During this lesson, you learned about various interest groups, whom they influence, the methods they use, and the impact they have on legislation. The act of lobbying, while not always viewed positively, definitely has its merits as a vehicle for change in the United States. Many groups owe their policy successes to the relentless advocating performed by lobbyists and others who believe in their cause. Many groups have utilized this influence to create positive changes in America society.
Now it is your turn to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular interest group. In the NAACP example, you learned how the group influenced the government and the impact of this influence in bringing about significant changes--changes that are still relevant today.
For this activity, you'll need to choose one interest group operating in the U.S. and examine its effectiveness in impacting legislation and changing or creating political discussions and movements on contemporary issues. You will then use your research to create a brochure, a blog post with links, or a multimedia presentation (such as a video or slide show). Think of your final product as a way to teach others about one particular lobbying organization and its influence on American government.
Use the websites below to find information on various interest groups.
USA Political Database - List of National Interest Groups
Regardless of the form it takes, your final product should include the following:
| A history of the formation of the group and its mission |
| A description of the group's political involvement throughout American history |
| An analysis of the group's impact on legislation and government actions |
| An assessment of how effective the group has been in getting others to support its cause |
| A description of any changes the group has brought about in American culture or society |
| Images that represent the group of your choosing and the influence they have had |
Use the following worksheet to guide your research and the crafting of your final product.
| Criterion | 5 – Superior | 3 – Meets Expectations | 1 – Does Not Meet Expectations |
| Background | You provided a complete and thorough history of the interest group you selected, including its past political involvement. | You provided some information about the history of the interest group you selected, including its past political involvement. | You provided little or no information about the history of the interest group you selected. |
| Analysis | You included a careful and detailed analysis of the group’s impact on laws, policies and government actions. | You included a brief but accurate analysis of the group’s impact on laws, policies and government actions. | You included little or no analysis of the group’s impact on laws, policies and government actions. |
| Evaluation | You delivered a persuasive and well-supported assessment of the group’s effectiveness in supporting its cause. | You delivered an adequate assessment of the group’s effectiveness in supporting its cause. | You did not assess of the group’s effectiveness in supporting its cause. |
| Reflection | You described several changes in American culture or society brought about by the interest group you researched. | You described a change in American culture or society brought about by the interest group you researched. | You did not describe a change in American culture or society brought about by the interest group you researched. |
| Images | You selected images that work really well for helping your audience understand the nature and impact of the interest group you chose. | You selected some images that support your ideas about the nature and impact of the interest group you chose. | You include no images, or you images were unrelated to the nature and impact of the interest group you chose. |
