Republic Means: Represent Me
Do representatives always act in the best interest of their constituents?
In this lesson, students investigate the principle of republicanism by asking how government representatives decide and act upon what constituents want. Students watch short videos, research their representatives, analyze and amend a bill, and at the end of the lesson draft a letter to their members in Congress.
Objectives:
- Explain how Americans are represented in Congress.
- Describe how Congress works in committees.
- Analyze a Congressional bill and amend it.
- Synthesize communications with representatives in Congress.
Assessment:
To measure students’ abilities to apply what they learned about how they are represented, students will draft a Letter to Your Member of Congress to encourage them to continue advocating for issues that matter to them, which is ultimately what engaged citizens do!
Additionally, a whole class discussion about the compelling questions occurs at the end of the lesson.
Resources
Download Lesson
DownloadFeatured Lesson Plans
Pursuit of Happiness
In this lesson, students will investigate how Americans conceptualized the ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ at various points in history and how this relates to government action and their own individual civic virtue. Students watch a short video, examine excerpts from primary sources, and reflect on their own understanding of happiness through debate, dialogue, and writing. By the end of the lesson, students will evaluate whether it is more important to have a government of laws or a culture of individual civic virtue in order to promote the “pursuit of happiness.”
It Makes Sense! Common, That Is!
Students will trace the establishment of Republicanism in history using the primary sources including the Mayflower Compact, Common Sense, Declaration Of Independence, Articles Of Confederation, Constitution.
From Grievance to Government
In this lesson students investigate how colonial grievances expressed in the Declaration of Independence influenced protections later included in the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Through primary source analysis and station activities, students examine specific grievances and connect them to constitutional protections designed to prevent abuses of government power. Students synthesize their learning by creating a one-page visual demonstrating how the experiences of the colonists helped shape a government designed to protect individual rights.