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Trust for Representative Democracy

America's Legislators Back to School Week

Return to: Lesson Plans--High School, Middle School, Elementary School

Middle School Lesson Plan VII - The Legislative In-Basket

Introduction:

This lesson requires teachers and legislators to collect and develop student materials unique to your state. (See "Teacher Preparation" below.) Also, teachers may wish to use this lesson as an assessment of the previous lessons which focus on the legislator visit to the classroom. Students will take on the roles of legislative aides and assistants to the guest legislator. Student groups are given an "in-basket" with several different documents (letters from constituents, faxes, emails, memos, newspaper editorials, messages from other legislators, etc.) Each document requires a focused response from student groups to demonstrate their understanding of the legislative process.

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, students will be able to:

• develop written responses to demonstrate an understanding of the legislative process at the state level;
• interact with their state legislator to develop appropriate responses to various issues and constituent concerns.

Materials:

• Student Handout #7: Legislative In-Basket
• Wire baskets for each group (or shoe boxes)
• See below, "Teacher and Legislator Preparation"

Teacher and Legislator Preparation:

To prepare for this lesson, follow the suggestions given below to prepare items that are appropriate within the context of your own state:

1. Teachers will need to find actual items on pending state issues (i.e., news editorials, letters to the editor) for the legislative "in-basket."
2. Teachers will find it helpful to contact the legislator who will visit class and request some items to be included (i.e., constituent letters with names removed).
3. Legislators and teachers will probably need to create fictional items ( i.e., letters to the editor or constituent letters) for the legislative "in-basket."
4. It is suggested that teachers develop and include some items that clearly contain constituent requests that are not within the realm of state government (i.e., U.S. Supreme Court nominations, federal income taxes, etc.).
5. Some items could, in fact, be state issues, but may fall within the powers of the governor or state courts (i.e., pardons) .
6. Others could clearly represent local issues (i.e., curfews for teenagers, neighborhood graffiti).
7. Try to find and/or create 10 different items for inclusion in the in-basket.
8. Finally, duplicate enough sets for several groups of students.
9. Place documents (10) prepared in advance into wire baskets (or shoe boxes) to create enough in-boxes for each group of students.
10. To save time on the day of the legislator visit, teachers should set up student groups ahead of time, so that as students arrive to class on the next day, no time will be needed to arrange groups. Groups should also agree upon a leader.

Teaching Time:

Procedure:

• Duplicate copies of Handout #7, The Legislator In-Basket. On the day of the legislator visit, the teacher and legislator should collaborate in setting up, assisting students, and debriefing this lesson. Since the legislator will most likely visit class for one day, it is important to keep track of time during this lesson.
• Divide class into groups of five or six students. Distribute Handout #7 and one legislator in-basket to each group.
• Allow groups several minutes to review the documents in the in-basket. Tell them to quickly reach agreement on who will be responsible for responding to each item. Students should then fill out the chart.
• The guest legislator and teacher should begin to circulate around the room and assist students as they prepare rough drafts of responses to the in-basket items. Encourage students to use information they have gained from all previous activities in preparing their responses.
• To close the activity, ask groups to report how they would respond to each item in the in-basket. Encourage the state legislator to provide feedback to students. Instruct students to take some notes on the legislator's remarks, so they can develop better responses as their homework assignment.
• Finally, as a homework assignment students should prepare final copies of their responses. Review with student the proper response format for each of the documents in their in-basket (i.e., formal letter, email, fax, letter to editor, etc.). Tell students that their responses are due the next day-- in an out-basket.

Note: The idea for a legislative in-basket has been adapted from a Colorado civics content standards assessment developed in 1997 by F. Mile Miles, Harrison School District, Colorado Springs, CO.

This project is supported by a Robert H. Michel Civic Education Grant sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, Pekin, IL.

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