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Lesson 3: Branches of Government
Young historians climb through the three branches of the US government in the third lesson of this five-part series. While reading the first three Articles of the Constitution in small groups, children write facts on paper leaves that...
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The Three Branches of Government
Seventh graders discover details about the responsibilities of the 3 branches of government in the United States. For this checks and balances lesson, 7th graders view a SMART Board supported lecture that reveals the jobs of the...
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Three Branches of Government
Fourth graders brainstorm of what they think of when they think about the word state government and list their suggestions on the board. They listen to lecture about the three branches of government understanding how each branch is...
iCivics
Congress
Through reading materials, worksheets, and a primary source activity, this resource provides an overview of the structure and powers of the legislative branch of government in the United States. Readings review how a bill becomes a law,...
Street Law
The Challenge of Selecting an Ideal Supreme Court Nominee
Nearly every president has had the opportunity to name a nominee to the United States Supreme Court. But what makes someone an ideal candidate to become a Supreme Court justice? High schoolers test their prior knowledge about the Supreme...
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Branching Out
Students research structure, function and primary responsibilities of each office of the Executive branch, create a chart displaying their research.
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Charting the Three Branches of Government
Young scholars review CongressLink on the internet and study the branches of government. They work in groups to create charts showing the structure and functions of the three branches of government as outlined in the first three...
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US Government: The Checks and Balances System of the US Constitution
Students examine the responsibilities of the 3 branches of U.S. government. In this checks and balances lesson, students identify the powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Students share examples of...
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US Government: The Constitution
Learners explore the branches of government. In this U. S. Constitution lesson, students examine the system of checks and balances in the U.S. plan of government as they read the document and define vocabulary words.
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Checks and Balances Chart
In this checks and balances chart worksheet, students use their textbooks and a copy of the U.S. Constitution to complete 10 items in the chart identifying the branches of government.
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The Three Branches of Government
In this US government worksheet, students fill in a graphic organizer that has the three branches of government and who heads up each branch. Students then answer 7 short answer questions about the chart. Prior knowledge or research...
C-SPAN
Middle School Checks and Balances
Seven video clips reveal how the checks and balances built into the constitutional framework of the United states' government are designed to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful. After watching each clip, groups identify the...
Council for Economic Education
The Role of Government: The Federal Government and Fiscal Policy
Give learners a crash course in balancing the books on the United States federal government level with an economics and government resource. Class members engage in a warm-up discussion and brainstorming session before answering...
Curated OER
The President's Cabinet: Choosing the Right Person for the Job
Students examine the Federal Confirmation Process for filling cabinet members by completing a confirmation process flow chart. They research the process, and participate in a mock Confirmation Process.
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Examine Your State Government's Demographics
How is your state government organized? How many elected officials are women? What is the mean age of your state representatives? Young scholars answer these questions in a research project before creating a chart to reflect their...
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Structure and Function of the Federal Government
High schoolers identify the structures of the federal government. They complete a diagram of the structures to show their relationships. They research the names of the major players on the structure, in particular, students own...
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Democracy and Representative Government
Students complete a worksheet about the government and identify the characteristics of different governments. In this government lesson plan, students define representative democracy and complete a worksheet.
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Government Agencies
Young scholars are taught that there is more to executive branch of the federal government than the president and cabinet. They identify in pairs the names and fucntions of different departments under the executive branch of federal...
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Follow the Leader
Students examine the roles of national leaders and the three branches of government and their duties. They view and discuss the images on the South Dakota Quarter Reverse transparency, complete a worksheet, and create a mobile of the...
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Executive Branch of the U.S. Government
Fourth graders create a K-W-L chart of what they know about the executive branch of government. They access the Internet to research a specific level of government. They create a PowerPoint presentation with a minimum of eight slides.
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Follow the Leader
Here is a phenomenal lesson on the three branches of government for your second and third-graders. It presents this often-confusing information in an easy-to-understand format. Many excellent activities and worksheets are embedded in the...
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Introductions to Elections and Government
Eighth graders explore the process of election. In this elections and government instructional activity, 8th graders complete a K-W-L chart and research the Internet to complete a fact sheet and report on to their peers. This...
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Hopi Tribal Council
Focusing on the differences between traditional Hopi government and the Hopi Tribal Council, this resource is a good addition to your unit on Native American culture. Learners conduct Internet research, analyze primary source photos, and...
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Chief Justice Roberts Goes to Court
Students gain an introductory into the branches of government. Students research all parts of government and use Frames to create a public service announcement to teach others the parts of government and how they work.