ERIC ED460893: The Connecticut General Assembly: Teacher's Manual for Visitation Program of the Connecticut Consortium for Law and Citizenship Education, Inc.

55 Pages·1995·1.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SO 028 509
ED 460 893
Richards, Margaret
AUTHOR
The Connecticut General Assembly: Teacher's Manual for
TITLE
Visitation Program of the Connecticut Consortium for Law and
Citizenship Education, Inc.
Connecticut Consortium for Law and Citizenship Education,
INSTITUTION
Inc., Hartford.
Connecticut Humanities Council, Middletown.
SPONS AGENCY
1995-00-00
PUB DATE
55p.; Appendices not included in ERIC version.
NOTE
Connecticut Consortium for Law & Citizenship Education,
AVAILABLE FROM
Inc., Program Office, 30 Trinity Street, Hartford, CT 06106.
Tel: [phone].
Classroom
Teacher (052)
Guides
PUB TYPE
MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
EDRS. PRICE
.
*Citizenship Education; *Civics; Constitutional History;
DESCRIPTORS
Governmental Structure; High Schools; *Law Related
Education; Political Science; Social Studies; State History;
Teaching Guides; United States History
*Connecticut
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This program is intended for easy incorporation into
curricula on U.S. history, state and local government, or contemporary issues
and events. The objective is for high school students to gain direct exposure
to the workings of the Connecticut state legislature and the decision-making
process. The teacher's manual contains an introduction, a guide for teachers,
"Introduction to the Connecticut General
and seven sections, including:
(1)
"Organizing for the
"Getting Elected to be a Lawmaker";
Assembly";
(3)
(2)
"Do You Think
"The Process of Lawmaking";
Business of Lawmaking";
(5)
(4)
"Exploring Careers at the General Assembly";
There Ought to be a Law?";
(6)
"A Final Word: Senator Kevin Sullivan."
and (7)
(EH)
.
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
Teacher's Manual for Visitation Program
of the
Connecticut Consortium for
Law and Citizenship Education, Inc.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
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TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Points of view or opinions stated in this
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
2
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
This Program was funded by a grant from
The Connecticut Endowment for the Humanities
CONNECTICUT
rri.}11110r_,
HUMANITIES
COUNCIL
Author
LEGISLATIVE VISITATION MANUAL
Margaret Richards
Program Director
Connecticut Legislative Visitation
Joani K. Byer
Editorial Assistance
Margaret Schmidt
Veronica Rose, Office of Legislative Research
Secretarial Assistance
Michele Provencal Mader
Program Steering Committee
Joani K. Byer, William H. Hall High School
Dr. Christopher Collier, State Historian
Jill Cromwell, CIT Director, League of Women Voters
Representative Denise W. Merrill, 54th District
David Ogle, Executive Director, Office of Legislative Management
Margaret Richards, Curriculum Consultant
Dr. James Schmidt, Executive Director, CCLCE, Inc.
Senator Kevin B. Sullivan, 5th District
Dear Colleague:
Law and Citizenship Education, Inc., is to provide
The mission of the Connecticut Consortium for
and their students understand the law and the rights and
resources to help Connecticut teachers
series of those resources that
responsibilities of a citizen. This Teacher's Manual is another in a
engage students through participation.
be a complement to its Court
Conceived over ten years ago by members of its Board of Directors to
five phases:
Visitation Program, this Legislative Visitation Program involves
the issues
A Legislator in the Classroom activity to help students understand
session
which will come before the General Assembly in the next legislative
of interest to the
A student research project on one or more issues which are
class
which this
A classroom unit on the workings of the General Assembly, to
Manual is directed
view the legislative
A visit to the General Assembly when it is in session to
research with their legislator(s)
process "for real" and to share student
A mock legislature in the classroom following their field trip
generously of their
Naturally, this project is the work of many dedicated individuals who gave so
time to write, edit, field test and assist us in putting it together.
ferreting out resources to help
Margaret Richards, our curticulum consultant, spent many hours
like to thank Veronica Rose of
teach about the legislative process in Connecticut. We would also
of Women Voters for their
the Office of Legislative Research and Jill Croinwell of the League
with us and helped in
valuable assistance to Margaret. Several legislators participated in the project
Ferrari. The teachers who
editing the Manual, especially Rep. Denise Merrill and Rep. Richard
worked well in the classroom and
piloted it the first year lent valuable assistance in telling us what
what needed revision.
Office of Legislative
We are especially indebted to Mr. David Ogle, Executive Director of the
final product.
Management, for his help in moving our ideas from the drawing board to the
in the discussion stage.
Without his expertise and guidance, this cooperative effort would still be
Council that this project got off the
It was only with the assistance of the Connecticut Humanities
and field test it in
ground. They provided us with the financial resources to prepare this Manual
schools around the state.
understand the dynamic and
It is hoped that with this Teacher's Manual, students will better
and continues to be. The
interesting process that making laws in Connecticut has always been
Consortium believes
performance-based activities envisioned in this program are the way the
students learn best about the difficult job of making good laws.
other activities in this project,
For additional copies of this Manual or help with implementing the
CT 06106 or call 566-3904.
please contact the Program office at 30 Trinity Street, Hartford,
Sincerely,
Joani K. Byer
Project Manager
4
tate of (Connaticut
JOINT COMMITTEE ON
LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT
LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING
HARTFORD. CONNECTICUT 06106-1591
PHONE [phone]
FOREWORD
For more than three hundred and fifty years -- from the Fundamental Orders of 1639
to the current Constitution of 1965 -- citizen participation in representative government has
been the cornerstone of Connecticut's governmental and political processes.
It is through participation in government and politics that citizens can best acquire
knowledge and information about the varied and complex issues that face our state and nation,
and about the intricacies of democracy which Winston Churchill described as "the worst form
of government except for all the others that have been tried from time to time. "
Despite Connecticut's long-standing tradition and commitment to the principle of
participatory democracy, the vast majority of our state's citizens pass through adolescence and
into adulthood with little or no direct exposure to or contact with their representatives who
serve them in the halls of the State Capitol.
The Legislative Visitation Program, designed, developed and sponsored by the
Connecticut Consortium for Law and Citizenship Education, offers our state's high school
students -- Connecticut's leaders of tomorrow -- an opportunity for direct exposure to and
involvement in the exciting, fascinating and sometimes frustrating activities and decision-
making processes of their state legislature. The program is intended for easy incorporation
into curricula on American history, state and local government, or contemporary issues and
The enhanced understanding that program participants will acquire of their
events.
governmental system through direct contact with their elected and appointed representatives,
and through the opportunity to closely observe laws being made, will surely enable them to
better prepare for the transition to higher education and the responsibilities of adulthood in a
free society.
for the Legislative Visitation Program is the product of
While this
Teacher's Manual
deserving of special mention
many hours of work by countless volunteers, four individuals are
for their yeoman efforts. Joani Byer of William T. Hall High School in West Hartford, project
5
Prnted on ',maw grow
director for the program, has never ceased in pursuit of her dream to make the program a
reality. Margaret Richards put in more hours than anyone could possibly imagine in preparing
State Representative Denise Wright Merrill, who formerly served as the
this manual.
Consortium's executive director and edited the teacher's guide on "350 Years of Connecticut
Government," continues to provide strong support for the program and for the Consortium in
her elected capacity.
Finally, Dr. James Schmidt, Executive Director of the Consortium for
law and Citizenship Education, has been the glue that has held everything together. The
people of Connecticut owe a debt of gratitude to these four individuals for their unstinting
commitment to and faith in our state's future -- its young people.
David B. Ogle
Executive Director
Joint Committee on Legislative Management
LEGISLATIVE VISITATION MANUAL
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION TO LEGISLATIVE
VISITATION PROGRAM
Joani K. Byer, Program Director
David B. Ogle, Executive Director, Office of
Legislative Management
GUIDE FOR TEACHERS
Objectives
Suggested Unit Plan and Arranging the General
Assembly Visitation
Bibliography
Page
I
Section
INTRODUCTION TO THE CONNECTICUT
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
9
II
Section
GETTING ELECTED TO BE A LAWMAKER
17
Section III ORGANIZING FOR THE
BUSINESS OF LAWMAKING
19
Section IV THE PROCESS OF
LAWMAKING
25
Section V DO YOU THINK THERE
OUGHT TO BE A 'LAW?
43
Section VI EXPLORING CAREERS AT
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
47
Section VII A FINAL WORD. SENATOR
KEVIN SULLIVAN
49
UNIT
THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW...
Grades 7 - 12 Minimum - 2 weeks
Guide for Teachers
incorporated into curriculum
This material on lawmaking in Connecticut may be
history,-contemporary, issues or state and local government.
on U.S.
participatory, cooperative and reality-based
Obectives: Through experiences which use
learning strategies, students will:
CI'S Process Model following);
1. improve critical thinking skills (see
lawmaking procedures used by the
2. increase their understanding .of the
Connecticut General Assembly; and
citizenship through observing and modeling
3. develop practical action skills for
The skills will include:
the lawmaking process in Connecticut.
significant public concern;
identifying and defining a problem of
of solving a problem
considering the advantages and disadvantages
through the legislative process;
gather information, opinions
using a variety of 'community resources to
and perspectives on public issues;
persuading, advocating;
interviewing, questioning, listening, explaining,
supporting and leading other people;
decisions.
negotiating, mediating, compromising and making
1
8
UNASSESSED INFORMATION
From
School, Home, Community, Books
Magazines, TV, Newspapers, Maps, Etc.
Basic Skills
Interpret maps, charts, graphs, timelines, and other symbolic materials; locate and select information using
appropriate reference materials; organize information into categories, and understand history--social science
vocabulary.
Critical Thinking Skills *
L DEFINING AND CLARIFYING THE PROBLEM
A. Idgatilysantalissaur=121g=
B. Compare similarities and differences.
C. Determine which information is relevant,
D. Formulate appropriate questions,
E. Express problems clearly and concisely.
IL JUDGING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE PROBLEM
A. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment.
B. Check consistency,
C. Identify unstated assumptions.
D. Recognize stereotypes and cliches,
E. Recognize bias. emotional factors. propag. da. and semantic slanting.
F. Recognize value orientations and ideologies,
ELL SOLVING PROBLEMS / DRAWING CONCLUSIONS
A. Recognize the adequacy of data,
B. Identify reasonable alternatives.
C. Test conclusions or hypotheses.
D. Predict probable consequences.
Process Outcomes
The desired outcomes of the above process are students who can:
Assess information around them, defme problems, weigh evidence, and draw conclusions.
Participate effectively as citizens in a representative democracy.
Defend and justify intellectual and personal values, present and critique arguments, and appreciate the view-
points of others.
*Underlined skills are assessed in the objective portion of the statewide test.
CTS PROCESS MODEL
2
Suggested Unit Plan
Introductory discussion and activity
Concept of need for laws through
Introduce:
participatory activity such as the Island Game.
Can all problems be solved by a law?
Discussion:
What are other ways?
What are advantages of legal solutions?
What are disadvantages?
laws
What have been sources of authority to make
Historical perspectives:
and compel people to obey them?
its
Where does the Connecticut General Assembly get
authority to make laws for the state?
Organize the class as a model General Assembly
of concern to them and their
students identify up to four problems which are
- Have
before the current session of the
community and which are related to an issue coming
General Assembly. (See Appendices A and E)
Ask each subcommittee to
Divide the class into subcommittees, one for each problem.
-
in Connecticut.
divide into representatives of the,major political parties
problem by:
Have each subcommittee research solutions to its
-
and other resource
interviewing interest groups, lobbyists, local legislators
people (See Appendices A and B);
through the media;
tracking the problem and the solutions suggested
position papers, statements
gathering relevant data from statistical information,
about costs and funds available, etc.
subcommittee caucus and develop a
Have members of the political parties on each
-
this point there may be majority and
legislative proposal addressing the problem. At
minority proposals.
by each subcommittee on
preliminary hearing before the whole class for reports
- Hold a
problems researched and solutions proposed.
1 0
3