1. How a Bill Becomes a Law Local, State, and Federal
Let’s Pretend To Learn
How a Bill Becomes a Law Local, State, and Federal

2. 3.8
Analyze the structure, functions, and processes of the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branches.
3.9
Illustrate the lawmaking process at the local, state, and federal levels

3. Students will be able to:
examine the processes of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.
compare local, state, and federal lawmakers.
distinguish among ordinances, statutes and acts on the local, state and federal levels.
compare and contrast the lawmaking process at the local, state, and federal levels.

4. Instructor explains: Branches of Government
Federal
State
Local
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
Each level of government has three branches – legislative, executive, and judicial.
These branches all have different powers, responsibilities, and requirements.

5. 4 fun-filled group activities
This slide show contains details for four fun-filled group activities that will allow student to master the information on 3.8 and 3.9.
Brochure || Gallery Walk
Game || Writing
CER || Document Analysis
History Lab || DAB TAB

6. Topic Role Audience Format
Activity One: Students assume a role in order to complete this activity.
Role
pretend you are working for the government
Audience
uninformed citizens
Format
brochure
Topic
your job is to create an informative brochure that explains how laws statutes, and ordinances are created in all levels of government (local, state, federal)

7. Number of copies to be made
Materials
Document/Materials
Number of copies to be made
Found in
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Brochure
Class set
One for each student
folder
Federal Level Gallery Walk
One class set
Slide show
Slide
State Level Flow chart
One per group
Folder and slide show
Blank chart paper
Instructor should provide
Markers, colored pencils, and other drawing materials
One set per group

8. Instructions
Give each student one two-sided “How a Bill Becomes a Law” brochure.
Have students complete the name, date, period, and school name portion on the back of the brochure.
Create small groups of 3 to 4 students.
Students will acquire the information from various sources in order to complete their informative brochure.

9. Local Level left inside column of the brochure I DO
This portion of the brochure is already completed:
The instructor explains the process of the local level of lawmaking.
Students will be able to analyze how local ordinances are created and passed.

10. Federal Level right inside column of the brochure WE DO
Gallery Walk
Place the 8 steps of the Federal lawmaking process along the the corresponding images, on the walls of your classroom.
If there is not enough wall space in your classroom, you can place the signs on groups of desks and have the kids in groups walk from table to table in order to complete the brochure.
Stand each group of students in front of one of the different steps of the lawmaking process.
Students will take their brochure with them in order to complete the federal level portion of the law making process.
The brochure is already pre-labeled in order to assist students with the flow of the process; therefore, it doesn’t matter where they start in the gallery walk because they will attain all the information as they walk from poster to poster.

11. State Level middle inside column of the brochure Collaborative Learning
Have students return to their grouped seating arrangement, upon completing the federal level component of their brochure.
Students will now work together in their groups in order to complete the state lawmaking process using the “How a Law is Made in Florida” flowchart.
See next slide

12. How a Law is Made in Florida
IDEA
From citizen, group (like a special interest group) or legislator .
BILL DRAFTED
Bill written by staff and assigned a number. For this example, the bill will start in the Florida House of Representatives.
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT
/MEETING
Bill is reviewed, voted on, and can be placed on calendar or allowed to die in committee.
READING AND VOTE
The bill is voted on in the Florida House and may die if it does not receive a favorable vote.
Remind students that special interest groups are groups of people that come together to impact policy based on a common cause. Some examples include Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the National Rifle Association (NRA), and others.
Once the bills are identical…
Sent to Senate for Action
Same process as original Chamber (the House) – committees, readings, and vote.
GOVERNOR CONSIDERATION
Governor can sign the bill into law, allow the bill to become law without signing, or veto the bill.
GOVERNOR FINAL ACTIONS
If the Governor vetoes the bill, the Legislature may override his/her veto by a 2/3 vote.
LAW
If the Governor does not veto the bill, the bill becomes law.

13. End product Peer Teaching/Collaboration
Give each group:
One piece of chart paper
Drawing supplies
Students in each group will now work together to create their own federal level flowchart using the information from their brochure and the images on display on the walls as a reference. (see next 3 slides for sample products)
DISPLAY SEVERAL POSTERS IN YOUR ROOM

17. Answer Essential Question YOU DO
Once students have completed the brochure and the poster as a group, they should on their own, answer the essential question located on the back of the brochure.
The EQ encompasses benchmarks 1.7, 3.3, and 3.8.

18. Gallery walk slides

19. First Step Bill Proposed
By a citizen, group (like a special interest group), or legislator who becomes the sponsor.

24. Second Step Bill Introduced
Placed in the hopper on the clerk’s desk and is assigned a number. The bill is then sent to the appropriate committee.

26. HOPPER

28. NUMBER

29. Third Step Bill Goes to Committee
It is reviewed, researched, and voted on. If it passes, it is sent to the House floor.

31. Fourth Step Bill is Reported
It is sent back to the House and is ready to be debated by the U.S. House of Representatives.

34. Fifth Step The Bill is Debated
Representatives discuss the bill and explain why they agree or disagree with it

38. Sixth Step The Bill is Voted On
If a majority of the Representatives say or select yes, the bill passes in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is then certified by the Clerk of the House and delivered to the U.S. Senate.

40. Seventh Step The Bill is Referred to the Senate
The bill is discussed in a Senate committee and then reported to the Senate floor to be voted on. Senators vote by voice (“yea” or “nay”).

41. Off to the Senate

44. Eighth Step Bill is Sent to the President
If the President does not veto the bill, the bill becomes law.
Congress can override the veto.

49. Topic Role Audience Format
Activity two: Students assume a role in order to complete this activity.
Role
pretend you are a game developer
Audience
teachers and future Civics students
Format
fill-in-the- blank hands-on game
Topic
your job is to test the “new” Hexarchy of Law game to see if future Civics students will be able to understand the process

50. Number of copies to be made
Materials
Document/Materials
Number of copies to be made
Found in
Hierarchy of Law Template
One per group
folder
Hierarchy of Law Cards
One set per group

51. Topic Role Audience Format
Activity three: Students assume a role in order to complete this activity.
Role
pretend you are law school professor
Audience
law students
Format
CER methodology
Topic
your job is to teach law students how to analyze different types of laws created by all levels of government by first analyzing them with your group

52. Number of copies to be made
Materials
Document/Materials
Number of copies to be made
Found in
3 types of laws handouts
One set per group
folder
CER template
One per student

53. Bullying or harassment of any student or employee of a public K-12 educational institution is prohibited…“Bullying” includes cyberbullying and means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students…
Ask students which key words in the law would help them know it is a state statute. For this law, the wording that would help them identify this as a state-level law is the focus on education.
FS Bullying and harassment prohibited.
As a group, analyze and decide which level of government created this ordinance, statute, law, or act by using the CER method.

54. Title VII makes it illegal to discriminate against an employee or job applicant on the basis of his or her race, color, religion, national origin, or sex (including pregnancy).
As a group, analyze and decide which level of government created this ordinance, statute, law, or act by using the CER method.

55. The saggy pants law takes aim at anyone on city property wearing his or her pants two inches below their natural waist in a way that exposes their underwear or backside.
This local ordinance has been repealed since its initial implementation.
As a group, analyze and decide which level of government created this ordinance, statute, law, or act by using the CER method.

56. Topic Role Audience Format
Activity four: Students assume a role in order to complete this activity.
Role
pretend that you are a research assistant
Audience
lawmakers of all levels
Format
history lab and the DAB TAP
Topic
your job is to analyze four different documents by first evaluating each document using the DAB TAP methodology and then answering the essential question

57. Number of copies to be made
Materials
Document/Materials
Number of copies to be made
Found in
Four different types of sources/documents
One set per group
folder
History lab template
One for each student
DAB TAP document
One for each group

58. I hope the kids enjoy pretending to play the various roles as they:
mastered the item specs
worked collaboratively
organized their notes in a creative graphic organizer
analyzed documents
utilized the CER methodology
learned using art and creativity

59. Students are now able to:
examine the processes of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.
compare local, state, and federal lawmakers.
distinguish among ordinances, statutes and acts on the local, state and federal levels.
compare and contrast the lawmaking process at the local, state, and federal levels.