South Carolina ETV

South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Hut One, Hut Two … Teams of the National Government: The Three Branches of Government (Grade 8)

Master Teacher

MaryAnn Sansonetti

Time Allotment

One and one-half 90-minute blocks or three 45-minutes classes

Overview

Do you ever get confused as to who does what in the national government? In this lesson the three branches of government will be compared to sports and broken down in to three teams. The students will be able to relate the three branches to sports after reviewing clips of Almost Painless Civics: The Almost Painless Guide to the… series. Following the video portion of the lesson, students will be asked to put together a cheer or playbook of the three branches of government.

Subject Matter

Social Studies: The Constitution

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the three branches of the government.
Demonstrate an understanding of the checks and balances system

South Carolina Standards

(From the South Carolina Social Studies Curriculum Standards, grade 8, available online at www.myscschools.com)

8.6 The learner will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the foundations of American democracy, including its basic principals and the foundations of the American political system.

8.6.2 Identify and explain historical, geographic, social, and economic factors that have helped shape American democracy.

Media Components

Video

Almost Painless Civics:The Almost Painless Guide to the Legislative Branch,

Segments: “Intro to the Branches of Government” (2:05)

“The Legislative Branch” (7:59)

The Almost Painless Guide to the Legislative Branch explores the functions of the Legislative branch of the U.S. Government: legislative checks and balances, the power to impeach, and the lawmaking process. It also explains the origins of the two-house system and the structure of the Senate and House of Representatives.

To access these video segments, log on to your account at the StreamlineSC Web page. In the search by keyword box, type The Almost Painless Guide to the Legislative Branch : “ Intro to the Branches of Government” and a second search for “ The Legislative Branch”. Download the “ Intro to the Branches of Government” video clip to your computer desktop and preview it.

The Almost Painless Guide to the Executive Branch, http://www.streamlinesc.org

Segment: “The Executive Branch” (13:25)

The Almost Painless Guide to the Executive Branch, focuses on the origins of the Executive branch, the executive offices, the Cabinet, the power of the Presidential veto, and executive checks and balances. Also, it examines the requirements and functions of the Presidency along with the distribution of federal power between the branches

To access this video segment, log on to your account at the United Streaming Web page. In the search by keyword box, type The Almost Painless Guide to the Executive Branch : “The Executive Branch”. Download the “The Executive Branch” video clip to your computer desktop and preview it.

The Almost Painless Guide to the Judicial Branch, www.unitedstreaming.com

Segment: “The Judicial Branch” (10:51)

The Almost Painless Guide to the Judicial Branch looks at judicial checks and balances, the functions of the Supreme Court, and the appointment of Justices. It also delves into judicial overview of lower courts and the power of the Supreme Court to influence history.

To access this video segment, log on to your account at the StreamlineSC Web page. In the search by keyword box, type The Almost Painless Guide to the Judicial Branch : “The Judicial Branch”. Download the “The Judicial Branch” video clip to your computer desktop and preview it.

(Note to Teacher: If you don’t have an account with StreamlineSC, check with your media specialist about signing up for your own account.)

Web Sites

PBS Kids Democracyhttp://pbskids.org/democracy/

The Democracy Project has three interactive games for students; Be President for a Day, How does the Government Affect You?, Step Inside the Voting Booth.

Portaporta http://www.portaportal.com

Portaportal is a web based bookmarking utility that lets you store links to your favorite websites online. Now your bookmarks are no longer limited to any one machine. You must create an account to make links to the sites listed above.

Materials

Pompoms
Football Playbook
Paper and pencil

Equipment

Teacher driven computer
Data projector
Internet connections
Computer lab
Speakers

Prep for Teacher

Make bookmarks on http//:www.portaportal.com.

Be sure to download macromedia flash and shockwave on to all computers (http://www.macromedia.com)

Set up data projector and speakers to computer.

Download streaming video from http://www.streamlinesc.org

Cue downloaded videos.

Open Web pages on teacher-driven computer.

Have student copies of Activity Sheet 1, the note sheet.

When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Ask your students, “How many of you are on a sports team? How is the team organized?” (Answers will vary but they should have answers discussing a coach, team mates, a captain, everyone has a specific role to play on the team)

Step 2: Hand out Activity Sheet 1 for students to take notes. Beginning at 1:09 where you see a picture of the capitol on screen, on Windows Media Player press PLAY to view the The Almost Painless Guide to the Legislative Branch: “ Intro to the Branches of Government” Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students who are the teams of the American government? PLAY the clip until you see the U.S. map with three helmets on it. PAUSE the video at 1:47. Check for student comprehension with questions that will have them identify the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch.

Step 3: Ask your students how many teams are in the American Government so that they will respond three.

Step 4: Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to find out who the players are on the team. PLAYthe clip and PAUSE at 1:54 after the players are shown on the screen. Check for student comprehension so that they identify the President, Senators, House of Representative members and the Supreme Court.

Step 5: Tell the students we have our teams and our players, what else do you need to play a game? (rules) Show the students the Football Rule book and ask what is in the book. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to look and listen for the rule book for our American government? And how can those rules be changed? PLAYthe clip from the previous paused point (1:54) to the end (2:08). Check for student comprehension by asking questions that will give the answers the Constitution and yes can be changed with amendments.

Learning Activities

Step 1: Explain to the students you will be looking at the three branches of government, how they were formed, and what happens in each branch. (i.e. you are looking at how each team plays and what the rules are for them.) You will be using the Almost Painless Civics series to help you with this and to complete you culminating project of a cheer or rule book covering the three branches of government. Open the second video clip in Windows Media Player, The Almost Painless Guide to the Executive Branch: “The Executive Branch.” Begin PLAYING the clip at 0:35 a flag will be waving in front of the capital. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students… 1. Who are the most important players in the government system? 2. Who are the referees in the game of the American government? PAUSE the clip at 1:42 when a picture of the founding fathers appears on the screen and when Harlen says ‘I hate to admit it but I am interested in how all this came to be.’ Check for student comprehension with questions that will elicit the answers the people, the branches, check and balance each other,

Step 2: Review with the students what are the three branches of government? And who is in each branch? Explain to the students now we know who is in each branch we need to know a little more about his/her specific role on the team. The first team you will look at is the Executive Branch. PLAYclip from 6:15 where Marie begins discussing the kind of person who should be the head of the Executive branch. An image of Congress is being scanned. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to listen for what article of the Constitution gives the Executive Branch power? What are the powers of the president? Who does the president need to get approval from for some of his powers? PAUSE the clip at 9:06 and check for student comprehension by asking the questions again that will elicit the answers Article II of the Constitution. Commander in Chief, Power to Pardon, Foreign Affairs, Appoint Supreme Court Judges, Write treaties, and Congress.)

Step 3: Ask the students how they become members of a sports team? (Answers will vary from signing up, try outs, to showing up to practice) Is it that easy for a president? (No) PLAYthe clip from 9:07 and the image is the old Executive Office building. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to listen for how is a president elected? What is the Electoral College? What are the requirements for president? STOPthe video at 12:07 when you see Clinton and Gore on the screen. Check for student comprehension by asking questions about the popular vote and the Electoral College vote. Answers will vary in length but they need to talk about the popular vote and Electoral College vote. Electoral College includes the elected delegates who vote for president according to the majority popular vote of each state. Members must be 35 years old, native American and can only serve two terms.

Step 4: Explain to the students how the Legislative Branch is another branch of the Federal government and although it has more people in it, the system of checks and balances makes the Legislative Branch as powerful if not more powerful than the executive branch. PLAY The Almost Painless Guide to the Legislative Branch: “ The Legislative Branch” in Windows Media Player starting at the beginning (0:00). Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to listen for what article of the constitution creates the legislative branch? Who is in the legislative branch? And what is bicameral? PAUSE the clip at 0:35 where Harlan will end saying, ‘Held in scenic Philadelphia!’ Check for student comprehension to elicit the answers Article I, Senate and House of Representatives, two houses in Congress.

Step 5: Ask your students what other governments they learned about had a bicameral legislature? (Virginia House of Burgesses, England’s Parliament)

Step 6: PLAYthe clip from 0:35 talking about the Virginia Plan. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to listen for what the requirements are for being a senator? PAUSEthe clip at 2:09 and check for comprehension by repeating the question to get the answers 30 years of age, nine years a citizen, resident in state elected, six-year term.

Step 7: PLAY the clip from 2:07 with list of Requirements for House of representative members. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to listen for the requirements to be a member of the House of Representatives? Pauseat3:00 minutes and check for comprehension to get the answers 25 years, 7 years a citizen, a resident in state, two-year term.

Step 8: With the Congress being the large legislative body let’s look at how a bill becomes a law. PLAYthe clip from 4:42 with the Capitol on the screen. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your students to look for how a bill becomes a law and what are the checks and balances? STOP the clip at 7:30 with the newspaper showing ‘Harlan Drops out of the Race’ and check for comprehension. Answers will vary but must include the information of both houses passing the law, President has the opportunity to pass, veto, or pocket veto law and if passed becomes law and the Supreme Court checks it for constitutionality.

Step 9: The third and final branch of government is the Judicial Branch. This branch makes up the court systems of the American government. START The Almost Painless Guide to the Judicial Branch: “The Judicial Branch” at 3:52 where it shows an image of the constitution. Provide your students with a FOCUS FOR MEDIA INTERACTION, asking your them to listen for what article of the Constitution discusses the Judicial Branch and how long justices are in office? Stop the clip at 5:05 and check for comprehension with questions that elicit the answers Article III and for life.

Step 10: Have the students prepare for the Culminating Activity by reviewing for three minutes in small groups what each branch of the government is and who is in it.

Culminating Activity

Step 1: Tell your students you have related the American government system to sports teams throughout this lesson. Now the students in groups of 3-4 will create a playbook with the three branches or create a cheer with all of the components. The students may use their note sheets to help write the playbook or cheer.

Step 2: The students will be given 30 minutes to come up with the cheer or playbook and present to class.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Language Arts: Have your students write a letter to their congressman discussing what they think is the most important part of the three branches of government.

Math: Have the students conduct a survey asking what the three branches of government are and which they think is the most important. Calculate results and plot them on a graph.

Community Connections

Ask students to get involved in a local election or campaign to see how the process of electing an official occurs.
Ask students to poll parents, family members, or other adults on what they think is the most important part of our Constitution and present the findings.

Student Materials (PDF)

Activity Sheet 1: Three Branches of Government Note Sheet