
Home About the Center Publications Conferences Hellard Award Videos Search Contact Us	Sample Lesson Plan for The Kentucky State Budget Game Back to The Kentucky State Budget Game page. Written by Robin Reid, Lafayette High School KERA Goals: 2.14, 2.15, 2.17 SS 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 SS 14, 15, 15.1, 15.2 Core Content: 2.14, 2.15, 2.17 Objectives: After the lesson, students will be able to: Explain or list ways in which the state government responds to contemporary issues and societal problems reflecting the needs of citizens. Discuss the conflicts which arise because of competing needs (i.e.) health care, child care, welfare, education and crime. Demonstrate how scarcity of resources necessitates choice at both personal and societal levels. Explain that state, federal and local government have limited budgets so they must compare revenues to the costs when planning public projects. Day 1 Materials: Books, "Government in Action" transparencies from Prentice-Hall Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) define concurrent powers; 2) explain how different levels of government work together. Set: Students will be told that they already know a great deal about state government because it reflects the federal government. They are mirror images of each other. Lesson: Show transparencies and discuss the three levels of government. Explain that some powers are reserved for each level. Explain concurrent powers. Use education as an example of concurrent powers. Preview unit and explain that you will cover chapters in text that deal with state government. Assign reading and homework on state government. Closure: Remind students that homework is due. Day 2 Materials: Handouts on government officials, overhead on officials and Congress/General Assembly. Handout on a day in the life of a Representative. Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) list the qualifications, terms, and jobs of current officials in Kentucky; 2) compare and contrast the federal and state governments. Set: Review how to take notes with students. Lesson: Lecture/discuss current office holders in Kentucky. Describe their jobs, how they are elected, qualifications for office, terms in office, salary of governor ($83,000). How are these positions like the federal system, how are they different? Compare and contrast the Congress and the General Assembly. Hand out article and read {aloud for general} discuss the activities. Closure: Use Cornell Notes to review. Day 3 Materials: What is a fair tax handouts and overheads. Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) describe the different kinds of taxes; 2) list reasons that we pay taxes; 3) decide if a tax is fair. Set: Desks in groups of 5. A list of the following kinds of taxes are on the board. Sales, income, progressive, property, inheritance/estate and business. Lesson: Ask students what kind of list is on the board. {Taxes} Tell students that Americans have a love/hate relationship with their government. Few Americans mind the help and services that the government provides but most resent having to pay for those services. Explain that the purpose of this lesson is to decide what a fair tax is and examine the many different kinds of taxes we pay. Remind students that different levels of government require different kinds of taxes. Display handout 4-6-2. Ask what are the most important taxes that are collected? {personal income and Social Security? How are these dollars used? {Military defense, Social Security, and interest on debt} What are the most important taxes collected by state and local governments? {Sales, property, personal income. These are used for education, health, welafare and transportation.} Display overhead 4-6-3. Leave this up. Explain that this is how the state spends its money currently. In their groups have the students decide if these expanders are good or not. How would they change these amounts? Have them weigh the benefits and the costs to them. Explain their reasoning. Remind them that every change they make affects someone else. Closure: Allow students to share their changes and reasoning. Assign homework reading, quiz tomorrow on reading. Day 4 Materials: Books, quiz, computer with Kentucky State Budget Game Set: Quiz over reading. Lesson: Hand out quiz and allow ten minutes for students to complete it. Introduce the computer game. Demonstrate how the game works. Work in groups of five to go through game. Students determine how to get reelected based on their choices in making a budget for the state of Kentucky. Closure: Game will continue tomorrow. Day 5 Materials: Computer game and handouts Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) tell how budget decisions affect re-election; 2) list budget cuts and whom these cuts may affect. Set: Groups of five. At least 3 computers in the classroom. Lesson: Allow groups to play the game from yesterday. Each group will have 40 minutes to play the game. The winning group will receive either bonus points or treats. Handouts are due at the end of the hour. (30 points) Quiz tomorrow on this section. Closure: What did you learn? How did your decisions affect you? How did your decisions affect others? Day 6 Materials: The Legislative Gavel, handout (The Legislative Gavel is a free publication from the Legislative Research Commission). Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) list 6 jobs a legislator does; 2) explain the main role of the Legislative Research Office. Set: Copies of The Legislative Gavel on desks. Tell students about the Legislative Research Commission and explain its job. Lesson: Allow students to read The Legislative Gavel. Students are to answer the question on the handout #4. Due at the end of the hour, 50 points. Closure: Trade and grade handout. Day 7 Materials: Books and dictionaries Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to describe how different groups compete for limited resources. Set: Review unit with students. Lesson: In class open response writing. You are the Governor of Kentucky. You have been told by the federal government that your state will receive 10% less money next year for education than it got last year. This is a tax cut of nearly 10 million dollars. You have proposed a bill which will increase personal income tax by 0.5% to make up this difference. Now you must sell your plan. You are giving a speech to a group of Toyota workers and coal miners. With their support you think your bill will pass. Write a speech which will convince them of the need for this increase in taxes. Remember they may or may not have children in the public schools. Closure: Allow volunteers to read their speeches. Collect. Day 8 Test on unit.

Sample Lesson Plan for The Kentucky State Budget Game

Back to The Kentucky State Budget Game page.

Written by Robin Reid, Lafayette High School

KERA Goals:
2.14, 2.15, 2.17
SS 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5
SS 14, 15, 15.1, 15.2

Core Content:
2.14, 2.15, 2.17

Objectives:
After the lesson, students will be able to:

Explain or list ways in which the state government responds to contemporary issues and societal problems reflecting the needs of citizens.
Discuss the conflicts which arise because of competing needs (i.e.) health care, child care, welfare, education and crime.
Demonstrate how scarcity of resources necessitates choice at both personal and societal levels.
Explain that state, federal and local government have limited budgets so they must compare revenues to the costs when planning public projects.

Day 1

Materials: Books, "Government in Action" transparencies from Prentice-Hall

Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) define concurrent powers; 2) explain how different levels of government work together.

Set: Students will be told that they already know a great deal about state government because it reflects the federal government. They are mirror images of each other.

Lesson: Show transparencies and discuss the three levels of government. Explain that some powers are reserved for each level. Explain concurrent powers. Use education as an example of concurrent powers. Preview unit and explain that you will cover chapters in text that deal with state government. Assign reading and homework on state government.

Closure: Remind students that homework is due.

Day 2

Materials: Handouts on government officials, overhead on officials and Congress/General Assembly. Handout on a day in the life of a Representative.

Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) list the qualifications, terms, and jobs of current officials in Kentucky; 2) compare and contrast the federal and state governments.

Set: Review how to take notes with students.

Lesson: Lecture/discuss current office holders in Kentucky. Describe their jobs, how they are elected, qualifications for office, terms in office, salary of governor ($83,000). How are these positions like the federal system, how are they different? Compare and contrast the Congress and the General Assembly. Hand out article and read {aloud for general} discuss the activities.

Closure: Use Cornell Notes to review.

Day 3

Materials: What is a fair tax handouts and overheads.

Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) describe the different kinds of taxes; 2) list reasons that we pay taxes; 3) decide if a tax is fair.

Set: Desks in groups of 5. A list of the following kinds of taxes are on the board. Sales, income, progressive, property, inheritance/estate and business.

Lesson: Ask students what kind of list is on the board. {Taxes} Tell students that Americans have a love/hate relationship with their government. Few Americans mind the help and services that the government provides but most resent having to pay for those services. Explain that the purpose of this lesson is to decide what a fair tax is and examine the many different kinds of taxes we pay. Remind students that different levels of government require different kinds of taxes. Display handout 4-6-2. Ask what are the most important taxes that are collected? {personal income and Social Security? How are these dollars used? {Military defense, Social Security, and interest on debt} What are the most important taxes collected by state and local governments? {Sales, property, personal income. These are used for education, health, welafare and transportation.} Display overhead 4-6-3. Leave this up. Explain that this is how the state spends its money currently. In their groups have the students decide if these expanders are good or not. How would they change these amounts? Have them weigh the benefits and the costs to them. Explain their reasoning. Remind them that every change they make affects someone else.

Closure: Allow students to share their changes and reasoning. Assign homework reading, quiz tomorrow on reading.

Day 4

Materials: Books, quiz, computer with Kentucky State Budget Game

Set: Quiz over reading.

Lesson: Hand out quiz and allow ten minutes for students to complete it. Introduce the computer game. Demonstrate how the game works. Work in groups of five to go through game. Students determine how to get reelected based on their choices in making a budget for the state of Kentucky.

Closure: Game will continue tomorrow.

Day 5

Materials: Computer game and handouts

Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) tell how budget decisions affect re-election; 2) list budget cuts and whom these cuts may affect.

Set: Groups of five. At least 3 computers in the classroom.

Lesson: Allow groups to play the game from yesterday. Each group will have 40 minutes to play the game. The winning group will receive either bonus points or treats. Handouts are due at the end of the hour. (30 points) Quiz tomorrow on this section.

Closure: What did you learn? How did your decisions affect you? How did your decisions affect others?

Day 6

Materials: The Legislative Gavel, handout (The Legislative Gavel is a free publication from the Legislative Research Commission).

Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to 1) list 6 jobs a legislator does; 2) explain the main role of the Legislative Research Office.

Set: Copies of The Legislative Gavel on desks. Tell students about the Legislative Research Commission and explain its job.

Lesson: Allow students to read The Legislative Gavel. Students are to answer the question on the handout #4. Due at the end of the hour, 50 points.

Closure: Trade and grade handout.

Day 7

Materials: Books and dictionaries

Objectives: After the lesson students will be able to describe how different groups compete for limited resources.

Set: Review unit with students.

Lesson: In class open response writing. You are the Governor of Kentucky. You have been told by the federal government that your state will receive 10% less money next year for education than it got last year. This is a tax cut of nearly 10 million dollars. You have proposed a bill which will increase personal income tax by 0.5% to make up this difference. Now you must sell your plan. You are giving a speech to a group of Toyota workers and coal miners. With their support you think your bill will pass. Write a speech which will convince them of the need for this increase in taxes. Remember they may or may not have children in the public schools.

Closure: Allow volunteers to read their speeches. Collect.

Day 8

Test on unit.