News From the Nest-Spotlight on Learning: Designing Your Own Government
Spotlight On Learning
Presented by: Mr. Dustin Hemminger
Subject: SS10 – Designing Your Own Government
Driving Question: In the perfect country, how would government work?
TEACHER DESCRIPTION and / or REFLECTION:
At the end of our government unit students were tasked with designing a government for a new nation. The nation has a population of 30 million people spread over 1,958,200 square kilometers (roughly the size of Mexico). Students are expected to decide certain elements of the new nation’s government.
- Make crucial decisions and justify why they are the best options for their new nation.
- Required to outline their government’s plan on poster paper with supporting information, explanations, justifications, images and graphics.
- Explanation and justifications are to be done as part of the oral presentation and at least partially on the poster.
Key things students must decide and justify:
Name of the country.
- Constitutional motto- something that the government and constitution will strive for and provide for.
- What type of structure of government will this country have? Only a central government? Two level federal system? And their jurisdiction and responsibilities.
- Type of electoral system and why. First-Past-the-Post? Proportional Representation? Other?
- A Bill of Rights – List at least five enshrined rights that this country has and why.
- Describe the ideal platform and ideology of the ruling party/political figure that will run this country.
- Design the flag for this new nation.
This is a great way for students to think about different elements of government and explore what they value, and feel is important to them. They learn about themselves and where they fit on the political spectrum. A great deal of time goes into setting this up, so students have the background knowledge to make thoughtful and well-informed decisions.
STUDENT REFLECTIONS:
Student reflection 1: “I enjoyed learning about the different ways of governing and it was fun to create a system that I thought would work the best.”
Student refection 2: “Government is complicated, but important. It is really important to understand what is going on and vote.”
Student Reflection 3:
“While creating my country and government, I thought a lot about how my government would deal with equality and fairness. I wanted it to be a very left leaning country because that is where I identify on the political spectrum. I made my government social libertarian to reflect my beliefs of both socialism (economic equality) and liberalism………I don’t like the idea of monarchy, constitutional or otherwise because, although it can be important in preserving a country’s historical tradition, it is obsolete and looms over the autonomy of a country’s respective citizens. This is why I made my country a republic. Overall, I feel that the country I created effectively demonstrates and reflects my own political beliefs.”
Student Reflection 4:
“After living in Jamaica for almost all my life, I knew how the Jamaican government runs. After doing this project I realized there is more than one way to run a government. It helped me to know more about the rights I have as a citizen and how those right work. It also showed me that there are different electoral systems that can be used and work……….”