 America's Legislators Back to School Program
Your Ideas Count! Lesson Plans
The lesson plans outline for students the importance of representative democracy, the message that their voice counts and the valid role of special interest groups in the process. The plans complement the NCSL publication "Your Ideas Count," a student booklet used by legislators as a "leave behind" resource after their classroom visit. Teachers are invited to download the lesson plans and use them as appropriate in their classrooms. NCSL invites teachers to fill out an evaluation of the lesson plans and the Back to School program. Click here for the online evaluation forms.
High School
Lesson Plan I: How Do Teenagers Get a "Voice"?
Lesson Plan II: "Don't We All Agree?" -- Recognizing the Importance of Diversity in Public Policy Making
Lesson Plan III: "Whose Special Interests?" -- The Role of "Special Interest Groups" in Legislation
Lesson Plan IV: "Why Compromise?" -- The Importance of Compromise in a Representative Democracy
NCSL appreciates the efforts of Deanna Morrison, Esq., Denver, CO, for the writing of the plans and Daniel Prinzing, Idaho Department of Education, for reviewing the plans. Contributors include Jennifer Portillo, West High School, Denver, CO; Rich Resivach, Thomas Jefferson High School, Denver, CO, and Bob Warmack, Clear Creek High School, Idaho Springs, CO.
Middle School
Lesson Plan I: Getting to Know You: Student/Legislator Inventory
Lesson Plan II: Do You Trust Our Government?
Lesson Plan III: The MindWalk
Lesson Plan IV: What Is Public Policy?
Lesson Plan V: A Day in the Life
Lesson Plan VI: How Should Our Guest Legislator Decide? A Public Hearing Simulation
Lesson Plan VII: The Legislative In-Basket
Lesson Plan VIII: Debriefing the Visit: A Legislator Resume
NCSL appreciates the efforts of Chris Elnicki, Thunder Ridge Middle School, CO; Jackie Johnson, Social Science Education Consortium, Boulder, CO; Lori Mable, Thunder Ridge Middle School, CO; Colleen O'Brien, West Middle School, CO, in the writing of the plans and California Senator Betty Karnette and Cindy Smith, Varnum Public School, OK, for reviewing the plans.
Elementary School
Lesson Plan I: Compromise -- Why Don't We All Agree?
Lesson Plan II: Who are Legislators?
Lesson Plan III: Participation -- Where's My Voice?
NCSL appreciates the efforts of Leah Breckenridge, Montclair Academy, Denver, Co., and Sandy Stokley, Ellis Elementary School, Denver, CO, in the writing of the plans; and Rebecca Reeder, Ft. Wayne, In., and California Senator Betty Karnette for reviewing the plans. Contributor: Karyn Reeve, Wilder Elementary School, Littleton, CO.
This project is supported by a Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grant sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, Pekin, IL.
NCSL Contacts:
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Karl T. Kurtz
Director of State Services
Trust for Representative Democracy
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Jan Goehring
Program Director
Trust for Representative Democracy
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Joyce A. Johnson
Assistant to the Director
trust@ncsl.org
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Joy Heiserman
Senior Staff Assistant
BTSP@ncsl.org
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Posted 9/12/01
updated 3/19/09
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