How Do State Senators and Their Constituencies Influence Each Other?
In this lesson, students will explore how they can work through their state senators to change their communities for the better.
How can we identify a senator’s goals and priorities?
- Practice independent research skills
- Make strong arguments about state senators’ goals and priorities based on various factors
- Categorize state senators based on their perceived interest in water quality and/or environmental issues
What factors shape a senator’s goals and priorities?
- Consider the various factors that may motivate state senators to make certain decisions and have certain priorities
- Reflect on how a state senator’s constituency is likely to influence their decisions and priorities
- Consider to what extent a state senator’s priorities and decisions should reflect the wishes of their constituents
- Brainstorm about how state senators collect information about what their constituents want and need
How should we approach senators with our ideas?
- Explore their options for influencing the decisions of senators, distinguishing between direct and indirect methods
- Discuss strategies for approaching senators with varying levels of interest in water quality/environmental issues
Discipline: Social Studies
Sub-discipline(s): Civics
Grade level: 9-12
Summative Performance Task
Description: Using the senator case files they created as a class, the students will write an essay or participate in a dialogue about state senators’ priorities and how they would approach them about their solution plans.
Assessment method(s): Essay; dialogue
Assessment criteria:
- Did the student make strong arguments about what each senator’s priorities are, backed by evidence from the case files?
- Did the student make strong arguments about what motivates each senator, backed by evidence from the case files related to the characteristics of their district?
- Did the student clearly describe the strategies they would use to approach each senator about supporting a water quality initiative or project (such as their solution plan)?
- Did the student make strong arguments in defense of their chosen strategies, relative to the priorities of each senator?
Taking Informed Action
Description: Using the senator case files they created as a class, the students will write an essay about which state senator they would want to approach and why.
Assessment method(s): Essay
Assessment criteria:
- Did the student explain which senator they would most want to approach about water quality issues, providing multiple strong arguments in support of their choice?
- Did the student make strong arguments about the senator’s priorities, backed by evidence from the case files?
- Did the student make strong arguments about what motivates the senator, backed by evidence from the case files related to the characteristics of their district?
- Did the student clearly describe the strategies they would use to approach the senator about supporting a water quality initiative or project (like their solution plan)t?
- Did the student make strong arguments in defense of their chosen strategies, relative to the priorities of the senator?
Types of activities featured in this lesson plan...
C3 Standards
- D1.5.9-12 Determine the kinds of sources that will be helpful in answering compelling and supporting questions, taking into consideration multiple points of view represented in the sources, the types of sources available, and the potential uses of the sources.
- D2.Civ.5.9-12 Evaluate citizens’ and institutions’ effectiveness in addressing social and political problems at the local, state, tribal, national, and/or international level.
- D2.Civ.7.9-12 Apply civic virtues and democratic principles when working with others.
- D4.1.9-12 Construct arguments using precise and knowledgeable claims, with evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging counterclaims and evidentiary weaknesses.
Interdisciplinary Connections
Give your students a more integrated educational experience
Overlapping standards and skills
- English: Activities in this lesson that involve writing (including the summative performance task) offer opportunities to assess the students’ writing skills. Language arts standards related to grade-level writing skills will be relevant.
- English: As the students collect information about state senators, they will need to use research skills to find credible and relevant sources. They will learn how to find and use different kinds of sources (e.g. a newspaper article versus a state senator’s online blog). You may also have them practice citing the sources they use to build their senator case files.
- Geography: During the second part of this inquiry, the students will research senators’ districts and constituencies. In particular, they will reflect on how a district’s economy, geography, demographics, history, culture, etc. can affect the priorities of senators and their constituents. As they complete the related activities they will have an opportunity to “evaluate how humans have utilized and adapted to their physical environment” (SS HS.3.3.b).
- History: Consider taking this opportunity to teach your students about notable state senators in the history of your state/country. Similarly, to demonstrate the importance of the relationship between senators and citizens, you could teach your students about historical events in which state senators and their constituents influenced each other’s decisions.
- Psychology: In this lesson, students explore factors that motivate state senators to make certain decisions and focus their attention on certain issues. In this way, this lesson partially fulfills the following national psychology education standards: “Explain biological, cognitive, and social factors that influence motivation;” “Explain the role of culture in human motivation.”
Relevant lessons from other disciplines
English Lesson: What does it mean to be a researcher?
English Lesson: How can I create an annotated bibliography for a paper or project?
Part of the "Civic Action - A Closer Look" collection
Economics Lesson: What role does money play in community problem-solving?
Civics Lesson: How should citizens utilize their state’s legislative process to accomplish their goals?
Interdisciplinary Lesson: How does scientific data influence the legislative process?