How Washington Works, Part 1

1. Set Focus 
Pose these essential questions: What is the purpose of government? How do you structure a government to ensure it meets its purpose? 

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. Then ask them to answer the following questions, citing text evidence: 

• In what areas does the president have a lot of power? In what ways is the power of the president limited? (The president has the most power in diplomatic and military matters. For example, the president can order airstrikes without anyone else’s approval. In other aspects, the power of the president is limited by how much support he or she receives from Congress and the courts.)

• What is the central idea of Section 2? How does the author support this central idea? (The central idea is that the two parties are further apart than ever, and, as a result, cooperation in Congress is very difficult to achieve. The author supports this idea with details about the ways in which interactions between members of Congress have changed, with an assessment of how the parties have become more extreme, and with a quotation from an expert on how that extremism has hindered cooperation.)

• Based on the article, what aspect of the federal government do you think works best? What aspect do you think is the most problematic? Why? (Students’ responses will vary, but students should cite evidence from the article to support their opinions.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Print or project the activity Sum It Up. Have students use the tips and model summary to write an objective summary of the article on how Washington works.

4. Writing Prompt
Think about how the cartoon for Section 2 relates to its central idea. Then create a cartoon to go with another section of the article.

5. Classroom Debate
Is the federal government too big and unwieldy to tackle the nation’s biggest challenges or not big enough?

6. Quiz & Skills
Assess comprehension with the quiz.