Last updated on: 3/30/2023 | Author: ProCon.org

Impeachment Explainer Lesson Plan

The lesson plan below is intended to work with elections covered by ProCon, but may be adapted to work with other elections.

Objective:

Students will create their own nonpartisan impeachment explainer.

Students will:

  • learn about the impeachment process
  • write in a nonpartisan manner
  • explore appropriate mediums and language for audience

Resources/Materials:

Preparation:

  • Teachers may print ProCon.org’s “Impeachment Explainer” to eliminate the need for student internet connections.

Activity:

  1. Students should write their own nonpartisan impeachment explainer to explain the process to their fellow students using ProCon.org’s “Impeachment Explainer” resource’
    a. Students might explore different mediums (the school newspaper, a local paper, social media videos, or a slideshow presentation, for example) as well as communication modes (formal v. vernacular speech, for example) to fit their audiences and mediums.
    b. In a separate short essay or presentation, students should explain their choices.
  2. Add-On Tasks and Plan Variations:
    a. Have students publish their explainers.
    b. Have students analyze the articles of impeachment against Trump, Clinton, Nixon, and Johnson (included as pdf files in the ProCon.org resource) in comparison to each other, and in relation to the Constitution, Federalist Papers No. 65 in which Alexander Hamilton explains impeachable offenses, and Federalist, Papers No. 69 in which Hamilton explains the president’s limits of power.
    c. In a nonpartisan manner, explore the documents and testimony from President Trump’s impeachment proceedings. Compare this impeachment process to those of the past, as well as to the Constitution, Federalist Papers No. 65 in which Alexander Hamilton explains impeachable offenses, and Federalist, Papers No. 69 in which Hamilton explains the president’s limits of power. Because of the especially controversial and potentially partisan aspects of this discussion, teachers might consider using reflective structured dialogue.
    Source: Paula McAvoy, “Students Should Learn about the Impeachment in School — Here’s How to Make It Work,” salon.com, Nov. 28, 2019
    d. Have students explore in more depth one of the lesser-known impeached figures in the resource’s chart.
    e. Have students write an essay using one of the discussion questions on the resource.
    f. Using the historical articles of impeachment against Trump, Clinton, Nixon, or Johnson, have students stage a mock Senate trial. Students should consider precedent for procedure as well as the historical documents.

Evaluation:

  • Understanding of impeachment process
  • Quality of writing