1. What things about Joe Schwarz do you think are typical for a member of Congress? What things might be atypical?

2. What aspects of his background do you think would help make Joe Schwarz an effective legislator? Explain.

3. What things do you think Congressman Schwarz and his staff will need to do, or learn to do, to help him be an effective legislator?

For each folder: 1. Carefully analyze the information on the placard(s).

2. Discuss each of the placard questions.

3. Turn the other handout face up, and carefully read the excerpt from Freshman Orientation.

4. Discuss each of the reading questions.

5. Find the corresponding section of your new congressional staff orientation notes. Record at least three things you learned that will help your new member of Congress be an effective legislator.

6. Organize all of the packet materials, exchange them for a new orientation packet, and repeat these steps.

De-brief (on page 83) List the eight topics covered in your orientation notes in order from least important to most important. Underneath the list please explain why you put them in that order.

About Joe Schwarz 1.Overall, do you think Joe Schwarz was an effective legislator? Why or why not?

2. Of all the topics you investigated, which contributed most to his being effective or ineffective?

Extra Credit (required for honors) (due Friday) Using the topics we investigated during this activity, create a report card that could be used to evaluate any member of Congress. Use that report card to evaluate a member of Congress that represents you.

Your report card should have a place for a letter grade and a place where you can give evidence for why you gave that person the grade you did.