Activities and Services Provided by Local Governmental Units

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This lesson is most appropriate for High School classrooms.

Theme: What activities are local governments responsible for

MCF Benchmark: Evaluate how effectively the federal government is serving the purposes for which it was created.

Other benchmarks this lesson targets include: none

Materials needed:

  • 3X5 note cards (30)
  • Wall chart materials
  • Paper
  • Marking pens
  • Method of hanging in room

Methodological procedure:

Day1:

Perhaps your best, and most authentic sources of information are your own local governmental units and those departments within your government. Many have web sites, they can be found at http://mml.org/ for municipalities, and http://www.mta-townships.org for townships. County governments should be readily accessible through your search engine. Even if you are Internet challenged a visit to your city or township hall, or County building will produce many pamphlets and brochures detailing services available.

Do NOT discuss a definition of the three categories prior to this activity.

Distribute the cards (see attachment 1) containing samples of services provided by various local governmental units.

Each student should have only one card and the cards should be equally distributed from each of the three foundations.

Individual students should look at the sample card and attempt to determine if the service is best categorized as health, safety or general welfare.

Students should then attempt to group themselves into the three categories of health, safety, or general welfare.

There should eventually be three equal groups. Students should discuss with each other the service and how it fits the category.

Once in their respective groups students should formulate a definition of the category health, safety, or general welfare based on the types of services provided.

Students share their group definition of the category with the whole class allowing other groups to respond with suggestions or critiques.

When all groups have completed the sharing of definitions, the teacher should clarify any definitions that need further discussion as well as the realization that overlapping of some services do occur. (See notes for definitions)

Students then construct a wall chart with the category at the top followed by the definition and then examples of services and/or activities.

Day 2:

The teacher should begin the lesson stating to students that the types of governmental services provided are not required by the constitution, but the power of local governments to provide such services may be provided and therefore services are at the will of the people.

Students may remain in same group or may be regrouped at the teacher's discretion for this session but it is recommended that they remain within this final group through the end of the lesson.

The small groups will discuss the following situations and report their findings to the class as a whole. The teacher may opt to divide the class so that groups are reporting on only one situation or all three. If only one situation is chosen then it is important to allow longer whole class interaction time.

Situation 1:

What if a current service was no longer provided?

  1. What effects would there be on the common good?
  2. What effects would there be on individuals?
  3. What effects would there be on interest groups or business?
  4. What effects would there be on other Services?

Situation 2

What services are not currently provided in your community that should be provided?

  1. What one service as an individual do you think should be provided?
  2. What one service to specialized groups do you think should be provided?
  3. What one service do you think needs to be provided for the common good?

Situation 3

What services might be needed or desired in the future?

  1. What services do you think you will want in the next 5 years?
  2. What services do you think you will want when you have established a home of your own?
  3. What services do you think you will want when you are retirement age?

Author's notes:

Definitions

General Welfare- This term may cause the greatest controversy and confusion. Many students may quickly think of welfare programs and they would be correct in their thinking to a point. However, the term general welfare is much more inclusive and alive. The term comes from the United States Constitution and has been interpreted elastically by both legislatures and courts as an inclusive living term that adjusts to the needs of the time. See http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj16n1-11.html and http://academic.bellevue.edu/~jpatton/welfare.html. Services and/ or departments may include Land Use, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Libraries, and others that do not directly fit within other categories.

Health- Although a simple term it is more than just the care of the sick, injured, or mentally impaired. Heath also includes the delivery system of health care and the prevention of health problems. This could include disease, environmental causes, or lifestyle choices. (1)

Safety-In addition to law enforcement through police agencies safety includes education of the general population on codes and ordnances, drug prevention, crime prevention, safe vehicle operation, and inspections. Fire departments cover firefighting services, education programs for prevention and investigation into crimes involving fire. (2)

Common good- Requires that individual citizens have commitment and motivation--that they accept their obligation--to promote the welfare of the community and work together with other members for the greater benefit of all. For additional background go to http://faculty.etsu.edu/mattioli/core.htm. It is important to note that students' failing point on this core democratic value is that the action must benefit the entire community and not just a specific individual or interest group

  1. Government by the People: National, State, and Local Version, Seventeenth edition, Prentice Hall 1998.
  2. Government by the People: National, State, and Local Version, Seventeenth edition, Prentice Hall 1998.

Assessment strategies:

Assessment

Homework:

After the completion of day 2 activities students should complete an essay on the following prompt.

The teacher will find a rubric in downloads.

Each student should select a service from their community and determine if that service is effectively providing the service for them. The following items should be included in order to establish an understanding of the lesson content.

  1. A description of the effectiveness of the local government in providing the service.
    1. Student should clearly identify the service.
    2. Student should associate the service within the correct category or foundation.
    3. Essay should contain an anecdote that relates to the effectiveness of the service.

Enrichment suggestions:

Students may follow up any of the situations and take civic action in either improving existing services, creating a needed service, or help in the planning of a future service with their local governmental unit.

Available downloads:

  • Rubric for Homework, (21 K)
    This is the rubric for the homework assignment.
  • Sample of Services, (27 K)
    This is the list of sample services provided by local governments needed for day one activities. In addition, there is additional teacher information.

Suggested web sites:

  • Michigan Municipal League
    The Michigan Municipal League is the Michigan association of cities and villages. The League is a nonpartisan organization working through cooperative effort to strengthen the quality of municipal government and administration by providing technical assistance and information to local officials regarding municipal issues; improving the training and education of these officials; preserving the home rule philosophy of municipal government, and creating a greater public understanding of municipal responsibilities, governance, and administration.
  • The Michigan Township Association
    The Michigan Townships Association is a non-profit organization formed in 1953 to provide a unified voice for Michigan's township governments. MTA is proud to claim more than 99 percent of the 1,242 Michigan townships as members. Through this website, seminars, publications, county chapters, written communication, telephone calls, monthly electronic newsletters and legislative faxes, MTA keeps members informed of current township issues.
  • The Cato Journal
    Book review on "common good" discussing its roots and court decisions establishing its definition to its current usage.
  • Bellevue University's Economics Department
    Interesting opinion paper discussing the term "common good".
  • Library of Michigan
    State of Michigan Constitution with table of contents.
  • Access Kent
    This is Kent County's web site. Don't be offended that it isn't yours just remember that it is here as an source for service information.