Activity: Situation Room
Government
Mr. Reints
In this activity, you (the class) will simulate the “Situation Room” of the White House. You will advise Barack Obama and his cabinet members on how to lead the nation in the aftermath of an emergency crisis. The goal of each group is to put together an emergency response plan for the nation, which includes domestic policy, foreign policy, and military options for responding to the crisis and helping the nation heal from the wounds caused by the crisis. The class will decide the crisis.
The class will be divided evenly into groups by drawing. Each group will write an emergency plan outlining the policies of each cabinet position as a response to the crisis. Your plan must also show how you will attempt to bring the nation together. There will be one group who will be the Senate panel. The Senate panel will read and respond to all emergency plans. They will be responsible for questions to each group pertaining to the responsibilities of each cabinet. This emergency response plan must have provisions for all of the cabinet positions under the President (15 including attorney general).
There will be a culminating conference (Situation Room). Members of the Senate panel and all groups will be present. The goal of this conference will be to decide on one emergency response plan and present it to the President (teacher). There will be a debate and a vote to decide the best plan. The Senate panel will decide the best plan.
We will spend a minimum of two days on this so you can visit each Cabinet department website to generate ideas on what to include in your emergency response plan. You could use the following address of the White House website to find a list of links to each department. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/) There is a link on my blog to this also.
Grading is as follows:
Emergency Response Plan (includes typed plan for all 12 departments)-30pts
Time on Task-class work-15pts
Group provides feedback, questions that stimulate a debate in conference-10pts
Groups plan is the one chosen and accepted by the President-5pts
Total Points: 60pts
-Research each Cabinet Position and find out duties, responsibilities, and current leaders. Generate a report of this information-20pts
-Time on Task-class work-10pts
-Stimulates debate (must have questions for each group)-30pts
Total
Points: 60pts
*It may seem like the easiest group but you will have to decide on the best plan.