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Here are the teacher pack items for How a Bill Becomes a Law:
Engage
Overview In this experience, students learn how a bill becomes a law at the federal level. First, they identify the different steps in the process. Then they learn how a bill can be blocked and consider why the Constitution created a long and complex process for creating laws. Finally, students research and report on application of the process for a new bill that was introduced in recent years. Students will collaborate in small groups for scene 4. Objectives:
President Barack Obama signing a bill into law
Did you ever wish that you could make the rules? One of the main roles of Congress (the legislative branch of government) is to make rules for the whole country. These rules are called laws. Every year about 5,000 bills are introduced by Congress. A bill is a proposed law. Getting a bill passed and turned into a law is a long and difficult process. Of all the bills that are proposed, only about 10% become law. In this experience you will learn how a bill becomes a law at the national—or federal—level.
Objectives:
Before looking at the federal level, let’s consider a place that affects your life—your school. What single change, or new rule, do you think would improve your school?
Write a new rule, or law, that you think would improve your school. Write it in the form of a law such as: “Teachers are not allowed to give homework during school vacations."
Review the proposed laws. Then ask students: Who should be able to discuss and vote on the law you proposed? What should the process be to pass it as an official law?
