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Lesson Plan
Need to teach the legislative branch in a hurry? This lesson is designed to cover the basics in a single class period. Students learn what Congress is, what the Constitution says about the legislative branch, and how a bill becomes law. They analyze some actual language from the Constitution, compare the House and the Senate, and simulate the lawmaking process by reconciling two versions of the same fictional bill.
iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.
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Teacher Resources
Get access to lesson plans, teacher guides, student handouts, and other teaching materials.
Resources
- Spanish_Congress in a Flash_Student Docs.pdf
- Spanish_Congress in a Flash_Teacher Docs.pdf
- Congress in a Flash_Student Docs.pdf
- Congress in a Flash_Teacher Guide.pdf
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Lynna Landry , AP US History & Government / Economics Teacher and Department Chair, California
Related Resources
Lesson Plan
First Branch: Legislative
What does the legislative branch do? In this overview lesson, students explore the structure and function of the legislative branch, including Article I powers. Students examine Congress’ bicameral structure and compare and contrast the House and the Senate in how and who they serve.iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.
Lesson Plan
LawCraft Extension Pack
Make your students’ game play more meaningful by using our activity and assessment set designed specifically for LawCraft. This easy-to-use Extension Pack helps you give context and purpose to the game, as well as reinforce and assess the game concepts. That means deeper learning for students, and best practices around game-centered learning for you! This Extension Pack uses aGoogle Slides deckand is designed for use with projectors or interactive whiteboards.
Lesson Plan
Leadership & the Agenda (Infographics)
Members in the House and Senate decide who will take on important leadership roles. In these printable infographics, teach students about how party leaders shape the congressional agenda. Separate infographics are provided for the House of Representatives and the Senate, and they can be combined for students to compare and contrast!Looking for more? Pair these infographics with our mini-lesson on Congressional Leadership.iCivics en español!A version of this infographic is available in Spanish along with a Spanish Teacher’s Guide.
WebQuest
Legislating for Holiday
What does it take for a bill to become a law? In this WebQuest, students will learn that the process is not easy as they follow the history of the landmark legislation that established Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a federal holiday. Students will discover how a bill becomes a law and evaluate the impact that public lobbying can have in the process.
WebQuest
Making Laws
Do you ever wish you could make the rules? Well, there are people whose job it is to make the rules for this country. These rules are called laws, and the people who make them are members of Congress. In this WebQuest, you'll get an introduction to your members of Congress and what they do. Maybe someday this will be you!
Lesson Plan
Midterm Math (Infographic)
How many reasons are there to care about the midterms? Thousands! Use this printableinfographic to show your students the impact that the 2022 midterm elections have on the legislative and executive branches.iCivics en español! A version of this infographic is available in Spanish along with a Spanish Teacher’s Guide.
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