Teacher Review the reading of Article II the What is a chief executive? What does Lesson: class did for homework. Use this time being a head of government entail? Review to make sure that everyone knows What is a veto? what the role of the president is and is Why were the of giving Founder’s afraid clear on the terms used in the reading. executive power to a single executive? How might having one person as president With the class, also read or review the help create unity in the United States? highlighted portions of Federalist No. How wouldn’t it? 70. Use this document to discuss the fears behind creating a single empowered chief executive. Teacher On the board, create a list of what the In the game, what types of Lesson: president does, and which powers challenges/crises did you as the president Creating a allow him or her to do it. This activity face? list of synthesizes observations students may How did you conquer those challenges as presidential have made during the game and while president? How would you identify that powers reading of Article II. action as a power of the president? According to the Constitution, what is the president allowed to do? Is there anything allowed to do? he isn’t What is an expressed power? Teacher Use the fourth question of the What do we call a leader who abuses his or her power [tyrant]? Lesson: previous activity (what isn’t What is so concerning about tyranny? the president allowed to do) to Think about what Alexander Hamilton a list of ask the class what would talked about in Federalist No. 70. limits happen if the president was How can we prevent the president from given too much power-if they becoming a tyrant? are allowed to abuse their power. In a separate list, help students to brainstorm a list of limits we can set to prevent the president from having too much power. Assign Introduce the abridged readings of What are checks and balances? Article I & III as presenting the ways What is the legislature? the Constitution prevents the What is the judiciary? president from having too much power. Instruct students to read and highlight sections they think help keep power in check. president’s
Teacher Lesson: Review Review the reading of Article II the class did for homework. Use this time to make sure that everyone knows what the role of the president is and is clear on the terms used in the reading. With the class, also read or review the highlighted portions of Federalist No. 70. Use this document to discuss the fears behind creating a single empowered chief executive. What is a chief executive? What does being a head of government entail? What is a veto? Why were the Founder’s afraid of giving executive power to a single executive? How might having one person as president help create unity in the United States? How wouldn’t it? Teacher Lesson: Creating a list of presidential powers On the board, create a list of what the president does, and which powers allow him or her to do it. This activity synthesizes observations students may have made during the game and while reading of Article II. In the game, what types of challenges/crises did you as the president face? How did you conquer those challenges as president? How would you identify that action as a power of the president? According to the Constitution, what is the president allowed to do? Is there anything he isn’t allowed to do? What is an expressed power? Teacher Lesson: a list of limits Use the fourth question of the previous activity (what isn’t the president allowed to do) to ask the class what would happen if the president was given too much power-if they are allowed to abuse their power. In a separate list, help students to brainstorm a list of limits we can set to prevent the president from having too much power. What do we call a leader who abuses his or her power [tyrant]? What is so concerning about tyranny? Think about what Alexander Hamilton talked about in Federalist No. 70. How can we prevent the president from becoming a tyrant? Assign Introduce the abridged readings of Article I & III as presenting the ways the Constitution prevents the president from having too much power. Instruct students to read and highlight sections they think help keep president’s power in check. What are checks and balances? What is the legislature? What is the judiciary?
6-8_Energetic_Executive.docx