Social+Issues+Project

toc You have just been elected to Congress! The people shared the same concerns you have for many of America’s current social problems and believed you to be the best candidate for getting those problems fixed. Now that you have been elected, it is time to begin work of the people. That will begin with crafting a legislative bill one of the social issues you campaigned upon and presenting that bill to the Congress for debate. Your ability to draft a bill that is Constitutional, able to adequately address the problem, and get passed into law will determine whether America becomes a better nation and you as a politician get re-elected.

**Objective - Write and present a legislative bill meant to solve a social issue in American society today** ** using the powers granted to our government under the Constitution. **

=Phase 1: Planning & Research= toc

Dates: 12/15 - 1/14

What do you believe are the biggest social ills/problems in America that need to be addressed? Take a moment to think about the ** __major causes__ ** of those problems and how a well written law could help prevent those problems from occurring. Use the resources below to identify the matters that you personally care about the most.
 * Step 1 - Identify the issue/problem **


 * [|Social Issues Brainstorm List] - Use this handout to guide your brainstorm for the selection of your social issues topic.

**Social Issues Resources:** Use the links below to help you find a possible topic for your study.
 * [|List of Social Issues] (PDF)
 * Project America
 * [|Social Issues] (Wikipedia)
 * [|Global Issues] (American focus, not a global focus)
 * [|UC Berkeley - Social, Political, & Economic Issues in America]

Browse newspapers or online news sites to learn about current issues/problems in the news. Then think about how you might be able to address/solve the problem through written legislation.
 * Current Events **
 * [|Junk Food Fight: Should Ads Stop Targeting Teens?]
 * [|What Now: The Junk Food Diet]
 * [|Underage Drinking - San Francisco]
 * [|New Michigan Teen Driving Laws Aim to Curb Crashes]
 * [|San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee Must Confront Homeless Problem]


 * Examples of New Legislative Laws **

Hundreds of thousands of new laws go into effect each year at both the state and federal level as a result of the same process you are currently going through in the construction of your own legislative bill. Click on the link below to view examples of new state laws going into effect for the year 2012 & 2013. As you look through these laws, ask yourself, "What problem does this law try to fix?" and "How does the law fit/not fit your vision of America or idea of government?"


 * [|List of new state laws 2012 - 2013]


 * Step 2 - Background & Topic Research: (Graded) **

Gain an understanding of the American problem upon which you are going to base your legislative bill upon. Use the questions below to further guide your inquiry:
 * What is the specific problem you want to address?
 * What facts or statistics do you have to prove to others that your issue is a problem in American society that needs to be addressed?
 * What is the major cause or reason for the problem?

Use the links below to assist you in finding quality sources of information and to document your research. **// Copy and paste into Word/Pages your top FIVE notecards that contain research which demonstrates the significance of the problem you have chosen for your Social Issues Project. Upload the completed document to Edmodo for a grade. //**
 * [|Del Mar Library Link] (Ms. Cerni's Resources)
 * [|EasyBib CrowdSource Research] (Register/Login with your email address)
 * [|EasyBib Research Tutorials]

Due date: 1/15 before 8:00 am A) Blog Entry - Demonstrate your critical thinking by addressing the following points on your blog in video reflection. (2 min. max). Post the video to you blog and submit the link to your video blog post to Edmodo.
 * Step 3 - Video Blog Reflection ** ** (Graded) **

** Blog Title - SIP Reflection I ** ** Tags - armstronghistory8, effective communicator **
 * What issue or problem are you considering for your project?
 * What prompted you to select this issue/problem?
 * What have you learned from your research so far?
 * What do you need to do next or what problems do you still need to solve in order to complete this project?

=Phase 2: Writing the Bill=

Dates: 1/17 - 1/23


 * Step 1 - Legislative Bill Writing Guide **
 * Click on the following link to download the //**S.I.P. LEGISLATIVE BILL WRITING GUIDE**// ([|Word] / [|Pages])


 * Step 2 - State & Federal Bill Search **

Are you writing an __original bill__? Use the links below to do a search of existing federal or California state legislative bills. Look up possible examples by doing a search of the key words associated with your social issue (i.e. "child abuse" "gun" "immigration"). Document your findings within your //** S.I.P. LEGISLATIVE BILL WRITING GUIDE **// ([|Word] / [|Pages])

Resources
 * [|Federal Congress.gov Bill Search] (Beta)
 * ** California State Legislature Bill Search ** (State)
 * [|Library of Congress THOMAS Bill Search] (Federal)


 * Step 3 - Drafting the Bill (Graded) **

**Begin to think about the key details of your legislative bill.** Document your responses to the questions below within your //** S.I.P. LEGISLATIVE BILL WRITING GUIDE **// ([|Word] / [|Pages])


 * What are you going to name your bill?
 * What are the circumstances/statistics in American society that demonstrate the need for your bill?
 * What are the specific directions/commands/instructions/context the bill needs to include so that it can be properly executed and carried out?
 * Who is responsible for enforcing your bill (law enforcement, business owners, states, judges, corporations, banks, etc.)?
 * What's the penalty, fine, or punishment for not following the directions or commands within the bill?

Use your research from **Phase 1** - **Step One ("Research")** and **Step Two** - **Phase 3 ("Drafting the Bill")** to complete the bill writing template located below. Due Date: 1/30
 * Step 4 - Writing the Bill (Graded) **

Key Reminders:
 * // Will your bill be filed as a state or federal bill? Be able to explain the rationale behind this decision. //
 * // The bill should contain only one central idea. Avoid putting two ideas into one topic. //
 * // The bill must be debatable. //
 * // The bill must call for a change in current policy or practice. //

Resources:
 * Final Legislative Bill template ([|Word]) (1st draft due 1/28)
 * Legislative Bill Rubric ([|Pages]/[|Word])

Due date: 1/28 by 8:00 am A) Blog Entry - Demonstrate your critical thinking by addressing the following points on your blog in video reflection (2 min. max). Post the video to you blog and submit the link to your video blog post to [|Edmodo]  .  ** Blog Title - SIP Reflection II **  ** Tags - armstronghistory8, effective communicator **
 * Step 5 - Blog Reflection (Graded) **
 * Introduce the issue/problem.
 * Describe the details of your bill and how it will work.
 * What details within the bill might others oppose?
 * Explain why your solution is the best answer to the problem

=Phase 3: Political Opposition & Compromise=

Dates: 1/23 - 2/5

**Step 1 - Political Support and Opposition**
 * // **S.I.P. LEGISLATIVE BILL WRITING GUIDE** // ([|Word] / [|Pages])

A) Analyze your legislative bill thinking about the following questions:
 * Does your legislative bill contain clear and easily understood directions?
 * Are the actions in your bill giving more power to the federal government or to the states?
 * Does the federal government have the constitutional power to do or enact what the legislation requests?
 * Do the actions taken by the government in your legislative bill require a strict or loose interpretation of the words in the Constitution?

Be prepared to address the following questions in your research graphic organizer // **S.I.P. LEGISLATIVE BILL WRITING GUIDE** // ([|Word] / [|Pages]) and to discuss more fully in your final class presentation.
 * Which person would be in support/opposition to your legislative bill: Hamilton or Jefferson? Why?
 * What political advocacy groups would be in support/opposition to your legislative bill? Why?
 * Which political party would most favor your legislative bill? Which political party would be most opposed? Why?
 * What compromises might you have to make to your bill in order to satisfy the interests of your political opponents?

Resources:
 *  Hamilton or Jefferson (Hart 147 - 154)
 *  [|Political Advocacy Groups]
 *  [|Issues, Organizations, & Interest Groups]
 *  On The Issues - Republican Party
 *  [|On The Issues - Democratic Party]
 * On The Issues - Libertarian Party - Where political leaders stand on various issues (compliments of Cameron B.)
 * On The Issues - Tea Party
 * [|On The Issues - Green Party]
 * [|Political Party Platforms](1840 - 2008)

Which way do you lean politically? Click on the link below and answer the questions in the survey to the best of your ability. Political Philosophy Survey

**Step 2 - Floor Debates** C) Floor Debate: Prepare for your :90 second legislative rebuttal using the template below.


 * Why is your legislative bill the best solution to this problem?
 * Arguments opposing your side (Why is your solution incorrect? Why is the issue not worth addressing?)
 * Rebuttals (challenges) to your position (How can you answer your critics?)
 * Legislative Rebuttal Template ([|Word] / [|Pages])
 * [|Legislative Bill Rubric] (Pages)

**I'm Just A Bill** media type="custom" key="12338822"

**Step 3 - Blog Reflection** ** (Graded) ** Due date: 2/5 by 8:00 am A) Blog Entry - Demonstrate your critical thinking by addressing the following points on your blog in video reflection (2 min. max).  Post the video to you blog and submit the link to your video blog post to [|Edmodo]

** Blog Title - SIP Reflection III ** ** Tags - ** **armstronghistory8, effective communicator**


 * Which political party of the past (Federalists or Democratic-Republicans) would support your bill? Why?
 * Which political parties or advocacy groups of today would support or oppose your legislative bill? Why?
 * Explain the arguments your legislative opponent made against your legislative bill?
 * What changes or compromises will you need to possibly consider in your legislative bill? Explain.

=Phase 4: Presentation Design=

Dates: 2/4 - 2/8


 * Step 1 - Complete all of the work for phases 1 -3 **
 * [|Social Issues Project - FINAL WEEK - Checklist]

**Step 2 - Become familiar with the IGNITE presentation format.** See resources listed at the bottom of the page.
 * 10 slides auto-advancing every 20 seconds (3:20) --OR-- 14 slides auto-advancing every 15 seconds (3:30). These times DO NOT include the first title slide or the final slide containing your image citations.
 * Create a highly visual presentation. Maximum of 6 words per slide (including words on images or in graphs) is allowed.
 * //** No note cards allowed **//

IGNITE Presentation examples
 * [|Student Sample Ignite Presentation - 2011]
 * [|Student Sample Slide Design]
 * [|Student Sample Blog Post]
 * IGNITE Seattle - How to buy a new car (YouTube)

**Step 2 - Tell the __story__ of your legislative bill.** ** (Graded- Summative) ** Dates: 2/11 - 2/15


 * [|IGNITE Project Rubric]
 * IGNITE Project Feedback Form

Prepare to address the following topics in your IGNITE presentation.
 * 1) Describe the social issue/problem in society and why we as citizens should care.
 * 2) Explain your solution to the problem (legislative bill) and why you believe it is the BEST solution.
 * 3) Explain how different interest groups from the past, Federalists or Democratic-Republicans, would have supported/opposed your legislative bill?
 * 4) Describe how the popular political parties or lobbying groups of today would either support or oppose your bill and why.
 * 5) Discuss any changes or compromises that you made to your bill as a result of your opponent's :90 second rebuttal in opposition to your legislative bill.
 * 6) Reflection - Address __**ONE**__ of the following at the end of your presentation.
 * What have you learned about how our government is structured? What's good? What's bad? What needs to change?
 * What have you learned about how a bill becomes a law? Is it a good process? Does it take too long?
 * What have you learned about the ability/inability of the government to create solutions to society's ills/problems through the legislative law making process?
 * What questions do you still have at the end of this project about our government, politics, the Constitution?
 * What important things have you learned about our government, history, or yourself through this project?

=IGNITE Presentation Resources=

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 * [|Pechakucha 20x20 Website]
 * [|IGNITE Website]

Photo Image Search Engines
 * [|Flickr Creative Commons]
 * [|Wylio Commons]
 * [|CompFight Image Search]