Date: _________________________________________
Objectives: The students will
I. identify resources where they can find information regarding the state of American Democracy.
II. compare the Watergate scandal with that of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair
III. review the major elements of the Constitution of the United
States
Warm Up Activity (Anticipatory Set): Vocabulary: Chapter 4: The Bill of Rights
A) List the some or all of the following vocabulary terms on the overhead
projector.
B) These terms come from Chapter 4 of American Civics
| Vocabulary Terms:
Chapter Four, American Civics
Page Numbers are indicated below. |
|
| Section 1 | Sections 2 and 3 |
|
Section Two
1) Civil Rights (84)
Section Three 11) List five (5) duties of citizenship (86-87)
|
B) Have students use their texts to define these terms in writing and in oral discussion. One might assign cooperative groups two or three terms and have those groups report their definitions to the class as others take notes. Have student groups place their definitions on overhead transparencies and allow the students to teach the class.
C) A Vocabulary Matching exercise is available
for Section One's terms.
| Vocabulary Terms: Chapter Five, Government in America | |
| Section 1 | Supreme Court Cases |
|
Investigate the following cases. Describe the facts
of the case and the Supreme Court's decision in the case.
1) Engel v. Vitale (pg. 146)
|
Main Activity (Instructional Input): Watergate vs. Zippergate
A) Have students read aloud pp. 46-49: Watergate: A Test of the Constitution
B) After the reading, have students list similarities and differences between Watergate and what they know of the Lewinsky affair.
C) Use internet and print articles to illustrate these points.
|
|
|
|
| What crime is that the heart of the scandal? | Nixon tried to cover
up the fact that he ordered the 1972 Watergate break-in. The actual crime
is called "obstruction of justice."
|
Clinton was accused of
lying under oath during a lawsuit, which is perjury. He may also have been
guilty of obstruction of justice.
|
| How is the President involved? |
The president ordered the break-in and then used the powers of his office to cover up the conspiracy. The President claimed "executive privilege" in that he refused to release information on the cover-up to Congress. |
The President was involved in a civil lawsuit involving sexual harassment. During the deposition, he gave false and misleading responses to the questions put to him by the special prosecutor. |
| How is the Congress involved? |
The House of Representatives had begun impeachment hearings to determine if a vote by the full house was in order. Once the hearings had begun, Nixon resigned his office, the first president ever to do so. |
The House of Representatives
did bring articles of impeachment against President Clinton after the House
Judiciary Committee found that there was enough evidence to impeach
the president. The Senate
found the President not guilty, lacking the needed two thirds vote to convict and remove from office. |
| How is the Supreme Court involved? |
The Supreme Court ruled against the President in US v Nixon ruled "Neither the doctrine of separation of powers, nor the need for confidentiality can sustain an absolute, unqualified Presidential privilege of immunity from judicial process."
|
The Supreme Court played
very little role in the Lewinsky scandal other than the constitutional
role played by the Chief Justice in the impeachment trial.
|
| What are the charges against the President? | Obstruction of Justice
|
Perjury
|
Examples (Modeling): Diagram: The Structure of American Government
A) Display the diagram of the three branches of government.
B) Have students use Page 42 to complete the chart. review students' responses orally.
Check For Understanding: Exercises on Checks and Balances
A) Display or distribute questions on checks and balances.
B) Have students identify which branch is being checked and which branch
holds the power.
Guided Practice: Research In the Library
A) Distribute 3 white 3 x 5 index cards to each individual in student groups.
B) Students must place one key idea on each card as they research their assigned democracy questions.
Homework (Independent Practice): Three Branches In The News
Using newspapers, news broadcasts, or the Internet, have students
find one or more news stories that illustrates the powers of the three
branches and the way they check on each others' powers described in the
activity above. Also, have students create a large diagram of the impeachment
process. As the Congress acts on the Lewinsky scandal, keep track of the
process by posting headlines on the diagram to show where the Congress
is in the process.
Wrap-Up Activity (Closure): Illustrating the Freedoms of the Bill of Rights
A) Have students draw a picture, use magazine articles and photos, or write a poem to illustrate which freedom in the bill of rights they feel is most important to them. Have them right a paragraph about the meaning of the right they chose and have them include an explanation of why they chose those that right.
B) Allow students time to present their poems, illustrations, or artwork
to the class.
Evaluation: The lesson will be evaluated by:
I. the accuracy of student's written responses;
II. student's scores on future tests and quizzes.