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Chapter Planner and Suggested Pacing Guide

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN®

Enduring Understanding

  • Interest groups and public opinion can have a large role in shaping public policy.

Essential Questions

  • How do special interests seek to influence U.S. public policy?
  • In what ways can public opinion affect government policy?

Students will know:

  • that being responsive to public opinion is important in a democracy.
  • that political socialization is the process through which individuals learn their political beliefs.
  • that political culture sets the boundaries within which citizens develop and express their opinions.
  • that political efficacy refers to a person’s belief that they can have an impact on government.
  • elected officials use a variety of nonscientific and scientific methods to identify public opinion.
  • that, in order for a poll to be accurate, it must contain a representative sample, be clearly worded, and interpreted accurately.
  • polls can be used to craft bills, to aid in campaigning, and as a source of news.
  • that an interest group is made up of people who share common goals and organize to influence government.
  • people join interest groups out of economic self-interest, because of deeply felt beliefs, or for social reasons.
  • there are a wide variety of interest groups in the United States.
  • how lobbyists impact public policy.
  • the methods interests groups use to gain public support.
  • that limitations on donating to individual candidates led to the formation of PACs.
  • PACs and SuperPACs spend money to gain access to lawmakers and influence election outcomes.
  • the similarities and differences between PACs and SuperPACs.

Students will be able to:

  • describe how political socialization shapes people’s views.
  • compare public opinion polls.
  • identify ways individuals can impact government policy.
  • evaluate arguments on controversial issues.
  • conduct a public opinion poll.
  • interpret a public opinion poll.
  • categorize types of interest groups.
  • discuss ways interest groups can achieve their goals.
  • compare civil societies around the world.
  • interview members of an interest group.
  • identify ways students can impact politics in their community.
  • evaluate the effectiveness of various methods of influencing members of Congress.
  • compare and contrast affiliated and independent PACs.
  • analyze how campaign finance laws impact free speech.

Predictable Misunderstandings

Students may think:

  • that poll results are always an accurate gauge of public opinion. Encourage students to learn the differences between scientific and unscientific methods of polling so that they can determine whether a poll’s results are providing accurate, unbiased information.
  • that lobbyists are not wanted or respected by lawmakers. When students hear about lobbyists in the news, they may come to associate them with practices such as giving money or gifts to politicians in return for their favor. In fact, lobbyists can do a great deal to help lawmakers by providing useful information about the wants and needs of their constituents.

Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks:

  • Hands-On Chapter Project

Other Evidence:

  • Guided Reading Activities
  • Vocabulary Activity
  • Lesson Quizzes
  • Chapter Tests, Forms A and B

SUGGESTED PACING

½ day — Introducing the Chapter
½ day — Lesson 1
 1 day — Lesson 2
 1 day — Lesson 3
½ day — Lesson 4
½ day — Chapter Wrap-Up and Assessment

4 Days — Total

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

The activities presented are suitable for all levels. Modifications for student ability levels are available for many of the activities. The types of modifications available are indicated by the icons below.

DI for AL Approaching Level

DI for BL Beyond Level

DI for ELL English Language Learner

All students benefit from activities that utilize different learning styles. Activities are designated with the labels below to help you differentiate teaching by the types of learners.

Intrapersonal
Logical/Mathematical
Visual/Spatial
Verbal/Linguistic
Interpersonal
Auditory/Musical
Kinesthetic
Naturalist

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

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  • Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

    Below are the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills covered in this chapter.

    (1) History. The student understands how constitutional government, as developed in America and expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution, has been influenced by ideas, people, and historical documents. The student is expected to:

    (F) identify significant individuals in the field of government and politics, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan

     

    (2) History. The student understands the roles played by individuals, political parties, interest groups, and the media in the U.S. political system, past and present. The student is expected to:

    (A) give examples of the processes used by individuals, political parties, interest groups, or the media to affect public policy

    (B) analyze the impact of political changes brought about by individuals, political parties, interest groups, or the media, past and present

     

    (7) Government. The student understands the American beliefs and principles reflected in the U.S. Constitution and why these are significant. The student is expected to:

    (D) evaluate constitutional provisions for limiting the role of government, including republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights

    (F) identify how the American beliefs and principles reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution contribute to both a national identity and federal identity and are embodied in the United States today

     

    (8) Government. The student understands the structure and functions of the government created by the U.S. Constitution. The student is expected to:

    (B) analyze the structure and functions of the executive branch of government, including the constitutional powers of the president, the growth of presidential power, and the role of the Cabinet and executive departments

    (C) analyze the structure and functions of the judicial branch of government, including the federal court system, types of jurisdiction, and judicial review

    (D) identify the purpose of selected independent executive agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and regulatory commissions, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

     

    (10) Government. The student understands the processes for filling public offices in the U.S. system of government. The student is expected to:

    (A) compare different methods of filling public offices, including elected and appointed offices at the local, state, and national levels

    (B) explain the process of electing the president of the United States and analyze the Electoral College

    (C) analyze the impact of the passage of the 17th Amendment

     

    (12) Government. The student understands the similarities and differences that exist among the U.S. system of government and other political systems. The student is expected to:

    (A) compare the U.S. constitutional republic to historical and contemporary forms of government such as monarchy, a classical republic, authoritarian, socialist, direct democracy, theocracy, tribal, and other republics

     

    (14) Citizenship. The student understands the difference between personal and civic responsibilities. The student is expected to:

    (A) explain the difference between personal and civic responsibilities

     

    (15) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of voluntary individual participation in the U.S. constitutional republic. The student is expected to:

    (A) analyze the effectiveness of various methods of participation in the political process at local, state, and national levels

    (B) analyze historical and contemporary examples of citizen movements to bring about political change or to maintain continuity

    (C) understand the factors that influence an individual’s political attitudes and actions

     

    (16) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of the expression of different points of view in a constitutional republic. The student is expected to:

    (A) examine different points of view of political parties and interest groups such as the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on important contemporary issues

    (B) analyze the importance of the First Amendment rights of petition, assembly, speech, and press and the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms

     

    (19) Science, technology, and society. The student understands the impact of advances in science and technology on government and society. The student is expected to:

    (B) evaluate the impact of the Internet and other electronic information on the political process

     

    (20) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:

    (A) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions

    (B) create a product on a contemporary government issue or topic using critical methods of inquiry

    (C) analyze and defend a point of view on a current political issue

    (D) analyze and evaluate the validity of information, arguments, and counterarguments from primary and secondary sources for bias, propaganda, point of view, and frame of reference

     

    (21) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:

    (A) use social studies terminology correctly

    (C) transfer information from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual, using computer software as appropriate

    (D) create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information

     

    (22) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to:

    (B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision