Lesson Plans and Worksheets
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- 12-21-11
Branches of Government Teacher Resources
Find teacher approved Branches of Government educational resource ideas and activities
Investigate US history by conducting a multimedia presentation. Elementary schoolers identify the three branches of government and discuss why their roles are so vital to preserving the US and its culture of democracy. They utilize digital images from the web and create a visual presentation about government roles with PowerPoint. You could easily adapt this lesson for use with middle schoolers.
Fifth graders compare the three branches of government to a three-legged chair. In this government activity, 5th graders discuss the Founding Fathers, the Constitution, and checks and balances. Students study what each branch of government does and the names for each.
Fourth graders work in groups to research the branches of government and create a presentation to share with the class. For this branches of government lesson, 4th graders choose one of nine activities related issue of the banning of cartoons.
Young scholars investigate the branches of government. In this government instructional activity, students get into groups and choose a branch of government to research. Young scholars create "treehouses" to represent the branches of government and write their findings on it.
Students complete a unit on the three branches of government. They compare/contrast the three branches of government, write a letter or e-mail to an executive in the Federal Government, and develop outlines for historical documents.
Students research the branches of government. For this government and government buildings lesson, students watch a power point presentation on the buildings associated with each branches of government. Students complete a worksheet to demonstrate how buildings can help them understand the roles and responsibilities of each branch of government. Students divide into three groups and create a power point on each branch of government.
Young scholars explore the three branches of government. In this government and U.S. history lesson, students listen to a story about a boy who attempts to sponsor a bill to ban cartoons. Young scholars interview three teachers who each represent one of the branches of government. Students share facts they discovered about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.
After reviewing and reading about the three branches of US Government, complete this activity with your class. In groups, they will place their "cards" on the board under the correct branch. This lesson is weak and unclear. I'd make a classroom tree that displays each branch of government and little branches for each job the major branches are responsible for. Pupils would have to research and draw images for each job, those images would then hang from tree like fruit.
Seventh graders discover details about the responsibilities of the 3 branches of government in the United States. In this checks and balances lesson, 7th graders view a SMART Board supported lecture that reveals the jobs of the legislative, judicial, and executive Branch members.
Students examine the U.S. Constitution. In this government lesson, students discuss the three parts of the Constitution including the Preamble. Students play Preamble Scramble, become familiar with the three branches of government, and complete a virtual scavenger hunt. Students also discuss the amendments to the Constitution.