Overview
This activity focuses on the creation of laws, introducing students to some outrageous laws that actually existed at some point in time in this country (either at the national, state or local levels). The activity serves as a vehicle to launch into the various components of the Constitution, which set up how laws are made, enforced and interpreted by the three branches of government. Students will learn that any law dealing with the rights of individuals is subject to interpretation by the courts in relationship to the Bill of Rights.

Note: This is an introductory activity to help students understand how laws are made and to help get them interested in the topic. The procedure for creating laws was designed by the Founding Fathers and is still in operation today. First students will look at “loony laws” and then in the next lesson, they will follow the correct procedure to make laws of their own.

Procedure

1. Post or read this actual law:

   “It is Texas law that when two trains meet each other at a railroad crossing, each shall come to a full stop, and neither shall proceed until the other has gone.”

2. Share some other loony laws from either of the following Web sites. (Note: Each site may contain actual laws that may not be appropriate for all school settings or grades, so be sure to review the sites before you begin.)
   • Loony Laws: http://www.loonylaws.com
   • Totally Useless Knowledge: http://www.totallyuselessknowledge.com/laws.php

3. Discuss with students reasons why some of these laws were passed. Although each law seems ridiculous, it was most likely passed for legitimate reasons. For example, following is the rationale for the Texas trains example:

   It seems that one of the state senators did not want a law passed. To keep this particular law from passing, he attached the train law to it. He hoped that his fellow senators would discover the train law attached, see how ridiculous it was and not pass the laws. Nobody saw the train law attached and passed both laws (from http://www.loonylaws.com).

4. If you use the next lesson, Making a Law, be sure to inform the students that during this activity they will take on the role of lawmakers and have the opportunity to make their own laws to see if they can do it better.