Unit 4-1: Vocabulary Bicameral legislature Session Census Reapportionment Redistrict Gerrymander At-large Censure Incumbent Constituents Caucus Majority leader Whips Bill Calendars Quorum President pro tempore Filibuster Cloture Standing committee Subcommittee Select committee Joint committee Conference Committee Seniority system Personal staff Committee staff Administrative assistant Legislative assistant caseworker

House of Representatives Senate Terms Powers Representation Legislative process Committees Lobbyist Special interest groups

Wednesday, February 16, 2011 2. Comparison chart on House and Senate Standards: SSCG9- The student will explain the difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate, with emphasis on terms of office, powers, organization, leadership and representation of each house. Essential Question: Compare and contrast the major features between the House of Representatives and the Senate? Bell work: How does the structure of the state and local governments compare and contrast to the structure of the federal government? 2. Comparison chart on House and Senate 3. Notes: Congressional Membership 4. Closing: With your partner, discuss and answer the essential question.

Congress Comparison of Congress Chart House Senate Number of Members Representation Qualifications 1. 2. 3. Length of term Date of Election Use guided reading 5-1 for Intermediates (1st)

Congress Comparison of Congress Chart House Senate Number of Members 435 50 Representation Based on population 2 from each state Qualifications 25 years old Be a citizen for 7 years 3. Legal resident of the state they represent 1. 30 years old 2. Citizens for 9 years 3.Legal resident of the state they represent Date of Election Nov. of even numbered years 2 year terms 6 year terms Use guided reading 5-1 for Intermediates (1st) 5

Thursday, February 17, 2011 Standard: SSCG9 – The student will explain the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, with emphasis on terms of office, powers, organization, leadership and representation of each house. Essential Question: How does apportionment of membership in the House of Representatives in districts provide representation to local voters? Bell work: Compare and contrast the House of Representatives and the Senate. Handout: Congressional Membership Notes: Representation and Reapportionment Activity: Gerrymandering (Handouts provided)

Congressional Membership Congressional Sessions Term of Congress begins on Jan. 3rd of odd-numbered years a. 20th Amendment set the start date of Congress in Jan. A term lasts for 2 years A term is divided into 2 sessions A session lasts for 1 year Congress remains in session until its members vote to adjourn; neither house may adjourn for more than 3 days without the consent of the other

Representation and Reapportionment Representation to the House Based on population; population is determined by the Census (conducted every ten years) Reapportionment- the population of each state determines the new number of representatives to which each is entitled Reapportionment Act of 1929- set 435 as the number of members in the house

Representation and Reapportionment B. Congressional Redistricting 1. States find out how many seats they are allotted 2. State legislatures draw the districts 3. Redistricting- The process of setting up new district lines after reapportionment has been completed 4. Gerrymandering- the political party controlling the state government draws a district’s boundaries to gain an advantage in an election

Representation and Reapportionment 5. Districts must be: a. compact b. contiguous c. have approximately same number of people

Explanation of the Cartoon is on the next slide.

Gerrymandering Cartoon- You do not have to copy, but read and know! Elbridge Gerry a Democratic-Republican governor of Massachusetts was who the term was developed after. Gerry signed a bill that gave his party an advantage over the Federalists. A political cartoonist, Gilbert Stuart, used a salamander to illustrate the unusually shaped districts- hence the term Gerrymander.

Note the size and shape of the Current districts in Georgia. Do you think they meet the criteria for districts or are some of them questionable?

Friday, February 18, 2011 Standard: SSCG10 The student will describe the legislative process including the roles played by committees and leadership. a. Explain the steps in the legislative process. b. Explain the function of various leadership positions within the legislature. Essential Question: How are the House of Representative and the Senate organized? Bell work: Explain the reapportionment process. House of Representative outline Notes: The Senate at Work Fill in word wall handout – define all terms Cross word puzzle

The House of Representatives Handout- Use pages 132-137 A. Rules for Lawmaking 1. Complex Rules a. b. 2. Committee Work 3. Importance of Party Affiliation

The House of Representatives B. House Leadership 1. Purposes a. b. c. d. e. f.

The House of Representatives 2. Speaker of the House a. b. 3. House Floor Leaders b. whips-

The House of Representatives C. Lawmaking in the House 1. How House Bills are scheduled a. bills- b. c. Calendars- 2. The House Rules Committee a. c. d.

The House of Representatives 3. Quorum- a. b. Committee as a Whole- (1) (2)

The Senate A. The Senate at Work 1. Informal atmosphere a. More flexible rules than in the House b. Allows unlimited debate on proposed legislation 2. Vice President a. Presides over the Senate b.Votes only to break a tie c. president pro tempore- presides in the absence of the Vice President

The Senate 3. Majority and Minority Floor Leaders a. most important officers in the Senate b. they are party officials rather than official Senate officers B. How Senate Bills are Scheduled 1.Senate leaders control the flow of bills 2. Calendar of General Order- lists all the bills the Senate will consider

The Senate 3. Filibuster- stall the legislative process and prevent a vote; usually through endless talking 4. Cloture- a procedure that allows each senator to speak only 1 hour on a bill under debate

Tuesday, February 22, 2011 SSCG10 The student will describe the legislative process including the roles played by committees and leadership. a. Explain the steps in the legislative process. b. Explain the function of various leadership positions within the legislature. Essential Question: Explain the purposes of committees Bell work: Explain how the House of Representatives operates. Discuss outline: The House of Representatives Notes: The Senate Committee Chart Committee Activity Add words to word wall Closing: Answer the EQ

Wednesday, February 23, 2011 SSCG10 The student will describe the legislative process including the roles played by committees and leadership. a. Explain the steps in the legislative process. b. Explain the function of various leadership positions within the legislature. Essential Question: What role does the legislative branch play in whether a bill becomes a law? Bell work: What are the purposes of committees? Discuss committee chart Activity: Research a committee. Notes: How a bill becomes a law http://www.schooltube.com/video/89a42a6866404f4baab7/Im-Just-a-Bill Remix activity Handout: How a Bill Becomes a Law

Congressional Committees Kinds of Committees- Pages 141-144 Type of Committee Definition Example Standing Subcommittee Select Joint Conference

Congressional Committees Kinds of Committees- Pages 141-144 Type of Committee Definition Example Standing Permanent groups to oversee bills that dealt with certain kinds of issues Agriculture Committee Subcommittee Part of a standing committee. It specializes in a subcategory of its standing committee’s responsibility Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has 6 subcommittees Select A temporary committee created in either the House or Senate Select Intelligence Committee Joint Made up of members of both the House and the Senate and can be temporary or permanent. Joint Economic Committee Conference A temporary committee set up when the House and Senate have passed different versions of the same bill. N/A

Thursday, February 24, 2011 Finish movie Essential Question: Why do members of Congress have large personal and committee staffs? Standard:SSCG9 – The student will explain the differences between the House of Representatives and the Senate, with emphasis on terms of office, powers, organization, leadership and representation of each house Finish movie

Monday, February 27, 2011 Standard: SSCG10 The student will describe the legislative process including the roles played by committees and leadership. Explain the steps in the legislative process Explain the function of various leadership positions within the legislature. Essential Question: Bell work: Who elected Mr. Smith to Congress? What is a filibuster?

Finish movie Notes: How a Bill Becomes a Law Handout: Steps of How a Bill Becomes a Law Remix Activity

How a Bill Becomes a Law Types of Bills and Resolutions Private Bills- deal with individual people or places Public Bills- deal with general matters and apply to the entire nation Simple Resolution- covers matters only affecting one house of Congress Joint Resolution- passed by both houses and has the force of law with the President’s signature

How a Bill Becomes a Law 5. Concurrent Resolutions- covers matters requiring the action of the House and Senate, but on which a law is not needed 6. Rider- a provision on a subject other than the one covered in the bill

Lobbyists Represent special interests Influence voting on certain bills Often give gifts such as meals, event tickets and trips to win favor with members of Congress The richer the lobby, the more influence it has

Special Interest Groups Community with an interest in a specific area of knowledge, learning or technology May meet and organize conferences May attempt to influence Congress through lobbyists, protests or petitions