Subjects: U.S. government, U.S. history

Grade Level(s): 9-12

Time Frame: 3 to 4, 50-minute class periods

Objectives [What the student should know and be able to do at the end of the lesson]:

This is a simulation about the legislative process of logrolling.  This simulation could be used as a sidelight to the lawmaking process, the committee system, or as an exercise to demonstrate a reason for client politics with concentrated benefits and distributed costs.  “Client politics” is the type of politics when an organized minority or interest group benefits at the expense of the public. This is particularly common in a pluralist system, such as in the United States, where minorities can have considerable power shaping public policy.

1.0 Overall: After completing this simulation, students will have a more complete understanding of the process of logrolling, how it occurs, and what are the consequences.

Bloom's Taxonomy: CongressLink lesson plans are built around Bloom's taxonomy. The purpose of the taxonomy is to provide a coherent format for lessons and to make it easier for teachers to design them according to CongressLink's standards.

2.0 Knowledge: Students read Chapter 15 of American Government by Wilson and Dilulio.

3.0 Understanding: Students know the structure and function of local, state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public policy.

4.0 Application: Prior to the assignment, students have a brief group discussion based around the policy-making decision process using the attached Policy-Making Decisions outline as guidance.

5.0 Analysis: Students use a handout that demonstrates certain things people are asked generally receive a negative response, but once the logrolling process begins, things don’t sound so bad.

6.0 Synthesis: Students are assigned senatorial assignments and using sticky notes after class and over the weekend, they negotiate enough support to secure the passage of their proposal.

7.0 Evaluation: Students will participate in a public vote item by item.  After the vote, the students are debriefed and discuss what causes logrolling and what its consequences are.

Procedure/Sequence

Class 1: Distribute Handout #1 (attached).  Students will assume they are a member of the Senate of the United States.  As a member of the Senate, they are asked if they would support or not support the legislative options presented on the handout.

Class 2: Print out and cut up the attached senatorial assignments into singles.  Let students draw them out of a hat, basket, or something similar. 

Have students draft a proposal to accomplish the goal of their assigned senator.  Note: Whether or not they accomplish their goal is the sole determiner of the grade they will receive on the assignment. 

Ask students to use sticky notes after class and over the weekend to negotiate enough support to secure the passage of their proposal.

Class 3: During class hold a public vote item by item.  After the vote, debrief and discuss with students what causes logrolling and what its consequences are. 

Materials:

American Government by Wilson and Dilulio
Attached Policy-Making Decisions outline
Attached senatorial assignments cut up into singles
Attached Handout #1
Sticky notes.
Research resources (Internet, textbooks, etc.)
Hat, basket, or something similar
Paper

National Standards Addressed by Lesson [based on National Standards for Civics and Government, Center for Civic Education, 1994. Citation based on section, subsection, standard of the document]:

1. Defining civic life, politics, and government (89-90)
2. The American ideal of constitutional government (99-100)
3. Character of American political conflict (104-105)

Evaluation/Assessment: See: http://www.congresslink.org/rubric/pdf

Author(s):
Buddy Hardwicke
Coronado High School
Coronado, CA