Teacher Guide: The following activities can be used before, during, and after the Discovery Education virtual field trip to the United States Senate in Washington, D.C. Your students can follow along using the attached Student Worksheet.
I – Before the Field Trip
Discussion questions about the Constitution
-Why do we have a government?
-What is the Constitution? Who wrote it and why?
Discussion questions about Congress and the Senate
-What does the legislative branch do? How is it different than the executive and judicial branches of government?
-Describe what you know about the Congress of the United States.
II – During the Field Trip
The Virtual Field Trip will have three parts
-A visit with Dr. Betty Koed, the Senate Historian
-Interviews with two United States Senators who serve on the Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, Sen. Ted Cruz (R – TX) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D – CT).
Students should listen carefully to the tours and interviews in the Virtual Field Trip and answer the questions on the Student Worksheet.
III – After the Field Trip
Discussion questions for after the field trip
-Review the “Before the Field Trip” questions. How have students’ answers changed?
-Ask students to complete and discuss the Reflection question on the Student Worksheet.
-Ask students what they would want to see if they visited Capitol Hill? Why?
Activities for after the field trip
-Visit the Senate’s Web page ( Ask students to search for the names of the two U.S. Senators that represent their home state. To which committees do these Senators belong?
-Also on the Senate’s web page, direct students to collect information about the following Senate party leaders and officers: Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Vice President, President Pro Tempore. Which Senators and elected leaders currently hold these positions? What are their roles?
-Direct students to compile information about Senate committees. Who are the chairs and ranking members of each?
Students can illustrate their responses to these questions by creating a classwide information guide to the U.S. Senate.
IV – Discovery Education Extension Resources
Discovery Education Streaming and Streaming Plus users can use the resources below to extend the learning in their classrooms.
DE Resource / Instructional Practice(s)Lodge McCammon Songs: We the PeopleLodgeMcCammon Songs: We the People / Listen to the song and view the lyrics in the “Materials” tab. Ask students to create a paper slide video to accompany part or all of the song.
The Constitution / Students can view the full video segment and participate in the viewing comprehension quiz.
Alternatively, students can view the brief discussion of the Preamble from 3:05 – 3:47, then draft a “Preamble” to the classroom rules.
The Capitol / Students can view this segment to get background information about the U.S. Capitol, Congress, and the basic structure of the U.S. government. Other segments from this video provide general information about visiting Washington, D.C.
Panoramic Virtual Tours: National Mall (Washington, D.C.) / This Panoramic Virtual Tour provides students with annotated, interactive panoramic photographs of a variety of landmarks in the nation’s capital, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR Memorial, the MLK Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the the World War II Memorial.
Discovery Education Social Studies Techbook users can use the resources from Techbooks to extend the learning in their classrooms.
DE Resource / Instructional Practice(s)Source Analysis: Constitution
From: United States History (Prehistory – Reconstruction) / Students can use this interactive investigation to analyze an image of the Constitution and explore the text of the document.
Community Service Project
From: Civics and Government / This activity asks students to work together to design and propose a service project that will help their community.
Student Worksheet
Students should complete this worksheet as they watch the Discovery Education Virtual Field Trip to the United States Senate.
Part One : A Visit with the Senate HistorianWhy are there so many offices and buildings near the U.S. Capitol?
In what ways is the U.S. Senate different than the House of Representatives?
Part Two: Interviews with Senators Cruz and Blumenthal
Why is it important for students to learn about the U.S. Constitution?
What is a Constitutional amendment?
Which state is often called the Constitution State? Why?
Reflection
What are some things students can do to become involved in public service?
To learn more about Discovery Education Social Studies Techbook™ visit DiscoveryEducation.com/SocialStudies
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