Title: Within
These Mountains...The West Virginia Legislature Makes the Laws
Grade Level: 8
Subjects:Social Studies, Mathematics, English/Language Arts, and Vocational
Technical Skills
Learner Outcomes:
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the organization of the legislative branch of government in West Virginia by completing an outline following research online using a table of hyperlinks provided.
- Students will learn more about the legal basis and functions of the West Virginia Legislature by summarizing selected sections of Article VI of the West Virginia Constitution.
- Students will examine an online map of West Virginia's state senatorial districts and translate the information into a Microsoft table.
- Students will examine an online map of West Virginia's state delegates districts and translate the information into a Microsoft table.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the function of the West Virginia Legislature by completing an online quiz at the West Virginia Legislature's Kids' Page.
- Students will exhibit an understanding of the process of how a bill becomes law by completing an online quiz at the West Virginia Legislature's Kids' Page.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the process required to amend the West Virginia Constitution by writing a summary of Article XIV of the West Virginia Constitution, following their online research of that site.
- Students will show an understanding of the apportionment process used by West Virginia by writing a summary of Article VI - Section 7 of the West Virginia Constitution and referring to their table containing the population of each county completed in lesson one.
Materials:
- Computer lab (or can be modified for classroom with one computer by using projector or by scheduling peer partners to research and work cooperatively)
- Paper and pencil for each student
- Assignment guide for each student to complete research independently
- Calculator for each student, if desktop calculators are not available
- Microsoft table of hyperlinks for lesson 3 on disk
Technology Tools/Courseware:
- Microsoft Word
- Desktop calculator
- Lesson 2 table of hyperlinks installed on individual computers
- Diskette for each student
Teacher Notes: Schedule computer lab according to school procedures. (These activities can also be completed independently by scheduling in a one-computer classroom or completed as a whole class with a projector.)
Procedures:
Students will research sites
listed and follow directions on the student research
guide to complete the following assignments independently:
- Outline of legislative branch
- Summaries of Article VI of the West Virginia Constitution
- Microsoft table of state senatorial districts, using population totals from population in each county in the districts
- Online quizzes about the legislature and how a bill becomes law.
- Summary of Article XIV of the West Virginia Constitution
- Graph of tax sources of revenue in West Virginia
Modifications:
- Check IEP or 504 plan of students with special needs to ensure that modifications suggested are followed.
- Students who experience difficulties with any activity can be paired with a peer tutor.
- Students with visual difficulties can use a blue transparency to cover reading materials
Enrichment Activities:
- Encourage students to research sites included in hyperlink table to learn more about recent laws passed by the West Virginia Legislature.
- Invite local delegate as guest speaker.
- Encourage students to share newspaper clippings of articles that include information about current issues, varying points of view concerning proposed legislation, and finances.
- Encourage students to include a tour of the Capitol with their parents during their summer vacation.
- Encourage students to research the site for West Virginia Development Office to learn which employment opportunities exist in areas of concentrated population and question why more people live in specific regions.
- Encourage students to research the site that includes a pdf of the driver's manual, a practice test for the driver's test, and other information regarding new legislation passed by the West Virginia legislature concerning driving laws that affect them..
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Article VI |
Senatorial Districts |
Article XIV |
Taxes |
Poster of Districts |
Districts |
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West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:
English/Language Arts
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Speaking |
Comprehension |
Vocabulary |
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Technology |
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8.19 8.22 8.23 8.29 8.30 8.31 |
8.39 |
8.50 8.51 8.58 8.59 8.63 8.64 |
8.73 8.75 8.81 8.82 |
8.84 8.85 8.86 8.94 8.101 8.25 |
8.135 8.137 8.142 8.143 8.144 |
8.146 8.147 8.148 8.151 8.153 8.154 8.155 |
Social Studies
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8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.11 8.15 |
8.18 8.19 8.22 |
8.35 8.37 |
8.55 |
8.60 8.61 8.62 8.63 8.64 8.65 8.68 8.70 |
Mathematics
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Number Sense |
Estimation |
Functions/ Algebra |
Statistics |
Technology |
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8.10 |
8.22 |
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8.50 8.57 8.58 8.59 |
| Problem Solving | 1,2,3,5,6,7,8 |
| Communication | 9,10,12 |
| Working with Others | 23 |
| Technology | 27,28,29,30,31,33 |
| Self Management | 34,35,36,38 |
West Virginia Department of Education Job/Career Clusters
Human Services
Engineering Technical
Fine Arts/Humanities
National Standards
| Technology | 2,3,4,5 |
| Language Arts | 1,3,4,5,6,7,9 |
| Mathematics | 1,2,3,6,8,9 |
| Civics | 1,3,4,5,7,8,9,11,13,14,17,18,20,28,29 |
| Economics | 6 |
| Historical Understanding | 1 |
| Geography | 1,3,5,9,10,12,13 |
| Life Work | 1,2,5,6,7,8 |
| Thinking and Reasoning | 2,3 |
| Self Regulation | 1,2,4 |
| Working with Others | 1,4,5 |
References:
West
Virginia Legislature Kids' Page
State of West Virginia
Main Page
West Virginia Secretary
of State's Page
WV Department of Education
- IGOs
National
Standards
Authors:
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