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
Washington’s Legacy
In this lesson students will examine the foreign policy advice of President George Washington and then evaluate the policies for four other US presidents to analyze if they followed his advice.
Power of One
This lesson explores ways in which people can engage in civic renewal beyond voting. Students will analyze a photo of a protest, and then read and analyze case studies about kids making a difference through non-voting civic renewal initiatives. As part of their case study analysis, students will learn and apply the definitions of “top down” and “bottom up” approaches to civic action. As tweens and young teens are legally unable to vote, the ultimate goal of this lesson is to showcase inspiring examples of civic renewal that did not involve the power of voting.
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.