Structure and Functions of the Legislative Branch
Course
Principles of
GPA
Rationale
Introduces students to the foundations of governmental functions and career
opportunities within the United States.
Unit III
Implementation
of the Three
Branches of
Government
Objectives
The student will be able to:
1. Analyze the structure and functions of the legislative branch of
government, such as the bicameral structure of Congress, the role of
committees, and the procedure for enacting laws.
Essential
Question
What is the role
of the legislative
branch of
government?
Engage
Prior to class, do an Internet search for the following: outdated laws. Select
two humorous and appropriate laws to discuss with the class. Introduce the
class to the two laws you selected. The following the script may be used:
TEKS
§130.182(c)
(10)(A)
Prior Student
Learning
None
Estimated Time
3 hours
As times change, it is often necessary to enact new laws. For example,
the invention of the automobile eventually led to the need for traffic laws.
The threat against national security has led to many travel regulations.
And, as public sentiment changed as to whether or not alcohol should be
available for sale in the United States, our laws changed to prohibition
and then to the repeal of prohibition.
So, some laws may become outdated or simply prove to be ill-advised.
A closer look at these laws may present a clearer understanding. But
what if these laws or others need to be changed or completely done away
with? Who would do that and how would it be done?
Divide the class in half and have each half research one of the laws. After a
short amount of research time (15 to 20 minutes), ask for the pros and cons
of the law, and whether they think the law should remain, be changed, or
done away with. Lead the class in discussion. Ask, “If these or any law
needs to be created, changed or done away with, who would do it?” Wait for
answers. Use the Discussion Rubric for assessment.
Key Points
I. Congress
A. The nation’s lawmaking body
B. The legislative branch of the national government
C. Charged with translating public will into public policy in the form of
law
D. Bicameral structure
1. Senate – each state is equally represented; known as the
“upper house”
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2. House of Representatives – states are represented based on
population
3. Each house acts as a check on the other so that neither has
controlling power, and Congress does not overwhelm the
executive or judicial branch of government
4. Historically, the framers of the Constitution were familiar with the
British bicameral system
5. Smaller states wanted an equal voice; larger states wanted a
bigger voice. Both were appeased with two houses
E. Terms and sessions of Congress
1. Term – lasts for two years
2. Session – when Congress assembles and conducts business;
two sessions each term
3. Neither house may end a session without the other’s consent
4. Special sessions – the President only can call Congress or
either of its houses into special session. Only 27 special
sessions with both houses have ever been held
II. House of Representatives
A. Number of members
1. 435 members today
2. Size is set by Congress, not by the Constitution
3. Apportioned on the basis of the states’ populations
4. Reapportioned every 10 years after a census
5. Members of the House represent a congressional district
B. Terms
1. Elected to two-year terms
2. Their reelection hopes keep them focused on their voters
3. There is no constitutional limit to the number of terms House
members can serve
C. Qualifications for office
1. Members of the House must be at least 25 years old
2. They must have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
3. They must be inhabitants of the state from which they are
elected
III. Senate
A. Size – two Senators from each state; 100 members today
B. Election is from the states at large
C. Term
1. Six-year terms; there is no limit on number of terms
2. Staggered terms – a third of the Senators’ terms expire every
two years, making the Senate a continuous body
D. Qualifications for office
1. At least 30 years old
2. A citizen of the U.S. for at least 9 years
3. An inhabitant of the state from which the Senator is elected
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IV. Roles of Congress
A. Legislators
B. Representatives of their constituents
C. Committee members
1. Screen bills each session
2. Determine which bills will be considered and acted upon
3. Oversight function – making sure the executive branch carries
out the policies Congress has set by law
D. Servants of their constituents
E. Politicians
V. Making law
A. Much of the work of Congress is done through committees
B. Committees play a pivotal role in the lawmaking process
C. The fate of most bills is decided in the various standing committees
which are divided into subcommittees
1. Standing committees play an essential role in the lawmaking
process
2. They sift through the many bills referred to Congress, rejecting
most, reporting only on those they deem worthy
D. Bills are introduced to Congress from
1. The Executive branch
2. Special interest groups
3. Private citizens
E. According to the Constitution Tax bills must first be acted upon by the
House
F. Steps a successful bill follows in the House of Representatives
1. The bill is introduced
2. Clerk assigns the bill a number and title
3. First reading – the Bill is entered in the House Journal and
Congressional Record
4. The Speaker refers the bill to the appropriate standing
committee
5. The subcommittee holds hearings or seeks additional
information
6. The committee reports the bill
7. The rules committee grants rule to permit floor consideration
8. The bill is placed on the appropriate calendar (out of five in the
House)
9. The bill receives a second reading; it may be debated and
amended
10. The House votes on amendments, motions, and the full bill
11. The approved bill is engrossed
12. The bill receives a third reading by title only
13. A final vote is taken
G. Differences in the bill process in the Senate
1. Much the same as in the House; however, the Senate’s
proceedings are less formal and its rules less strict than those in
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the House
2. Debate in the House is limited, but it is almost unrestrained in
the Senate
3. Only one calendar instead of five
H. Steps a bill takes after passing both houses of Congress
1. Submitted to the President
2. The President can
a) Sign the bill
b) Veto the bill
c) Allow the bill to become law without signing and by not acting
on it within 10 days
Activities
1. Divide the class proportionately to the current Congress and propose
they pass a bill about several topics. Divide them as both the House and
the Senate. Role play the steps required to pass a bill and how each bill
winds its way through the process. Use the Role Play Rubric for
assessment.
2. In a journal, have the students clip out articles concerning bills and
legislation during their time in class. Have them write out their
understanding of the pros and cons of the legislation and be prepared to
talk about it in class. This is a good daily grade that helps to engage
students. Be sure to allow them the opportunity to keep these journals
after the class is concluded. Use the Individual Work Rubric for
assessment.
3. Political cartoons have always played an important role in politics. Have
the students collect cartoons concerning legislation or congress from the
newspapers or through the internet, for their journals. Make sure they find
cartoons from both sides of the issue and have them determine which
cartoon is the most effective. Use the Individual Work Rubric for
assessment.
Assessments
Structure and Functions of the Legislative Branch Quiz and Key
Discussion Rubric
Individual Work Rubric
Presentation Rubric
Research Rubric
Materials
Structure and Functions of the Legislative Branch computer-based
presentation
Structure and Functions of the Legislative Branch Key Terms
Legislative Branch Research Questions
Resources
9780133656329, Macgruder’s American Government, McClenaghan, W.,
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Pearson, Prentice Hall, 2008.
Accommodations for Learning Differences
For reinforcement, have students create a visual of their choice (poster,
computer-based presentation, model, etc.) that communicates the steps a
bill goes through to become a law. Use the Individual Work Rubric for
assessment.
For enrichment, divide the class into nine groups and assign each group one
of the Legislative Branch Research Questions (see handout). Each group
will research the question and present its findings to the class. Use the
Presentation Rubric and the Research Rubric for assessment.
State Education Standards
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education
§130.182. Principles of Government and Public Administration (One-Half to
One Credit).
(10) The student will select an appropriate method of
communication to facilitate the flow of ideas and information
among government, public administration, the business
community, and the general public. The student is expected to:
(A)
analyze the structure and functions of the legislative
branch of government such as the bicameral structure of
Congress, the role of committees, and the procedure for
enacting laws;
College and Career Readiness Standards
Social Studies Standards
V. Effective Communication
A. Clear and coherent oral and written communication
1. Use appropriate oral communication techniques depending on
the context or nature of the interaction.
2. Use conventions of standard written English.
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Structure and Functions of the Legislative Branch Key Terms
1. Legislature – an officially elected or otherwise selected body of people vested with the
responsibility and power to make laws for a political unit, such as a state or nation
2. Bicameral – the legislature made up of two houses. In the U.S., these are the Senate
and the House of Representatives
3. Adjourn – when Congress ends its regular session
4. Recess – when Congress temporarily suspends business for a short period during a
session
5. Off-year elections – congressional elections that occur between presidential elections
6. Continuous body – describes the Senate, whose positions are never all up for election
at the same time
7. Constituents – the residents of a district or member(s) of a group represented by an
elected official
8. Bills – proposed laws
9. Engrossed – when a bill is printed in its final form, after is has been approved at a
second reading
10. Filibuster – a stalling tactic used in the Senate to “talk a bill to death,” preventing or
delaying Senate action on a proposed bill
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Legislative Branch Research Questions
1. What checks does the Legislative Branch have on the other two branches of
Government? How effectively are these checks used today?
2. What checks do the other two branches of government have on the legislative powers of
the Congress?
3. What are the differences in the rules of debate and passing legislation between the
House and Senate?
4. How has the power of Congress been strengthened or diminished over the past 220
years?
5. Why was the Legislative Branch the very first article in the Constitution?
6. What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation in regards to the Congress
from 1777 to 1787? What changes occurred between the two documents?
7. Why were the requirements in the Constitution to be a Senator and a Congressman
different in respect to age and length of residency?
8. What compromises among the Founders were needed to create the Congress as we
know it now?
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Name:
Date:
Structure and Functions of the Legislative Branch Quiz
1.
Congress is bicameral because
a. That was a familiar format to the framers of the Constitution based on
England’s bicameralism
b. The framers wanted each house to act as a check on the other so that
neither has controlling power
c. Smaller states wanted an equal voice; larger states wanted a bigger voice.
Both were appeased with two houses
d. All of the above
2.
Congress is mainly concerned with
a. Making laws
b. Establishing new court systems
c. Ensuring the President’s physical safety
d. None of the above
3.
The House of Representatives
a. Has more members than the Senate
b. Has less members than the Senate
c. Represents the populations of each state, and its size is set by Congress
d. Both a and c
4.
Members of the Senate
a. Serve 6-year terms
b. Must be at least 30 and an inhabitant of the state they represent
c. Are considered the “upper house”
d. All of the above
5.
Which of the following is true of Congress?
a. Most of its work is done through committees
b. Most of the bills presented there become laws
c. Both of its houses are a continuous body
d. None of the above
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6.
Compared to the bill process in the House, the Senate has
a. A more formal process
b. A less formal process
c. The exact same process
d. None of the above
7.
Members of Congress balance different roles, which include
a. Legislators, the law-making body of the United States
b. Representatives of their districts
c. Committee members who screen bills
d. All of the above
8.
The term “engrossed” as it applies to a bill means
a. The opposite of adjourning
b. When a bill is printed in its final form, after is has been approved at second
reading
c. A stalling tactic used in the Senate to “talk a bill to death,” preventing or
delaying Senate action on a proposed bill
d. None of the above
9.
An officially elected or otherwise selected body of people vested with the
responsibility and power to make laws for a political unit, such as a state or
nation, is known as a
a. Cabinet
b. Subcommittee
c. Legislature
d. Speaker of the House
10.
Residents of a district or members of a group represented by an elected official
are called
a. A neighborhood
b. An incorporated city
c. Constituents
d. None of the above
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Structure and Functions of the Legislative Branch Quiz Key
1. D
2. A
3. D
4. D
5. A
6. B
7. D
8. B
9. C
10. C
*
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Name_______________________________________
Date_______________________________
Discussion Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Participates in group discussion
Encourages others to join the
conversation
Keeps the discussion progressing
to achieve goals
Shares thoughts actively while
offering helpful recommendations to
others
Gives credit to others for their ideas
Respects the opinions of others
Involves others by asking questions
or requesting input
Expresses thoughts and ideas
clearly and effectively
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
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Name______________________________________
Date_______________________________________
Individual Work Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Follows directions
Student completed the work as directed,
following the directions given, in order and to the
level of quality indicated
Time management
Student used time wisely and remained on task
100% of the time
Organization
Student kept notes and materials in a neat,
legible, and organized manner. Information was
readily retrieved
Evidence of learning
Student documented information in his or her
own words and can accurately answer questions
related to the information retrieved
*Research/Gathering information (if relevant)
Student used a variety of methods and sources
to gather information. Student took notes while
gathering information
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
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Name:____________________________________
Date:_____________________________
Presentation Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Topic/Content
 Topic discussed completely and in-depth
 Includes properly cited sources (if used)
Creativity/Neatness
 Integrates a variety of multimedia effects
to create a professional presentation
(transition and graphics) or appropriate
visual aid used
 Title slide, table of contents, bibliography
are included, using acceptable format
Mechanics
 Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and
capitalization are correct
 Image and font size are legible to the
entire audience
Oral Presentation
 Communicates with enthusiasm and eye
contact
 Voice delivery and projection are
dynamic and audible
Audience Interaction
 Presentation holds audience’s attention
and relates a clear message
 Clearly and effectively communicates the
content throughout the presentation
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
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Name______________________________________
Date_______________________________________
Research Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Question/goal
Student identified and communicated a question
or goal of the research
Research/Gathering information (if relevant)
Student used a variety of methods and sources
to gather information. Student took notes while
gathering information
Conclusion/Summary
Student drew insightful conclusions and
observations from the information gathered.
Information is organized in a logical manner
Communication
Student communicated the information gathered
and summary or conclusions persuasively.
Student demonstrated skill in the use of media
used to communicate the results of research
Reflection
Student reflected on the importance of the
research and its potential application
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
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