Congressional Simulation Schedule- WRHS AP Government and Politics, January 2016
Monday, Jan.4- Thursday, Jan. 7​
: Students will be making changes to their bills at home as they are encouraged to “lobby” each other for specific
interests.
During this time we will be discussing interest groups and beginning to touch on committees and the structure in Congress. Specifically, on
Tuesday, Jan. 5 the students will demonstrate their understanding of hyper-pluralism, pluralism, and elite theory by doing a theatrical
learning activity.
On Thursday students will turn in their bills so that I can determine the committees each student will be in for our Congressional Simulation.
Each student will belong to two committees, one which is assessing their bill.
Thursday, Jan. 7​
- Based on state and party assignments, students will elect: Speaker of the House*, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and Party
Whips
*Because of number of classes/students, we will only be able to pass bills through the “House.”
Friday, Jan. 8​
- Speaker of the House will Appoint House Rules Committee members, I will announce committee assignments, and students will
select their committee chairs based on “seniority” (determined by the number of years a student in WRSD and age)
Monday, Jan. 11​
- Start of Mock Congress. Committees will review bills, any final adjustments will made to bills to allow them to pass through
committee.​
Some​
bills will be passed through the committees, not all.
Tuesday, Jan. 12​
- House Rules Committee and Speaker of the House establish the agenda and rules. Posting of the agenda.
Thursday, Jan. 14​
- The House is in session…
Friday, Jan. 15​
- The House is in session…
Tuesday, Jan 19​
- The House is in session….
Wednesday, Jan 20​
- The House is in session….Students will complete a self-evaluation.
For EXAMPLE BILLS and a website with a link to a BILL TEMPLATE:
thegovhive.com→RALFY→Chapter 12: Congress
or
or
http://www.princetonmodelcongress.com/delegates-write-bill/
Look on thegovhive Calendar, DEC 18
Congressional Simulation Rubric
Because of the depth of this project, this will be a ​
Summative ​
grade. In the end, you will demonstrate your understanding of Congress and
legislation in a more traditional fashion in a “Congress Test.” Your grade will be the average score of the three sections of the rubric.
Learning Target: ​
Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the components of a bill and how bills are passed through Congress to be made into
law.
Student
Bill
Beginning
Basic
Proficient
Mastery
The bill is missing a
section or a section
does not fulfill its
purpose.
The bill contains all three
sections but may be
unclear in one or more
of the sections.
Preamble​
provides clear reasons for the necessity
of the bill.
Preamble ​
provides clear reasons for the necessity of
the bill.
Body​
contains sections and subsections that clarify
the bill.
These clarifications must include:
-Title of the bill
-Who will be responsible for carrying out the bill
-Researched prediction of the cost of the bill and
who will pay for it
Body​
contains sections and subsections that clarify
the bill.
These clarifications must include:
-Title of the bill
-Who will be responsible for carrying out the bill
-Researched prediction of the cost of the bill and who
will pay for it
Enactment clause​
calls for a date/time by which
the bill should be enacted.
Enactment clause​
calls for a date/time by which the
bill should be enacted.
Shows a
misunderstanding in
the sections or
purpose of a bill.
Bill is passed​
.
Student
Participa
tion
Student participates in
Committee by:
-Voting to pass or stop
each bill
Student participates in
Committee by:
-Voting to pass or stop
each bill
Student participates in Committee by:
- occasionally questioning others to gain a greater
understanding of certain bills for the committee
-Voting to pass or stop each bill
Student participates in Committee by​
:
-actively questioning others to gain a greater
understanding of certain bills for the committee
-Voting to pass or stop each bill
Student participates in
Congress by:
-Voting to pass or stop
each bill
Student participates in
Congress by:
-Voting to pass or stop
each bill
And/ Or
Speaking minimally for
or against bills in either
the Committee or
Congress setting
Student participates in Congress by:
-occasionally questioning others to gain a greater
understanding of certain bills -Voting to pass or
stop each bill
-following the procedures of Congress
-Fully participating and completing additional
duties assigned to student’s position in Congress
Student participates in Congress by:
-actively questioning others to gain a greater
understanding of certain bills -Voting to pass or stop
each bill
-following the procedures of Congress
-Fully participating in and completing additional
duties assigned to student’s position in Congress
Proficient score
Mastery score
2 or more absences
Congress
Test
Beginning score
Basic score
TENTATIVE​
January Schedule 2016
AP Government
1/4
1/11
1/18
MON
Chapters 11 and 12- Interest
Groups and Congress
(333-336)
First draft of bill due.
TUES
333-336
Lobbying*
Interest Group
3 Theories of
Interest Group
Politics
(336-341)
WED
336-341
Free-rider problem
Collective good
Single-issue group
(347-348)
THURS
Final version of bill
due.
347-348
Amicus curiae briefs
Class action lawsuits
FRI
374-378
Bicameral legislature
House Rules Committee
Filibuster
Speaker of the House
Majority and minority
leaders
Party Whips
SAT
(378-383)
SUN
(383-385)
Start Congress Simulation
378-385
Standing Committees
Joint Committees
Conference Committees
Select Committees
Legislative oversight
Powers of committee chairs
Congressional caucus
Duties of Personal Staff
Duties of Committee Staff
3 Staff Agencies and their
purpose
(364-367)
NO SCHOOL
(369-373)
364-367
369-373
Casework
Effect of Incumbency
on Congress
Effect of Open Seats
on Congress
(387-390)
Congress is in
Session…
387-390
What determines how
a representative
votes on legislation
Gridlock*
Congress is in Session…
(Supplement
al Article 1)
(Supplementa
l Article 2 and
Question
Responses)
Supplemental
Reading and
Reading
Questions (2
Articles)
Congress is in
Session…
End Congress
Simulation
M/C Test
(Review for M/C Test)
(Review for M/C Test)
(Review for M/C
Test)
*Key concepts that you will need to look up in another section of your book or online to explain.