Federal Budget- Day 1

Setup:  Have students put tables into 6 pods of 2 tables each (4 students per pod).  Students may sit wherever they wish.  When possible, have 4 students per pod (so, in the morning class, you may have only 5 groups of 4).
 
Questions of the Day:

1. What does the federal budget do?
   
2. Why is our national debt such an important issue?

 
Framing:  Hey guys, I am sick, and staying home to sleep and attempt to not infect the rest of you.  Today is our first day for the federal budget, and will really establish some key knowledge that you will need to have.   Please have the focus and independence that you would have if I were there (maybe even more!).  We only have a week to learn this complex issue, so it’s important that you not waste today!
 
Starter 34  (20-30 min)
1.  Put the following things in order of priority, from most important to least important.  At the top of your list should go things that you think should receive the most government money, at the bottom the things that should receive the least.

• Education
  
• Science
  
• Social security and unemployment
  
• Transportation
  
• Energy and environment
  
• Housing and community development
  
• Medicare and health
  
• Veteran’s benefits
  
• Food and agriculture
  
• Military
  
• Interest on debt
  
• International affairs

2.  Justify your reasoning for the TOP item on your list, and the bottom item on your list.  Why should the top receive the most funding?  Why should the bottom receive the least?

3.  Pair/share with the person next to you your answer for question 2.

4.  NOW…go to https://www.nationalpriorities.org/analysis/2015/presidents-2016-budget-in-pictures/ , and compare your priorities with those proposed by the president in the first graph.  Where are you most different?  Where are you the same?  What stands out to you here?

5.  TEACHER:  Clarify the fact that in this budget, social security are mandatory- the president cannot cut spending on those programs.

6.  Share out popcorn style.
 
Handout:  Federal Budget Key Terms and Concepts (15-20 min)

• Page 1:  Students self assess.  See where you are right now, and what terms you need learn.
• Page 2:  Read and highlight key points
• Page 3:  Read it, share the most interesting thing you learned with your table partner

 
Movie:  Ten Trillion and Counting

• Pass out handout.
• EVERY student needs to take notes and be able to answer the first 3 questions.
• Each PAIR of students at a table should be assigned 2 questions to answer from the remaining list.  We will jigsaw these tomorrow, so they should be ready to teach other students the answers, and share their opinions.
• Watch the movie.  Stop it every 15-20 minutes to let students catch up with their notes.

 
HOMEWORK:

• Students should be ready to share answers to their assigned questions tomorrow in class with other students.  The movie is linked on the DOCS page of my DP if they need to re-watch a section!