Educational Materials  |   There Ought to be a Law Website

Documentary - There Ought to be a Law
Grades: 7-12
Subject: History, Social studies, Language Arts

Lessons 3 - Teacher Direction

Objectives:

• Students will view media and will write to acquire knowledge, clarify thinking, and synthesize information.
• Students will access online site in acquiring new information

Procedure:

Go over the political process chart so students can clearly see that it outlines the steps that Cathy took as an activist.  It is best if you have covered the Constitution and the process of a bill becoming a law at the federal level because students will now be able to transfer knowledge and skills to this case at the State level. Tell them to focus as they watch the details of each step. Make sure all students have the handout with all the questions. It is important that the documentary be paused at each scene index so that students can fill out the answers to the questions.
Watch the chapter,"Meeting the Family."Start with and pause at the end of that section so that the class can reflect on the family situation. Have a whole class discussion on Cathy and her close family.

Continue watching, "Gathering Signatures" and pause as needed and continue to the end of the film. Question form for students as they view the film is ... Lesson 3 Student Handout

Make sure that a rich classroom discussion happens throughout the course of the viewing and answering questions. Students are gathering information so that they will be able to transfer knowledge to their culminating projects and their authentic assessment.