The following section pertains to step 3 on the reservations page and contains all of the additional resources that you will need to prepare your group for the Constitutional Crisis Experience.
Role Assignments
In order for your students to participate in the simulation, their instructor must fill out and return this Role Assignment Guide, a critical “before you visit” document that Situation Room staff need returned prior to your visit.
This document is meant to assist the educator with assigning their students ideal roles within the simulation. Any questions may be addressed during our webinar, when this document will be covered extensively.
Pre-Visit Activities
Almost all of these materials may be used as stand-alone lessons or in preparation for a Situation Room visit.
Required Activities
The pre-visit PowerPoint, role explanation, and role worksheets are considered the minimum required prior to your visit and are vital to a successful experience.
The pre-visit PowerPoint is designed to introduce your students to the major curricular topics addressed in the Situation Room Experience.
Time Expected: 30 minutes
Grade Levels: 11-12
The student role explanations packet contains a write-up of each of the 37 unique roles in the simulation. Ask each student to review the explanation sheet corresponding with the character they have been assigned.
Time Expected: 10-15 minutes
Grade Levels: High School and University
Use the role worksheet as an individual or a group assignment to quickly help students familiarize themselves with their own and others’ roles.
Time Expected: 15-30 minutes
Grade Levels: High School
Additional Materials
The additional materials below, while not required, will help your students prepare for the simulation and our world's changing media landscape.
The LMNOP case study will allow students to practice evaluating and choosing sources for their news stories. This is a skill they will be expected to utilize in the crisis simulation.
Time Expected: 15 minutes to complete; 20 minutes to share and discuss.
Grade Levels: 11 and 12.
How to Read a Document: Constitutional Crisis
The “How to Read” a document series introduces students to a series of visual guides and helpful hints designed to support the reading of primary sources. The “Constitutional Crisis” guide includes memoranda, cables, tables, graphs, broadcast news reports, and a federal bill.
Time Expected: 10 - 20 minutes for each document. 40 minutes for the entire guide.
Grade Levels: 11-12
How to Read a Document Workbook: Constitutional Crisis
The workbook is the companion piece to the guide. It contains the text of the joint resolution proposing the twenty-fifth Amendment. The twenty-fifth amendment is a core document analyzed in the constitutional crisis simulation. The workbook also includes photographs and articles for review as well as question and answer guides.
Time Expected: 10-20 minutes for each document. 45 minutes for the entire guide.
Grade Levels: 11-12
The vocabulary list highlights key words that will be used in the simulation.
Time Expected: Varies
Grade Levels: 11-12
The “How to Read” the news series introduces students to a series of visual guides and helpful hints designed to support the reading of news in multiple formats and platforms.
Time Expected: Varies
Grade Levels: 8-12
Post-Visit Activities
After the simulation, you will receive a link to access analytics for your group's experience. You will be able to see the choices your students made during the simulation and use this information to foster discussion.
The Situation Room Experience also provides you with a post-visit PowerPoint presentation, a set of open-ended questions, and an after-action report that delve further into the themes, challenges, and historical content of the simulation.
Lead your students through this PowerPoint to discover what actually happened in history. Delve into the nuances of the twenty-fifth amendment. Compare your choices with the events of the past.
Time Expected: 30 minutes
Grade Levels: 11-12 and University
These analysis questions are designed to be used as either essay or discussion questions following your Situation Room Experience.
Time Expected: Varies
Grade Levels: 11-12
The after-action report is based off of the after action reports ordered and written by members of the White House crisis management team in 1981. In this exercise, your students will work together in teams to analyze their in-game experiences and decisions.
Standards
The Situation Room Experience is aligned with national standards, California History-Social Science Content Standards, and California English-Language Arts Standards.