Introduction

Government WebQuest

To go directly to a specific section, click on any of the following links:

Introduction | Task Process | Research Bill Choices | Specific Sites for Bill Research

Evaluation | Brochure - (Examples) | Press Conference - (Examples) | Debate | Letter to Representative

Introduction

Welcome to the World of Government! You are a reporter for the community in which you live. Local citizens are counting on you to inform them about laws that will soon change their lives in some way. You must do your job well or there will be serious consequences upon the community you are representing and they will not be happy. Good reporters find out what their community is interested in, what they find meaningful to their lives, and how to best inform them of new information. Reporters are also thorough in their research and neutral in their reporting. They present both sides of an issue without opinions (unless they are writing an editorial). Good luck and have fun - your community is waiting!

Task

As a reporter for your community, you will have the task of choosing a bill that has been presented to either the state or national congress, which affects the people in your community. Your job is to research that bill and communicate both sides of it to citizens in your community in order to help them decide whether they want their representatives to vote for or against it. Be careful in your research because this bill is real and will affect real people if it becomes a law. Your Executive Editor (teacher) must approve all work before it goes to press.

Process

After your reporting staff has learned about the structure of federal and state government, as well as how a bill becomes a law, your group will be split into thirds and each group will pick a different law to research for the community.

Step 1: Go to the Web/Law Hyperlinks page to read about different proposed bills. Chose three of the bills, rank them from one to three (with 1 as your first choice) and then give that list to your Executive Editor. She or he will tell you which law you will be researching (based on a class raffle if necessary) in order to avoid duplication of research with other groups.

Step 2: Once your group has decided upon a law, you must divide up the following questions that need to be answered with your research:

In your own words, what is your bill proposing?
Who or what is affected by the bill?
Will citizens have to pay higher taxes to fund the law?
What are the positive and negative effects if the bill becomes a law?
What are the positive and negative effects if the bill does not become a law?
What is the timeline of this bill? (Ex. When was it written, presented to congress, when will it be voted upon, etc.)

Step 3: You will use the electronic notecards in NoteStar to take and store all of your notes.

You will also need to pick up a research organizer worksheet and then you are ready to begin your research. Don’t forget to cite all of your research on your Bibliography worksheet. Anytime you take notes from a resource, you must give credit to the author. This applies to books, magazines, encyclopedias, web sites, CD-ROMs, etc.

Research

Web Sites for Government Research:

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/lawmaking/index.html

(How a bill become a law)

http://www.leg.wa.gov/wsladm/help/readme_overview_process.html

(Process of how a bill becomes a law)

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/index.html

(Great kids explanations of government for kids)

Other General Government Research Web Sites:

http://access.wa.gov/kids/

http://www.leg.wa.gov/common/kids/default.htm

http://access.wa.gov/education/awk12.asp

http://www.government.com/

Bill Choices

(Click on links to read about the bills)

Washington State Bills http://www.leg.wa.gov/wsladm/billinfo1/bills.cfm

2004 Session

2084
Providing students opportunities in the visual and performing arts.

2808 / 5201
Authorizing a pilot project for high-occupancy toll lanes.

5981
Review construction project requirements in state waters to aid in salmon recovery.

2005 Session

5029
Requiring safe drinking water in schools.

1185
Relating to the use and disclosure of personal wireless phone numbers.

U.S. Bills http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c109query.html

2005 Session

H.R.15
National Health Insurance Act

H.R.199
Reservist and National Guard Opportunities and Protection of Education Act

H.R.49
Eating Disorders Awareness, Prevention, and Education Act of 2005

H.R.151
Higher Education Affordability Resource Act

H.R.39
Arctic Coastal Plain Domestic Energy Security Act of 2005

H.R.227
Acid Rain Control Act

H.R.93
Flagship Species Conservation Act of 2005

H.R.233
Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act

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Specific Sites for Bill Research

Bill Research Sites

Evaluation

Brochure

After thoroughly researching both sides of the bill you have chosen, you will then work with your group to create a brochure that will be distributed to community members. Keep in mind that your job is not to persuade the public to agree or disagree with the bill, you must simply present all of the facts so citizens can make their own decision.

Each member of your group will be responsible for writing at least one paragraph of the brochure text.

Each person in your group must take on two of the following jobs, one necessary at the beginning of the project and one that won't be needed until closer to the end. Your group must also vote for one person to be the supervisor.
Begining Jobs:
Editor: Read over text and make sure everything has the same style, is free of spelling errors and includes all necessary information. Must also edit final draft of brochure before printing.

Publisher: Type out text.

End Jobs:

Layout Designer: Lay out text, pictures, and all necessary components so that brochure looks neat and can be clearly read.

Photographer: Draw, photograph, or find and print required pictures.

Group Vote:

Supervisor: Check over each job. Responsible for the overall neatness and quality of the brochure, as well as making sure it is finished by the deadline.

Brochure Rubric

	Content	Layout	Appearance
4	Extra useful information is added about the chosen bill and how it will affect citizens.
3	The brochure must include all information from your answers to Step 2 questions under the Task section without adding any opinions. It also includes information on how a bill becomes a law, the three branches of government, and the job of each branch.	The front of the brochure must include a headline, picture, and state the law exactly as it is proposed. It should be easy to find information to support each side of the proposed law.	Text must be typed and arranged neatly.
2	The brochure is missing some information required to receive a 3.	The brochure is missing some elements required to receive a 3.	Only part of the text is typed and the brochure looks sloppy.
1	Very little or no information is given about the chosen law or the structure of government and how laws are passed.	There are no required layout elements included. Brochure is hard to read and follow easily.	All of the text is handwritten.

Brochure Examples

Education Excellence Brochure

Small Forest Landowner Brochure

Criminalizing Failure to Assist Brochure

Global Warming Brochure

Press Conference

A minimum of six group members will create at least 6 slides (one slide each) using information from your brochure (HINT: 6 brochure panels = 6 PowerPoint slides)

Then, at least six of your group members will present the PowerPoint slides (one slide each) at a press conference attended by a group of your peers, community members, and local lawmakers. Press Conference photographers & videographers will also be present.

PowerPoint Presentation Rubric

	Content	Appearance	Presentation
4	Presentation includes extra slides and information that will help the audience better understand the bill.
3	The PowerPoint presentation must have at least 6 slides that include all information from your brochure, except the branches of government, their roles and how a bill becomes a law.	Slides should be appealing to the audience. Text should be easily read.	At least six group members need to present (one slide each). Presenters must speak loudly, clearly, and not too quickly.
2	The presentation has less than 6 slides and is missing some required information about the bill from the brochure.	The slides are sloppy. The slides are hard to read.	Only 4 group members present. It is hard to hear or understand presenters.
1	Very little or no information is given about the proposed bill.		Only 2-3 members present. Can’t hear or understand presenters.

NEEDED: A couple of reporters to create 2-3 extra slides that include information about the branches of government, the job of each branch and how a bill becomes a law. Reporters will receive overtime credit compensation. Contact the Executive Editor if you are interested.

PowerPoint Examples

Government Structure Slides

Marine Turtle Conservation

WASL & Driver's License

Teacher Strikes

School Nutrition Act

Debate

All members of your group must be prepared for a debate within each classroom community. Part of this preparation will include thoroughly reading brochures produced by each group within the classroom community and filling out a "Debate Preparation Chart". This debate should be completed before the Press Conference so reporters know their topics well enough to effectively answer Press Corp questions.

During the debate, there will be a reporter sitting in each desk and one reporter standing behind each desk. Reporters sitting in the desks on one side of the room will present a reason for voting for their bill. The other side will then have 5-10 minutes to prepare arguments to refute (oppose) the reasons given. The reporters sitting on the opposite side will each then present one reason for refuting the reasons. This same procedure will be repeated for each proposed bill. Reporters must take notes during the debate to help their side refute the other group’s presentations.

This debate will be taped and viewed by the reporters at a later date for use on their persuasive letters to government representatives.

Letter to Your State Representative

After the debate, you will write an editorial letter to your state or district representative to try and persuade them to vote on whether the proposed bill should be passed or not.

Letter to Your State Representative Rubric

	Content	Appearance	Persuasion
4	Letter includes more than 3 paragraphs. Letter includes more than 3 reasons why the representative should vote or not vote for the bill. Letter includes extra evidence to support the 3 reasons.		The letter very strongly convinces the reader to agree or disagree with the proposed bill.
3	Letter must include at least 3 paragraphs. Letter must include at least 3 reasons why the representative should vote or not vote for the bill. Letter must include evidence to support each of the 3 reasons.	Letter must be typed. Letter must be in the form of a business letter.	The letter must convince the reader to agree or disagree with the proposed bill.
2	The letter only has 2 paragraphs. The letter only has 2 reasons why the representative should vote or not vote for the bill. The letter includes only 2 pieces of evidence to support the three reasons.	Only part of the letter is typed. Letter is missing elements of a business letter.	The letter only partially convinces the reader to agree or disagree with the proposed bill.
1	The letter only has 1 paragraphs. The letter does not include any reasons why the representative should vote or not vote for the bill. The letter includes only 1 pieces of evidence to support the three reasons.	The letter is handwritten. The letter does not look like a business letter.	The letter does not convince the reader to agree or disagree with the proposed bill.

If you have questions or suggestions, please e-mail shari.wennik@shorelineschools.org.