A look inside a lesson

What CLSM looks like
on the page.

The decisions are small and deliberate: where a word is explained, how a task begins, and when students return to an idea without looking.

Original free practice · Civic Literacy

Who can stop a bill?

¿Quién puede detener un proyecto de ley?

The rule: Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber.

La regla: El Congreso puede aprobar una ley a pesar del veto del presidente si dos tercios de cada cámara votan a favor.

Veto
The president returns a bill with objections.
El presidente devuelve el proyecto de ley con sus objeciones.
Override
Congress passes the bill despite the veto, with the required votes.
El Congreso aprueba la ley a pesar del veto, con los votos necesarios.

Follow the case

In this fictional case, both chambers pass a bill. The president vetoes it. Two-thirds of the House vote to override, but only three-fifths of the Senate do.

En este caso ficticio, las dos cámaras aprueban un proyecto de ley. El presidente lo veta. Dos tercios de la Cámara de Representantes votan para aprobarlo de nuevo, pero solo tres quintos del Senado hacen lo mismo.

  1. Does this override attempt succeed? Use the rule and both vote results.
    ¿Funciona este intento? Usa la regla y los resultados de las dos votaciones.
  2. Explain how each branch can limit the other.
    Explica cómo cada poder puede limitar al otro.

Close it. Recall it. Check it.

Cover the case. Why is support in only one chamber not enough?

Tapa el caso. ¿Por qué no basta con el apoyo de una sola cámara?

Use the complete free sample

The student page and teacher notes include the answer discussion and source. This original practice activity is separate from Amanda's paid lessons.

Open the printable sample

Teacher check: This attempt fails because three-fifths is less than two-thirds. Both chambers must meet the threshold.

Source: U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 7 · National Archives ↗

Read about the four CLSM lenses →