Brainpop Lesson: Three Branches of Government
Brainpop Lesson Plan: Branches of Government
Grade: 10th
Intro:
This lesson on the three branches of US government will follow lessons that introduce the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It should take one 90-minute class period.
Goals:
To understand the powers of each branch of government. To understand the reasons for this three-branch system.
Objectives: SWBAT…
1. Identify powers of each branch of the US government.
2. Interpret information from the US Constitution.
3. Apply concepts of the Constitution to an interactive game involving the three branches.
4. Evaluate and assess the structure of US government.
Standards:
• Standard - 5.1.C.D: Evaluate state and federal powers based on significant documents and other critical sources.
• Standard - 5.3.C.A: Examine the process of checks and balances among the three branches of government, including the creation of law.
Lesson:
1. Students will engage prior knowledge by listing one thing they think about for each of the following words or terms: President, Congress, Supreme Court. We will discuss responses as a class and connect each term to the three branches of government.
2. Students will be split into groups of 3-4 and given one section of the Constitution that describes the structure and powers of each branch of government (Article 1, sections 1-5; Article 1, sections 6-10; Article 2; and Article 3.) In their groups, students must interpret what is being said and develop an explanation of how each branch is set up and operates to share with the rest of the class.
3. Once groups have shared their interpretations, we will watch a short video on Brainpop to reinforce or add to what students have already shared. (Link: https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernment/branchesofgovernment/)
4. Students will get laptops and test their knowledge of the three branches by completing an ungraded quiz on Brainpop—they will click the quiz link that says “graded,” but I am not grading this portion of the lesson; it is simply to correct any misunderstandings and improve learning. (Link: https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernment/branchesofgovernment/quiz/)
5. After completing the quiz, students will write a minimum of one paragraph responding to the prompt, “How does the US government operate and is this an effective system?” This can be typed on a word document and emailed to me or hand-written and turned in.
6. Students will then play a game that requires them to act as a member of all three branches of the US government. Throughout the game students will be asked to create goals, listen to public opinion, make decisions, decide on the constitutionality of laws, etc. (Link: https://www.brainpop.com/games/branchesofpower/)
7. After the game (and completed for homework), students will write another paragraph-minimum reflection. This reflection will ask students to respond to the following prompts:
a. After playing the Branches of Power game, do you agree with your prior assertions that the US government operates effectively or ineffectively? Explain.
b. What was one difficulty or challenge you faced while playing the game? How do you think this affects the US government in real life?
c. What is one thing about the structure and operating practices of the US government that you would change? Why?
Responses can be emailed to me or hand-written and turned in at the beginning of the next class.
All students with IEPs or 504s will be accommodated accordingly. All of the interactive features of the lesson can be revisited any time by visiting Brainpop.com in order to provide more reinforcement.
