Know Your Local Government

Young historians climb through the three branches of the US government in the third activity of this five-part series. While reading the first three Articles of the Constitution in small groups, children write facts on paper leaves that...

An activity guide where students refer to the Texas Almanac, which is free to download, for information needed to complete assigned tasks. In this lesson, they investigate the officials and organizational structures that make up local...

With all the hubbub surrounding national elections, it's easy to forget the importance of local government. After learning about county governance and voter turnout for local elections, young citizens demonstrate how local governance...

In the world of politics, access to resources often determines who holds the power. A video summary of Who Governs? by Robert Dahl shares Dahl's theories about political power and influence based on his study of a local community. The...

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...

In this lesson, young scholars will explore the varied functions and structures of local government as well as explore the services provided in their own municipality and beyond.

Use this library of mini-lessons to teach students about the concept of federalism, from the powers held by the federal government to the powers reserved for the states. They will also learn about state government structures and...

Challenge your students with this lesson on American government! Learners discuss the three branches of government and its responsilbities, and then go on to more complex critical-thinking activities. Students interview members of the...

The Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution delegates rights that have not been defined by the federal government to the states. But what are the responsibilities of state governments? What about county and city governments?...

Explains how a local government impacts on the individual by looking at where they get their authority, their structure, how they function, and how to contact a local political representative.