Citizenship and the
Constitution
Senior Government
Presented By
Tricia Nickle
Christa Roderer
Byrd Prillerman
R
Rationale:
To identify government
officials and resources on a local,
state, and national level. To
demonstrate an understanding
of the government on a local, state,
and national level.
American Heritage
Objective: To identify,
analyze, and interpret
government as used on a
local, state, and national
level.
Web sites
www.whitehouse.gov
www.smplanet.com/imperialism/teacher.html
www.ohiokids.org/kids/ohc/history/h_indian/document/tgreenev.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html
http://rs6.loc.gov/cwphome.html
Activities
1. List government officials to a local, state, and national level.
2. Identify government agencies on a local, state, and national level.
3. List the two houses of Congress.
4. Name the three branches of the United States government.
5. Name the three departments represented in the President’s
cabinet.
6. Determine what a presidential veto is.
Activities Cont.
7. Name the two major political parties in the United States.
8. Describe an amendment.
9. Identify federalism.
10. Determine who makes the laws of a state.
People in Societies
Objective: Justify proposed solutions to
current issues from the perspectives
of various cultural groups.
Web Sites
http://people2.clarityconnect.com/webpages4/kcarsons/oconunit
.index.htm
www.usatoday.com
www.people.com
www.switchboard.com
www.ancestry.com/ancestry/search/3172a.htm
Activities
1. Name the United States President and Vice President.
2. Name a member of the United States House of Representatives
from your congressional district.
3. Name who makes the laws of the state.
4. Who heads the Supreme Court?
5. Who elects the president?
Activities Cont.
6. Who is the Governor of your state?
7. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court?
8. Name the Speaker of the United States House of Representative.
9. Who is the Mayor city manager of your municipality?
10. Who heads the Supreme Court?
World Interactions
Objective: To consider the
perspectives of other
nations when analyzing
current issues that have
international implications.
Web Sites
www.cybertours.com
www.wasp-wwii.org
www.history.org/almanac.htm
www.enews.com
www.cnn.com
Activities
1. “TO BE FREE, ONE MUST BE CHANGED.”
Write a response to what this statement represents.
2. Would it not be possible for all Americans to live as they choose
with total freedom and without a government establishing limits
on our individual freedoms?
3. Do we, as a society, really need rules and regulations to enforce
cooperation among individuals?
4. Discuss the needs for a government…… pros and cons.
Activities Cont.
5. Define the meaning of the words Republic and Democracy (direct
and representative), identifying ideas by values found in the
Declaration of Independence, Article of Confederation, Constitution
and Bill of Rights.
6. Identify a real world problem which needs a solution.
7. Compare the United States economic system to the Cuban economic
system.
8. Compare the differences between the British Prime Minister and
the United States President.
Activities Cont.
9. How would others from another country interpret our government?
10. Create your own form of government. Include rules, leaders, etc...
Decision Making &
Resources
Objective: To relate
scarcity and distribution of
resources to current
issues.
Web Sites
www.afrom.org/history/bnw/bwmain.html
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ipa/a0194034
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ipa/a0194050
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aap/aapexhep.htm
www.fred.net/nhhs/lessons/lpforpol2000.htm
Activities
1. “Star Power simulation”
2. “Great Ocean Rescue”
3. “Dangerous Parallels”
4. Given these scenarios, write your response.
~US goes to war. If you were President, what would be
your determining factor (money, aid, manpower)?
~How would you reduce the National Debt (what programs
would you cut)?
Activities Cont.
5. Create your own “Depression.” Find ways to rebuild
the economy.
6. Come up with a new type of currency. Include a picture, worth,
and description of use.
7. Pick a stock from the stock market. Track that stock for a
period of one week and map the outcome daily.
8. What members of the President’s Cabinet determine the
decision making process?
Activities Cont.
9. Many see law enforcement officers and the rules and
regulations they enforce as being government. Do you agree
with this statement? Why or why not?
10. Come to a class consensus to add a new amendment to
the Constitution. Be prepared to debate why you think
your amendment should be added. Be persuasive……only
one will be chosen.
Democratic Process
Objective: Justify
proposed solutions to
current issues by
explaining how they adhere
to democratic principles.
Web Sites
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ipa/a0101183
http://infoplease.lycos.com/ipa/a0101289
http://member.tripod.com/~greatamericanhistory/gr02011.htm
www.nps.gov/cash
www.historyplace.com/lincoln/index.html
Activities
1. What is an amendment?
2. What are your duties and responsibilities as a citizen of the United
States?
3. SimCity 2000
4. Watch C-Span and report what is seen.
5. Graph the amendments, by date, on a timeline.
Activities Cont.
6. Describe the checks and balances among the three branches
of government.
7. Discuss the restrictions of federal government power and
preservation of states’ rights.
8. PRESERVATION OF PEACE AND ORDER. Graph disorders
and prevention of disorder and violence (reason as a means of
dealing with conflict).
9. Debate why the government cannot deprive individual citizens
of life, liberty, or property, without proper notice of impending
actions (right to a fair trial).
Activities Cont.
10. Cite examples of certain actions carried out by the government
that have to be authorized by law and applied equally to all
people.
Citizenship Rights &
Responsibilities
Objective: Consider the
importance of registering
to vote and voting in a
democratic society.
Web Sites
www.ohiotourism.com
www.ohio4fun.org
www.family.com
www.surpriseltscolumbus.com
www.columbia.edu/~sss31/education/resources.htm
Activities
Write the agency that you would contact to help solve the problems
below.
Internal Revenue Service, Post Office, Social Security Administration,
DMV, EPA, Commissioner of Voter Registration, Department of
Human Services, Police Department, Fire Department, Tax Assessor
Board of Education
1. Your parents have added a room to your home and want to
protest an increase in their property tax.
2. You have moved to a new town and need to enroll in school.
Activities Cont.
3. Your brother has reached driving age and wants to apply for a
driver’s license.
4. Your mother wants to know if she can deduct the cost of home
insulation from her income tax.
5. You have obtained your first job and need a social security
number.
6. You need advice about how to dispose of flammable materials.
7. Your new bicycle is stolen.
Activities Cont.
8. Heavy smoke and fumes from a chemical factory are polluting
your neighborhood.
9. You have moved and need to have your mail forwarded to
your new address.
10. Your sister has turned 18 and wants to register to vote.
Conclusion
Students need to be
informed citizens on a
local, state, and national
level.
Final Thought
The intent of this
activity was to introduce
students to the meaning of
the word “government.”
The students examined
why society needs a
government to exist and
the foundations of
American democracy.