WEEK SIX

Unit Questions:
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What are the key differences among the membership, rules, and organization
of the House and the Senate?
What powers does Congress hold and how can Congress use checks and
balances on the other branches of government?
How does a bill become a law?

Objectives:
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C3.1.1 Analyze the purposes, organization, functions, and processes of the

legislative branch as enumerated in Article I of the Constitution.
C3.1.5 Use case studies or examples to examine tensions between the three
branches of government.
C3.1.6 Evaluate major sources of revenue for the national government,
including the constitutional provisions for taxing its citizens.
C3.2.3 Identify specific provisions in the Constitution that limit the power of
the federal government.

Instructions: Welcome to Week 6 of the online U.S. Government course! Please complete the
following activities for this week. Make sure that you complete each activity by the time it is
due. Due dates are located at the end of each activity listed below.
(1) Complete Week 6 Pre-Test. Read Chapter 13 Sections 1 through 3 (pages 362-378).
Create a new document with your Google Drive account and title it Your Name
Week 6 Activities. On this new document you will type out each of the Key Terms
and Concepts for Sections 1-3, as well as their definitions. Make sure to label this
section Ch. 13 Vocabulary Terms: Sec.s 1-3. Watch the video on Congressional
Committees. Complete this activity by 11:59pm Monday of Week 6.
(2) Watch the video on Congressional Leadership. Read Chapter 14 Sections 1 through
3 (pages 390-404). In your "Week 6 Activities document, type out each of the Key
Terms and Concepts for Sections 1-3, as well as their definitions. Make sure to label
this section Ch. 14: Vocabulary Terms: Sec.s 1-3. Read the instructions for the
How a Bill Becomes a Law Project. Complete this activity by 11:59pm Tuesday of
Week 6.
(3) Read Chapter 15 Sections 1, 3, and 4 (pages 410 - 416, 423 - 426, and 427 430). In
your "Week 6 Activities document, type out each of the Key Terms and Concepts for
Sections 1, 3, and 4, as well as their definitions. Make sure to label this section Ch.
15: Vocabulary Terms: Sec.s 1, 3, & 4. Watch the videos on How a Bill Becomes a
Law. Complete this activity by 11:59pm Wednesday of Week 6.
(4) Work on your How a Bill Becomes a Law Project. Use the website link How Laws
Are Made for reference, as well as the videos and readings from this week.

(5) Complete your How a Bill Becomes a Law Project. Create a new Blog post and
embed your presentation. Visit the Discussion Blog and answer the questions for
Week 6. Review your Week 6 Google Drive document. Complete the Week 6 PostTest. Complete this activity by 11:59pm Friday of Week 6.
Resources:
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Chapters to read in Textbook: Ch. 13 Sec.s 1 through 3 (pgs. 362 - 378), Ch.
14 Sec.s 1 through 3 (pgs. 390 - 404), and Ch. 15 Sec.s 1 (pgs. 410 416), 3
(pgs. 423 - 426), and 4 (pgs. 427 430).
Congressional Committees: Crash Course Government and Politics #7
CrashCourse. https://youtu.be/evLR90Dx79M?
list=PL8dPuuaLjXtOfse2ncvffeelTrqvhrz8H
Congressional Leadership: Crash Course Government and Politics #8
CrashCourse. https://youtu.be/L8urcMLGFyU?
list=PL8dPuuaLjXtOfse2ncvffeelTrqvhrz8H
How a Bill Becomes a Law: Crash Course Government and Politics #9
CrashCourse. https://youtu.be/66f4-NKEYz4?
list=PL8dPuuaLjXtOfse2ncvffeelTrqvhrz8H
Schoolhouse Rock: America Im Just a Bill Music Video Disney
Educational Productions. https://youtu.be/FFroMQlKiag
How Laws Are Made Kids in the House. http://kids.clerk.house.gov/gradeschool/lesson.html?intID=17
www.congress.gov
Congress.gov Help Video Created by Trevor Rheaume

Discussion Questions:
1. Our founding fathers believed that Congress was the most important branch of
government and was the central institution of government. Do you agree that the
Legislative Branch (Congress) is the most important branch? Why or why not? Use at
least 3 specific examples for your argument.

2. If you could be a member of Congress, which house would you prefer to run for (House
of Reps or the Senate)? Which committee(s) would you take membership in? Why?

3. Do you believe the process of how a law is created takes too much time or has too much
of a process to go through? Why or why not? Does having a longer process work to any
advantages? Disadvantages?