The Legislative Process: A Comic Strip Guide

Teachers and educators can use the How a Bill Becomes a Law comic strip activity to teach students about the legislative process. The project is designed for students to create a comic strip that teaches younger students how a bill becomes a law. It includes roles for each group member and a template to follow. The activity can be completed digitally or as a worksheet. Teachers can assess the students' work based on creativity, chronological organization, neatness, and mechanics (spelling and grammar). This project is a fun and engaging way for students to learn about the lawmaking process and apply their knowledge of the legislative process.

Students can learn about legislative processes

The project can be assigned to students as an in-class or digital activity, with the option of using Google Slides or a worksheet. Students will be provided with a template to follow and roles for each group member to ensure a clear understanding of the legislative process.

The comic strip will cover the following steps:

• A bill is requested by the people and sent to a congressman.
• The congressman debates the bill in a committee to decide its fate.
• If the bill passes the committee stage, it moves to the House of Representatives for a vote.
• If the bill is favored by the House of Representatives, it is sent to the Senate for another vote.
• If the bill is favored by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is then sent to the president for signature or veto.
• If the bill is vetoed by the president, it is sent back to Congress, and the process starts over.

Through this project, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the legislative process and the various stages a bill must go through to become a law. They will also have the opportunity to think about issues that are important to them and how they can contribute to creating positive change.

Students can consider what issues are important to them

The project can be adapted to suit different learning styles and preferences, with options to complete the activity on Google Slides or as a traditional worksheet. Students can work individually or in groups, following provided templates and assigned roles. The final product will be a comic strip that teaches younger students about the law-making process.

Students should understand that a bill is requested by the people and sent to a congressman, who will debate it in a committee. If the bill is debated favorably, it moves on to the House of Representatives for a vote. If it passes there, it goes to the Senate, and then, if it is still in favor, to the president to be signed or vetoed. This process can be lengthy, and if a bill is vetoed, it returns to Congress for reconsideration.

Through this project, students can develop their knowledge of the legislative process and apply it creatively to an issue they care about. They can consider the steps a bill must go through to become a law and the potential challenges and setbacks along the way. This activity encourages critical thinking, creativity, and a practical understanding of civics and government.

Students can illustrate the lawmaking process

The project can be structured with specific roles for each group member and a template to follow. The comic strip can be created using traditional worksheet methods or digitally, using platforms such as Google Slides.

The comic strip should include the various legislative processes that occur when bills are introduced in government. For example, a bill is requested by the people and sent to a congressman, where it is debated in a committee. If the bill passes this stage, it moves on to the House of Representatives for a vote. If it is successful there, it is then sent to the Senate for another vote. If the bill is passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is sent to the president to be signed or vetoed. If vetoed, the bill is sent back to Congress, and the process starts over.

Students should aim to create a comprehensive final piece of work that is neat, well-designed, and attention-grabbing. The comic strip should be complete and accurately depict the steps of a bill becoming a law, with captions correlating to the pictures. This project allows students to take ownership of the material and apply their knowledge of the legislative process.

Students can apply their knowledge of the legislative process

For example, students can create a storyboard that depicts a bill being requested by the people and sent to a congressman, where it is then debated in a committee. If the bill passes this stage, it moves on to the House of Representatives for a vote, and if it is successful there, it is sent to the Senate for another vote. If both the House and the Senate are in favor of the bill, it is then sent to the president to be signed or vetoed. If vetoed, the bill goes back to Congress, and the process starts over.

This activity can be assessed based on creativity, chronological organization, neatness, and the accurate depiction of the legislative process. Students can be encouraged to make their comic strips colorful, well-illustrated, and with captions that accurately reflect the process of a bill becoming a law.

Students can be creative and organise information chronologically

To begin, students should be introduced to the concept of the legislative process and how bills become laws. This can be done through class discussions, readings, or other instructional materials. Once students have a basic understanding of the topic, they can start working on their comic strips.

The comic strip project can be structured in a few different ways. Students can work individually or in groups, with each group member assigned a specific role. The project should include a template or rubric to ensure that all necessary information is included and that the comic strip is well-organised and easy to follow.

The rubric should evaluate the following criteria:

• Creativity and chronological organisation: Students should demonstrate their understanding of the legislative process by organising the information in a logical and chronological manner. The comic strip should tell a clear story that follows the steps of a bill becoming a law.
• Completeness and accuracy: Each panel of the comic strip should correlate with the legislative process, and the captions should accurately reflect each step. Students should ensure that their work is complete, neat, and well-organised.
• Visuals and engagement: The comic strip should be visually appealing, with the use of colour and illustrations that complement the content. The layout should be well-designed and attention-grabbing, demonstrating a high level of craftsmanship.
• Mechanics and grammar: The text within the comic strip, including captions and speech bubbles, should be free of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.

By following these guidelines, students can create informative and engaging comic strips that demonstrate their understanding of the legislative process and how a bill becomes a law. This project allows students to take ownership of their learning and apply their knowledge in a creative and chronological manner.

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