Creating a Bureaucracy to Study the Bureaucracy
Carousel Activity
Directions:
Students will be divided into 8 groups. Each group will be assigned one of the following questions below. Members of the group will work together to research the question, create an outline, and provide the “bureaucratic service” of informing fellow students the answer to your question. Each group should make a visual aid for your topic on your posterboard. On the day of the activity, we will create stations around the room where you will post your information, and then instruct your classmates as they rotate through.
Things to keep in mind:
- You will have approximately 5 minutes for each rotation.
- You should focus on displaying information in a creative manner. Consider using a visual effect such as a political cartoon, graph, chart, picture, etc.
- If you create a handout for your classmates, please give it to me ahead of time so I can make the appropriate number of copies.
- You will have class time to work on this, but will have to do outside research.
Grade:
- You will be graded based on your poster (clarity, creativity, quality of information) and your presentation (knowledge of information, effectiveness).
Groups:
Group 1:Define congressional oversight. Explain why congress gives federal agencies discretion in making policy. Select one bureaucratic agency, identify the area it exercise policy-making discretion and give an example of how it exercises that discretion.
Group 2: Identify and describe the Clinton/Gore plan to reinvent government known as REGO. Evaluate the success of the program.
Group 3: Describe the spoils system, and explain how it changed to the system of many rules that bureaucrats must follow today. Include the Civil Service Reform Act, Pendleton Act, the creation of the SES, the role of the OPM and the difficulties in firing civil servants today.
Group 4: Describe the background, primary functions, duties/jurisdictions, and strengths/weaknesses of the Department of Homeland Security.
Group 5: Identify the causes, effects and rules of the Hatch Act (1939) for civil servants. Discuss how and why it was liberalized in 1993.
Group 6: Identify and describe the many ways in which the bureaucracy is criticized (i.e. pathologies). Provide current examples for support.
Group 7: Discuss the purpose of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Whistleblower Protection Act and analyze the effectiveness of these reforms. Cite current examples of both laws.
Group 8: Discuss the “iron triangle” relationship and explain how this can be applied to the modern day examples of Agriculture and Defense. Include the concept of the “revolving door”. Contrast with the trend of issue networks.
Schedule for the Project
Wednesday, March 21: Work Day- You should have a rough outline of your presentation done by the end of the day.
Thursday, March 22: Work Day- You should have approximately half of your research done by today.
Friday, March 23: Work Day- You should have your research done by today.
Monday, March 26: Work Day- You should have started to put your poster together, and should be in a position to finish.
We will be in the libraryon March 21 and 26, and in the classroom with the laptop cart available on March 22 and 23.
Tuesday, March 27 (HALF DAY): First Presentation Day: The first four groups will set up their stations and present their material
Wednesday, March 28: Second Presentation Day: Groups 5-8 will set up their stations and present their material. If the first four don’t finish completely on Tuesday, they can finish as well.
GROUPS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
2nd Period
Group 1: Anna & Carla
Group 2: Taylor & Collin
Group 3: Emma & Meg
Group 4: Hunter & Alex
Group 5: Hollis & Emily
Group 6: Sophia & Matt
Group 7: Spencer & Robert
Group 8: Frank & Jessie
Rotator Section
Group 1: Maddie & Laura
Group 2: Emily & Marissa
Group 3: Molly & Julia
Group 4: Tre & Meredith R.
Group 5: Brett, Perry, & Joanna
Group 6: Keith & Meredith T.
Group 7: Michael, Connor, & James
Group 8: Logan, Sierra, & Carter