Teacher Lesson Plan

Description:

This Net Investigation discusses the controversial issue of term limits in the executive and legislative branches. Students will read some background on the issue and will create a pros and cons chart with the various opinions on Congressional term limits. In addition, they will look at the 22nd Amendment, which limits the term of the President, and will study a chart of which states limit the terms of their governors. They will also read the text of the proposed Constitutional Amendment that would limit the terms of members of the U.S. Congress.

Outcomes/Core Learning Goals:

CLG 1, Expectation 1, Indicator 1: The student will analyze historic documents to determine the basic principles of United States government and apply them to real-world situations.

CLG 1, Expectation 1, Indicator 2: The student will evaluate how the principles of government assist or impede the functioning of government.

CLG 1, Expectation 1, Indicator 4: The student will explain roles and analyze strategies individuals or groups may use to initiate change in governmental policy and institutions.

Time Frame:

For teachers with block schedules, this lesson can be done in one block. For teachers on 45-minute classes, you may need two days.

Materials/Technology/Teacher Differentiation:

This lesson has enough small mini-lessons within it that you can do it in a variety of ways:

1. Do it all in one piece, with the students in a computer lab.
2. Do it all in one piece, with the students in the classroom and you on the computer (with a projector) at the front of the room.
3. Take the students to the lab for steps 1 and 2, and follow up in the classroom for steps 3 and 4. Then, step 5 can be homework, or you can also do that together.
4. Not enough choices for you? Make up some more of your own!

Teacher Preparation:

Please, please, please do the activity yourself first to make sure that you understand the process and can anticipate your students' questions. Also make sure that all links work, and contact Mary Wagner if a link fails. (Email me at Mary_Wagner@fc.montgomeryschoolsmd.org and I will try to fix it for you.)

If you want the students to mark on the pros and cons table, print it out and photocopy for the students.

Student Differentiation Options:

Most regular-level students will be able to do this activity. Beware that the pros and cons table (step 2) will separate your kids who like to work quickly from your kids who like to take their time.

The concluding activities will be your opportunity to differentiate between honors and regular, between regular and special education kids, etc.

Student Prior Knowledge and Skills:

Students should have an understanding of how the legislative branch works, and how the amendment processs works.

It would help if they understood something about the benefits of seniority in Congress, such as how the committee leadership roles are assigned, and how the member moves up the ladder as the years pass.

For the concluding activities, it would be good if the stduents had some perspective about why the Constitution was written as it was, especially the efforts to guard against creating a monarchy.

Lesson Design/Learning Sequence:

Step 1: Students will read the Washington Post article "Term Limits Take Effect" to get some background on the issue. The reading is pretty straight-forward, and should not be too hard for regular-level students. There are a few questions to answer, but the most important thing is to start the pros and cons chart, which will also be used in step 2.

Step 2: Students will read some quotes arguing for and against term limits. Students must identify whether the quotes are for or against term limits, then must try to add the ideas to the pros and cons chart. This is the step that will slow some students down, as the quotes require some thinking.

Step 3: Students will read the Twenty-Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which limits the term of the President of the United States, and think about why this amendment was passed.

Step 4: Students will read the proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which, if ratified, would limits the terms of Representatives and Senators.

Step 5: Students will analyze the chart of states which limit the terms of their governors.

Concluding activities: I have included both a BCR and an ECR to assess different parts of this activity.

Lesson Evaluation: