Instructions Create a project to explain the three branches of the American government under the United States Constitution. You will include information on the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the national government. Your group will also analyze some problems with the American government. Central Questions: How does the United States government work under the Constitution? o The Ideas behind the Government o The 3 Branches of the Government What are some problems in the functioning of the government today? Choose a project: v A Pyramid, Poster, Tri-Fold Pamphlet, Booklet, etc. Each group member will be responsible for one of the topics below. Required Information: v Ideas in the American Government Republic, Popular Sovereignty Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances v Legislative Branch Bicameral Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives Creating Laws Problems with Passing Laws, 114 th Congress v Executive Branch The Presidency and the Executive Departments Election of the President, Problems with the Electoral System v Judicial Branch The national court system: District, Appeals, and Supreme Court Judicial Review T-Charts v Use the attached T-Charts to help you organize information. Required Illustrations (drawn or printed) v At least 2 pictures for each topic Due Points:
Grade: The Three Branches of the American Government Project Great Good Fair needed work Content: 3 Branches of government, Ideas in government Completely explained all parts Accurate Information Excellent examples Complete lists Added additional, interesting facts about the government Explained current legislation Illustrations Had more than required illustrations Excellent project design Illustrations explained branch of government Paragraphs Well organized Easy to understand flowed well Excellent topic and concluding sentences own words Went beyond provided paragraph structure Excellent details/ explanations No mistakes Explained most parts Missing some information Good examples, details could have explained better A few inaccuracies Needed to explain current legislation better Had 3 illustrations Good project design Most illustrations explained branches of government Most paragraphs organized Parts flowed well; some needed to be better organized Followed topic/concluding sentences, basic paragraph structure A few mistakes Name: Points Grade Missing key information Needed to explain parts better Needed more examples Inaccurate information in parts Needed more effort Needed more info., effort on current legislation or missing Needed more illustrations Project design disorganized or sloppy Needed to explain branches better Needed better organization Paragraphs disorganized hard to understand Did not flow well mistakes made it hard to understand Mistakes
Paragraph 1: Legislative Branch (WB, p., USH, p. 145, 151) Article of the United States Constitution organizes the branch of the government. The two parts of Congress are the (green) What are the (Red: term of office, leadership, total number of senators, why?) Rules for the Senate? What are the rules (Red: term of office, leadership, total number of reps., why that For the House of amount?) Representatives? (U.S. Const. art. I, sect. 2, 3) Concluding Sentence
Paragraph 2: Legislative Branch (WB, p. USH, p.154) The main job of the legislative branch is to create the nation s. How does a bill (Red) become a law? (U.S. Const. art. I, sect. 7) ConcludingSentence
Legislative Branch (Article How Hard is it to Pass Laws, Constitution USA DVD Notes, WB. P. ) Explain two difficulties Congress has in passing laws. (Topic Sentence green): One problem: (red) (yellow) Another problem: (yellow) Concluding Sentence_(green)
Active Legislation in 114 th Congress Go to Ms. Conway s website, Links, Congress the Senate On the right of the web page, go to Active Legislation Scroll down to Popular Titles and Subjects Choose a bill Click on the Senate or House Bill (S or HR), Read the Summary Latest Title of the Bill Details: Bill Number Active Legislation in the 114 th Congress Bill Number (S/HR) Sponsor Party Latest Major Action What would the bill do? Quote from Bill: Your Opinion Should Congress Pass this Bill? Why or why not?
Paragraph 1: Executive Branch (WB, p. USH, p. 146, 158 159) Article of the United States Constitution organizes the branch of the government. This includes the What are the (Red) qualifications and term of office for the president and the vice president? (U.S. Const. art. II, sect. 1) (Red give an example WB, p. 100b, 101 f/b, 104b, What are the https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet) president s cabinet and the executive departments? (U.S. Const. art. II, sect. 2) Concluding Sentence
Paragraph 2: Executive Branch (WB, p. USH, p. 158 159) The president and vice president are elected indirectly through the states. How does the United (Red) States elect the president and vice president? (U.S. Const. art. II, sect. 1) Explain one major (Red, WB, ) problem with this system Concluding Sentence
Paragraph 1: Judicial Branch (WB, p. USH, p. 147 148, 161) Article of the United States Constitution organizes the branch of the government. This created the What are the (Red: term of office, why? appointed, approved, number of cases?) qualifications and rules for the Supreme Court? (U.S. Const. art. II, sect. 2, art. III, sect. 1) What is judicial (red) review? (Marbury v. Madison, 1803) Concluding Sentence
Paragraph 2: Judicial Branch (WB, p. ) Article III and the created the federal (national) court system. How is the federal (Red: District, Appeals, Supreme) court system organized? (Judiciary Act of 1789) Concluding Sentence
Paragraph 1: Ideas in the American Government (WB, p. ) There are many ideas in the American government. First, the United (Red) States is a Republic. Next, the American government includes the idea of popular sovereignty. Concluding Sentence
Paragraph 2: Ideas the American Government (WB, p. ) Other big ideas in the American government are the separation of powers and checks and balances. The separation of (Red) powers means Next, checks and balances mean Concluding Sentence