Congressional committees and the legislative process
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=284
A lesson plan for Grade 10 English Language Arts and Social Studies
About this resource
- Appropriate grades
- 10
- Provider
- National Endowment for the Humanities
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This lesson plan introduces students to the pivotal role that Congressional committees play in the legislative process, focusing on how their own Congressional representatives influence legislation through their committee appointments. Students begin by reviewing the stages of the legislative process, then learn how committees and subcommittees help determine the outcome of this process by deciding which bills the full Congress will consider and by shaping the legislation upon which votes are finally cast.
With this background, students research the committee and subcommittee assignments of their Congressional representatives, then divide into small groups to prepare class reports on the jurisdictions of these different committees and their representatives' special responsibilities on each one.
Finally, students consider why representation on these specific committees might be important to the people of their state or community, and examine how the committee system reflects some of the basic principles of American federalism. The goals of this lesson plan are:
- to understand the legislative process of the United States Congress
- to examine the role that Congressional committees play in this process
- to learn how one's Congressional representatives can influence legislation through their specific committee assignments
- to consider how representation on specific Congressional committees can be important to state or community interests
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 10 — Economics and Civics
- Goal 1: The learner will investigate the foundations of the American political system and explore basic values and principles of American democracy.
- Objective 1.06: Compare viewpoints about government in the Federalist and the Anti-Federalist Papers.
- Goal 2: The learner will analyze how the government established by the United States Constitution embodies the purposes, values, and principles of American democracy.
- Objective 2.03: Explain how the United States Constitution grants and limits the authority of public officials and government agencies.
- Objective 2.07: Identify modern controversies related to powers of the federal government that are similar to the debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over ratification of the United States Constitution.
- Goal 5: The learner will explain how the political and legal systems provide a means to balance competing interests and resolve conflicts.
- Objective 5.04: Evaluate the role of debate and compromise in the legislative process.
- Goal 6: The learner will explain why laws are needed and how they are enacted, implemented, and enforced at the national, state, and local levels.
- Objective 6.01: Trace the development of law in American society.
- Objective 6.03: Identify the various procedures in the enactment, implementation, and enforcement of law.
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 10 — English II
- Goal 4: The learner will critically interpret and evaluate experiences, literature, language, and ideas.
- Objective 4.01: Interpret a real-world event in a way that:
- makes generalizations about the event supported by specific references.
- reflects on observation and shows how the event affected the current viewpoint.
- distinguishes fact from fiction and recognizes personal bias.
- Objective 4.01: Interpret a real-world event in a way that:
