines the legislative role of Congress; and
• write a paper that explains whether or not they would change the legislative branch (if they had the opportunity) and why.

Estimated Time

60 minutes

 

Materials Needed

• E-Learning Module: Dynamic Legislative Process
• Internet connection with Macromedia FLASH ® enabled
• Projection device
• One copy of the U.S. Constitution per student
• Resources about the organization of Congress

Procedure

1. Distribute copies of the U.S. Constitution to students. Have students read Article I, Sections 7 and 8.
2. Ask students to summarize how the Constitution defines the legislative role of Congress.
3. Explain to students that the legislative process has evolved over the years. Have them visit the U.S. House of Representatives Web site and read The Legislative Process or visit the Center on Congress Web site and read “The Legislative Process.”
4. Give a brief summary of the legislative process, and ask students if they think the legislative process is too complicated to work properly. Have students discuss whether complexity helps or harms the legislative process.
5. Use an overhead projection device to show students the “Public Criticisms” section of the Dynamic Legislative Process E-Learning Module. Ask students to state whether they agree or disagree with the statements and explain their reasoning.
6. Have students carefully read the response to the assigned question and conduct further research to investigate why the Framers organized the legislative branch into two chambers. Students may read the text from which the response came, their own textbook, the Federalist Papers, “The Two Houses,” on the Center on Congress Web site, or other resources.
7. Ask students to write a paper that explains whether or not they would change the legislative branch (if they had the opportunity) and why.

Extension Activity

Show students the film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” and discuss how this movie portrays the legislative process. Have students talk about why portions of this movie do not realistically portray how bills are created and presented. Then have students read a first-hand account of what it is really like to get a law through Congress. Assign portions of the following books and have students compare these accounts to the film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”

 

The Congressional Experience ( Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 2000) by Congressman David E. Price

 

Honor in the House (Pullman: Washington State University Press, 1999) by former Speaker Tom Foley

 

Man of the House:The Life and Political Memoirs of Speaker Tip O'Neill (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1988) by Former Speaker Tip O’Neill

 

Declaration of Conscience (New York: Doubleday, 1972) by former Senator Margaret Chase Smith

 

P.S.: The Autobiography of Paul Simon (Chicago, Ill.: Bonus Books,1999) by former Senator Paul Simon

 

Assessment

Basic Concepts and Processes

Ask your students to respond to the following requests for information and assess their knowledge of key concepts taught in this lesson.

1. Explain how the Constitution defines the legislative role of Congress.
2. Respond to at least one criticism that people have about Congress.

Scoring Guide for Voting Patterns

Elements	Possible Score	Assigned Score	Notes
Correct spelling	10
Correct grammar	10
Good beginning, middle, and end	10
States whether or not s/he would change Congress.	20
Explains why s/he would nor would not change Congress	50

 

Lesson Plan Feedback

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