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Federal Regulatory Agencies

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Goals & Objectives

The student will . . .

SS.GOV.60.05 - Examine regulatory agnencies and their social, economic, and political impact on the country, a region or on/within a state. (G4.1.3)

SS.GOV.60.05.a.1 - Analyze the impact, need, and controversies associated with the following regulatory agencies: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Federal Communication Commission (FCC); and the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA).

Introduction & Overview

Federal regulatory agencies serve a vital role in our lives. These agencies operate independently of the government -- though their commissioners are appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate -- to make rules for large industries and businesses that affect the interests of the public. To fulfill their role, agencies establish regulations and grant licenses to industries for activities ranging from operating a television station to building a city's water treatment center. To enforce their rules, an agency will also act as a court; investigating and collecting evidence, holding hearings, and setting penalties for businesses that violate their regulations. Because regulatory agency's decisions can cost millions of dollars to enforce and sometimes have a negative impact on businesses, these agencies often come under intense scrutiny from lobbyists, businesses, government, and the public. Victor Kamber, however, summed up the importance of federal regulatory agencies when he stated, "Most Americans have forgotten that we set up regulatory agencis in the first place to protect the public interest. Industries considered vital to the public . . . were regulated in order to provide the public a steady flow of safe production in a stable environment."

For this activity you will use the World Wide Web to find information about the federal regulatory agencies: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); the Federal Communication Commission (FCC); and the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). You will first organize your findings into a graphic-table organizer. You will then use this organizer to assist you in taking a short quiz on the federal regulatory agencies. Finally, you will prepare an informational poster that describes one of these agencies in a meaningful, colorful, and artistic manner (your instructor may or may not assign you one federal regulatory agency to construct your poster on)..

Activities, Assignments & Links

Grapic-Table Organizer - When recording your findings on the federal regulatory agencies be certain to be accurate and informative. Answer the following questions for each agency:

When was the agency established?
Why was the agency established?
What are the agency’s major duties and responsibilities?
What group(s) and/or industries are impacted by the agency?
What are two issues that the agency is currently attempting to address?

Click here for a graphic-table organizer to assist you in recording your information.

Research Links - Below you will find links to various sites containing information on the regulatory agencies. Each site will provide information on one or more of the agencies you are required to research. As you find information on each agency, you will want to record the information into a graphic-table organizer. Remember you will need this data to be accurate and informative to assist you in taking a short quiz on the federal regulatory agencies, as well as for completing your informational poster on one of the agencies.

AGENCY	LINKS
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency About EPA
FDA	Food and Drug Administration Protecting Consumers, Protecting Public Health
FTC	FTC's Vision, Mission & Goals How the FTC Brings an Action... Federal Trade Commission
FCC	Federal Communication Commission About the FCC
FAA	Federal Aviation Administration FAA History An Overview of the FAA
General Infromation and Current Event Links	firstgov -- the Official U.S. Government Web Site MHS Media Center Link to Infotrac The Washington Post USA Today Newsweek

For additional information on current issues these, and other, agencies are working to resolve, use "Infotrac". This is a database of current newspaper and magazine articles. It is available from most Media Center Web pages. To access the Middletown High School's site, use the following URL: www.mhs.fcps.org/mhslmc/research.htm (click here or click above). If you are using a computer from home, the login information is as follows -- Username: fcpsmhs; Password: knights.

When you get to the Media Center Web page, click on the "Infotrac" link. This will bring you to the introductory page. Click on the "Proceed" button and then select "Student Edition" at the next page. This will take you to the Infotrac database. Type in the name of the agency. At the next screen you will be presented with some choices, one of which indicates a number of periodical references. Next to this choice is a botton that says "Narrow". Click on this button and the references are divided into specific headings. For your project you should look at "Cases" or "Investigation" to view issues the agency is currently working to resolve.

If you have any concerns or are experiencing difficulty with the links, e-mail your questions to your instructor or to my Frederick County Public Schools' e-mail account at daniel.wagner@fcps.org.

Short Quiz - Click here to take the short quiz on the federal regulatory agencies. The quiz will be the method used to assess your completion of your research and documentation on the federal regulatory agencies. You may use your graphic-table organizer to take the quiz.

Informational Poster - You are required to create an informational poster on the federal regulatory agencies you have researched and documented. It is recommended that you use Microsoft Word (if you are using a computer) to assist you in the completion of this assignment. If you do not use a computer, your poster must be at least 11" x 17" in size. Your poster should be accurate and informative in regards to the federal regulatory agency you (or your instructor) have selected. You should explain the purpose and duties of the the agency, and any issues the agency is currently working to resolve. The poster should also be well-organized, original, creative, and artistic. You mustinclude relevant clipart, photographs and/or picures in the document as well (i.e., the agency's logo, pictures of current agency concerns, etc.). When you have completed the poster you may either print it and send it to your instructor's mail box, or send the document as an e-mail attachment to your instructor (use the e-mail address above).

Rubric

This assignment will be assessed according to the following criteria:

	0	1	2	3	4
Describes the Purpose and Current Issue(s) of the Agency	The assignment is not complete or turned in.	Information is completely inaccurate or over-simplified.	Information regarding the agency is not very informative or accurate, and does not fully explain the duties and current issues.	Information is mostly informative and accurate, and expains some of the duties and current issues of the agency.	Information regarding the regulatory agency is informative, accurate, and explains the duties and current issues of the agency.
Well-Organized, Original, Creative, and Artistic	The assignment is not complete or turned in.	Poster is not the currect size, and is not original and creative for the individual student.	The poster shows very little orginality and creativity.	The poster expresses some originality and artistic creativity.	The poster is original and creative for the individual student.
Includes Relevant ART to Enhance Presentation	The assignment is not complete or turned in or no clipart is included.	The art included is irrelevant and not related to the regulatory agency.	Clipart, photographs and/or art is somewhat relevant and related to the regulatory agency.	The art included is mostly relevant and and related to the regulatory agency.	Clipart, photographs and/or art is extremely relevant and related to the regulatory agency