Chief Executives Lesson Guide

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From Government Alive! Power, Politics, and You

P r o b l e m S o l v i n g G r o u p w o r k C H A P T E R

Chief Executives
and Bureaucracies 13
What qualities do modern presidents need to fulﬁll
their many roles?

Overview Materials
Students identify various roles that modern presidents fulfill and examine the Government Alive!
structure and functions of the executive branch. Power, Politics, and You

Preview Students examine a daily diary of a recent president to identify Placards 13A–13D (2 sets)
presidential roles and duties. CD Tracks 12–16
Activity In a Problem Solving Groupwork activity, students create interactive Lesson Masters
exhibits on a day in the life of a modern president for four presidential libraries • Notebook Guide 13
and museums. (1 per student)
Processing Students write and conduct an opinion survey to evaluate the • Information Master 13
current president’s job performance. (1 transparency)
• Student Handouts
13A–13D (2 copies of
Objectives
each)
In the course of reading this chapter and participating in the classroom activity, • Student Handout 13E
students will
(8 copies)
• compare the formal and informal qualifications of national, state, and local • Student Handout 13F
chief executives. (1 per student)
• identify the responsibilities and roles of the modern president and the ways in 8 large envelopes
which presidential power has increased over time.
• explain the organization and functions of the executive branch.
• describe the role and impact of government bureaucracies.
• evaluate the current president based on performance in various presidential roles.

Chief Executives and Bureaucracies 151

P r o c e d u r e s

Preview
Suggested time: 15 minutes
1 Have students complete Preview 13. Distribute Notebook Guide 13 and proj-
ect Information Master 13: Appointments in a Modern President’s Daily Diary.
Students will examine the daily diary to determine some of the roles and
duties this president had to perform. Tell students that they are viewing just
a small selection of appointments from this president on this day. The actual
daily diary includes some 80 entries and runs six pages.
2 Have students share their responses in pairs or with the class. Then ask
them to guess whose daily diary this is. Reveal that this is President Jimmy
Carter’s diary for April 24, 1980, the day he learned that an attempt to rescue
American hostages held at the U.S. embassy in Iran had failed. (Note: You can
obtain a full digital copy of this document from the Jimmy Carter Library and
Museum Web site. Under the “Documents and Photographs” menu, select Notebook Guide 13
“President’s Daily Diary, 1977–1981.”)
3 Explain the connection between the Preview and Chapter 13. Tell students
that a modern president has many roles and responsibilities, just as they saw
in President Carter’s daily diary. Two examples are his role as chief of state,
which the president performed when accepting diplomatic credentials from
various ambassadors, and as commander in chief, as when he met with the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The president is also the chief execu-
tive—the head of the executive branch. In this chapter, students will learn
more about these roles and responsibilities and about the organization and
function of the executive branch.
Information Master 13

Reading
Speaking of Politics Encourage students to use the following terms as they
complete their Reading Notes for the chapter: reprieve, pardon, cabinet, executive
order, bureaucracy, pocket veto, administration, and whistle-blower.
1 Introduce the Essential Question and have students read Section 13.1.
Then ask,
• What was typical about President Ford’s day on April 28, 1975? What event
occurred that was not typical?
• What roles and responsibilities did the president perform on this day?
• What qualities do you think modern presidents must have to fulfill their
many roles?
2 Have students complete the Reading Notes for Chapter 13. Assign Sections
13.2 to 13.4 before conducting the Problem Solving Groupwork activity. After
conducting the activity, assign Sections 13.5 and 13.6.

152 Chapter 13

P r o c e d u r e s

Problem Solving Groupwork
Suggested time: 90–120 minutes
1 Prepare materials. Create two sets of materials for each president. Place each
set in a large envelope labeled with the president’s name. Note that each hand-
out is several pages long.
• Franklin Roosevelt: Student Handout 13A and Placards 13A-1 and 13A-2
• Lyndon Johnson: Student Handout 13B and Placards 13B-1 and 13B-2
• Richard Nixon: Student Handout 13C and Placards 13C-1 and 13C-2
• George H. W. Bush: Student Handout 13D and Placards 13D-1 and 13D-2
During the activity (see Step 7), groups will need to be able to play their audio
clips at the same time. If available technology does not permit this, have
groups use the written transcripts of the audio clips on the handouts instead.
2 Introduce the activity. Tell students they will now work in groups to create
Student Handouts 13A–13D
an interactive exhibit on the day in the life of a modern president for a presi-
dential library and museum. Each group will be assigned one president—
Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, or George H. W. Bush—
and will learn about a specific day when that president had to deal with an
important crisis or event. They will design exhibits using artifacts—documents,
audio clips, photographs, and objects—highlighting the various roles the presi-
dent assumed on that day. Then they will serve as museum docents while visitors
tour their exhibit to guess which roles the president performed on this day.
3 Divide the class into eight groups and discuss the exhibits. Assign two groups
of students to each of the four presidents: Roosevelt, Johnson, Nixon, and Bush.
Give each group a copy of Student Handout 13E: Creating an Exhibit for a
Presidential Library and Museum, and review the directions for creating the
interactive exhibits. Then give each group the appropriate envelope—contain-
ing a day-in-the-life overview, a daily diary, two documents, a transcript of an
Placards 13A-1 to 13D-2
audio clip, and two photographs—and inventory the contents as a class.
4 Monitor groups as they create their exhibits. As groups complete Step 1
on Student Handout 13E, give each student a copy of Student Handout 13F:
Touring Exhibits in Presidential Libraries and Museums. Allow groups ade-
quate time—at least one full class period—to create their exhibits and rehearse
their tours. If possible, provide access to CD Tracks 13–16 so groups can
incorporate the audio clips into their exhibits.
5 Arrange the room for the exhibit tours. Clear the furniture to create four
exhibit areas in the corners of the classroom. Assign a different presidential
group to each corner, and give them a few minutes to set up their exhibits.
The other four groups will play the role of visitors.
6 Introduce the exhibit tours. Play CD Track 12, “Hail to the Chief,” as you
welcome visitors to the opening of special interactive exhibits in four presi- Student Handouts 13E and 13F
dential libraries and museums. Explain that visitors will tour the exhibits
to learn about the roles and responsibilities of the modern president by
examining a day in the life of Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson,

Chief Executives and Bureaucracies 153

P r o c e d u r e s

Richard Nixon, and George H. W. Bush. They will examine a variety of
artifacts that are related to each president’s day. They will connect these
artifacts to specific times on the president’s daily diary and then discuss how
the artifacts illustrate one or more of the president’s many roles.
7 Conduct the exhibit tours.
• Assign each group of visitors to one of the four exhibits.
• Allow several minutes for groups to tour the exhibits and interact with the
museum docents and artifacts.
• Have groups rotate to the remaining three exhibits. Play CD Track 12 each
time to cue groups to move to the next exhibit.
8 Have docents and visitors switch roles and repeat Steps 5–7.
9 Debrief the activity by holding a class discussion. Ask,
• What interesting things did you learn about the job of the modern president?
• In what ways did each president demonstrate his roles and responsibilities?
• What qualities do modern presidents need to fulfill their many roles? Give
specific examples from the exhibits you have visited to support your answer.

Power, Politics, and You
1 Poll the class. As you ask these questions, record the results on the board:
• How many of you think you could be president?
• How many of you would want to be president?
• Of those who do not want to be president, what are your reasons?
2 Have students read the “Power, Politics, and You” section of the chapter.
3 Facilitate a class discussion. Ask the questions below. Consider having stu-
dents discuss the questions in pairs or small groups first.
• How do the survey results compare to our classroom poll?
• Do you agree with the survey results? Why or why not?
• What kind of person do you think should be elected president?

Processing
Suggested time: 30 minutes
Have students complete the Processing activity, in which they create and conduct
an opinion survey to evaluate the current president’s job performance. Consider
providing additional support by distributing the “Creating and Conducting an
Opinion Survey” handout from the Doing Democracy toolkit and briefly reviewing
with students how to use it. (Note: In an election year, you might have students
instead create and conduct an opinion survey on the strength of the presidential
candidates for each of the eight presidential roles or write and submit a letter
to the editor supporting one or more candidates. Provide additional support
by distributing the “Writing a Letter to the Editor” handout from the Doing
Democracy toolkit.)

154 Chapter 13

P r o c e d u r e s

Quicker Coverage
Have Groups Visit Fewer Exhibits Pair groups assigned to different presidents,
and have the two groups tour each other’s exhibits.
Eliminate the Exhibits Instead of having groups create and tour exhibits, have
students complete Student Handout 13F using the exhibit materials. Give each
group the materials for one president. After students have completed their notes
for that president, have groups exchange materials.

Deeper Coverage
Add Primary Sources to the Exhibits Have groups expand their exhibits with
additional documents, photographs, audio recordings, and video clips. Text and
visual resources can be accessed online at presidential library and museum sites.
Audio and video resources can be downloaded from the American Presidency
Project and the Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century sites.
Invite Guests to Tour the Exhibits Have all eight groups set up their museum
exhibits in a large space such as a cafeteria, library, or hallway, and invite other
classes, teachers, parents, or administrators to tour the exhibits. Ahead of time,
have the class create a handout that briefly describes each of the eight presidential
roles and post the handout next to the daily diary in each exhibit.

Assessment
Masters for the chapter assessment appear in the Lesson Masters.

Mastering the Content

1. D 2. D 3. A 4. A 5. B
6. D 7. C 8. A 9. B 10. A

Exploring the Essential Question
Possible answers:
1. commander in chief, get written opinions from department heads, grant
reprieves and pardons, make treaties with advice and consent of Senate, ap-
point ambassadors and judges with advice and consent of Senate, recommend
measures, call Congress into session, receive ambassadors, execute laws, com-
mission officers
2. The Take Care Clause gives the president the power to enforce the laws and
carry out acts of Congress. It is similar to the Necessary and Proper Clause in
that it provides the president with the flexibility needed to deal with changing
needs and circumstances.
3. The president has the power to command the armed forces, appoint and
receive ambassadors, and negotiate treaties. Congress has the power to declare
war. The Senate has the power to approve appointments of ambassadors and
to ratify treaties. This division of powers gives the executive branch primary

Chief Executives and Bureaucracies 155

P r o c e d u r e s

responsibility for conducting foreign policy, but it must have the support,
advice, and consent of Congress.
4. Being a good judge of character would help a president make wise appoint-
ments as well as grant reprieves and pardons wisely. The ability to see all sides
of an issue would help a president negotiate treaties.

156 Chapter 13

D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g I n s t r u c t i o n

English Language Learners
Conduct an Alternative Preview Introduce the chapter by asking students to
discuss the many roles they would have to play if they were the teacher for the
day, such as rule enforcer and lesson planner. Then explain that the president
also has multiple roles. Do the Preview assignment, but focus on the first two
questions. As a class, connect student responses to the eight roles of the modern
president. Give students a handout or post the roles around the classroom to
serve as a resource.
Practice Exhibit Tours with Visitors Give students an opportunity to practice
their exhibit tours by assigning the group with the same president to visit their
exhibit first. Before groups move to the next exhibit, have the students discuss
their tours and offer suggestions.

Learners Reading and Writing Below Grade Level
Annotate Student Handouts Review the primary source documents for each
president (Student Handouts 13A–13D) ahead of time. Provide vocabulary
support by writing synonyms for difficult words on the handouts.
Highlight Key Sections Reduce the amount of reading required for each
primary source document by highlighting key phrases or sections on Student
Handouts 13A–13D.

Learners with Special Education Needs
Simplify the Preview Use these prompts for the Preview assignment in place
of those given:
1. Identify four activities the president participated in on this day.
2. Identify two people he met with during the day.
3. Name two qualities a president would need to do his job well.

Also consider highlighting key entries on the daily diary to reduce the amount
of information students must examine.
Supply Templates for the Reading Notes Provide blank copies of the appropri-
ate graphic organizers for the Reading Notes. Have students tape their completed
notes into their notebooks.
Have Students Share a Role Create groups of five to allow two students to share
a role. Alternatively, review the responsibilities of the roles with students ahead of
time and have them select a role in which they feel most comfortable.
Use Prepared Questions Provide students with two or three questions for the
Processing assignment as a model for creating their opinion polls.

Chief Executives and Bureaucracies 157

D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g I n s t r u c t i o n

Advanced Learners
Research the Federal Bureaucracy Have students work in pairs to learn about
one office or agency in the executive office of the president, the cabinet, and
the independent agencies. Have pairs describe the goals and responsibilities of
each, name its head administrator, and list one specific action it has taken in
the past year.

Evaluate the Importance of Presidential Roles Ask students to place the
eight presidential roles on a spectrum from “Least Important Today” to “Most
Important Today” and then write an essay explaining their evaluation, with
specific examples.

Advise the President on Legislation Have students visit the Citizen Action
Center at the National Constitution Center connections at www.teachtci.com to
learn about a current piece of legislation and then write an e-mail or letter to the
president with a recommendation to sign or veto the bill.

158 Chapter 13

E n h a n c i n g L e a r n i n g

U.S. Supreme Court Cases: You Make the Call
Have students read the summary of Case 7, Gonzales v. Oregon, which relates to
the powers of the executive branch, in the “U.S. Supreme Court Cases: You Make
the Call” section of the Student Edition. For each case, have volunteers share key
facts from the case and the question before the Court. Then facilitate a Response
Group–type discussion asking students to “make the call” on how the Court
should decide the case and why. Finally, have students read the actual Supreme
Court decision.

National Constitution Center
To visit the Citizen Action Center to learn about
current legislation, go to the National Constitution Center connections at
www.teachtci.com.

Internet Connections
For related research materials on the executive branch and the modern presidency,
refer students to Online Resources at www.teachtci.com.

Multimedia
Please follow school and district guidelines for showing films in the classroom.

The American President This 10-hour PBS series from 2000 examines the presi-
dency from its earliest days under George Washington through the 20th century.
The documentary profiles 41 of the nation’s chief executives, ending with Bill
Clinton. Each hour is organized thematically and features several presidents. For
example, Episode 9, “Expanding Power,” explores the presidencies of Andrew
Jackson, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Richard Nixon.
The American President (PG-13) This 1995 romantic comedy, directed by Rob
Reiner, follows the experiences of widowed president Andrew Shepherd with
a government lobbyist. Viewers have ample opportunity to see Shepherd as he
performs the roles of the modern president, such as acting as commander in chief
and chief citizen after a bombing of U.S. military personnel overseas. The film
also raises issues about what Americans want in their president, as the president
faces a vocal campaign challenger.

Chief Executives and Bureaucracies 159

G u i d e t o R e a d i n g N o t e s 1 3

Following are possible answers to each section of the Reading Notes.

Section 13.2
Chief Executives

Level of Qualiﬁcations How are they How can they be
Government Title (formal and informal) elected? removed from ofﬁce?

National President • native-born citizen Electoral College A majority of the House
votes to impeach,
• at least 35 years old
then two-thirds of the
• have lived in U.S. for at Senate must ﬁnd the
least 14 years president guilty of
• cannot serve more than wrongdoing.
2 terms
• most are well-educated
and have political
experience
• until 2007, have been
white and male

State Governor • less stringent than for a plurality or a Many states have recall
president majority of the procedures.
vote; varies by
• vary by state
state
• some women and
minorities have served
as governors

Local Mayor • less stringent than for a plurality or a Many towns and cities
president majority of the have recall procedures.
vote; varies by
• vary by town or city
state
• most towns or cities only
require the mayor to be a
legal adult
• more women and
minorities have been
chief executives at local
level than other levels

160 Chapter 13

G u i d e t o R e a d i n g N o t e s 1 3

Section 13.3 2. The president can check the power of the legislative
branch by approving or vetoing legislation passed
1. Descriptions will vary.
by Congress or by invoking executive privilege. The
2. During the 1800s, most presidents acted mainly as president can check the power of the judicial branch
“chief clerks.” Other than carrying out the will of Con- by nominating judges to the Supreme Court and other
gress, they assumed little authority beyond those pow- federal courts.
ers granted them by the Constitution. When Franklin
D. Roosevelt became president during the Great
Depression, he transformed the role of president. He
Section 13.5
presented bills to Congress and got them passed and White House Staff: Presidents depend on the White House
won passage of groundbreaking programs like Social staff to provide them with guidance and advice. The chief
Security and unemployment insurance. He continued of staff controls who gets to talk to the president. The
to expand the presidential powers during World War president’s personal lawyer, press secretary, and speech-
II. The modern president is often viewed as the most writers are also part of the White House staff.
powerful national leader in the world. Executive Office of the President: The EOP provides sup-
port staff to the president. The agencies that make up the
Section 13.4 EOP perform a variety of specialized tasks for the presi-
dent. The largest, the Office of Management and Budget,
1. Illustrations will vary.
helps the president prepare an annual budget proposal
Chief executive: presides over federal bureaucracy; to Congress. Other key agencies include the Council of
appoints some 2,000 federal officials; issues executive Economic Advisers and the National Security Council.
orders Presidents can add new agencies to the EOP to carry out
Chief of state: acts as ceremonial leader of government; their administration’s goals.
represents United States at official functions at home Executive Departments: These carry out the work of the
and abroad; promotes national spirit government in broad areas of public policy, such as agri-
Commander in chief: acts as head of armed forces; is culture, commerce, and labor. Today there are 15 execu-
responsible for operations of the U.S. military and tive departments, including the Justice Department, the
security of the nation; can commit troops to action Treasury Department, and the Department of Homeland
without a formal declaration of war Security. All 15 department heads are members of the
president’s cabinet.
Chief diplomat: oversees U.S. foreign policy; talks with
foreign leaders; negotiates treaties Independent Agencies: These many agencies—such as
NASA, the CIA, and the Federal Communications Com-
Chief policymaker: sets policy agenda for Congress in
mission—help implement federal policy. Though they still
the State of the Union address; proposes legislation;
answer to the president, they are considered independent
can call Congress into special session; can veto bills
because they do not fall within executive departments.
passed by Congress
Chief manager of the economy: works with Congress to
Section 13.6
write the federal budget; works with Congress to set tax
policy; appoints members of the Federal Reserve Board Analogies and drawings will vary.
Chief of party: is the leader of his or her political party;
works to ensure that the party does well in congres-
sional elections; typically rewards loyal party members
with political favors or appointments
Chief citizen: embodies American ideals; serves the
nation by acting in its best interests; informs, inspires,
and comforts American people in times of crisis

Chief Executives and Bureaucracies 161