U.S. Government #2106310
Unit 2 Overview:
Legislative Branch
In this unit, students will understand the
legislative branch includes a bicameral
Congress, as well as state and local
legislatures, that are given the Constitutional
power to make laws.
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards
Focus Content Standards
(Mastery): Focus standards are the big ideas in the unit - which students
must walk away to have content mastery.
SS.912.C.3.3 Analyze the structures, functions, and processes of the legislative branch as
described in Article I of the Constitution.
SS.912.C.3.15 Examine how power and responsibility are distributed, shared, and limited by the
Constitution.
Highlighted Standards for Practice
Embedded Standards: are incorporated into the unit of
learning and are an integral part of the big picture of
learning. Most often embedded standards involve skills
that students need to grasp the focus standards.
SS.912.G.4.1 Interpret population growth and other
demographic data for any given place.
SS.912.G.5.5 Use geographic terms and tools to analyze case
studies of policies and programs for resource use and
management.
Ongoing Standards: align with the Common Core
English Language Arts and Math Standards as they
apply to Social Studies content. These standards are to
be used when applicable in the learning.
RH.11-12.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis
of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained
from specific details to an understanding of the text as a
whole. RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or
information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among
the key details and ideas.
RH.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary
that makes clear the relationships among the key details and
ideas.
RH.11-12.3 Evaluate various explanations for actions or
events and determine which explanation best accords with
textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves
matters uncertain.
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WHST.11-12.1 Write arguments focused on disciplinespecific content.
WHST.11-12.2 Write informative/explanatory texts,
including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.
WHST.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which
the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
WHST.11-12.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for
a specific purpose and audience.
WHST.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained
research projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden
the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on
the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
WHST.11-12.9 Draw evidence from informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
VOCABULARY Unit 2
term, session, adjourn, prorogue, bicameral, president pro tempore, floor leader, whip, seniority rule, committee, reapportionment, redistricting, gerrymandering, constituents ,Speaker of the House,
Vice President, expressed powers, implied powers, tax, oversight, confirmation, impeach, ratification, override, amendment proposal, perjury, appropriation, bill, resolutions, rider, pigeonhole,
quorum, filibuster, cloture, veto, pocket veto
Focus Questions/ Learning Targets Unit 2
SS.912.C.3.3 I can analyze the structures, functions, and processes of the legislative branch as described in Article I of the Constitution.
SS.912.C.3.15 I can examine how power and responsibility are distributed, shared, and limited by the Constitution.
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RESOURCES
Textbook Aligned Resources
Magruder’s American Government 2013 (pp. 266 – 360)
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
Chapter 12 Sec. 1- 4
Try These for Sure!
Additional Resources
School House Rocks "I'm Just a Bill"
Mock Congress (How a bill becomes a law)
Organizational Chart - Branches of Govt
Government Alive! Chapters 11 & 12
Ted Ed Gerrymandering Video
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
Members of Congress: What Do They Do Lesson Plan
iCivics: Legislative Branch
Legislative Branch DBQ
Bill to Law Music Video Project
Redistricting Game
Redistricting Game Activity Assignment
Differentiation & Enrichment
Analyze a current piece of legislation through news articles, C-Span, and congressional members’ websites to explain the legislative process.
Compare and contrast the U.S. legislative process with another nation’s (i.e. Great Britain, Germany, France, Iran, Russia, China, etc.) to understand the differences
between the U.S. legislative process and the legislative process of other nations.
Compare and contrast the ways the U.S. Constitution distributes, shares, and limits power with the Constitution of another democratic nation.
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Unit Scale: The unit scale is a curricular organizer for PLCs to use to begin unpacking the unit. It should prompt PLCs to further explore question #1, “What do we expect all
students to learn?” Notice that all standards are placed at a 3.0 on the scale, regardless of their complexity. A 4.0 extends beyond 3.0 content and helps students to acquire deeper
understanding/thinking at a higher taxonomy level than represented in the standard (3.0). It is important to note that a level 4.0 is not a goal for the academically advanced, but rather a goal for ALL
students to work toward. A 2.0 on the scale represents a “lightly” unpacked explanation of what is needed, procedural and declarative knowledge i.e. key vocabulary, to move students towards
proficiency of the standards.
4.0
I can:
£
Compare and contrast Federalist Papers No. 52 and 62 with Anti-Federalist Papers No. 7 and 8 to understand the structure and function of the legislative branch.
I understand all that was taught and can teach it to others with no errors.
3.5
I can do everything at a 3.0 and I can demonstrate partial success at score 4.0.
3.0
I can:
£
£
I can analyze the structures, functions, and processes of the legislative branch as described in Article I of the Constitution.
I can examine how power and responsibility are distributed, shared, and limited by the Constitution.
With no errors.
2.5
I can do everything at a 2.0 and demonstrate partial success at score 3.0.
2.0
I know:
£
£
£
£
£
£
The definitions for the following terms: term, session, adjourn, prorogue, bicameral, president pro tempore, floor leader, whip, seniority rule, committee, reapportionment,
redistricting, gerrymandering, constituents , Speaker of the House, Vice President, expressed powers, implied powers, tax, oversight, confirmation, impeach, ratification,
override, amendment proposal, perjury, appropriation, bill, resolutions, rider, pigeonhole, quorum, filibuster, cloture, veto, pocket veto
Identify House and Senate Leadership positions and roles
Identify standing Committees and their roles
Identify Joint Committees and their roles
Identify differences in House and Senate rules and procedures
Identify the legislative process.
And there are no major errors regarding the simpler details and processes at score 3.0.
1.5
I can do some things at 3.0 with little success.
1.0
I need a lot of help with most things at a 3.0.
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Unit : Unpacking the Standard(s): What do we want students to Know, Understand and Do (KUD): The purpose of creating a Know, Understand, and Do Map (KUD) is to further the
unwrapping of a standard beyond what the Unit Scale provides and assist PLCs in answering question #1, “What do we expect all students to learn?” It is important for PLCs to study the focus
standards in the unit to ensure that all members have a mutual understanding of what student learning will look and sound like when the standards are achieved. Additionally, collectively unwrapping
the standard will help with the creation of the learning progression scale (for use with students). When creating a KUD, it is important to consider the standard under study within a K-12 progression
and identify the prerequisite skills that are essential for mastery.
Unit:
Standard(s): SS.912.C.3.3, SS.912.C.3.15
Understand
“Essential understandings,” or generalizations, represent ideas that are transferable to other contexts.
The legislative branch includes a bicameral Congress, as well as state and local legislatures, that are given the Constitutional power to make laws.
Know
Declarative knowledge: Facts, vocab., information
term, session, adjourn, prorogue, bicameral, president
pro tempore, floor leader, whip, seniority rule,
committee, reapportionment, redistricting,
gerrymandering, constituents ,Speaker of the House,
Vice President, expressed powers, implied powers, tax,
oversight, confirmation, impeach, ratification, override,
amendment proposal, perjury, appropriation, bill,
resolutions, rider, pigeonhole, quorum, filibuster,
cloture, veto, pocket veto
£ The legislative branch makes laws.
£ Each level of government has its own legislative
branch.
£ Article I lists the qualifications, term lengths, and
powers of the legislative branch.
£ Checks and balances limit the power of Congress.
£ A proposed law is a bill that has to go through the
legislative process of Congress
Do
Procedural knowledge: Skills, strategies and processes that are transferrable to other contexts.
Level 4 (Knowledge Utilization)
£ Create a piece of legislation and identify which committees it would go to and analyze the chances of its passage in both
chambers of Congress.
Level 3 (Analysis)
£ Examine the organization and responsibilities of the legislative branch at the national and state levels.
Level 2 (Comprehension)
£ Explain how a bill becomes a law.
Level 1 (Retrieval)
£ Identify the enumerated powers of the legislative branch.
£ Name Constitutional checks pertaining to the legislative branch.
Prerequisite skills: What prior knowledge (foundational skills) do students need to have mastered to be successful with this standard?
Unit : Sample Learning Progression Scale (for a chunk of learning): The learning progression scale unwraps the cognitive complexity of a focus standard for the unit, using student friendly
language. The purpose is to articulate distinct levels of knowledge and skills relative to a specific topic and provide a roadmap for designing instruction that reflects a progression of learning. The
sample learning progression scale shown below is just one example for PLCs to use as a springboard when creating their own scales for student-owned progress monitoring. The learning
progression scale should prompt teams to further explore question #2, “How will we know if and when they’ve learned it?” for each of the focus standards in the unit and make connections to Design
Question 1, “Communicating Learning Goals and Feedback” (Domain 1: Classroom Strategies and Behaviors). Keep in mind that a 3.0 on the scale indicates proficiency and includes the actual
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standard. A level 4.0 extends the learning to a higher cognitive level. Like the unit scale, the goal is for all students to strive for that higher cognitive level, not just the academically advanced. A level
2.0 outlines the basic declarative and procedural knowledge that is necessary to build towards the standard.
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards:
Score
Learning Progression
I can…
£ Be successful at Score 3.0.
£ Assist other students in understanding at all levels.
£ Critique the structures, functions, and processes of the legislative branch as
described in Article I of the Constitution.
Sample Tasks
£
£
£
4.0
£
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.0
I can do everything at a 3.0, and I can demonstrate partial success at score 4.0.
I can...
£ Analyze the structures, functions, and processes of the legislative branch as
described in Article I of the Constitution.
£ Outline and describe the process of how a bill becomes a law.
£ Analyze and describe the various checks and balances of each branch of
government by and on the legislative branch as part of a federal system.
I can do everything at a 2.0, and I can demonstrate partial success at score 3.0.
I can…
£ Identify, but not analyze, the structures, functions, and processes of the
legislative branch as described in Article I of the Constitution.
£ Identify that there are steps to a bill becoming a law, but cannot describe the
total process, and/or cannot understand the roles of each chamber in passing
legislation.
£ Identify checks but unable to describe their effect on each branch related to
federalism.
I need prompting and/or support to complete 2.0 tasks.
Compare and contrast Federalist Papers No. 52 and 62 with Anti-Federalist
Papers No. 7 and 8 to understand the structure and function of the legislative
branch.
Analyze a current piece of legislation through news articles, C-Span, and
congressional members’ websites to explain the legislative process.
Compare and contrast the U.S. legislative process with another nation’s (i.e.
Great Britain, Germany, France, Iran, Russia, China, etc.) to understand the
differences between the U.S. legislative process and the legislative process of
other nations.
Students will report on local legislative-constituent outreach efforts. After
conducting research students will write an editorial article discussing the
following question: How do our representatives work to address the concerns
of constituents? Students will need to cite all sources using MLA format and
sources will need to be approved by the instructor before creating the editorial
in order to validate the trustworthiness of their sources.
£
Students will collect and analyze news stories on the selection of House and
Senate leadership. Students will need to do this research by finding who their
house and senate members are within their area by using the site Find my
Representative or by using the site Open Congress. Students will then evaluate
the process for selecting Congressional leaders, and propose changes. Teachers
will need to create their own evaluation for student research findings in order
to focus on what they feel is most important in student’s findings.
£
Students will trace a bill through introduction, committee, and floor vote
processes. This can be done as a timeline reflecting when a bill passed through
each phase of the process.
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