FUNDAMENTALS OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY Lesson Plans for High School Civics, Government and U.S. History Classes Fundamentals of Representative Democracy Lesson Plans for High School Civics, Government and U.S. History Classes By Alan Rosenthal These lessons about the fundamentals of representative democracy are designed mainly for civics and American government courses taught at the high-school level. They also can be used in American history courses. The lessons relate to core themes that lie at the very center of American government and politics, and practically every lesson needs to be built on it. They are adapted to state standards for civics and government. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Educating for Democracy Act approved by the U.S. Congress July 2009 CENTER FOR CIVI C EDU C ATION National Conference of State Legislatures 7700 East First Place Denver, Colorado 80230 (303) 364-7700 www.ncsl.org/trust Printed on recycled paper. © 2009 by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Permission granted to reproduce materials needed for classroom use of the lesson plans. ISBN 1-978-58024-559-3 Contents Acknowledgments .................................................................................................iv Introduction ...........................................................................................................1 Appreciating Democracy ........................................................................................3 How Lawmakers Decide .......................................................................................25 What Makes Lawmakers Tick? .............................................................................49 Fundamentals of Representative Democracy iii Acknowledgments This publication is product of the Alliance for Representative Democracy, a partnership of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Trust for Representative Democracy, the Center for Civic Education and the Center on Con- gress at Indiana University. Appreciation is given to Greer Burroughs, adjunct professor of education at Seton Hall University, for her contributions to the Appreciating Democracy lessons, and to the Dirksen Congressional Center in Illinois for cosponsoring the first lesson. Alan Rosenthal, who designed these lessons, is professor of public policy and political science at Rutgers University. He is a long-time student of state legislatures and state politics. His most recent books are Heavy Lifting: The Job of the American Legislature (2004) and Engines of Democracy: Politics and Policymaking in State Legislatures (2009). The lessons reflect the research and writing of four political scientists who are students of Congress, state legislatures and public opinion. The work of John Hibbing, University of Nebraska; Burdett Loomis, University of Kansas; Karl Kurtz, National Conference of State Legislatures; and Alan Rosenthal is contained in a book designed mainly for introduction American government courses at the college level: Republic on Trial: The Case for Representative De- mocracy (Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2003). iv Fundamentals of Representative Democracy Introduction Three separate lessons are included in this volume on the roles played by interest groups, political parties, Fundamentals of Representative Democracy. These constituents, and a lawmaker’s convictions and record lessons were developed in 2004-2007 and have been in deciding how to vote on different types of issues. used by teachers in many states but, in particular, in Nebraska, New Jersey, Washington and Wyoming. The third lesson is designed to give students a better idea of what makes members of Congress and state The first lesson is designed to encourage an legislators tick. What motivates them, why do they appreciation of democracy by students. Elements run, what attributes and skills do they possess, and stressed here are: disagreement among people, and what is the nature of their jobs? This lesson relies among members of Congress and state legislators, and upon a lawmaker being invited and coming to class deliberation, negotiation, compromise and decision to answer student questions about legislative life. by those elected to represent their constituents. Students cannot generalize from one case to the Three classroom simulations provide the basis for 535 members of Congress and 7,382 members of teaching the democracy appreciation lesson. state legislatures who represent their constituents in Washington, D.C. and the 50 state capitols. As a The second lesson is designed to give students an idea result of this exercise, however, students will begin of just how members of Congress and state legislators to get a sense of the people who represent us in our reach decisions on matters of public policy. Five representative democracy. separate scenarios explore the merits of the case and Fundamentals of Representative Democracy 1 Appreciating Democracy Summary This lesson is designed to teach students to appreciate the most basic practices of democ- racy in the United States: first, that people have different values, interests and opinions; and second, that these differences are often settled in legislative bodies by means of deliberation and negotiation, with compromise and a majority vote as key elements. The lesson can be taught in three or four 45-minute class periods. At the heart of the lesson are three easy-to-teach activities (or simulations). The materials in this package are designed for teachers of high school civics, government or U.S. history and include a table of contents; an overview of the lesson; lesson plans for ac- tivities 1, 2 and 3, with student handouts; and a lesson plan for a wrap-up session. Fundamentals of Representative Democracy 3 Appreciating Democracy: An Overview of the Lesson Background, objectives and methods for teachers (Item A) Activity 1 “Differences and Settlements in Ordinary Life” Lesson plan for teachers (Item B1) Activity 1: “Where To Eat?” Description and instructions for the activity, to be used by teachers and handed out to the students (Item B2) Observer Worksheet for Activity 1 For monitoring of students by teachers (Item B3) Restaurant Ballot to be handed out to students (Item B4) Activity 2 Differences and Settlement in Framing The U.S. Constitution Lesson plan for teachers (Item C1) Activity 2: Big vs. Little Description and instructions for the activity, to be used by teachers and handed out to the students (Item C2) Observer Worksheet For Activity 2 For monitoring of students by teachers (Item C3) Activity 3 Differences and Settlement in the Legislative Budget Process Lesson plan for teacher (Item D1) Activity 3: Dividing Up The Pot Description and instructions for the activity, to be used by teachers and handed out to the students (Item D2) Wrap-Up Session The Fundamentals of American Democracy Plan for concluding discussion led by teacher (Item E) 4 Fundamentals of Representative Democracy A Background, Objectives and Methods for Teachers Rationale members of Congress (535), the more than 200,000 bills introduced in a two-year period, and the mil- Democracy is not easy to appreciate, nor should it be. lions of transactions that take place in Congress and It is filled with conflict, it is extremely human, and it the 50 state legislatures, there are bound to be people is very messy. That is the way it ought to be. who do wrong and things that go wrong. When dis- Although it is essentially as it should be (notwith- covered, these are the cases reported extensively by standing that democratic institutions and processes the media, as they should be. Americans, however, are not perfect and are always in need of improve- generalize from the relatively few instances to all or ment), democracy gets a bad rap, especially as it is most instances. They continue to like and reelect practiced in Congress and state legislatures. The their own congressperson or state legislator but, as environment in America today is not a friendly one public opinion polls show, they don’t like the rest— for the actual practices and political institutions that and they do not like the Congress or the legislature or work at democracy. the “system.” The electronic and print media are critical of political The environment is a rough one, but a most impor- institutions and practices. They report what is bad, or tant obstacle democracy faces is that Americans sim- appears bad, or what is scandalous, or might appear ply do not appreciate what democracy means in prac- scandalous. The media’s business is to stay in business tice. In theory, we all revere democracy and support by attracting an audience. People respond more to the certain principles that underlie it. But we are uncom- negative than to the positive. Hence, if it’s bad, it’s fortable with the nitty-gritty workings of democracy. news and the worse it is, the better it is as news. It is unappealing to the average eye. The negative is central to political campaigns, where First, many Americans do not see why there is so competition is intense. much conflict in politics. Research by political scien- tists has shown that many Americans think that most Candidates nowadays not only compare their op- people agree on basic issues of public policy. So why ponent’s record with their own, they also look for is there so much fighting in Congress and state legis- anything negative about an opponent’s character, as- latures? To some extent people are correct. At a very sociations and even personal life. Candidates employ