The Executive Branch

The Executive Branch

Kathy Simmer
Dayton Bluff Elementary
St. Paul MN
89057

INTRODUCTION: The presidential election generates a great deal of interest among students. This set of five lessons on the executive branch of government is a lead in to further lessons on the Constitution appropriate for a fifth grade class. Each lesson takes one class period, with an additional lesson handled by the Language Arts teacher.

LESSON 1:

Objectives:

1. Students will understand that the federal government is divided into 3 branches.

2. Students will have a minimal understanding of the responsibilities of each branch.

3. Students will be introduced to Article II of the U.S. Constitution, which concerns the selection and duties of the president.

Materials Needed:

Textbook, Jarolimek, John, et.al. The U.S. and the Other Americas, MacMillon Publishing Co., New York, 1985.

Film, "My Government, U.S.A.", Sterling Education Films, 1967. An 11 minute film appropriate for intermediate grades.

Procedure:

1. Read aloud and discuss the diagrams on pages 95-97 of text on the 3 branches of government (or use similar graphical demonstrations of government structure).

2. View the film, "My Government USA". This film goes over the idea of 3 branches with checks and balances, and gives examples of the responsibilities of each branch.

3. Tell the students that we are going to be investigating the executive branch and the duties of the president. As of today we do not know who the new president will be. We are going to use the Constitution and our own thinking to determine what qualifies a person to be president.

4. Hand out the copies of the Constitution. Read through Article II with the students, explaining as you go along.

5. Tell the students that tomorrow they will be brainstorming in order to list the qualifications needed to be a good president.

LESSON 2:

Objectives:

1. Students will think about skills, knowledge, and philosophies needed to perform the stated duties and uphold the Constitution.

2. Students will hear and weigh the opinions of other students, and try to come to a consensus.

Materials Needed:

Blackboard, chalk, paper, pencils

Procedure:

1. Teacher reminds the students of yesterday's discussion of Article II of the Constitution and what it says about the duties and qualification s of the president. Remind them of the parts that require the president to have approval of the legislative branch before he/she can act.

2. Divide the students into groups of 5. Ask each group to develop a one page description/qualification search statement for the job of President of the United States.

Include:

a. needed skills (examples: negotiation, budgeting, public relations, policy analysis, public speaking, etc.)
b. needed knowledge (examples: law, history, democracy, foreign affairs, economics, etc.)
c. needed philosophies (examples: belief in democracy, fairness, justice, equality, honesty, etc.) 3. Compare one page description with other groups. List on the board qualifications absolutely essential, those needed, and those most beneficial. Allow for discussion and try to come to a consensus.

4. Arrange with the Language Arts teacher for the students to write a want ad that includes the qualifications the students came up with. It should include when the job starts, need to relocate, how to "apply," fringe benefits, etc, as well as the qualifications.

5. Have students take home copies of the qualifications list. They should show it to one person of voting age, and ask that person which items they feel their candidate is especially strong in.

*Items 1-3 above are from the lesson "Only Qualified Need Apply", The Constitution: A 200 Year Experiment, MN Center for Community Legal Education. Adapted with permission from Jennifer Bloom, author.

LESSON 3:

Objectives:

1. Students will compare and contrast the qualifications and duties of the president with the qualifications emphasized by the candidates.

2. Students will determine whether candidates focus more heavily on their abilities to handle the duties outlined in the Constitution, or on personal qualities and proposed policies.

Materials Needed:

Presidential job skills lists from yesterday.

Videotaped "ads" by the current presidential candidates. The teacher may tape a large cross-section of ads for each candidate - check with a local television station for projected times for ads.

Procedure:

1. Have the students read aloud through their lists once more. Tell them that as they watch the videotape ads, they should put A next to any qualifications that one candidate's ads mention, and a B next to any stressed by another candidate. They should also put an A or B at the bottom of the paper each time a candidate talks about something that is policy rather than a qualification for the job.

2. Roll the tapes! Students mark their sheets.

3. Discussion, using some of the following questions:

Which candidate addressed more of the qualifications on our list?
Did either candidate give instances where their opponent was not qualified?
What policy issues seemed to be the most important?
Will all voters agree?
What will happen to a president's policy ideas if the Congress does not agree with them?

4. Discuss the opinions the students got from which ever voter they spoke to the night before. What will sway the voters policy or perceived qualifications? Tomorrow we will find out!

LESSON 4:

Objectives:

1. Students will gather information relevant to a current events and social studies topic.

2. Students will learn what an exit poll is.

3. Students will compare information gathered in an exit poll with previous opinions and with an official result.

Materials Needed:

4 clipboards, tally sheets, pencils

Procedure:

1. Explain to the students how an exit poll is conducted, and why it is used by the news media. Emphasize the idea of a secret ballot, and why people may choose not to participate in an exit poll.

2. Practice in the classroom asking the following question.

"Excuse me, our social studies class has been studying the election process and we are taking an exit poll. May we ask who you voted for for president? Thank you."

3. (We are lucky to have our school used as a voting place.) Assign two students to stand at each of the two exits on main floor. They will question voters as they leave. Each pair of students will be on duty for 1/2 hour. (I phoned the principal to see if this is allowed. He liked the idea, and said the students can stand in the doorway while they wait, but should step outside when they ask the questions.)

4. At the end of the day, tally the results.

LESSON 5:

Objectives:

1. Students will compare data.

2. Students will venture opinions on what influenced results.

3. Students will review what they've learned about the role of the president.

4. Students will be motivated for the next set of lessons on the Constitution.

Materials Needed:

Tallies from yesterday, copies of today's newspaper, blackboard, chalk

Procedures:

1. Begin by letting students "sound off" about the election. General discussion.

2. Compare the percentages found in our tally with the actual percent of the vote earned by the winner.

3. Discuss the REASONS people gave for their votes.

4. Check the newspaper for anything the winner may have said about his legislative agenda. How do his statements match up with our list of duties and the voters' reasons for choosing him.

5. Have the presidential oath of office on the blackboard. Remind the students that he will not take office until January. Read aloud and discuss the oath,

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

What is the president so concerned about defending and protecting?

b. Why is that so important? We will be finding out as we study the Constitution of the United States!

Evaluation:

1. Participation in the activities.

2. An adequately written "want ad" job description for president (completed in Language class)

3. Seventy percent correct answers on true/false quiz. (copy attached)

Answers to Quiz:

True = 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20

False = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18

PRESIDENTIAL QUIZ

T F 1. The president must be 45 years old.

T F 2. The president must have been born in the United States.

T F 3. The President lives in the Capitol.

T F 4. The President must retire at age 70.

T F 5. The State of the Union Address is where the president lives.

T F 6. The President is Commander in Chief of the armed forces.

T F 7. The President can be removed from office for accepting bribes.

T F 8. The Senate must approve of treaties made by the president.

T F 9. The President's term of office is 6 years.

T F 10. The President swears to uphold the Declaration of Independence.

T F 11. The President can give himself a raise.

T F 12. The President can give pardons.

T F 13. The President appoints justices to the Supreme Court.

T F 14. The President can fire the vice president.

T F 15. The President should believe in the Bill of Rights.

T F 16. The President can ask to meet with Congress.

T F 17. The President can fire Senators.

T F 18. The President cannot be a woman.

T F 19. The President is chosen by Electors from each state.

T F 20. The President's duties are described in the Constitution.