From Bill to Law Comic Strip

Below are the instructions for the "From Bill to Law Comic Strip" assignment.  Students learned about the process of how a bill becomes a law on Thursday (A-DAY) & Friday (B-DAY).  They received these instructions and some time work at the end of the period.  This assignment will be due on Monday, 12/5 (A-DAY) & Tuesday, 12/6 (B-DAY) for 15 points.

From bill to law  Comic  Strip

How does a bill become a law?

Create an 8 frame comic strip (you may use the provided boxes) about how a bill becomes a law.  You must first come up with an idea for a federal bill.  Remember, this means it would become a law for the entire United States, so it should not be solely based on a Jacksonville or Florida issue.  Think about some of the issues you wrote about when you created your own political party.  In your comic strip, draw pictures and include dialogue or text narration about how the bill travels through each house and committee room to become a law.  Be as creative as you want to be – maybe watch the Schoolhouse Rock video again for inspiration "I'm Just a Bill".  Add color.  The conclusion of your comic strip should be the President signing the bill into a law.

8 STEPS TO INCLUDE

1.        A person or group develops an idea for a law to send to their Representative (House) or Senator (Senate).

2.        The Representative (House) or Senator (Senate) submits the bill to the appropriate committee of their house where it is passed (Chapter 7, Lesson 1, pg. 201).

3.        Bill is sent to the House or Senate floor for debate.

4.        House or Senate vote to pass bill.

5.        Bill is sent to the floor of the other house for debate.

6.        House or Senate vote to pass bill.

7.        Conference committee (members from both houses) meet to settle any changes (amendments) made during debate in each house or committee into one final bill.

8.        Bill is sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

Additional resources:  Mr. Schemer’s website mschemer.blogspot.com

Log in to OneView under “Online Book Instructions” on the right side of the blog.  Click on your Civics class website, and then click on the Online Civics Textbook link.  Utilize Chapter 7, Lesson 4 for this assignment.