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Presidential Powers, Executive Orders, and Civil Rights

Lesson Author
Mischler, Ann
Course(s)
Social Studies
Technology
Required Time Frame
Two 40-minute periods; one 35-minute period (This lesson is being taught as part of a unit on the United States Constitution.)
Subject(s)
Civil Rights
United States Constitution
Grade Level(s)
4
Lesson Abstract
As part of a unit on the United States Government, students will examine the powers of the President. They will examine Executive Order 9981 and Executive Order 8802 in relation to implicit powers and civil rights.
Description

    As part of a unit on the United States Government, students will examine the powers of the President.  They will examine Executive Order 9981 and Executive Order 8802 in relation to implicit powers and civil rights.  Students with a historical background related to Japanese internment may also be given Executive Order 9066.  In cooperative learning groups, students will utilize Videolicious and produce a video on the powers of the Presidency – explicit and implicit – and the effects on civil rights.  This lesson can be taught as part of a unit on Presidential powers, civil rights, or the Constitution. 

      Rationale (why are you doing this?)

      As part of New York State Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government 

      • Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental systems of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.
      Lesson Objectives - the student will
      • List the powers of the President found in Article II of the United States Constitution
      • Read and analyze executive orders
      • Produce a video that identifies implicit and explicit powers of the President and the effects on the civil rights of the people
      District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met
      • New York State Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government:  Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental systems of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.
      • KEY IDEA 4.4 GOVERNMENT: There are different levels of government within the United States and New York State. The purpose of government is to protect the rights of citizens and to promote the common good. The government of New York State establishes rights, freedoms, and responsibilities for its citizens.
      Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed
      • iPads
      • Excerpt of Executive Order 9981 – attached
      • Excerpt of Executive Order 8802 – attached
      Primary sources needed (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed
      Technology Required

      IPads

      Internet

      Computers

      Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both the teacher and the students do?
      • Students will be broken into groups of 3.  For young students with limited understanding of the executive branch or as use as part of an anticipatory set, you may wish to show the video - http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernmentandlaw/presidentialpower/
      • Students will be given sections of Article II the United States Constitution.  Each group will be responsible for reading and analyzing a specific section of the United States Constitution. Utilize the Jigsaw cooperative learning technique, and then list powers of the President.  For young students with limited understanding of the executive branch or ELL students, they may make their list from the video - http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernmentandlaw/presidentialpower/. 
      • Students will read and analyze Executive Order 9981 and complete the constructed response, which is attached.
      • Students will read and analyze Executive Order 8802 and complete the constructed response, which is attached.
        • Optional Extension:  For students with a historical background regarding WWII and Japanese internment camps, you may wish to have the students read and analyze Executive Order 9066.
      • Students will complete a draft of a Videolicious activity explaining Article II of the Constitution highlighting the power of Executive Orders and how they can influence the Civil Rights of individuals and groups. Students should remain in their groups of three.  This will assist students in each group performing one third of the draft for their project.  Student directions are attached.
      • Videolicious is used to create a brief video explaining Article II, executive orders, and the effects on civil rights. Specific project directions are attached.  

       

       

        Assessment: fully explain the assessment method in detail or create and attach a scoring guide
        • Students will complete a Videolicious presentation explaining Article II of the Constitution highlighting the power of Executive Orders and how they can influence the civil rights of individuals and groups.  Student directions are attached.

        A Videolicious assessment rubric is attached.  

         

         

        Name_______________________

        Title of Document:  Excerpt of Executive Order 8802

         

        Executive orders are documents which the President of the United States manages the operations of the Federal Government.  The President does not need the approval of Congress.  This was written a year before the United States joined WWII.

         

        Executive Order 8802   Reaffirming Policy Of Full Participation In The Defense Program By All Persons, Regardless Of Race, Creed, Color, Or National Origin, And Directing Certain Action In Furtherance Of Said Policy

            WHEREAS it is the policy of the United States to encourage full participation in the national defense program by all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin, in the firm belief that the democratic way of life . . . can be defended . . . with the help and support of all groups within its borders; and

            WHEREAS there is evidence that available and needed workers have been barred from employment in industries engaged in defense production solely because of  . . . race, creed, color, or national origin, to the detriment of workers’ morale and of national unity:

            NOW, THEREFORE,  . . .  I [say] . . . there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin,  . . . it is the duty of employers and of labor organizations,  . . . to provide for the full and equitable participation of all workers in defense industries, without discrimination because of race, creed, color, or national origin; . . .

        Franklin D. Roosevelt
        The White House,
        June 25, 1941.

         

        When was the document signed?  ________

         

        Why was the document written?  

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

         

        Explain what is happening to the civil rights of the individuals or group(s) that is/are the focus of this executive order.

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

         

         

        Name_______________________

        Title of Document:  Excerpt of Executive Order 9981

         

        Executive Order 9981

         

        Establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services

        WHEREAS it is essential that there be maintained in the armed services of the United States the highest standards of democracy, with equality of treatment and opportunity for all those who serve in our country’s defense:

        NOW, THEREFORE, by . . . the authority . . . as President of the United States, by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, and as Commander in Chief of the armed services, it is hereby ordered as follows:

        1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin…

        2. There shall be created in the National Military Establishment an advisory committee to be known as the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services, which shall be composed of seven members to be designated by the President…

        HARRY S. TRUMAN
        THE WHITE HOUSE,
        July 26, 1948.

        ­

         

        When was the document signed?  ________

         

        Why was the document written?  

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

         

        Explain what is happening to the civil rights of the individuals or group(s) that is/are the focus of this executive order.

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

        ________________________________________________________________________

         

         

        Name of Members in Group:          _______________________________  Videolicious Project

                                                                    _______________________________                                                                                                  _______________________________                                                 

        Videolicious - Presidential Powers, Executive Orders, and Civil Rights 

         

        Task:  Your task is to produce a Videolicious presentation on the powers of the President.

         

        Purpose:  Your purpose will be to inform people about the powers of the President using evidence.

         

        Audience:  Your audience will be 4th to 8th grade students.

         

        In your project, you must:

         

        • Describe in detail the powers of the President identified in Article II of the United States Constitution.

         

        • Describe an additional power of the President that is not explicitly stated in the Constitution and is found in the documents you were provided.

         

        • Provide at least two examples of the effects of the implicitly stated power.  Describe the effects on the civil rights of United States citizens.

         

        • Organize your presentation.  Remember to keep in mind how to connect ideas together.

         

        • Use content-specific language.  Provide explanations for words that might be unfamiliar.

         

        • Images and graphics should be selected to enhance the understanding of your project.

         

        Review your Videolicious assessment rubric to make sure all key traits have been incorporated successfully into your presentation.

         

         

         

         

         

        Key Traits

        Score 4

        Score 3

        Score 2

        Score 1

        CONTENT AND

        ANALYSIS:

        — clearly introduce a topic in a manner that

        follows logically from the task and purpose

        —demonstrate insightful comprehension and analysis of the text(s) and resources

        — clearly introduce a topic in a manner that

        follows from the

        task and purpose

        —demonstrate

        grade-appropriate

        comprehension

        and analysis of the

        text(s) and resources

         

        —introduce a topic in a manner that follows

        generally from the task and purpose

        —demonstrate a literal comprehension of the text(s) and resources

         

        —introduce a topic in a manner that does not logically follow

        from the task and purpose

        —demonstrate

        little understanding of

        the text(s) and resources

         

        COMMAND OF

        EVIDENCE:

        --develop the

        topic with relevant

        well-chosen facts, definitions, details,

        quotations, or

        other information

        and examples from the text(s)

        —sustain the use of varied, relevant

        evidence

         

        --develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, details,

        quotations, or other information and examples from the text(s)

        —sustain the use

        of relevant evidence, with some lack of

        variety

        —partially develop the topic of the essay with the use of some

        textual evidence,

        some of which may be irrelevant

        —use relevant evidence with

        inconsistency

        —demonstrate an attempt to use

        evidence, but only

        develop ideas

        with minimal,

        occasional

        evidence which is

        generally invalid

        or irrelevant

         

        COHERENCE,

        ORGANIZATION,

        AND STYLE:

        --exhibit clear, purposeful organization

        --skillfully link ideas using grade-appropriate words and phrases

        --use grade- appropriate, stylistically sophisticated language and domain-specific vocabulary

        --provide a concluding statement that follows clearly from the topic and information presented

         

        --exhibit clear organization

        --link ideas using grade-appropriate words and phrases

        --use grade appropriate, precise language and domain-specific vocabulary

        --provide a concluding statement that follows clearly from the topic and information presented

        —exhibit some attempt at organization

        —inconsistently link ideas using words and phrases

        —inconsistently use

        appropriate language and domain-specific

        vocabulary

        —provide a concluding statement that follows generally

        from the topic and information presented

         .

        —exhibit little attempt at organization, or

        attempts to organize are irrelevant to the

        task

        —lack the use of

        linking words and

        phrases

        —use language that

        is imprecise or inappropriate for

        the task

        —provide a concluding

        statement that is illogical or unrelated to the topic and

        information presented

        LAYOUT, GRAPHICS, NARRATION

        --layout, graphics, and narration significantly enhance the understanding of the topic

        --presentation is of an exceedingly high quality

        --visually pleasing and support topic

        --narration flows at a good pace most of the time

        --at times, appears choppy

        --at times, graphics are unrelated to the topic

        --at times, the sound speed, or tones disturb the listener’s concentration

        --extremely difficulty to follow

        --disturbing or distracting graphics

        --narrations is too slow or too fast

        Name _______________________________                                                        Videolicious Assessment Rubric

        Adapted from NYS Grades 4-5 Expository Writing Rubric

        Online Collection
        Desegregation of the Armed Forces