Today we will dramatize how a bill becomes a law. We are studying Exploring Government by Ray Notgrass, and this is the second post in our high school government series. We are having so much fun as we re-enact many essential concepts about government. This book has helped me (as a parent) understand government better than I’ve ever understood it before.
So without further ado, here is our second government video…
How a Bill Becomes a Law (Video Demonstration)
Costumes and Props in the Skit
My daughter dressed up as a bill. We used poster board and wrote the word “bill” on it. We also gave her a three-cornered hat just for character. We had a congress and a president. The congress sat on chairs and held up Facebook likes (or un-likes) to represent their votes for or against the bill. The president was dressed as the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland (no insult intended to our current president…)
This is How a Bill Becomes a Law:
- A bill originates in the House of Representatives or the Senate. One of the members takes his proposed bill and gives it to the clerk. The clerk assigns it a number and sends it to the proper committee.
- The committee deliberates on the bill and proposes amendments to it, and if the committee approves, it is sent back to the House of Representatives.
- If the bill passes the House, it goes to the Senate. If it passes the Senate, it is sent to the President.
- The President can then either veto or sign it. If he vetoes it, the bill goes back to the House and the Senate. Only if the bill gets a two-thirds majority in both houses will the veto be overridden. Then it becomes a law anyways.
- Or if the President signs a bill, then it becomes a law.
I hope you enjoyed our demonstration of how a bill becomes a law. Stay tuned for next week’s post: Preamble to the Constitution!
The links in this series of blog posts are not affiliate links. Please buy the book from their website to bless their family the most!
Tags: Exploring Government, government, high school, Homeschooling, how laws are made, Notgrass
Love the Facebook thumbs! LOL! This series you are doing is great for teaching some of these key bit of government in bit sized pieces.
It was my son Stephen’s idea to do the Facebook likes for voting in congress. We are enjoying the filming of this series!
Ha ha ha ha, the hats! Those are awesome.
Thanks! The Mad Hatter look was my kids’ idea, but the more I think about it, the more I see the symbolism of it. I think the pompousness of it all is similar to hundreds of years ago where royalty in Europe were overdressed in ruffles and capes and baubles. Their self-importance was reflected in the pomposity of their garb.
So adorable!!! Love these videos your kids are doing!
Thank you! My kids have had a great time creating them!
Another great video. Good job, all!
Thank you! We are having a blast creating these videos!
Ray and I just watched number 2. Great job, kids and Mom!!
Thanks! I think my sons enjoyed pushing around their little sister as the bill became a law.
Love how creative your kids are! What a great way to explore and communicate a concept!
Thank you! Yes, my kids are creative. I think our whole family thinks in creative ways.
I love how you make the lessons so enjoyable…You need to start performing in schools or something
Hopefully schools will play my YouTube videos on their screens! Its an easy way to illustrate these concepts to school children.