THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT:  The President

Objectives:  Students will be able to:

1.       Identify the President’s many roles, understand the formal qualifications to become president, describe the President’s pay and benefits.

2.       Describe the powers that the President has in the role of Chief Diplomat and Commander in Chief.

3.       Describe the President’s two major legislative powers and explain how these powers are important in the system of checks and balances

4.       Describe the President’s major judicial powers.

The President of the United States

G1.  Activity:  Play the President for a Day Game on the internet. 

What are the job qualifications to be the President?  How much money does the President earn?

Write a brief description for each activity that the President is involved in during the day.

Read Magruder’s Page 354

The President’s Roles:	Describe each of the President’s 8 Roles.

 

G2.  Activity:  Describe the powers that the President has in the role as Chief Diplomat and  Commander in Chief. 

I.                    Read Magruder’s, p. 399-403

II.                  Make two side by side  Charts, one for the diplomatic powers, another  for Military Powers of the President.  Each  chart should have two columns.  In column one, list the various powers.  In the second column provide examples from the sections.

III.                Read an UPFRONT article and find examples of the President using the powers listed in your chart. 

IV.                Write several paragraphs that contains facts examples and details that demonstrates Presidential use of diplomatic and/or military powers.

 

G3/G4: Activity: 

Play the Checks and Balances Game. (Internet Activity)

Describe the President’s two major legislative powers and explain how these powers are important in the system of checks and balances,  describe the President’s major judicial powers.

Magruder’s, page 405-408.

Annotate the information from this section, in an outline format.  Make sure to include enough information for facts, examples and details.

I.                     Legislative Powers

a.       Recommending Legislation

b.      The Veto Power

c.       The Line Item Veto

d.      Other Legislative Powers

II.                  Judicial Powers

a.       Reprieve

b.      Pardon

c.       Clemency

d.      Commutation

e.      Amnesty

III.                Read an UPFRONT article and find examples of the President using the powers listed in your chart. 

IV.                Write several paragraphs that contains facts examples and details that demonstrates Presidential use of Legislative or Judicial Powers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSESSMENT:
THEMATIC ESSAY QUESTION
Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs addressing the task below, and a conclusion.
Theme: Presidential Actions
	United States presidents have taken actions that have had or will have a significant effect on United States foreign or domestic policies.
Task:
	Identify two presidential actions that have had or will have significant effects on the United States and for each:  • Describe the circumstances surrounding the action • Discuss the impact of the presidential action on United States foreign policy or on American society
President Obama is facing many challenges as President of the United States.  You can use information from class or the UPFRONT article America’s Challenges 2011.
Guidelines:
In your essay, be sure to • Develop all aspects of the task • Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details • Use a logical and clear plan of organization, including an introduction and a conclusion that are beyond a restatement of the theme
In developing your answer to Part II, be sure to keep these general definitions in mind:
(a) describe means “to illustrate something in words or tell about it”
(b) discuss means “to make observations about something using facts, reasoning, and argument; to present in some detail”