Central Question: How does the legislative branch pass laws?
The American system of government is made up of three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The legislative branch is made up of an upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Together, these two chambers pass the laws that govern our society. In the game LawCraft, scholars play a representative or senator in the U.S. Congress. They choose an issue and select from a variety of amendments to create a bill, while paying attention to how much support each amendment has among other members. After passing the bill, the player works to compromise with the other chamber — and, if necessary, the president — to create a bill that will be signed into law.
For more background on civics education and content standards and to prepare for this lesson, visit the Center for Civic Education and read “LawCraft Game Guide” on the iCivics website (free login required).
Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 5 Key Terms:
Scholars understand the power of the U.S. Congress and can explain the system through which legislators in Congress pass laws.
Preparation
Launch (2 minutes)
Watch (4 minutes)
Discuss (4 minutes)
Homework
Central Question: How do the president and the executive branch affect foreign and domestic policy?
The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It includes the president; vice president; cabinet; executive departments; independent agencies; and other boards, commissions, and committees. In the game Executive Command, scholars get the experience of being the president of the United States! As president, scholars will be faced with the daily challenges that presidents must balance in running a government and keeping the country safe during one four-year term. They will propose an agenda to Congress, sign bills into law, delegate new laws to the appropriate federal agency, handle international diplomacy, and command the military during times of war.
To prepare for this lesson, read the “Executive Command Game Guide” on the iCivics website (free login required).
Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 5 Key Terms:
Scholars understand the power of the president of the United States and executive agencies and can explain how the president sets a national agenda, executes laws, and serves as commander-in-chief in order to execute his or her role as chief executive of foreign and domestic policy.
Launch (2 minutes)
Watch (4 minutes)
Discuss (4 minutes)
Homework
Central Question: How does the judicial branch apply the Constitution to interpret law?
Courts decide arguments about the meaning of laws and how they are applied. They also decide if laws violate the Constitution — this is known as judicial review, and it is how federal courts provide checks and balances on the legislative and executive branches. In the game Do I Have a Right?, scholars run a law firm that specializes in constitutional law. When clients show up with complaints, scholars must identify if they “have a right” and match them with an attorney who specializes in the correct constitutional amendment. The more successful matches they make, the more their firm grows with additional attorneys and skills, so the more types of cases they can handle. Will they be able to keep up — or will clients get angry and storm out?
To prepare for this lesson, read the “Do I Have a Right? Game Guide” on the iCivics website (free login required).
Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 5 Key Terms:
Scholars understand the power of the judicial branch and can explain how the court uses judicial review to interpret the laws and protect citizens against violations of the Constitution.
Launch (2 minutes)
Watch (5 minutes)
Discuss (3 minutes)
Homework
Central Question: How do the three branches of government balance one another?
The U.S. Constitution divides the federal government into three branches to ensure a central government in which no individual or group gains too much control. The president can veto laws passed by Congress; Congress confirms or rejects the president’s appointments and can remove the president from office; the justices of the Supreme Court can overturn unconstitutional laws and are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. In the game Branches of Power, scholars have the chance to experience the roles of the three branches of government. Rather than simply learning each branch in isolation, scholars play each of the three branches and learn about how they interact. The goal is to move public policy issues from an idea to a fully formed and tested law and to better understand the system of checks and balances along the way.
To prepare for this lesson, read the “Branches of Power Game Guide” on the iCivics website (free login required).
Scholars understand the relationships between the three branches of the federal government and can explain how each branch serves as a check on the others in order to balance the power of the federal government.
Launch (2 minutes)
Watch (5 minutes)
Discuss (3 minutes)
Homework
Central Question: How do national and state governments distribute power?
Federalism is one of the most important and innovative concepts in the U.S. Constitution, although the word never appears there. Federalism is the sharing of power between national and state governments. In the United States, the states existed first and struggled to create a national government. These tensions are ingrained in the U.S. Constitution, and Americans still debate the proper role of the national government versus the states. Chief Justice John Marshall, the longest-serving leader of the Supreme Court, noted that this question “is perpetually arising, and will probably continue to arise, as long as our system shall exist.”
For more background, read “Federalism” on PBS’s website and watch the video paired with this article.
Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 5 Key Terms:
Scholars understand the major responsibilities of the national government and those of the state governments and can explain how powers are distributed and shared between national and state governments in the federal system.
Launch (2 minutes)
Watch (8 minutes)
Discuss (5 minutes)
Homework
Central Question: How does local government affect citizens and their communities?
In addition to dividing power between the federal and state governments, the Constitution also allows for the creation of local governments by the states. Local governments might govern towns, cities, or counties and are organized in different ways, depending on the state. Often, local governments play a role in matters that most directly affect the people, such as schools, libraries, and parks. In the game Counties Work, scholars learn about local government by playing a county official responding to citizens’ requests. They must keep citizens happy and manage the county’s resources responsibly. Are citizens making sensible requests? Which department of the local government has the solution? Do taxes need to be raised or lowered? How will citizens react — and what’s the best action when crisis strikes? Challenges come from all directions in this fast-paced game!
To prepare for this lesson, read the “Counties Work Game Guide” on the iCivics website (free login required).
Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 5 Key Term:
Scholars understand the organization and primary responsibilities of local government and explain why local governments have a powerful effect on the daily lives of American citizens.
Launch (2 minutes)
Watch (5 minutes)
Discuss (3 minutes)
Homework
Central Question: What is the role of a citizen in the American political system?
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” The Constitution talks about many of the rights of citizenship but says little in the way of responsibilities for citizens. The health of our civic state relies on the participation, albeit in different ways, of every citizen.
For more background, read “Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities” on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 5 Key Terms:
Scholars understand the role and responsibilities of American citizens in civic society and can plan oral presentations that explain how citizens can make change in the political system.
Preparation
Launch (2 minutes)
Watch (6 minutes)
Discuss (2 minutes)
Homework
Central Question: What is the role of a citizen in the American political system?
Scholars can express their understanding of civic responsibility by drafting and giving oral presentations that explain how citizens can participate in their communities by taking action on a key issue.
Preparation
Homework
Central Question: To what extent is the Constitution a “living document”?
What is the nature of the U.S. Constitution? How ought it be interpreted? There are two main competing approaches. In modern constitutional theory, originalism, an approach that attempts to enforce the original understanding of the Constitution, sets itself against the interpretive practice known as living constitutionalism, which gives greater priority to contemporary understandings and society. The debate between originalists and living constitutionalists is generally considered one of the most important current battles over how the Constitution should be interpreted.
For more background, read “On Originalism in Constitutional Interpretation” on the Constitution Center website, “The Living Constitution” on the University of Chicago Law School website, and “Theories of Constitutional Interpretation” on the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School website.
Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 5 Key Terms:
Scholars can apply their knowledge of U.S. government to interpret original sources and use these sources to write clear, concise, and compelling claims about competing approaches to constitutional interpretation.
Give scholars 2 minutes to revise their main ideas or claims based on the discussion.
Teacher Feedback Guidance
Central Question: To what extent is the Constitution a “living document”?
Scholars can plan and draft clear and compelling written arguments that answer a historical question with strong theses and evidence that supports or proves their theses.
Outline (15 minutes)
Draft (15 minutes)
Teacher Feedback Guidance
Central Question: To what extent is the Constitution a “living document”?
Scholars revise their essays based on individualized teacher feedback to make their essays stronger and clearer and to understand how to use their feedback to grow as writers.
Preparation
Teacher Feedback Guidance
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Prompts: Scholars may choose one of the following prompts about Big Ideas in American history.
Project Menu: Scholars may then choose to respond to the prompt chosen above with one of the formats outlined below.
resources
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