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Chapter Planner and Suggested Pacing Guide

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN®

Enduring Understanding

  • Members of Congress may be influenced by their constituents and key supporters, staffers, political party, their own beliefs, the president, special-interest groups, and lobbyists when making laws.

Essential Questions

  • How does a bill become a law?
  • What factors influence congressional decision making?
  • How does the government raise and allocate money?

Students will know:

  • that the types of congressional bills are private bills and public bills.
  • that the types of congressional resolutions are joint resolutions, simple resolutions, and concurrent resolutions.
  • the steps to introducing a bill and the role of committees in this process.
  • the process for debating, amending, and voting on bills.
  • the roles of conference committees and the president in making a bill a law.
  • why it is difficult for a bill to become a law.
  • the House of Representatives has the exclusive power to start all bills dealing with revenue.
  • the Senate has the authority to amend tax bills passed by the House.
  • how Congress uses an authorization bill to get funding.
  • the differences between an appropriations bill and an authorization bill.
  • how earmarks are used to request funding for a specific purpose.
  • who influences members of Congress.
  • how members of Congress keep in touch with their constituents.
  • how political parties influence members of Congress.
  • how the president influences Congress.
  • what lobbying is and who lobbyists work for.
  • how casework is important to members of Congress and their constituents.
  • how pork-barrel legislation helps members of Congress appropriate money for federal projects in their states or districts.
  • how logrolling helps lawmakers pass legislation.

Students will be able to:

  • identify types of bills and resolutions.
  • outline how a bill becomes a law.
  • describe what happens to a bill after it is voted on by Congress.
  • contrast the use of closed rules and open rules in debating a bill.
  • explain the role of the House and Senate in the budget process.
  • describe how Congress appropriates money.
  • define entitlements
  • identify how entitlements impact the expenditures.
  • identify the major influences on Congress.
  • evaluate the ways members of Congress interact with constituents.
  • explain the influence of political parties on members of Congress.
  • define lobbyist.
  • explain the purpose of casework.
  • identify the factors that influence Congressional decision making.
  • describe the role of pork-barrel legislation in Congress.

Predictable Misunderstandings

Students may think:

  • that citizens cannot find out about all the legislation Congress is currently considering. Encourage students to visit www.congress.gov and explore the resources available to inform the public about pending legislation.
  • that the only way for the president to reject a bill is to veto it. Students may not be aware that the president has a limit of just ten days to sign a bill into law or veto the bill. When the president does not do either of these before time runs out, it is known as a “pocket veto,” and the bill is considered dead until the next session of Congress.
  • that all members of Congress do is work on creating laws. While students probably hear news about congressional action on controversial bills, they may not know how much time and effort Congress members and their staff devote to casework, which is work done to help constituents deal with problems, usually involving the federal government.

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
 1 Day — Lesson 1
½ 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

Expand All

  • 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:

    (D) identify the contributions of the political philosophies of the Founding Fathers, including John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Jay, George Mason, Roger Sherman, and James Wilson, on the development of the U.S. government

    (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

     

    (3) Geography. The student understands how geography can influence U.S. political divisions and policies. The student is expected to:

    (A) understand how population shifts affect voting patterns

    (C) explain how political divisions are crafted and how they are affected by Supreme Court decisions such as Baker v. Carr

     

    (4) Geography. The student understands why certain places or regions are important to the United States. The student is expected to:

    (A) identify the significance to the United States of the location and key natural resources of selected global places or regions

     

    (5) Economics. The student understands the roles played by local, state, and national governments in both the public and private sectors of the U.S. free enterprise system. The student is expected to:

    (B) identify the sources of revenue and expenditures of the U.S. government and analyze their impact on the U.S. economy

    (C) compare the role of government in the U.S. free enterprise system and other economic systems

     

    (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

     

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

    (A) analyze the structure and functions of the legislative branch of government, including the bicameral structure of Congress, the role of committees, and the procedure for enacting laws

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

    (G) explain the major responsibilities of the federal government for domestic and foreign policy such as national defense

    (H) compare the structures, functions, and processes of national, state, and local governments in the U.S. federal system

     

    (9) Government. The student understands the concept of federalism. The student is expected to:

    (C) analyze historical and contemporary conflicts over the respective roles of national and state governments

    (D) understand the limits on the national and state governments in the U.S. federal system of government

     

    (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

     

    (11) Government. The student understands the role of political parties in the U.S. system of government. The student is expected to:

    (A) analyze the functions of political parties and their role in the electoral process at local, state, and national levels

     

    (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

     

    (13) Citizenship. The student understands rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The student is expected to:

    (C) identify the freedoms and rights guaranteed by each amendment in the Bill of Rights

     

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

    (B) evaluate whether and/or when the obligation of citizenship requires that personal desires and interests be subordinated to the public good

    (C) understand the responsibilities, duties, and obligations of citizenship such as being well informed about civic affairs, serving in the military, voting, serving on a jury, observing the laws, paying taxes, and serving the public good

    (D) understand the voter registration process and the criteria for voting in elections

     

    (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

     

    (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:

    (A) understand the potential impact on society of recent scientific discoveries and technological innovations

    (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

    (E) evaluate government data using charts, tables, graphs, and maps

     

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

    (A) use social studies terminology correctly

    (B) use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation

    (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:

    (A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution