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Georgia Performance Standards for American Government/Civics – Grades 9-12
UNIT 4 – “The Executive: Dream Job or Nightmare?”
Elaborated Unit Focus
The purpose of this unit is to take a detailed look at the executive branch, focusing primarily on the
president and the powers of the office. Through the concept of individuals, groups, and institutions the
students will look at the various roles of the president and his influence in foreign affairs. The concept of
conflict resolution will be used to provide some focus to the discussion on foreign policy and the
impeachment process. Finally, rule of law is used to look at the responsibilities of the national executive
branch in comparison with the state governor as well as the requirements to become president.
Standards/Elements
SSCG4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the organization and powers of
the national government.
a.
Describe the structure and powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
SSCG12 The student will analyze the various roles played by the President of the
United States; include Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, chief executive, chief agenda
setter, representative of the nation, chief of state, foreign policy leader, and party leader.
SSCG13 The student will describe the qualifications for becoming President of the United States.
a.
Explain the written qualifications for President of the United States.
b.
Describe unwritten qualifications common to past presidents.
SSCG14 The student will explain the impeachment process and its usage for elected officials.
a.
Explain the impeachment process as defined in the U.S. Constitution.
b.
Describe the impeachment proceedings of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton
SSCG17 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the organization and powers
of state and local government described in the Georgia Constitution.
a.
Examine the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
SSCG20 The student will describe the tools used to carry out United States foreign policy
(diplomacy; economic, military, and humanitarian aid; treaties; sanctions and military
intervention).
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics  Grades 9-12  Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/2011  Page 1 of 5
Copyright 2011 © All Rights Reserved
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Georgia Performance Standards for American Government/Civics – Grades 9-12
Enduring Understandings/Essential Questions
Students will understand that in a democracy, rule of law influences the behavior of citizens,
establishes procedures for making policies, and limits the power of government.
What are the requirements to become president?
Should there be more or less stringent requirements to become president?
In what ways is the president limited in power by the Constitution or other rules and laws?
How do the powers of a president and a governor compare?
Students will understand that societies resolve conflicts through legal procedures, force, or
compromise.
How is the president kept in check?
Other than impeachment, what options are available to resolve conflicts between the president and
other branches of government?
What tools does the president have available to conduct foreign policy?
Students will understand that individuals, groups, and institutions make decisions that impact a
society through intended and unintended consequences.
How does a president’s personality impact his term in office?
What roles of the president are more reliant on personality than intellect?
Why are presidential decisions so important on a global scale?
Sample Balanced Assessment Plan
Description of assessment
Graphic organizer comparing the organization, structure, and powers of the
national legislature with the state legislature.
True/false quiz where students are given statements about presidential
qualifications. This should lead to a class discussion about common qualities
all presidents have shared and why that is the case. This will tie directly in with
the performance task.
In pairs, students write the “Official White House Statement” that will be given
following the impeachment proceedings of Andrew Johnson or Bill Clinton. In
the statement they are to explain the impeachment process and describe what
happened in each situation. After some discussion, have students compose an
essay stating their personal opinion on the impeachment process. Is it fair?
Does it work? Is it an appropriate check on power?
After reading several current event articles relating to the president and foreign
policy, have students create something that represents the president’s role in
foreign affairs. Allow for creativity (drawing, model, poem, etc).
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics  Grades 9-12  Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/2011  Page 2 of 5
Copyright 2011 © All Rights Reserved
GPS
4a
17a
13
14
20
Type of assessment
*Informal Observation
*Constructed Response
*Informal Observation
*Dialogue and
Discussion
*Selected Response
*Informal Observation
*Dialogue and
Discussion
*Constructed Response
*Self-Assessment
*Informal Observation
*Dialogue and
Discussion
*Constructed Response
*Self-Assessment
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Georgia Performance Standards for American Government/Civics – Grades 9-12
Sample Performance Task
Performance Task for Unit 4: The Chief Executive
Enduring understanding: Students will understand that individuals, groups, and institutions make decisions
that impact a society through intended and unintended consequences.
Standards: SSCG 12, 13
So far, we have continually returned to the idea that society is impacted in intended and unintended ways
(both positively and negatively) by individuals, groups, and institutions. In addition, we have discussed that
when more weight or attention is given to the actions of those individuals, groups, or institutions then the
consequences – intended or not – will make a greater impact. Arguably no one individual’s decisions are more
scrutinized and analyzed than the president’s. Because of this, your committee has been designated to prepare,
defend, and present a new amendment to the Constitution delineating at least 3 additional requirements to
become president. Your requirements for this task are:
A written copy of the amendment in appropriate language.
- The amendment must include all of your new requirements.
A position paper for the amendment that will go to the media.
- Analyze the current requirements and explain why they are inadequate.
- Explain why the impeachment process is not enough of a check on power to ensure good decision
making.
- Describe 3 different roles of the President and your new requirements. Explain, USING THE
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING, why your requirements will lead to better decision-making.
A 5-7 minute presentation to a joint session of Congress.
- Using AT LEAST 3 SPECIFIC historical or current examples, explain how presidents have made
decisions that have impacted society in intended and unintended ways.
- Using your examples, and AT LEAST 3 roles of the president as discussed in class explain how your
proposed amendment would help to ensure better decisions by the president that would lead towards
more positive, intended consequences for the country.
Your product requirements are as follows:
The amendment must be TYPED in Times New Roman, using 12 point font, AND be consistent with the
language used in the other amendments.
The position paper must be TITLED, TYPED in Times New Roman, using 12 point font.
The presentation should be 5-7 minutes. You will be STOPPED at 10 minutes so PRACTICE ahead of
time! Each member of the group MUST give at least one example explaining an intended or unintended
consequence.
The following rubric will give you further guidance on what to do to demonstrate understanding.
Map and Globe Skills:
Information Processing Skills: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11,
15, 16
*Note concerning rubrics: Each performance task is accompanied by two rubrics: a content rubric and a product
rubric. The content rubric (with bolded borders) is designed to measure how well a student can use the standards to
demonstrate the enduring understanding(s). The second rubric focuses on the product of the performance task.
This is where students are scored on items involving grammar, punctuation, spelling, creativity, presentation, etc. It
is intended that the CONTENT rubric is weighed more heavily when assigning a grade to the students.
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics  Grades 9-12  Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/2011  Page 3 of 5
Copyright 2011 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards for American Government/Civics – Grades 9-12
Content Rubric for Unit 4 Task: New requirements for the Chief Executive
Scale
Criteria
1
(Below Standard)
2
(Needs Improvement)
3
(Meets Standard)
Correctly describes all 3 Everything in 3 PLUS:
current requirements and Explains why the current
offers several positive and requirements are inadequate by
negative aspects of the
giving MORE than 2 factually
requirements. Explains correct, logical reasons.
why they are inadequate
by giving 2 correct,
logical reasons.
Incorrectly explains the Correctly explains the
Correctly explains the
Everything in 3 PLUS:
Analyzes the
effectiveness of impeachment process. impeachment process, but impeachment process and Uses multiple factual examples in
uses no factual example uses a factual example to explaining why it is not an
the
in explaining why it is not explain why it is not an effective check on power.
impeachment
an effective check on
effective check on power.
process.
power.
Identifies less than 3
Identifies 3 historical or Makes a direct connection For EACH example, identifies an
Correctly
historical examples OR current examples, but
between each example
intended AND unintended
identifies 3
makes no connection relationship to
and a specific intended or consequence.
historical or
between decisions and consequences are vague unintended consequence.
current
consequences.
or ambiguous.
examples of
presidential
decisions and
explains their
intended or
unintended
consequence.
Correctly identifies less Correctly identifies 3
Correctly identifies 3
Everything in 3 PLUS:
Synthesizes
than 3 roles of the
roles of the president.
roles of the president. For Uses more than 3 roles of the
info. and
president OR provides Explanations connecting each role there is a logical president AND discusses possible
explains how
no explanation of how the amendment to the
explanation of how the
drawbacks of their amendment.
the proposed
the amendment will
roles of the president are amendment would lead to
amendment
affect decision-making. vague or illogical.
decisions that produce
would lead to
positive, intended
decisions that
consequences.
produce
positive,
intended
consequences.
Analyzes the
current
requirements
and explains
why they are
inadequate.
Correctly describes 1 Correctly describes 2
current requirement, but current requirements and
offers no positive or
offers 1 positive and
negative aspects. No negative aspect of the
explanation or why the requirements.
current requirements
are inadequate.
4
(Exceeds Standard)
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics  Grades 9-12  Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/2011  Page 4 of 5
Copyright 2011 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards for American Government/Civics – Grades 9-12
Product Rubric
Scale
Criteria
Written
amendment
meets all
requirements.
Position paper
meets all
requirements.
Presentation
meets all
requirements.
1
(Below Expectations)
2
(Needs Improvement)
2 or more of the
following:
- Not typed.
- Not in correct font.
- In modern,
conversational language
or in some other way not
consistent with the other
amendments.
2 or more of the
following:
- Not titled.
- Missing names.
- Not typed.
- Not in correct font.
Meets BOTH:
- Beyond 10 minutes
- Each group member
does not present an
example
1 of the following:
- Not typed.
- Not in correct font.
- In modern,
conversational language or
in some other way not
consistent with the other
amendments.
Typed.
12 point, Times
New Roman font.
Largely consistent
with the language
of other
amendments.
Everything in meets
expectations PLUS:
Language of amendment is
perfectly in line with other
amendments.
1 of the following:
- Not titled.
- Missing names.
- Not typed.
- Not in correct font.
Titled with all
group member’s
names.
Typed in 12 point,
Times New Roman
font.
Stays within time
limits. Each group
member gives an
example explaining
an intended or
unintended
consequence.
N/A
Meets one of the
following:
- Beyond 10 minutes.
- Each group member does
not present an example.
3
(Meets
Expectations)
4
(Exceeds Expectations)
Everything in meets
expectations PLUS:
EACH group member gives
MORE than 1 example.
Resources for UNIT 4
*Resource list is minimal and provided simply as a starting point.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/cabinet.html
- This page will get you to any of the 15 cabinet departments you need.
http://www.unco.edu/drshaff/johnsonclinton_paper.htm
- Interesting comparison of the Johnson/Clinton impeachments. More for the teacher as a
content resource than for students.
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics  Grades 9-12  Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/2011  Page 5 of 5
Copyright 2011 © All Rights Reserved