Mock Congress

Students from the Folsom School recently experienced government through a Mock-Congress in their social studies classes with Mrs. Pidgeon. Mrs. Pidgeon exemplifies 21^st century instruction because she empowered the students to make real changes at school and because the process challenged students to use the structures of government to accomplish their own personal goals.

The students buzzed with excitement at the opportunity to address bills on extending recess, bringing soda into school and other similar issues. The students drafted their bills as individuals but submitted the bills either to the House of Representatives of the Senate, where the bills could be accepted, vetoed or modified. Within each body of Congress, students formed committees to help them sort and consider the 26 proposed bills.

Students directed each session as Speaker of the House or Senate President, where students censored one another to maintain order and to maintain respectful discourse. The students also constructed their own gavel, from found wood, to maintain order.

On December 20, the students vigorously addressed the implications of bill H-10, The Soda Bill. Students considered the potential financial gains of having soda available during the day but students were cognizant of the health and focus issues that might accompany excessive soda consumption during the day. The students also highlighted the rights of students to choose what they consume for themselves but advocated for limits as some of the students at Folsom might be too young for such responsibilities.

In the end, students passed the amended bill (13-11), which limited each students to no more than two sodas a day, which would only be available through a school vending machine at a cost of $1 per soda. The next step for the students is to get the bill through the School Board and Principal.

This unit is part of a larger emphasis on government this year, which also included the Flynn Performance, We the People, which also told the story of government from a student’s perspective.