Phase 3: Full Legislative Session
Best for an individual or teams of teachers who are ready to dive into a semester long legislative simulation, coordinating the events of the semester between several class sections, culminating in a simulated legislative session where bills are debated and voted on.
It may seem daunting to imagine adopting a comprehensive semester-long curriculum like the Legislative Semester. Don’t despair! Although some schools have successfully implemented the entire program at once, it is also possible to adopt in phases, or to utilize only some elements of the program. For a description of each element of the course, see the Program page.
After implementing Phase 1 (Classroom Deliberation) and Phase 2 (Committee hearings) Phase 3 adds two dynamic features which serve to expand student understanding of the democratic process and additionally raises to a new level students growing sense of empowerment which has been evolving since the early weeks of the program The first feature is the introduction of leadership positions related specifically to the Full Session. The second feature is the Full Session which replicates with a great deal of authenticity how Congress and State Assemblies function. Adding these two elements to the simulation will allow your school to fully enact the legislative process from start to finish, by creating a fully functioning legislature complete with a Speaker of the House, and leadership of the majority and minority parties.
MATERIALS
The following thirteen sections describe the entire simulation, including Phase 1 (Classroom Deliberation) Phase 2 (Committee Hearings) and Phase 3 (Full Legislative Session)
Section 1: Introduction
The Legislative Semester’s engaging eighteen-week curriculum is designed to prepare students to live a civic life and by learning the principles of democracy, develop a lifelong interest in the political process.
Section 2: Rules Committee
The Rules Committee is the leadership arm of the Legislative Semester and plays a major role in working toward this curriculum goal. Schools with five or less class sections will elect two Representatives from each class while schools with more than five sections will be represented by one student from each class.
Section 3: First Week
It is critical the first week and initial class/Committee Meeting convey a legislative atmosphere. The teacher calls the meeting to order with the bang of a gavel so that students are immediately exposed to the fundamental principles and structures embedded in the curriculum’s design.
Section 4: Political Spectrum/Exploring Issues
During these first few weeks, a transformation begins to take place. Not only has the classroom become a Committee Meeting, but students are so engaged they are almost unaware they are seeking legislative solutions to current issues they have identified as relevant.
Section 5: Party Declaration
Some teachers have chosen to not have their students formally declare a party affiliation, and yet still, the program remained a powerful and enriching experience for their students. However, for those schools incorporating this section into their program, Party Declaration Day in week four is one of the five signature days unique to the LS program; it is also one of the days that highlights how an intentional curriculum within a student-centered classroom connects learning to the real world.
Section 6: Issue Group Formation
Democracy is the business of interacting with people, and now that students have made a party declaration and have a more informed understanding of current issues facing society, they are trying to find others with similar views in order to form Issues Groups and begin the process of authoring bills together.
Section 7: Issue Group Preparation Bill Writing
During these four weeks, students are honing their researching, writing, and speaking skills. Simultaneously, they are learning how to build a convincing argument and write a formal legislative bill. Students are not just participating in activities, they are thinking every day about how to proceed so that their bill will be approved. They care about what is happening and the climate in the room is one that has moved well beyond engagement into full student ownership.
Section 8: Leadership Role Descriptions/Elections
The process of electing students to Full Session leadership positions involves three weeks of the semester. At the point in the semester when the events and experiences of the elections process are implemented, Issue Groups are gearing up to write bills so both experiences are operating concurrently.
Section 9: Committee Hearings Process
Committee Hearing Day is the culminating event of the program. It is a day filled with emotional displays of competency and motivation with the six key concepts of the curriculum on full display. Students are in charge and are accountable to each other, not their teacher. They have become experts on the issues they are debating.
Section 10: Full Session Speech Preparation
Debate during the Full Session is controlled by the Speaker of the House. Preparation begins immediately after the Committee Hearings as students begin preparing floor speeches for review by their party leadership.
Section 11: Full Session Organization
Every event, experience, and assignment beginning with the first day of the semester has been focused on preparing students for the Full Session. An entire day, and for most schools two days, is devoted to the debate of bills that have passed out of committee. The complex array of rules and procedures that guide the participants in the Full Session are entirely managed by the students. The voice of teacher is absent the entire time.
Section 12: Full Session
The day of the Full Session belongs to the students. While it is the Speaker of the House who is in control of the entire event, it is the coordinated efforts of each individual student, the Rules Committee, Issue Groups, and those holding leadership positions that provide focus and purpose to the Full Session.
Section 13: Debriefing
If the goal of this experience is for students to learn how democracy works, then it is critical for them to have time to process what has happened during the Committee Hearings and throughout the entire semester. Giving students opportunity to reflect on what they have been doing and any changes that may have occurred in their thinking provides the possibility for genuine learning to occur. This last week is dedicated to that all important, often omitted part of the learning experience—reflection.