Activity
Day 1:
1. Ask students to list the formal powers/duties of the Executive Branch. Reference:
U.S. Constitution
b)
Brainstorm: Drawing on prior knowledge, ask students
to name as many people and groups as they can that
help the President carry out
his duties. The teacher
should record the students’ responses on the board.
2.
Have students read the article, “Executive
Branch Reined In”,
which is about the Supreme Court’s decision on the use of executive
power. (Article is from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13226-2004Jun28.html)
b)
Ask students: Do you agree with the Supreme Court’s decision?
Why or why not?
3.
Handout the page from the Executive Branch: http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/executive/fed.html
4.
Ask students to use the handout to identify which
departments and/or agencies are affected or represented
by the news in
the article.
Tell
students they will learn how the executive branch implements
legislation passed by congress.
Day
2:
1. Use the hand-out on the executive branch http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/executive/fed.html to discuss the following questions:
a.
Why do you think the independent agencies are separate
from the executive
departments?
b. List at least three departments and five independent
agencies that most likely
deal with energy policies and/or the environment.
(Answers: departments of Energy, Interior, and Commerce
and the independent agencies of: Environmental
Protection Agency,
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, National Science Foundation, Nuclear
Waste Technical Review Board, Tennessee
Valley Authority, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
Day
3:
Students will use the website: http://lcweb.loc.gov/global/executive/fed.html to research the 3 executive departments and
5 agencies listed from the previous lesson and answer
the following
questions:
1.
Name of the department or agency
2. Mission Statement
3. Name of the cabinet secretary or agency
head
4. Description of any energy or environmental
issues being addressed
Closure
Day 4:
1.
Ask students to share their findings from their computer
research.
2. Groups should then brainstorm on the following
question: What are the potential positive and negative
results of having various agencies and departments
implementing environmental policy? They will record their responses to
share
with the rest of the class.
3. Groups will share the results of their discussion.
Embedded
Assessment
Day Homework
Students’ research
should show an understanding of the role each department and
agency has in implementing and enforcing environmental policy.
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