Oklahoma Social Studies USG.C.4.1.D
The Standard
- USG.C.4
- Compare the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the United States of America's government as they address the needs of the public.
- USG.C.4.1
- Describe the scope and powers of the legislative branch of the federal government as delineated in Article 1 of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Describe the leadership roles of the Speaker of the House, the Senate President Pro Tempore, and majority and minority leaders, including the responsibilities of major congressional committees.
Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies (2026) · USG.C.4.1
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students distinguish the Speaker's role in House business from the Senate president pro tempore's role presiding when the vice president is absent. They explain how majority and minority leaders guide their parties, and how committees review bills and oversee agencies.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Given a tax bill, a student names the House Ways and Means Committee as a likely place for review and explains what a hearing could change. They can explain who guides floor business in each chamber and what a minority leader does when their party opposes a bill.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the Senate president pro tempore sets the Senate's daily agenda rather than the majority leader. They may think a minority leader can block a vote alone, or that committee approval makes a bill law.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Write one job each for the Speaker, Senate president pro tempore, Senate majority leader, House minority leader, and House Ways and Means Committee.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Hand out role cards and a school lunch funding bill; stage a three-minute committee hearing, then have party leaders pitch a floor vote.
Ask students to write two sentences explaining why the Senate majority leader may shape a bill's path more than the president pro tempore.
Play a card match: pair five leadership and committee titles with cards describing their jobs.
Open a current bill on Congress.gov, find its assigned committee, and predict what that committee will examine.
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Related Standards
- 2.C.1.3
Identify the basic roles of national leaders including the President of the United States of America, members of the United States of America Congress, and just...
- 8.C.4.4.B
Trace the basic steps of the legislative process using contemporary examples.
- USG.C.4.3
Explain the steps of the legislative process, including the authority, responsibilities, and influence of Congress, the President, and special interest groups, ...
- 8.C.4.4.A
Describe the constitutional roles of Congress and the President to produce necessary legislation in order to meet public needs.
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