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The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student
Work, and Teacher Commentary for the American Government course.
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 Framework Unit 4
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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
GPS
Graphic organizer comparing the organization, structure, and powers of
the national legislature with the state legislature.
4a
17a
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.
13
In pairs, students write the “Official White House Statement” that will be 14
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?
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/11  Page 2 of 12
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Type of
assessment
*Informal
Observation
*Constructed
Response
*Informal
Observation
*Dialogue and
Discussion
*Selected Response
*Informal
Observation
*Dialogue and
Discussion
*Constructed
Response
*Self-Assessment
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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).
20
1. The instructor will provide background knowledge of roles the
president plays and will review with students the constitutional
requirement of the State of the Union address. Review of the tradition of
addresses being given in person and televised since 1947 will also take
place. The instructor will also review with students where the State of the
Union takes place, who is present and why one Cabinet member is not
present during the address.
2. Students will then watch a tape of the most recent State of the Union
address and answer a series of questions on the address. The following
questions are from www.cspan.org and can be used interchangeably with
any speech, not just the State of the Union address.
3. Handout for students:
SSC
G12,
SSC
G4a.
Speaker:______________________
Date & Location:____________
Title of Speech:________________________________________________________
1. Type of Speech
a) What is the primary purpose of the speech?
1) Entertain
2) Inform
3) Persuade
b) What is the secondary purpose of the speech?
1) Inspire
2) Advocate an issue 3) Express Gratitude
4) Critique
5) Call to act
6) Honor
7) Memorialize
8) Explain
9) Unite
2. Audience
a) What is the occasion of the speech?
b) Who is in the audience? Who is the target audience?
c) What does the audience expect to gain?
d) How is the audience positioned? Was it interactive? Describe the
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Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/11  Page 3 of 12
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*Informal
Observation
*Dialogue and
Discussion
*Constructed
Response
*Self-Assessment
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audience responses.
e) What points of view does the speaker attempt to address?
3. Content
a) How did the speaker “open” the speech?
b) Main points
c) What facts or statistics did the speaker use to support his or her
points?
d) What illustrations, anecdotes or examples were used?
e) What other techniques were employed to support the substance of the
speech?
f) How was the speech concluded?
4. Mood or tone
a) Comment on non-verbal behaviors: eye contact, gestures, pauses,
posture, stance, etc.
b) Comment on verbal behaviors: inflection, tempo, word choice,
emphasis, appropriateness, etc.
c) Comment on the use of props or visual aids. What did they contribute
or detract from the speech?
d) Did the way the speech was delivered correlate with the message?
5. Conclusion
a) Was the speech effective? Explain your answer.
6. Miscellaneous/State of the Union Specifics
a) Were there any memorable quotes?
b) Did the president acknowledge anyone in the audience? Why?
c) What were the dominant themes of the address?
d) How did the president address his critics?
e) How persuasive was the State of the Union address? In other words,
was your point of view of any issue changed?
f) What is the relevance of this address of what is going on in America
and abroad?
Upon completion of the above handout, class discussion of the speech
should take place. For further assessment, students may write a reflective
essay of the address, analyze key issues within the address and discuss
the president’s report card and agenda with regard to his relationship with
Congress and his current approval ratings.
1. Students will research the background of the articles of impeachment
SSC
in both President Andrew Johnson and President Clinton’s cases.
G14
Students will then compare and contrast the articles against both
b
presidents and the historical circumstances in a short two page essay.
2. Ask students to consider why in each impeachment resulted in the
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/11  Page 4 of 12
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failure to convict.
3. The essay should be typed, double-spaced, twelve point Times New
Roman font and include two sources in a bibliography.
4. The day the essay is due, students will be assigned a “pro” and “con”
side of the statement in step # 2. Students will then engage in an in-class
debate as to whether or not Congress entrapped either or both President
Andrew Johnson or President Clinton in the impeachment and
subsequent trial proceedings.
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.
FOR SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS FOR THIS UNIT,
PLEASE VISIT
http://www.georgiastandards.org/socialstudiesframework.aspx
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/11  Page 5 of 12
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The Role of the President of the U.S.A.
Enduring Understanding Students will understand that individuals, groups, and institutions make decisions that impact a society
through intended and unintended consequences
Essential Questions: What are the requirements to become President?
Should there be more or less stringent requirements to become President?
What roles of the President are more reliant on personality than intellect?
Why are Presidential decisions so important on a global scale?
Standards: SSCG 12, SSCG 13 a, b,
Time: 2-3 50 minute periods
1-2 block period
Materials: Executive Branch PowerPoint or Textbook
Computers
Graphic Organizer
Websites list of presidents
Directions:
1. Show PowerPoint or have students read about the executive branch and complete the graphic organizer
2. Have students research the Presidents and find those that are famous in different roles required of the President. Have them add
the names of those presidents to that part of the chart.
3. Students will analyze the roles of the presidency based on their research of the presidents and determine the answers to the
short answer questions?
Description of Assessment
After viewing the PowerPoint or reading the text, students will
complete individual research and analyze the roles of the office of
the President.
Standard,
element
12, 13 a,b
Type of Assessment
Informal evaluation
Dialog and discussion
Constructed response
The President would use which of the roles to justify an executive order?
a. Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces
b. Chief legislator
c. Chief of State
d. Party leader
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/11  Page 6 of 12
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Presidential Powers Short Answer Questions
1. During your research did you find a President that was Famous for all of the roles of the Presidency? Why do you think this
occurred?
2. What are the qualifications to be President? Based on your research what other qualifications would you look for in a
presidential candidate? Why or why not?
3. Based on your research, which roles of the President do you feel is the most import? Explain you answer and give an example.
4. Based on your research, which President do you feel carried out most of the roles of the President in the best possible manner?
Give examples of what this President did in each role?
5. Some people have suggested that one person cannot carry out all of the roles of the office of the President. Do you agree there
should be more than one head of state? Defend your position
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/11  Page 7 of 12
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PRESIDENTS HOME PAGE
The purpose of this site is to provide researchers, teachers, students, politicians, journalists, and citizens a complete resource
guide to the US Presidents.
If you would like to suggest a Presidential link, report a broken link, or have any comments or questions please use the comment
form or the address below.
[email protected]
PRESIDENTS HOME PAGE
Select a name below for resources about a specific President.
President
Vice President
George Washington (1789-1797)
John Adams (1797-1801)
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
James Madison (1809-1817)
James Monroe (1817-1825)
John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)
William Henry Harrison (1841)
John Tyler (1841-1845)
James K. Polk (1845-1849)
Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)
Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)
Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
James Buchanan (1857-1861)
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)
James A. Garfield (1881)
Chester Arthur (1881-1885)
Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)
William McKinley (1897-1901)
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
John Adams (1789-1797)
Thomas Jefferson (1797-1801)
Aaron Burr (1801-1805)
George Clinton (1805-1809)
George Clinton (1809-1812)
none (1812-1813)
Elbridge Gerry (1813-1814)
none (1814-1817)
Daniel D. Tompkins (1817-1825)
John C. Calhoun (1825-1829)
John C. Calhoun (1829-1832)
none (1832-1833)
Martin Van Buren (1833-1837)
Richard M. Johnson (1837-1841)
John Tyler (1841)
none (1841-1845)
George M. Dallas (1845-1849)
Millard Fillmore (1849-1850)
none (1850-1853)
William King (1853)
none (1853-1857)
John C. Breckinridge (1857-1861)
Hannibal Hamlin (1861-1865)
Andrew Johnson (1865)
none (1865-1869)
Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873)
Henry Wilson (1873-1875)
none (1875-1877)
William Wheeler (1877-1881)
Chester Arthur (1881)
none (1881-1885)
Thomas Hendricks (1885)
none (1885-1889)
Levi P. Morton (1889-1893)
Adlai E. Stevenson (1893-1897)
Garret Hobart (1897-1901)
Theodore Roosevelt (1901)
none (1901-1905)
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
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Charles Fairbanks (1905-1909)
William Howard Taft (1909-1913)
James S. Sherman (1909-1912)
none (1912-1913)
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Thomas R. Marshall (1913-1921)
Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)
Calvin Coolidge (1921-1923)
Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)
none (1923-1925)
Charles Dawes (1925-1929)
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
Charles Curtis (1929-1933)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
John Nance Garner (1933-1941)
Henry A. Wallace (1941-1945)
Harry S Truman (1945)
Harry S Truman (1945-1953)
none (1945-1949)
Alben Barkley (1949-1953)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
Richard Nixon (1953-1961)
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson (1961-1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
none (1963-1965)
Hubert Humphrey (1965-1969)
Richard Nixon (1969-1974)
Spiro Agnew (1969-1973)
none (1973)
Gerald Ford (1973-1974)
Gerald Ford (1974-1977)
none (1974)
Nelson Rockefeller (1974-1977)
Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
Walter Mondale (1977-1981)
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
George Bush (1981-1989)
George Bush (1989-1993)
Dan Quayle (1989-1993)
Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
Al Gore (1993-2001)
George W. Bush (2001- )
Dick Cheney (2001- )
If you select a Vice President’s name who did not also serve as president you will be taken to the page for the President they
served.
For a listing of the Presidents by political party click here.
Copyright 2002, by CB Presidential Research Services
Life Span
No.
President's Name
DoB
DoD
Presidency
Place of Birth
Date
from
to Date
Political Party
1
George Washington
22 Feb
1732
14 Dec
1799
Westmoreland County,
Virginia
30 Apr
1789
04 Mar
1797
no party
2
John Adams
30 Oct
1735
04 Jul
1826
Braintree, Norfolk,
Massachusetts
04 Mar
1797
04 Mar
1801
Federalist
3
Thomas Jefferson
13 Apr
1743
04 Jul
1826
Albermarle County, Virginia
04 Mar
1801
04 Mar
1809
Democratic Republican
4
James Madison
16 Mar
1751
28 Jun
1836
Port Conway, Virginia
04 Mar
1809
04 Mar
1817
Democratic Republican
5
James Monroe
28 Apr
1758
04 Jul
1831
Westmoreland County,
Virginia
04 Mar
1817
04 Mar
1825
Democratic Republican
6
John Quincy Adams
11 Jul
1767
23 Feb
1848
Braintree, Norfolk,
Massachusetts
04 Mar
1825
04 Mar
1829
Democratic Republican
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Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
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7
Andrew Jackson
15 Mar
1767
08 Jun
1845
Waxhaw, South Carolina
04 Mar
1829
04 Mar
1837
Democratic
8
Martin Van
Buren
05 Dec
1782
24 Jul
1862
Kinderhook, New York
04 Mar
1837
04 Mar
1841
Democratic
9
William Henry
Harrison
09 Feb
1773
04 Apr
1841
Berkeley, Virginia
04 Mar
1841
04 Apr
1841
Whig
10
John Tyler
29 Mar
1790
18 Jan
1862
Charles City County,
Virginia
04 Apr
1841
04 Mar
1845
Whig
11
James Knox Polk
02 Nov
1795
15 Jun
1849
Mecklenburg County, North
Carolina
04 Mar
1845
03 Mar
1849
Democratic
12
Zachary Taylor
24 Nov
1784
09 Jul
1850
Orange County, Virginia
05 Mar
1849
09 Jul
1850
Whig
13
Millard Fillmore
07 Jan
1800
08 Mar
1874
Cayuga County, New York
09 Jul
1850
04 Mar
1853
Whig
14
Franklin Pierce
23 Nov
1804
08 Oct
1869
Hillsboro, New Hampshire
04 Mar
1853
04 Mar
1857
Democratic
15
James
Buchanan
23 Apr
1791
01 Jun
1868
Cove Gap, Pennsylvania
04 Mar
1857
04 Mar
1861
Democratic
16
Abraham
Lincoln
12 Feb
1809
15 Apr
1865
Hodgenville, Hardin County,
Kentucky
04 Mar
1861
15 Apr
1865
Republican
17
Andrew Johnson
29 Dec
1808
31 Jul
1875
Raleigh, North Carolina
15 Apr
1865
04 Mar
1869
Republican
18
Ulysses Simpson
Grant
27 Apr
1822
23 Jul
1885
Point Pleasant, Ohio
04 Mar
1869
04 Mar
1877
Republican
19
Rutherford Birchard
Hayes
04 Oct
1822
17 Jan
1893
Delaware, Ohio
04 Mar
1877
04 Mar
1881
Republican
20
James Abram
Garfield
19 Nov
1831
19 Sep
1881
Orange, Cuyahoga County,
Ohio
04 Mar
1881
19 Sep
1881
Republican
21
Chester Alan Arthur
05 Oct
1829
18 Nov
1886
Fairfield, Vermont
20 Sep
1881
04 Mar
1885
Republican
22
Grover Cleveland
18 Mar
1837
24 Jun
1908
Caldwell, New Jersey
04 Mar
1885
04 Mar
1889
Democratic
23
Benjamin Harrison
20 Aug
1833
13 Mar
1901
North Bend, Ohio
04 Mar
1889
04 Mar
1893
Republican
24
Grover Cleveland
18 Mar
1837
24 Jun
1908
Caldwell, New Jersey
04 Mar
1893
04 Mar
1897
Democratic
25
William McKinley
29 Jan
1843
14 Sep
1901
Niles, Ohio
04 Mar
1897
14 Sep
1901
Republican
26
Theodore Roosevelt
27 Oct
1858
06 Jan
1919
New York City
14 Sep
1901
04 Mar
1909
Republican
27
William H. Taft
15 Sep
1857
08 Mar
1930
Cincinnati, Ohio
04 Mar
1909
04 Mar
1913
Republican
28
Woodrow Wilson
28 Dec
1856
03 Feb
1924
Staunton, Virginia
04 Mar
1913
04 Mar
1921
Democratic
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American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
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29 Warren Gamaliel Harding
02 Nov
1865
02 Aug
1923
Blooming Grove, Ohio
04 Mar
1921
02 Aug
1923
Republican
30 Calvin Coolidge
04 Jul
1872
05 Jan
1933
Plymouth, Vermont
03 Aug
1923
04 Mar
1929
Republican
31 Herbert Clark Hoover
10 Aug
1874
20 Oct
1964
West Branch, Iowa
04 Mar
1929
04 Mar
1933
Republican
32 Franklin D. Roosevelt
30 Jan
1882
12 Apr
1945
Hyde Park, New York
04 Mar
1933
12 Apr
1945
Democratic
33 Harry S. Truman
08 May
1884
26 Dec
1972
Lamar, Missouri
12 Apr
1945
20 Jan
1953
Democratic
34 Dwight David Eisenhower
14 Oct
1890
28 Mar
1969
Denison, Texas
20 Jan
1953
20 Jan
1961
Republican
35 John F. Kennedy
29 May
1917
22 Nov
1963
Brookline,
Massachusetts
20 Jan
1961
22 Nov
1963
Democratic
36 Lyndon Baines Johnson
27 Aug
1908
22 Jan
1973
near Stonewall, Texas
22 Nov
1963
20 Jan
1969
Democratic
37 Richard Milhous Nixon
09 Jan
1913
22 Apr
1994
Yorba Linda,
California
20 Jan
1969
09 Aug
1974
Republican
38 Gerald Rudolph Ford
14 Jul
1913
Omaha, Nebraska
09 Aug
1974
20 Jan
1977
Republican
39 James Earl 'Jimmy'
01 Oct
1924
Plains, Georgia
20 Jan
1977
20 Jan
1981
Democratic
40 Ronald Wilson Reagan
06 Feb
1911
Tampico, Illinois
20 Jan
1981
20 Jan
1989
Republican
41 George Herbert Walker Bush
12 Jun
1924
Milton, Massachusetts
20 Jan
1989
20 Jan
1993
Republican
42 William Jefferson 'Bill'
19 Aug
1946
Hope, Arkansas
20 Jan
1993
20 Jan
2001
Democratic
43 George Walker Bush
06 Jul
1946
New Haven,
Connecticut
20 Jan
2001
Carter
Clinton
05 Jun
2004
Georgia Department of Education
Dr. John D. Barge, State School Superintendent
American Government/Civics Framework Unit 4
UPDATED 2/14/11  Page 11 of 12
Copyright 2011 © All Rights Reserved
Republican
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The Office of the President of the United States.
Job Qualifications required by the Constitution
1.
2.
3.
Informal Qualifications of most presidents:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Duties
Criteria
Commander-inchief
Chief Executive
Chief Diplomat
Chief legislator
Description of
power
Presidential
duties
Presidents
famous in the
role
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Head of Political
Party