Complete 1 option from each step.
STEP 1: Find out about local government. Every town or city has its own form of local government. Find out more about yours in this step. 1. Check out a local town hall meeting. This can be done online. 2. Visit your town hall, city hall, or mayor’s office. Take a field trip with your friends or family and talk to someone in one of these places about your local government. Have them explain all the jobs that are done in your local government and talk to you about local elections. Come up with some questions in advance. Ask any additional questions you think of while you’re there. Town Hall Meetings The purpose of town hall meetings is for government officials to hear the community’s views on public issues. People attending the meeting have the chance to present ideas, voice their opinions, and ask questions. Despite the name, meetings don’t necessarily take place in a town hall—they may be held at the local library or a school building. STEP 2: Find out about state government State governments and the United States government are all made up of three parts. These parts are called the branches of government. 1. Campaign for governor! With help from an adult, find out who your governor is and some of the things they’re responsible for. Now, imagine you’re running for governor. Make a campaign speech to your friends and family about the changes you’d make in your state and the issues you’re most passionate about. Explore an issue. Almost every political issue has people who feel strongly on both sides. Can you think of an example that’s making news in your state right now? With a group of friends or family members, find out everything you can about both sides of an issue. Divide into pairs and debate— then switch sides! After you’ve made the case for each side, talk about whether you think this process can help people see issues in a different way. STEP 3: Find out about our country’s legislative branch The legislative branch, or Congress, is the branch of the United States government that makes laws. There are two groups of people that make up Congress: The House of Representatives and the Senate. Find out more about the legislative branch in this step. 1. Talk about representation. With help from an adult, find out how many women are currently serving in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. Then, find the number of women serving when you were born and when some of the older women in your life were your age. Talk to some of these women about the political shifts they’ve seen over time. Do they believe women are adequately represented in government today? 2. Draft a bill. Read “How a Bill Becomes a Law” below . Then, on your own or in a small group, draft your own bill on a topic or issue that’s important to you. Share your bill with a larger group. Be prepared to defend it and answer questions. STEP 4: Find out about our country’s executive branch The head of the United States’ executive branch is the president. Starting at age 18, citizens of the United States can vote for a new president every four years. 1. Compare presidents and prime ministers. Find a place led by a prime minister—such as the United Kingdom—and compare that role with president of the United States. (You might have an adult show you a video for kids online.) How are they different and alike? Talk about what you read or see with friends or family. For More FUN: Look into a country that has both a president and a prime minister. How do their roles differ? 2. Craft branches. Start by drawing a picture of a tree with three branches, then label the branches with each branch of government. Take the list of people or groups of people in the box on this page and make them into “leaves” for the corresponding branch. You can write them near the branches or cut out leaves from green construction paper and glue or tape them on. STEP 5: Find out about our country’s judicial branch The judicial branch of the government is made up of courts and judges. It’s the branch of the government that evaluates laws. 1. Talk to a lawyer. Have an adult help you contact one to talk about what they do. Why did they choose their profession? How does the judicial branch work with the other two branches of government? What do they think are the most important cases in national history? Ask any other questions you may have. 2. Talk to a judge. Find out about what they do. How does the judicial branch work with the other two branches of government? What’s the difference between the Supreme Court and local courts? How does a case make it to the Supreme Court? Ask any other questions you may have. 3. Talk to a social studies, history, or civics teacher. Find out how they teach their students about the judicial branch. How does the judicial branch work with the other two branches of government? Ask any other questions you may have.
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Choose and complete one choice from each step.
STEP 1: What does it mean to be an active citizen? 1. With help from your family or other scouts, list 10 things that make an active citizen. Examples, paying sales taxes, following laws, etc. Do you see any similarities to the Girl Scout Law? 2. Do you know anyone who has lived and worked in another country? Ask them what it was like. How was it similar or different to America. Was being an “active citizen” in that country similar to being one here? STEP 2: Go Inside government 1. Interview an elected official. Who decides how long the library is open or which school you can go to? Elected officials! Interview one and talk about how they help the government make decisions, and share ideas about how you can be an active citizen. Does the official have more ideas to add? 2. Chart the government structure for your school district, town, county or state. Make a big, branching chart that shows who has the power to make and change laws. Above is an example using the federal government. Bonus- Look up the following words that relate to the government: Municipality, federal, governor, mayor, constitution STEP 3: Look into laws. 1. For 24 hours, list laws that affect your daily life. For example, you must cross the street at a cross walk, you can’t litter, you have to pay a sales tax for a candy bar. At the end of the day, look at your list, and talk about what the laws do for you and your community. 2. Think about laws you might propose someday. What laws, rules or regulations would you propose in these 3 situations? What should happen to a citizen who doesn’t follow them? Discuss your answers with your family or Girl Scout sisters. - You’re the mayor of the first town on the moon - A toxic-waste dump is being built next to a farm - There is a five-story building with no elevators. It has only one inside staircase. STEP 4: Report on the issues 1. Report on a government meeting. You may or may not be able to attend a meeting in public, but all city and county meetings are filmed. Watch one of your choice. What are the issues they’re talking about? Which is most important to you? Pretend you are a reporter and take notes. Then, write an article about the issue you think is most important. Share it with the troop. 2. Interview a local historian or longtime citizen. Ask about how your community has changed over the years. Is your community still working out the same issues it was 20 years ago? If not, what are the new issues? Turn your interview into a radio program, video or article you can share with the troop. STEP 5:Get involved in community government 1. We are in an election year! Work on someone’s campaign. Use your leadership skills to help out the candidate you believe in. Make posters or buttons, or assist with a speech about the reasons you think this person should be elected. Ask how you can help. 2. Create a pamphlet or poster. Use it to raise awareness about an issue you’d like to change. Maybe you’d like a mural to cover up graffiti in the school bathroom, or to eliminate plastic cups at your place of worship. Get permission before you pass anything out, and think carefully– like a politician– about the words you use. You want to educate and inspire people to take your side, so be respectful of the current administration and citizens in the community. |
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