ACP PAPER 032119

BOPPPS Plan for GOVT 2305 Chapter on
The U.S. Presidency

1. BRIDGE----I might ask the class if a president like Donald Trump should be allowed
for whatever reason he deems necessary, be allowed to suspend the U.S. Constitution and
declare himself an absolute royal monarch, called Donald the First. We would have a
brief discussion about that.

2. OBJECTIVES---- A) Outline the powers the Constitution gives the president.

B) Identify the institutional resources presidents have to help them
exercise their powers.

C) Explain how modern presidents have become even more
powerful.

3. PRE-ASSESSMENT----How many presidents can the class name, and who was the
best or worst president of all time?

4. PARTICIPATORY LESSON----A chapter PowerPoint. Short video bios on at least
five presidents who were very significant.

VIDEO CLIPS

1. “First Kennedy-Nixon Debate, 26 September 1960” (John F.
Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum). This presentation is
available at www.jfklibrary .org/ Asset-Viewer/ LYj U
VJ9gEyA5U9buPW8Hg.aspx. Watch the first televised debate in
U.S. history of the two major party candidates. Who was
substantive in terms of his responses to the questions? Who
appeared more “presidential”? Who “won” the debate and why? 2.
“Mr. Neustadt Describes Modern Presidency” (C-SPAN.org). This
presentation is available at www.c-span.org /video /? c4496298 /
mr-neustadt - describes - modern - presidency. According to this
eminent political scientist, what was the original intent of the
framers of the Constitution with regard to presidential power? How
has the institution changed in the modern era (since the days of
Franklin Roosevelt)? What happens to presidential power in a time
of crisis?

5. POST-ASSESSMENT----A scramble board that asks the students to place an attribute or
an accomplishment next to the name of a president.

6. SUMMARY----Based on CATS, I would use the Minute Paper. I would use the two
questions, 1) What was the most important thing you learned during this class? 2) What
important question remains unanswered?

On the BLOOM’S TAXONOMY scale, this satisfies UNDERSTANDING, APPLYING,
ANALYZING, AND EVALUATING.