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Meeting Day Four

Advocating for Change: The Legislative Process

Contents

Select the link to jump to that section in the Meeting Day One Activity plan.

Know Your Government Shield

Objectives of Meeting 4

  • Community Building
  • Legislative Shark Tank Presentations
  • Practice responding to challenging questions
  • Choose policy (bill) ideas to send to the conference
  • Practice parliamentary procedure
  • Review life skills of accepting differences, responsible citizenship and decision making

Estimated Time: 3 hours

Materials needed:

  • Internet access
  • Computer(s) for videos and research (encourage delegates to bring their own if they have them)
  • Copies of handouts
  • Motion and Response cards for parliamentary procedure activity.
  • Pens or pencils.

Activity 18: One Minute Introductions (10 minutes)

Purpose: Build community and excitement by sharing what participants are looking forward to at the conference.

Materials: None required.

Instructions:

  • This activity lasts one minute.
  • The goal is to greet everyone and share one thing you are looking forward to at the conference.
  • Quickly introduce yourself and state one thing you are most excited about.
  • If the group is large and participants haven’t finished within the minute, you can extend the time slightly.

Group Agreement

  • Review Group Agreement and have students share what pieces of their Group Agreement have been the most helpful for the county meetings and if that might change at the KYG Conference.
  • How might this agreement look different or the same for the whole KYG delegation, not just their county?
  • Be sure your Group Agreement is ready to go to KYG with you. If you want to clean it up, go for it. 

Follow-up from Meeting 3

Dignity Index Media Watch:

  1.    Have students share the political news they saw and where it was on the Dignity Index.
  2.    Share recorded examples of high and low dignity communication.

Activity 19: Legislative Shark Tank: Pitching Bills for a Better Washington (85 minutes)

Introduction: Delegates will present their policy ideas to the group and the group will decide if it moves forward to the conference to be considered by the KYG Legislature. Allow time for an initial presentation, feedback and then a second presentation before voting.

Room Arrangement:

  • Arrange chairs in a semicircle for the “Sharks” (the other delegates)
  • Place a presentation area at the front

The Pitch Session (60 minutes)

  1. Opening Remarks:
    • Explain the rules: 2-minute pitch, followed by 3 minutes of questions
    • Have each “Shark” prepared to represent their perspective
  2. Pitch Rotation:
    • Each Bill Entrepreneur presents their 2-minute pitch
    • Timer keeps strict time limits
    • Sharks take notes during presentations
  3. Q & A Session:
    • After each pitch, Sharks ask challenging questions for 3 minutes
    • Questions should reflect their assigned perspective
    • Bill Entrepreneurs must think on their feet to respond effectively
  4. Shark Deliberation:
    • After each pitch and Q&A, Sharks briefly discuss the merits
    • Each Shark decides if they will vote to support the Policy (Bill)
    • Sharks explain their vote, providing constructive feedback
      • Clarity of problem/solution
      • Feasibility of implementation
      • Cost-effectiveness
      • Potential impact
      • Quality of presentation
      • Dignity Level
  5. Provide an opportunity to repeat the cycle for people who want to make improvements to their pitch

Voting and Results (10 minutes)

Vote Tallying:

  1. Calculate total number of votes received by each bill
  2. Audience members also vote for their favorite bills

Results Announcement:

  1. Announce the top three bills based on Shark votes
  2. Announce the “People’s Choice” winner based on audience votes

Shark Feedback:

  1. Sharks provide overall feedback on what made certain pitches effective
  2. Highlight specific techniques that were persuasive

Reflection and Application (15 minutes)

Group Discussion

  1. What made certain pitches more effective than others?
  2. How did different perspectives influence investment decisions?
  3. How does this relate to the actual legislative process?

Individual Reflection:

Students complete a brief reflection answering:

  1. What would you do differently in your pitch next time?
  2. How did this activity change your understanding of the legislative process?
  3. What skills from this activity will help you at the KYG conference?

Connection to Democracy:

Have the group answer the following questions:

  1. How does the pitch process reflect democratic principles?
  2. Is majority support always the best measure of a good bill?
  3. How do we balance different interests in a democracy?
  4. Discuss how high-dignity communication can make legislative pitches more effective

Activity 20: Send Policies (Bills) to KYG (10 minutes)

Based on the presentations, have the group decide which bill ideas will be brought forth to the KYG conference. You can send as few or as many bills as you want. To submit a bill, send the following information for each bill limited to one page or less to Clinton Gauthier (cjgauthier@wsu.edu) by February 1, 2026:

Policy Idea (Bill Title)

  1. Problem statement (What issue does your bill address?)
  2. Solution overview (How does your bill solve the problem?)
  3. Implementation plan (How will it work in practice?)
  4. Cost and funding (How much will it cost and how will it be funded?)
  5. Benefits to constituents (Why should voters support this?)

Activity 21: Motion Mayhem (30 minutes)

Purpose: A fast-paced game where teams identify motions, their rules, and correct responses, practicing parliamentary procedure in a fun, competitive way.

Time: 20-30 minutes (flexible)

Players: Best with 2-4 teams, but do what works for your group

Materials:

  • 1 set of Motion Cards
  • 1 set of Response Cards
  • Pen/pencil (for their own notes/strategy)
  • Parliamentary Procedure “Cheat Sheet” (see Handout section)
  • Bell or Buzzer (Optional, but fun for “First to answer”)
  • Scoreboard: Whiteboard, flip chart or large paper

Motion Cards (Print 1 set per team + 1 for Leader)

Print 6-8 key parliamentary motions on individual cards.

Suggested Motions:

  • Main Motion
  • Motion to Amend
  • Motion to Adjourn
  • Motion to Table (or Postpone definitely)
  • Call for the Previous Question
  • Point of order
  • Motion to Appeal the Decision of the Chair
  • Motion to Suspend the Rules

Tip: Use different colors for each motion for quick visual recognition (e.g., Main Motion on blue, Amend on yellow, etc.)

Word version of Motion Cards – for printing

Scenario Cards (print 1 set for Leader):

Print 10-15 short scenarios describing a situation in a meeting where a specific motion would be appropriate or needed.

Examples:

  • “You want to introduce a brand new idea for the club’s next activity.” (Answer: Main Motion)
  • “Someone just proposed a trip to the zoo, but you think the date is all wrong. You want to change only the date.” (Answer: Motion to Amend)
  • “The discussion on the new club t-shirts is going nowhere, and people are getting restless. You want to put this discussion aside for now and pick it up later.” (Answer: Motion to Table)
  • “The meeting has been going on for over an hour, and people need to leave soon. You want to end the meeting right now.” (Answer: Motion to Adjourn)
  • “A member is speaking about something completely unrelated to the topic we’re voting on.” (Answer: Point of Order)
  • “You think everyone has talked enough about the proposed fundraiser, and it’s time to vote.” (Answer: Call for the Previous Question)
  • “You want to do something that is normally against the club’s rules (e.g., skip reading the minutes to save time), but everyone seems to agree it’s a good idea for today.” (Answer: Motion to Suspend the Rules)

Tip: Include answers on the back for quick reference.

Word version Scenario cards with blank spaces for additional scenarios – for printing (answers not included; see answers in above section)

Response Cards (Print 1 set per team + 1 for leader):

Print 5-7 cards with key procedural rules/requirements

Suggested Responses:

  • Requires a Second (Yes/No)
  • Debatable (Yes/No)
  • Amendable (Yes/No)
  • Vote Type? (Simple Majority/ 2/3 vote)
  • Interrupts Speaker? (Yes/No)

Tip: Include Yes/No options on the cards for easy selection.

Word version of Response Cards – for printing only

Adult Leader Instructions: “Motion Mayhem!” Facilitation Guide

Before the Game:

  1. Print & Cut: Print all Motion Cards (1 set per team + 1 for you), Scenario Cards (1 set for you), and Response Cards (1 set per team + 1 for you).
  2. Organize:
    • Keep your own set of Motion Cards and Response Cards separate.
    • Keep Scenario Cards in a stack, with answers clearly marked on the back or on a separate reference sheet.
    • Bundle each team’s set of Motion and Response Cards
    • Have Teen Handouts ready.
  3. Setup Room: Arrange tables/chairs so teams can huddle and discuss easily.
  4. Scoreboard: Prepare a whiteboard or flip chart for scoring.

Introduction (5 minutes):

  • Welcome & Energize: “Welcome, future leaders! Today we’re playing ‘Motion Mayhem!’ to become parliamentary procedure pros. This is a fast-paced game where you’ll use teamwork and quick thinking to master meeting rules.”
  • Divide Teams: “Let’s split into [2-4] teams. Quickly pick a team name!”
  • Distribute Materials: Give each team their bundle of Motion Cards, Response Cards, and the “Motion Mayhem!” Handout/Cheat Sheet.
  • Explain Handout: “This handout has the basic rules of the game and a ‘Cheat Sheet’ for key motions. Keep it handy!”
  • Explain Scoring: “You’ll earn 1 point for each correct answer. Team with the most points at the end wins!”

Round 1: “Identify the Motion!” (8-10 minutes)

  1. Explain Round: “In this round, I’ll read a scenario. Your team’s job is to quickly figure out which parliamentary motion would be used. The first team to correctly hold up the Motion Card gets the point!”
  2. Rules: “Teams, discuss quietly. When you have your answer, one person holds up the card clearly. I’ll ask for your answer. If you’re wrong, another team gets a chance.” (Or, first correct answer wins.)
  3. Start Reading Scenarios: Read one scenario card at a time.
    • Pause after reading.
    • Look for the first team to hold up a card
    • Verify the answer (using your own cards/answer key)
    • Award point
    • Continue for 5-7 scenarios, or until engagement wanes.
  4. Announce Score: “Great job! After Round 1, the score is…”

Round 2: “Rule Ranger!” (8-10 minutes)

  1. Explain Round: “Now we’re testing your knowledge of how motions work. I will name a motion, and your team needs to quickly hold up ALL the correct Response Cards that describe it (e.g., ‘Requires a Second? Yes,’ ‘Debatable? No’).”
  2. Rules: “Hold up all the correct cards simultaneously. First team with all correct cards gets the point.”
  3. Start Naming Motions: Name one motion at a time (e.g., “Main Motion,” “Motion to Adjourn,” “Point of Order”).
    • Pause
    • Look for the first team with a full set of correct cards.
    • Verify.
    • Award point.
    • Continue for 5-7 motions.
  4. Announce Score: “Fantastic! Heading into our final round, the scores are…”

Round 3: “Correct the Chaos!” (Optional Advanced Round 5-7 minutes”

Only do this if time allows and teens are grasping the concepts well.

  1. Explain Round: “For this round, I’m going to read a short, messed-up conversation from a meeting. Your team needs to identify the mistake(s) and tell me what the correct procedure should have been.”
  2. Rules: “Raise your hand to answer. First team to correctly identify a mistake and its fix gets the point.”
  3. Read Short Dialogues
    • Example 1: “Member A: I move we plan a field trip. (Chair looks around) Member B: I second that! Chair: Motion seconded. Okay, let’s vote!”
      • Mistake: Debate was skipped
    • Example 2: “Member C (interrupting) Point of Order! I want to amend that! Chair: Please wait till the speaker is done.”
      • Mistake: Point of Order can interrupt
      • Correction: Chair should ask “Is there any discussion?”
  4. Continue for 2-3 Dialogues.
  5. Announce Score: “That was tough! Final scores are…”

Wrap-up (2-3 minutes):

  • Announce Winner: “And the Motion Mayhem Champions are: Team [Name]!”
  • Praise Effort: “Everyone did an amazing job! Parliamentary Procedure can be tricky, but you all showed great teamwork and learned a lot.”
  • Reinforce Value: “Knowing these rules helps make sure meetings are fair, organized, and that everyone gets a chance to speak and be heard. You’ve just learned valuable leadership skills!”

Activity 22: Compliments and Closing (30 minutes)

Pass the Compliment (Circle Version)

Purpose: To strengthen group connections and foster positivity by sharing compliments in a structured, inclusive way.

Materials: A small object (e.g., ball, stuffed animal, or other easy-to-pass item).

Instructions: Have the group sit or stand in a circle. Explain that the object will move around the circle to the next person each time. When someone is holding the object, another person in the group gives them an appreciative statement or compliment. Example: “I appreciate how you helped keep the group on track.” After receiving the compliment, the person passes the object to the next person in the circle. Continue until the object has gone all the way around and everyone has received at least one compliment.

Handouts