Unit(s): Parliamentary Procedure
Purpose:
The purpose of this activity is to allow students to apply basic parliamentary procedure skills in a business environment.
Objective:
The students will be able to participate in a corporate meting--following the order of business, making motions, and participating in discussion.
Materials:
- Gavel
- Evaluation chart with all students' names listed in a column at left and the headings MAIN, SUBSIDIARY, PRIVILEGED, INCIDENTAL, and ERRORS listed across the top.
Procedure:
- On the day preceding the activity, the class should decide on the type of corporation they wish to be. They might choose to be a candy company, a clothing manufacturer, or an automobile company, for example.
- The class should also vote on a chairman of the board to lead the activity and a secretary and a treasurer to come to the activity prepared with minutes and a treasurer's report. Any other officers or committee chairman should also be selected in advance.
- All students, except the chair, should come to the activity with a mainmotion prepared to present to the group.
- On the day of the board meeting, the chair calls the meeting to order and progresses through the order of business.
- Each student, except the chair, is required to make at least one main motion, one subsidiary motion, one privileged motion, and one incidental motion. The teacher keeps track of all motions and errors on the evaluation form. On a separate sheet, the teacher evaluates the chair's participation by listing errors and making comments.
- The meeting is adjourned when all students have made their four required motions (this may require some side coaching). It may be necessary to recess and re-convene if more than one class period is necessary.