Balancing a budget—the bane of many people's existence! Yet, its' something that must be done, especially in government systems. The resource, fourth in a seven-part series exploring local government, focuses on various exercises that teach your class all about the bottom line. Through readings, discussion, group work, and research, your scholars see why the balance sheet is an important function of all governments.

Concepts

governments, counties, political science, political parties, local government, local history, budgeting, finance, public safety, government spending

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Show some relevant examples from your community, so learners get a better idea of what each department does, such as the finance department

Classroom Considerations

• Links to an interactive game for your class to reinforce learning; it requires Internet access, but the game serves as an optional piece of the teacher's guide
• Insists on a free iCivics account to access all resources on the website

Pros

• Provides tools and exercise ideas for improving media literacy
• Shows learners real-life examples of the concept of cause and effect
• Scholars familiarize themselves with how to view both sides of an issue

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.3 RH.9-10.7 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.3 RH.11-12.7