AP Government

Panel Discussions Federalism

Directions: You will be placed in groups and assigned to one of the topics listed below. You will be assigned a side
(side A federal government or side B state government). Your job will be to 1) research your topic using the guidelines
below, 2) complete the attached handout, 3) prepare a three minute oral presentation on your topic and 4) actively
participate in all panel discussions. In the panel discussion, each student will have three minutes to present their side to
the class. Members of the class will be asked to consider the arguments presented, and to take a position. The class can
ask questions to the panel, and eventually there will be a class vote on who presented the issue the best. Obviously,
your job is to convince the class that your side is correct. Your grade will be based on your oral presentation and your
active participation in all panel discussions.
Independent Research: You will be required to find this on your own, using the Internet. Go to a major search
engine like Google and type in federal mandate + topic. It is also suggested that you search the following major
think tanks for positions:
Liberal: The Brookings Institution
www.brookings.org
Conservative: The Heritage Foundation www.heritage.org
Libertarian: The Cato Institute
www.cato.org

Issue I: Clean Air and Water Acts

a. The federal government was correct to enact the Clean Air and Water Acts
b. The Clean Air and Water Act was not an appropriate way to solve the environmental problems.
Issue II: Americans with Disabilities Act
a. The Americans with Disabilities act was a necessary action taken by the federal government.
b. The Americans with Disabilities act was excessively burdensome on state government.
Issue III: Brady Bill
a. The Brady Bill was a necessary action taken by the government to protect all citizens.
b. The Brady Bill imposed on state rights and was not an appropriate action taken by the federal government.
Issue IV: Federal Mandate to Raise the Drinking Age to 21
a. The federal government acted appropriately in its federal mandate that the states raise their drinking age to 21
or loose federal highway funds.
b. The federal governments mandate to raise the drinking age to 21 or lose federal highway funds was not an
appropriate action to solve the problem of drinking related accidents.
Issue V: No Child Left Behind Act
a. No Child Left Behind was a necessary action taken by the federal government to improve educational
standards.
b. No Child Left Behind is excessively burdensome on state governments and did not appropriately solve the
problem of improving education.
Issue VI: Defense of Marriage Act
a. The federal government acted appropriately in enacting the defense of marriage act.
b. The defense of marriage act violated states rights.

Name _________________
1) Mandate I am researching ________________________________________________________________________
2) Research your mandate and describe it briefly here. ___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
3) Come to an agreement with all members of your group on one specific PART of the mandate that you will be
debating and list that here__________________________________________________________________________.
4) Thesis I will be presenting (decide amongst yourselves who will present side A and who will present side B; two
students for side A and two students for side B. Then copy the thesis from page one) ___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5) Arguments that I will make to support the thesis (you will have approximately three minutes to make your point and
you should have at least TWO concrete reasons to back your position up. Coordinate with your partner to make sure
you are NOT repetitive. You should speak clearly and have facts to back your position up. Be prepared to cite your
sources if necessary)
FIRST POINT THAT I WILL MAKE:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
SECOND POINT THAT I WILL MAKE:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
6) Questions that I will ask the opposing side:

PANEL DISCUSSION FORMAT

One student from the panel will be asked to give an overview of the federal mandate they will be discussing,
and class will take notes. Opposing panel may add to this.
Side B will give presentation
Side A will give presentation
Side B can question side A
Side A can question side B
Students in the class will be asked to take a position and explain it
Students can question the panel
Vote will be taken
NOTES

Federal Mandate
Clean Air and Water Act

Americans with Disabilities Act

Brady Bill

Federal Mandate to raise the

drinking age

No Child Left Behind Act

Defense of Marriage Act