Student Handouts

• Handout A: Background Essay – Congress in the Modern Era
• Handout B: Congressional Member’s Staff Chart
• Handout C: Political Cartoons

Teacher Resources

• Congress in the Modern Era Answer Key

• Casework
• Congressional support staff
• Dysfunction
• Oversight
• Gridlock
• Patronage
• Special interest groups (SIGs)

1. Have students read Handout A: Background Essay—Congress in the Modern Era. Direct the students to number the paragraphs as they read, and to annotate the reading to identify key ideas, unfamiliar vocabulary and support information. Students will answer the critical thinking questions at the end of the passage.
2. Before class, prepare large sheets of chart paper, butcher paper, or poster board for groups of 3-4 students.
3. Prior to class divide students into groups of 3-4 depending on size of class so they can quickly move into work groups. Teachers might post a list on the board so students may check as they enter to save class time.

As students enter, have them check the group assigned. Have students number the paragraphs from 1 to 16. Students will review the annotations from the previous night’s reading individually.

Activity II: Congressional Staff » 30 minutes

1. Distribute Handout B: Congressional Member’s Staff Chart to the class and read the directions together; explain that they will find most of the information needed in the essay read for homework. Using Handout A, have students work in their small groups to complete Handout B: Congressional Member’s Staff Chart.
   1. The students will also use the website identified under the directions (http://www.congressfoundation.org/congressional-operations/new-member-resource-center/136-job-descriptions-house-office-sample) to learn about the role of the Home Staff within the member’s district office. Ask the student to answer the questions in the space below the chart.
   2. Discuss students’ answers. Check that they understand that while the focus is different, each of the offices provides support to the member in carrying out his or her roles as an elected delegate. Remind students that in previous lessons, they learned the roles of the member of Congress. The teacher should list those roles on the board: lawmaker/legislator, representative of their constituents, members of committees, caseworker, and politician. Ask students to suggest ways the two kinds of staff members (Capitol Hill and District) help in each of these roles.
   3. As a class, discuss how the day-to-day operations of these congressional offices affect the reelection of the candidate. Have the student give a specific example of how the congressional offices might help and how they could hurt the candidate.

Activity III: Video » 20 minutes

1. Either show the YouTube video in class or ask students to view for homework. The teacher may download the video before class if YouTube is blocked at their school.
   1. “Congressional Decisions: Crash Course Government and Politics” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT9ipQdYL-s (time 6:35)
   2. Before discussing the video, directly teach the vocabulary. Ask students which terms were presented in the video. Ask for examples.
      1. Casework
      2. Congressional support staff
      3. Dysfunction
      4. Oversight
      5. Gridlock
      6. Patronage
      7. Special interest groups (SIGs)
   3. Remind students to take notes. Briefly discuss why representatives in Congress do what they do.

Activity IV: Political Cartoons » 25 minutes

1. Review the term dysfunction as a class.
2. Distribute Handout C: Political Cartoons to each student. Ask students to examine the cartoons, discuss with a partner, and respond to questions.
   • After they write their response, call on several students to explain their answers.
3. Put the following quote on the board or document camera. Remind students of the Federalist Papers. Have each student write in their note books, or on paper to turn in, what the student believes Madison meant by the statement in Federalist No. 51:
   

   “You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.” James Madison, Federalist No. 51

4. Give students just 5 minutes to write. Then, ask students to skip a line and write a sentence or two that describes how the quote might be linked to the cartoons.

1. Use the Gallup Poll from November 2015 to generate reflections on the lesson and how the figures reflect on the dysfunction of Congress. Project on screen or make copies. http://www.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx
2. Ask students to explain the data using these questions:
   1. What trend does the graph indicate?
   2. What might account for the trend?
   3. Since 1974, when did the public record the highest approval rating for Congress?
   4. What might be a reason for the difference in the approval rating?

1. For homework, ask students to write a one-page description of how the day-to-day operations of a congressional office affect the congressional re-election of the candidate.
2. Assign students to search online for articles and sources related to congressional dysfunction or reform. Students are to read one of their articles and present a summary to the class. The student should make some connection to the current congressional difficulties.
3. Have students contact the office of their member of Congress. If they are not certain who that is, they can use the link https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative to find the member using the student’s zip code. Clicking on the member’s name will take the student to the Congress member’s webpage, which will contain the mailing addresses and email address for the district and Capitol Hill offices.
   1. Students should write and mail a letter to their representative. Students should determine a central question to ask their representative that is related to this lesson. Possible questions students could ask include:
      1. What is your legislative philosophy? By being a member of Congress, what do you hope to achieve for your constituents and for the nation?
      2. What are the biggest challenges you have faced as a member of Congress? How did you respond to these challenges?
      3. How do you view political parties, and how do they influence, if at all, how you vote on legislation? Do you believe parties help Congress members complete their work, or do they harm the legislative process?
      4. What inspired you to run for office? What goal did you set for yourself that you are most proud of accomplishing?
      5. Do you believe Congress is dysfunctional, or does it function as intended? If you could change the way Congress works, how would you change it?
   2. On their member’s website, students can also see when their member will be in the district to meet and interact with constituents. They may choose to attend an event and ask these questions in person.