The design of the judicial branch protects the Supreme Court’s independence as a branch of government, and the emergence and use of judicial review remains a powerful judicial practice.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power.
Essential Knowledge:
Precedents and stare decisis play an important role in judicial decision making.
Ideological changes in the composition of the Supreme Court due to presidential appointments have led to the Court’s establishing new or rejecting existing precedents.
The design of the judicial branch protects the Supreme Court’s independence as a branch of government, and the emergence and use of judicial review remains a powerful judicial practice.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how the exercise of judicial review in conjunction with life tenure can lead to debate about the legitimacy of the Supreme Court’s power.
Essential Knowledge:
Precedents and stare decisis play an important role in judicial decision making.
Ideological changes in the composition of the Supreme Court due to presidential appointments have led to the Court’s establishing new or rejecting existing precedents.
Debrief 2.14: Nancy's making moves!
Activity # 1:
ASAP Writing (in your notebook)
Passages from Federalist #78, Written by Alexander Hamilton, 1788
The judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the Constitution . . . [it] may truly be said to have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment; and must ultimately depend upon the aid of the executive arm even for the efficacy of its judgments.
For there is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the executive and legislative powers.
Activity #2:
Supreme Court Stations
In your notebooks, title the activity "Supreme Court Stations." Then travel to each one of the stations in the hallway and complete the activity to learn about the Judiciary. If you are absent, you can find the stations below.
The design of the judicial branch protects the Supreme Court’s independence as a branch of government, and the emergence and use of judicial review remains a powerful judicial practice.
Learning Objectives:
Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments.
Essential Knowledge:
The foundation for powers of the judicial branch and how its independence checks the power of other institutions and state governments are set forth in:
Article III of the Constitution
Federalist No. 78
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
In your notebooks, title the activity "Supreme Court Stations." Then travel to each one of the stations in the hallway and complete the activity to learn about the Judiciary. If you are absent, you can find the stations below.
The design of the judicial branch protects the Supreme Court’s independence as a branch of government, and the emergence and use of judicial review remains a powerful judicial practice.
Learning Objectives:
Explain the principle of judicial review and how it checks the power of other institutions and state governments.
Essential Knowledge:
The foundation for powers of the judicial branch and how its independence checks the power of other institutions and state governments are set forth in:
Article III of the Constitution
Federalist No. 78
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
Debrief 2.11:
How many of the justices in the picture below can you name?
How many were you able to name? 1 maybe? How do you think the founding fathers would have felt about our performance? Would they be happy, or upset?
Activity #1 Judicial Branch One Pager
In order to create a divider in your notebooks between the Judicial Branch (The Courts) we are going to create a one pager. The one pager should include the following...
A title and subtitle across the middle
A border that includes the powers of the Judicial Branch
A picture in one quadrant
Judicial checks on the other branches in the next quadrant
A Diagram of the Structure of the Federal Courts
3 questions about the president in the last quadrant
The federal bureaucracy is a powerful institution implementing federal policies with sometimes questionable accountability.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how the federal bureaucracy uses delegated discretionary authority for rule making and implementation.
Essential Knowledge:
Discretionary and rule-making authority to implement policy are given to bureaucratic departments, agencies, and commissions, such as:
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Federal Elections Commission (FEC)
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Activity # 1:
The AP Government curriculum requires that students become familiar with seven of the agencies within the federal bureaucracy. This is great news! Instead of guessing which of the agencies might show up on the exam, we know which seven we need to understand. Below are six of the agencies; the seventh, the FEC, will be covered in our elections unit. For each of these agencies, identify the type of agency that it is, and the main job of the agency.
The federal bureaucracy is a powerful institution implementing federal policies with sometimes questionable accountability.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how the federal bureaucracy uses delegated discretionary authority for rule making and implementation.
Essential Knowledge:
Discretionary and rule-making authority to implement policy are given to bureaucratic departments, agencies, and commissions, such as:
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Transportation
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Federal Elections Commission (FEC)
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Working with the Bureaucracy Simulation...
Today you will have a chance to really experience operations within a bureaucratic organization. Remember that interacting with the bureaucracy will require patience, maturity, and attention to detail.
Form a group of 3 and take one of the white forms from the stack.
Grant Applications
Each group will complete the "Educational Assistance Award" on behalf of their government teacher. Once you have completed this form, take it to Mr. Clark's room (123) for form verification, and he will then direct you to the next step in the process.
YOU MUST HAVE ALL PARTS OF THE PROCESS COMPLETED AND RETURN TO YOUR ORIGINAL CLASSROOM IN NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES!!!
The reward for successful completion will be a take home Executive Branch & Bureaucracy Exam
Activity #1: Iron Triangle Scenario
Check out this Scenario and as a class, we will construct the Iron Triangle. Next, I would like you to create your own Iron Triangle based off an event in your life that you are impacted by.
Activity #2:
The AP Government curriculum requires that students become familiar with seven of the agencies within the federal bureaucracy. This is great news! Instead of guessing which of the agencies might show up on the exam, we know which seven we need to understand. Below are six of the agencies; the seventh, the FEC, will be covered in our elections unit. For each of these agencies, identify the type of agency that it is, and the main job of the agency.
Using the Chart we create in our notebooks, break the President's Powers into four categories...
Legislative Powers
Executive Powers
Diplomatic/War Powers
Judicial Powers
Then use the following article to note the powers of the president that relate to your specific category
Activity #2: The President in Checks and Balances Stations
In each of the station rotation, discuss the impact that each item has on the power of the Executive Branch. In each station, you will see a document, cartoon, or article that discuss a check the Executive branch has on other branches, or that the other branches have on the president...
The federal bureaucracy is a powerful institution implementing federal policies with sometimes questionable accountability.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how the bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government.
Essential Knowledge:
Tasks performed by departments, agencies, commissions, and government corporations are represented by:
Writing and enforcing regulations
Issuing fines
Testifying before Congress
Issue networks and “iron triangles
Political patronage, civil service, and merit system reforms all impact the effectiveness of the bureaucracy by promoting professionalism, specialization, and neutrality.
The federal bureaucracy implements federal policies.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Explain how the
bureaucracy carries out the
responsibilities of the federal
government.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE:
Tasks performed by departments, agencies,
commissions, and government corporations
are represented by:
Writing and enforcing regulations
Issuing fines
Testifying before Congress
Issue networks and “iron triangles”
Political patronage, civil service, and merit
system reforms all impact the effectiveness of
the bureaucracy by promoting professionalism,
specialization, and neutrality.
Activity # 1:
If the legislature was to make a law that made government responsible for overseeing internet service and social media as "guaranteed public services and utilities" (like electricity, water, gas, telephone, etc.), which one of the 15 executive departments would likely be assigned the agency to oversee their regulation? Explain why you chose that department.
Attorney General: William Barr
Secretary of Agriculture: Sonny Perdue
Secretary of Commerce: Wilbur L. Ross, Jr.
Secretary of Defense: Mark Esper
Secretary of Education: Elisabeth Prince DeVos
Secretary of Energy: James Richard Perry
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Alex Azar
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Benjamin S. Carson, Sr.
The presidency has been enhanced beyond its expressed constitutional powers.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Explain how presidents have
interpreted and justified
their use of formal and
informal powers.
Explain how communication
technology has changed the
president’s relationship with
the national constituency and
the other branches.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE:
Different perspectives on the presidential
role, ranging from a limited to a more
expansive interpretation and use of power,
continue to be debated in the context of
contemporary events
Term-of-office and constitutional-power
restrictions, including the passage of the
Twenty-Second Amendment, demonstrate
changing presidential roles.
Justifications for a single executive are set
forth in Federalist No. 70.
The communication impact of the presidency
can be demonstrated through such factors as: Modern technology, social media, and rapid
response to political issues
Nationally broadcast State of the Union
messages and the president’s bully pulpit
used as tools for agenda setting
Activity # 1:
From your collective analysis from the last two weeks, how would you describe the executive branch, or specifically the president, cabinet, and federal agencies in 2-3 sentences that anyone could easily understand.
Use the link below to select an example of the types of executive orders and proclamations issued by presidents, and then answer the questions below in your notebook.
How did the president use the Executive Order, Proclamation, and/or other documents that you have selected to increase their authority and/or prestige?
The presidency has been enhanced beyond its expressed constitutional powers.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Explain how the president’s
agenda can create tension
and frequent confrontations
with Congress.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE:
The potential for conflict with the Senate
depends upon the type of executive branch
appointments, including:
Cabinet members
Ambassadors
White House staff
Senate confirmation is an important check
on appointment powers, but the president’s
longest lasting influence lies in life-tenured
judicial appointments.
Policy initiatives and executive orders
promoted by the president often lead to
conflict with the congressional agenda.
Activity #1 - Presidential Simulation AAR
After having completed the executive branch simulation, take time to reflect on the following questions in your notebook.
What were the greatest challenges to success? Identify at least 2.
What were the keys to success?
What would you have done differently?
Activity # 2: Limits on Presidential Power
Although the President has many powers, both formal and informal, that does not mean that the President is all-powerful. In our constitutional system of separation of powers (more correctly shared powers) and checks and balances, there are limits to what the President can do. Today, we will look at some of the checks on Presidential power.
At your table, with your table mates, brainstorm the ways that Congress can limit the President. You should be able to come up with a minimum of 5-6 & write in your notebook.
The presidency has been enhanced beyond its expressed constitutional powers.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Explain how presidents have
interpreted and justified
their use of formal and
informal powers.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE:
Justifications for a single executive are set
forth in Federalist No. 70.
Term-of-office and constitutional-power
restrictions, including the passage of the
Twenty-Second Amendment, demonstrate
changing presidential roles
Different perspectives on the presidential
role, ranging from a limited to a more
expansive interpretation and use of power,
continue to be debated in the context of
contemporary events
1. The President will assign each student a cabinet or advisor position. These will be projected on the screen. You have 10 minutes to assign your staff!
Each cabinet member (excluding those listed below) will be assessed based on the written proposal (how their department will aid in solving the crisis at hand) submitted to their President
Presidents and Chief of Staff will receive an average of their cabinets' scores as their score.
Press Secretaries will submit a copy of the public address/statement given to the US populace explaining what the government is doing during this crisis.
Simulation One:
Agriculture*
Defense*
Homeland Security*
Transportation
Health & Human Services*
Justice*
State*
Director of National Intelligence
EPA Administrator*
White House Chief Of Staff*
National Security Adviser
U.N. Ambassador*
FEMA Administrator*
White House Press Secretary*
White House Senior Advisor
Simulation Two:
Energy*
Homeland Security*
Interior
Transportation*
Health & Human Services*
Housing & Urban Development • Justice
State
EPA Administrator*
White House Senior Adviser
White House Chief Of Staff*
U.N. Ambassador
FEMA Administrator*
White House Press Secretary
Activity #3:
But first we have to research our roles: Role Sources
Then, answer the following questions in your notebook...
What is the name of your department?
When was your department founded?
Who is the current secretary, or leader, of your department?
What agencies or organizations operate under this department?
What is the annual budget for your department?
What is one failure and one success that your department has experienced in its history?
