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Unit Plan Outline: Week 1

Chapter 14: Executive Branch
University of Redlands
Joe Almasy
Tammy Warren
Text: Magruders American Government ,Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Chapter 14 The Presidency in Action
1. Day 1

Executive Power, KWL verbal assessment

E Question: Does the President have too much power?
Article II of The Constitution states: The executive power shall be
vested in a President of the United States of America.

Power to execute federal laws

Effect of media on presidency

Broad view{Rooseveldt) vs. limited view {Taft) of

presidency

Handouts: Political Cartoon to analyze, discuss on day 2,

rubric

2. Day 2

Ordinance Power (with Congressional Approval)

a. Should the President have the power to make laws, declare
war alone?
b. Prezi Presentation by Mark Hernandez on 8 March 2013
c. Students work in groups on vocab fill-in sheet

3. Day 3

Appointment Power
Can the President remove any Government Employee?

Ambassadors

Cabinet (secy of state, press secy)

Agencies (EPA, Nasa)

Judges

Officers of Armed Forces

Video: Illustrating Roles of each, students take notes
Power to Make Treaties, Commander in Chief

4. Day 4

Can the President form Alliances with other countries?

5. Day 5

Foreign Policy

Terrorism

Study guide for quiz, day 5

Game, play Jeopardy as review Before Quiz,
take quiz, correct quiz in class

Outline: Week 2
Chapter 15: Executive Branch, Government as a Bureaucracy
6. Day 6

Cabinet (Mini Lesson Plan 1)

Cabinet
Students choose cabinet jobs, VP
Research them in text
handouts w/ current Secy Pics

Agencies

Video- Youtube: Inside the White House Cabinet

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7. Day 7 Research Cabinet Jobs Powerpoint presentation

Students choose cabinet jobs in pairs

Research each of their roles for upcoming project in text

8. Day 8
Does the President have to follow his Cabinets advice?
Worksheets with vocab to fill out in class
Day 9

Terrorism (Mini Lesson Plan 2) Power point presentation

Definition of Terrorism

Taliban, Hamas, Isis

Essential Question Have we been successful in the war on terror?

Chemical and Biological Warfare
Although Iraq signed the BTWC in 1972UN weapons inspections showed they were
manufacturing BW in Salman Pak and Al Hakam. Weaponization started in 1985 and
BW were used on animals in 1988. There, Iraq mass-produced anthrax, botulinum, toxin,
ricin, and aflatoxin and investigated many others. A defector, lieutenant General Hussein
Kamel left for the west in 1995, he verified extensive BW program, but claimed to detroy
all the stockpiles. UNSCOM was unable to verify these claims.

Syria has a thorn in its side since their disastrous defeat by the Israeli forces in the 6th
day war. Since that time, they have also built a healthy supply of chemical and
biological weapons. As of January, 2001, the US DOD listed Syria being among those
countries having an active BW program Delivery sytems include scud

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missiles.(Croddy, E. 2002. Chemical and Biological Warfare: A Comprehensive Survey
for the Concerned Citizen. Copernicus Books, New York, NY.)

Current news on ISIS

Video about terrorism CNN UN Unanimously Passes Anti-Terrorism

Resolution ( CNN Sep 24, 2014)

Day 10

Review Jeapardy Game

Students write a two paragraph thought piece, read to group of 4 How would you
fight the war on terror if you were the president? Think outside the box!!
Outline: Week 3
Executive Branch: What the cabinet does in crisis

Day 11

Mini Lesson Plan 3: Crisis - Mock Cabinet Mtng. Oval Office

President (teacher) provides Classified Memo, Intel Has told us:

Day 12:

Terrorists, Isis, in Canada forming a strike at airport

Soda cans on airlines will be tainted with biological weapon

Cabinet Members are given job of researching solutions for day 13

Day 12:

Crisis: Students prepare for meeting in the Situation Room

Meet with the cabinet partner to discuss

Day 13:

Two page paper about

What is the responsibility of the cabinet member
What they would do in this situation

Pairs practice presentations in groups of 4

Feedback using Rubric

revision

Day 14

Students present each of their papers to the class, 5 mins. For 10 secretaries

Day 15

Present as pair
One presents their responsibilities
Other presents their ideas for Presidents action

Students continue presentations, 5 mins for 5 secretaries

Present as pair
Vice President Presents
Assessment: President (teacher) decides on which options to contain
terrorist threat

References
Magruders American Government, 2001. Prentice Hall, Inc.
(Woodward, B. 2010. Obamas Wars. Simon and Schuster, New York, NY.)
.(Croddy, E. 2002. Chemical and Biological Warfare: A Comprehensive Survey for the
Concerned Citizen. Copernicus Books, New York, NY.)
Active Learn Games, Metrokids.com, Special Needs software and educational games.
UN Unanimously Passes Anti-Terrorism Resolution CNN video, (Sep. 24, 2014)
Inside the White House Cabinet Video- Youtube