LESSON: The Three Branches of Government

Intern / Resident:
Julie Simmons
Subject / Grade Level:
History/Political Science/6th-8th grade: Focus is on Day One
Projected Length of Lesson:
3 days: 45 minutes each lesson
Date:
October 7, 2014
Lesson: The Three Branches of Government (Legislative, Executive, and Judicial)
Student Expectation: (Use TEKS or TAKS student expectations)
113.18. Social Studies, Grade 6, (b) Knowledge and skills.
(11) Government. The student understands the concepts of limited and unlimited governments.
The student is expected to:
(A) Identify and describe examples of limited and unlimited governments such as constitutional
(limited) and totalitarian (unlimited);
(B) Compare the characteristics of limited and unlimited governments;
(C) Identify reasons for limiting the power of government; and
113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7, (b) Knowledge and skills.
(14) Government. The student understands the basic principles reflected in the Texas
Constitution. The student is expected to:
(A) Identify how the Texas Constitution reflects the principles of limited government,
republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and
individual rights; and
(B) Compare the principles and concepts of the Texas Constitution to the U.S. Constitution,
including the Texas and U.S. Bill of Rights.
113.20. Social Studies, Grade 8, (b) Knowledge and skills.

(15) Government. The student understands the American beliefs and principles reflected in the
Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and other important historic documents. The
student is expected to:
(A) Identify the influence of ideas from historic documents, including the Magna Carta, the
English Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact, the Federalist Papers, and selected AntiFederalist writings, on the U.S. system of government;
(B) Summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation;
(C) Identify colonial grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence and explain how those
grievances were addressed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights; and
(D) Analyze how the U.S. Constitution reflects the principles of limited government,
republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and
individual rights.
(18) Government. The student understands the impact of landmark Supreme Court cases. The
student is expected to:
(A) Identify the origin of judicial review and analyze examples of congressional and presidential
responses;
(B) Summarize the issues, decisions, and significance of landmark Supreme Court cases,
including Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, and Gibbons v. Ogden; and
(C) Evaluate the impact of selected landmark Supreme Court decisions, including Dred Scott v.
Sandford, on life in the United States.
Rationale: (How will you explain why the students are learning this?)
The student will apply critical-thinking skills to describe, discuss, and recall characteristics of
the three branches of American government, as well as identify three Texans (JohnsonStonewall, Texas, Eisenhower- Denison, Texas and Bush Sr. and Bush Jr.-although neither was
born in Texas, they were both raised in Texas and claim Texas as their home.) who have served
as American presidents, in order to familiarize themselves with American democratic leadership
roles in the world today.
Specific Objectives:
***Day One:
The student will analyze and journal what they already know, what they want to know, and what
they have learned about the three branches of American government by using a K-W-L chart.
Students will then be divided into three groups: Group #1 is responsible for researching the
Legislative Branch, Group #2 is responsible for researching the Executive Branch, and finally
Group #3 is responsible for researching the Judicial Branch. Each group will fill out what I
have learned of their assigned branch, and present to the class what they learned about their
specific branch.
Day Two:

The student will form new groups and identify three American presidents who are Texans (or
call Texas their home), in order to understand the importance of leadership in a democratic
society; by using Graphic Organizers (Semantic Mapping) the students will list three character
traits they think each of them shared as leaders of the United States.
Day Three:
The student will compose/write a letter to the President of the United States; included will be a
cover letter that states teachers name, grade of students, and complete mailing address of the
school. Students will be instructed to imagine yourself meeting the President in Washington
D.C., in the Halls of Congress, in the Supreme Court, or even in the Oval Office of the White
House. What issue might you be discussing with our President or political representatives in your
meeting today? Do you have concerns about our military personnel? Brainstorm, you are
encouraged to discuss matters that affect you as 6th-8th graders in the world today?
Materials Needed:

3-legged chair (intro/motivation)

K-W-L Charts
Graphic Organizers (Semantic Mapping)
Pencil/Pen/Colored Pencils
Computer
Teacher approved websites for research
Printer Paper for letter and cover letter
Envelopes
Copies of Bill of Rights, Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and the Federalist
Papers
Teacher Poster of Three Branches of Government
Story of Founding Fathers
Textbook

Media / Technology Materials:

Websites to be used:
www.congresslink.org
http://pbskids.org/democracy/parents-and-teachers/
www.congressforkids.net
www.factmonster.com/us-states/texas.html
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/government/branches.html

As stated above, students will be divided into three groups representing the three
branches of American government, and will research their specific branch using the
approved list of websites listed above.

How will you use technology in teaching, assessing, and/or enriching your lesson?

Informal Assessment: As students are researching their specific branch and filling
out their what I have learned portion of the K-W-L Chart the teacher will observe,
listen, and assist when necessary to make sure students understand the function of
their specific branch of government, specifically in the area of accuracy. (Formal
Assessment will come later with a test to recall students knowledge of what they
learned on the three branches of American government.)
Enrichment: For students that have a high ability in reading and/or social studies,
have them pick a specific person in a particular branch and focus on what they do to
help make that branch function correctly. The students would be doing the same
amount of work, but would be using real State representatives to engage their
learning.
ESL: For these students, they may wish to access Spanish-language sites about US
government branches or draw a picture of a President from Texas.
Students with learning differences: Based on the students IEP, and speaking with
the Special Education Teacher if necessary; if the student has a reading difficulty,
read-aloud the instructions or content from the website for them. If the student has a
cognitive learning difference instead of writing information on the K-W-L Chart, have
the student focus on just one particular branch and have them do a pictorial
representation of that branch. For some students making 6-8 vocabulary word cards
for them may be what they need.

Diversity: (How will you recognize and celebrate cultural diversity during the lesson?

Discuss the 19th Amendment- giving women the right to vote.

Discuss the 14th Amendment-giving FULL citizenship to African-Americans
Discuss our 1st African-American President-Barack Obama
Discuss the American Indian Religious Freedom Act
Discuss Landmark Supreme Court Cases Marbury vs. Maryland, Dred Scott vs.
Sandford, Brown vs. Board of Education

LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Introductory Activity (Focus, anticipatory set)
1. Teacher holds up a chair with three legs
2. Ask: Does anyone know what this is? (Blooms: Knowledge)
(Chair, three-legged chair, etc...)
3. What happens when I sit on this chair?
Holds my body weight
4. What would happen if I was missing a leg of this chair and I tried to sit down?
(Blooms: Evaluation)
Fall Down
5. This chairs legs are a lot like the three branches of government we have.
6. List the three branches on the board, overhead, ELMO, Promethean Board
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
7. Each chair leg represents one of the three branches
8. Each branch works together to create the laws just like each of the legs work together to
create this stool.
9. The stool represents the government as a whole.
10. Have students fill out the K and the W of their K-W-L Chart
Procedures for the Lesson:
Information Giving:
Divide students into three groups, giving each group a specific branch of government to research
on the internet. Provide students with approved list of websites they may obtain their information
from. Have students write down under their L about what they have learned about their branch
and have them present their research to the class, so they can learn as well and complete their KW-L Chart.
Modeling/Providing Examples:
Guide students through the approved websites using the computer tied to overhead, ELMO,
Promethean Board, then ask the students to study, look over the teacher-created poster for more
information.
Checking for Understanding/Provisions for Reteaching:
Raise your hand if you have a question about how to access the approved websites
on the three branches of government.
Guided Practice:
Teacher observes students as they work in groups on each stage of instructional input using the
computer and overhead, ELMO, Promethean Board, the textbook, or paper copies that the
teacher has supplied at the last minute to assist in the research project.
Independent Practice:
Teacher supplied questions, based on research describing the three branches of government.
Students will answer them using their K-W-L Charts made from group research, or textbook.

Closure/Culminating Procedure:
Use 3-2-1 Summary Strategy.
3 names of the branches in our United States Government.
2 Responsibilities of the branches of the United States Government.
1 way that the three branches work together to regulate the government.
Enrichment Extension:
Class will form groups and play Three Branches of Government game
The group with the most points will get to have lunch with the Principal, VicePrincipal, Media Specialist, School Librarian
Evaluation of Students(to determine if the objective was met):
Students will be assessed based on the information presented as well as the vocabulary learned in
class and from the websites, and any handout given by the teacher. Students will be given a
handout and asked to fill in the missing information at the end of the weeks lesson. The students
will also be asked at the bottom of the handout to explain what each of the three branches
responsibilities are.
Self evaluation (list questions which will guide your reflection after the lesson):
Based on the K-W-L Chart, what did the students find most effective? Why? What parts did they
want to know more about? What state leader is part of the branches that could be tied into the
lesson? Were any parts of the branches/lesson that were unclear, or that students struggled with
comprehending? How could I change anything I did to make the understanding any clearer? Could
a local representative possibly come in a talk to the students about his/her role they play in
government?