Procedures

• WARM-UP:

  Have the students begin class by answering the following question. Review the answers with the class and address any misconceptions.

  • What is the purpose of Congress' impeachment power?

  • How does the impeachment process work?

• INTRODUCTION:

  After reviewing the basic power and purpose of Congress' impeachment power, have the students view the following video clips. For each video clip, students should complete the activity listed below.

• Video Clip 1: An Overview of the House Impeachment Debate (4:21)

  • Students should either provide a written explanation of the steps that would take place in the impeachment debate or create a graphic organizer or drawing of the steps that will take place in the House impeachment debate.

• Video Clip 2: Articles of Impeachment against President Trump (1:05)

  • Provide a summary of the two articles of impeachment against President Trump.

• EXPLORATION:

  Using the impeachment debate handout linked below, have the students view each of the video clips of members of Congress debating the articles of impeachment. While viewing these video clips, students will take notes on the arguments each member of Congress makes and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments.

  Handout: Analyzing the House Impeachment Debate (Google Doc)

• VIDEO CLIPS:

  • Video Clip 3: Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) Opening Statement at the House Impeachment Debate (8:33)

  • Video Clip 4: Rep. Collins (R-GA) Opening Statement at the House Impeachment Debate (7:05)

  • Video Clip 5: Rep. Nadler (D-NY) on the Two Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump (4:43)

  • Video Clip 6: Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI) on the Two Articles of Impeachment (3:14)

  • Video Clip 7: Rep. Jayapal (D-WA) on Impeachment and Election Interference (2:23)

  • Video Clip 8: Rep. Johnson (R-LA) on Impeachment and Elections (2:24)

• APPLICATION AND CONCLUSION:

  Using the T-charts on the handout, have the students list the arguments for and against each of the Articles of Impeachment. Based on this chart, have them provide a written response to the following prompt. Teachers can also choose to use one of the activities listed on C-SPAN's Classroom Deliberation site

  • Based on the arguments from the House impeachment debate, how should the House have voted on the two articles of impeachment of President Donald Trump?

• EXTENSION/ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES:

  Create your Own Clip- View and search through the House impeachment debate on C-SPAN's website. Find arguments not included in the lesson. Using the clipping guide, create a clip to present to the class.

  Research your Member of Congress- Identify your member of Congress. Search through the House impeachment debate on C-SPAN's website. If applicable, summarize your member of Congress' position on the issue of impeachment.

  Clinton Impeachment Comparison- Using the video of the House impeachment debate of President Clinton, explain how the arguments in the Clinton impeachment debate compare to those in the Trump impeachment debate.

  Logical Fallacies- Using the logical fallacies explained on the Purdue Online Writing Lab website, identify and explain how these logical fallacies were represented in the arguments for or against impeachment.

• ADDITIONAL PROMPTS:

  • How is the impeachment process an example of checks and balances?

  • How is the impeachment process in the House like a grand jury indictment?

  • Is the impeachment process too partisan? Explain your answer.