Learning with Legislators in Wyoming

by Jan Goehring

More than 250 Cheyenne elementary students spent a day at the Wyoming capitol last month for hands-on, interactive instruction from legislators as part of a new pilot program called “Learning with Legislators.”

For four years, Cheyenne's Laramie County School District 1, has provided the We the People curriculum to all fifth grade classrooms in Cheyenne.  The curriculum is an intensive study of the Constitution. Jean Davies, the Elementary Director for the We the People program in Cheyenne, received a grant from the Cheyenne School Foundation to enhance the curriculum with a pilot project, "Learning with Legislators." 

The students were studying the three branches of government, so all three branches were incorporated into their day at the Capitol. Governor Dave Freudenthal welcomed the students. They then rotated  between two 45-minute interactive legislative sessions in   the Chambers and committee hearing rooms where they interacted with lawmakers. The students also attended a presentation by former chief justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court, William Hill, at the Supreme Court. 

The goal of "Learning with Legislators" is for legislators to roll their sleeves up and interact with students, letting them experience what it is like to be a lawmaker.  Nine legislators from Laramie County participated in the pilot project: Senator Floyd Esquibel, Senator Rick Hunnicutt, Senator Kathryn Sessions, Representative Jim Byrd, Representative Amy Edmonds, Representative Ken Esquibel, Representative Lori Millin, Representative Dan Zwonitzer, and Representative Dave Zwonitzer. 
 
For one of the legislative sessions, students met with the participating legislators in the House and Senate Chambers for an interactive lesson about how a bill becomes a law.  They debated a "mandatory dress code bill" for what their teacher or the participating legislator would be required to wear.  There was no paper involved in this exercise; instead the "bill" was the teacher  or the legislator and the "amendments" consisted of various wacky clothing items, including crazy hats, ties, and beads.  Representative Lori Millin, who is a medical technician, came to the House Chamber dressed in her medical scrubs and the students debated whether a legislator should be allowed to wear the clothing of their primary profession when working at the Capitol. 
 
The students participated in a second interactive exercise with the legislators to learn first-hand about debate, negotiation and compromise through a lesson plan called "Dude, Check Out My Wheels."  Legislators led the students through a debate about the role of government related to public safety.  The students determined the level to which different items such as bicycles, skateboards, scooters, and pocket bikes should be regulated.  
 
In both lessons, the legislators guided the students through the steps in the process, highlighting the nuances of legislating. They included messages about how change takes time, legislating can be messy, not everyone agrees and the rules are important.  

Feedback from teachers and parents has been incredibly positive.  The interactive experiences helped the students internalize the messages that the legislators conveyed about the importance of negotiation, debate, and compromise in our system of government.  One parent said that her daughter and a friend held a make-believe committee meeting after school on the day of the program.

Planning is underway to repeat this event in the spring with the remaining 400 fifth-grade students in Cheyenne and to look at expanding the program statewide.  This is an example of a win-win partnership between the America's Legislators Back to School program and the Center for Civic Education programs.    

A rose from the Thicket to Wendy Madsen, Wyoming Legislative Information Officer.
 

Comments

[torrent rapidshare]

Thats really interesting. ive wondered about Wyoming legislators.