HABBAL: How a Bill Becomes A Law Quia Game

Details

Activity Description

Using this online interactive quiz, students can learn the steps of how a bill becomes a federal law. Users of the quiz order the steps of how a bill becomes a law by typing in numbers next to sentences to reveal a picture, as the correct order is chosen.

Preparation

Make sure that the Web site is not blocked at the location where you plan to use or have students use the activity. This activity would be appropriately linked to a civics lesson on the branches of government and/or the study of how laws are passed in the United States.

How-To

1. Pre-teach unfamiliar vocabulary.
2. Introduce the topic through a level-appropriate text (see for example "Government 101: How A Bill Becomes a Law" by Project Vote Smart, or "How Laws are Made" at Kids in the House, or by having students view a video and take notes or do a teacher-prepared listening comprehension activity based on videos such as "How a Bill Becomes a Law" by Schoolhouse Rock, or "Facts of Congress: How a Bill Becomes a Law" .
3. Then, in class open the Web Site Example (above) for the interactive quiz on the classroom computer or distribute the URL to students to type in if the quiz is used as an individual activity in a computer lab setting.
4. Have students select "Play this game!" As a whole-class activity, students can be asked to volunteer to come to the front to type in a number or to say which step is next in the order.
5. There are a total of 14 sentences. When all sentences have been numbered, select "Check Answers." The sentences that are ordered correctly are listed under the quiz with a part of the picture underneath the sentence revealed.
6. Once all sentences have been ordered correctly, students could then copy the steps in order.

Teacher Tips

By selecting "Give me a hint" at the bottom of the quiz, the order of one step is revealed, though not necessarily in chronological order.

More Ways

• This quiz could be used with advanced ESL students as a diagnostic tool to see what they already do or do not know about how a bill becomes a law. Then, after doing the activity, students could read about the process, learn new vocabulary, and then re-take the quiz after they have learned more.
• Also, the sentences could be used as the basis of spelling, vocabulary, and/or dictation exercises and tests.

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Program Areas

• ESL: English as a Second Language

Levels

• Intermediate High
• Advanced

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