MINIPAGE ACTIVITIES MEET MANY STATE AND NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS. THIS WEEK'S STANDARDS: STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT. (SOCIAL STUDIES: POWER, AUTHORITY AND GOVERNANCE) STUDENTS

MiniPage activities meet many state and national educational standards. This week's standards: Students understand the purpose of government. (Social Studies: Power, Authority and Governance) Students identify key ideals of the United States' democratic republican form of government. (Social Studies: Civic Ideals and Practice)
Activities:
1. Write the words "Working Together" at the top of a large piece of paper. Then find newspaper comic strips that show people working together to do a job or solve a problem. Paste them on your paper.
2. Get together with several friends. Together, write down some rules about how you will play together. Now, have everyone sign the agreement.
3. Find a newspaper story about a local government body, such as a city council or a school board, passing a law or setting a policy. What different points of view are represented by the people who must vote on the law or policy? Write a paragraph describing the arguments presented by each side.
4. Collect several letters to the editor in which citizens are urging legislators to take action on a problem. Paste each letter on a piece of paper. Then write several sentences expressing your opinion on the topic.
5. Pretend you are a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Make a list of three reasons why the delegates should vote for the Constitution. Now write a speech trying to persuade the other delegates to sign the Constitution.