Supplies 

• Chart: “Executive Orders by President, Average Per Years in Office” from The American Presidency Project
• Case Study Essay on Executive Orders
• Access to online resources for additional research
• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Markers

Anticipate (5 minutes)  

• Begin the class by introducing the concept of executive orders. Use the Case Study Essay on Executive Orders. You may share the information with students or have them read it individually, in pairs, or small groups.

Engage (10 minutes)  

• Distribute copies of the chart “Executive Orders by President, Average Per Years in Office,” or display it prominently.
• Guide students in analyzing the chart by identifying trends in the frequency of executive orders over time. Here are analysis questions you can use with your students:
• What trends do you observe in the usage of executive orders over time? Are there periods marked by a particularly high or low frequency of orders?
• Identify any notable spikes or drops in the average number of executive orders per year.
• Compare the use of executive orders among presidents from the same political party. Do members of a particular party tend to issue more executive orders than the other? If so, why might this be the case?
• Compare the use of executive orders in different centuries or eras (e.g., nineteenth or 19^th century vs. twentieth or 20th century vs. twenty-first or 21st century). How has the role and frequency of executive orders evolved?

Explore (20 minutes) 

• Divide students into groups. Assign each group a specific time period or a set of presidents to research more deeply.
• Task each group with finding out the context of the executive orders during their assigned period/presidencies. They should focus on:
  • major events or crises during that time.
  • notable executive orders and their impacts.
  • public and legislative responses to the executive orders.
  • Each group will summarize their findings and hypothesize reasons for the increase or decrease in the use of executive orders.

Assess (10 minutes)  

• Have each group present their findings briefly to the class. Use a whiteboard or chart paper to note down key points from each group, highlighting differences and similarities across different administrations.

Reflect (5 minutes)  

• As a class, discuss the implications of governing through executive orders rather than through legislative processes. Ask the following questions:
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of using executive orders as a substitute for legislative action?
• Evaluate the balance of power between the president and Congress in relation to the use of executive orders. Do you think the current system effectively balances the power between these two branches of government? Why or why not?