Branches of Government and Candy!

Candy Icebreaker:

1. Prepare a Dixie cup with skittles including colors red, orange, yellow, green, and purple for each student.
2. Tell students in advance not eat their candy until after they answer their question.
3. Provide chart indicating colors with corresponding questions. Tell students that we will go around the room so each student can share the answer that corresponds to question and the color of candy. Students will answer one question at a time until each student has had the opportunity to answer each question.
4. Ex: tell the students that they are going to share the red candy question and then have everyone eat the red candy at the same time. This will continue until everyone has answered that color question.
5. This will continue until all colors of candy are eaten and each student has answered all questions.
6. Use a chart similar to this one found on Pinterest, or create your own.

Branches of Government: 

Topic: The Branches of the U.S. Federal Government/understanding separation of power-using Jigsaw

Introduction: The teacher asks the students, “How would you like to be the teacher for this lesson? The teacher explains that the class will be studying the branches of government and they will take on the role of teacher for their classmates. We will also be working together as a group to discuss checks and balances of power.

Objectives: Students will be able to identify the three branches of U.S. government, as well as their individual functions. As a class, the teams will work together, to see how checks and balances of power work within the branches.

Academic Standard(s): Social Studies: Civics and Government; describe the three branches of the United States government, including their functions and relationships.

Ask motivating questions: Why is it important for us to understand the role and functions of the three branches of government in the United States? Why is it important to have checks and balances of power?

Lesson Steps:

1. Explain to students: For this activity, students will be divided into three teams. Students will then pick from a hat, one of three branches of government (Executive, Legislative and Judicial)
2. Each team should create a sign displaying their branch name, so that the class can clearly identify their team branch.
3. Once each team has been assigned a branch they will then discuss and research as a team, the role/function of that particular branch. Provide team with tech necessary to complete the task.
4. Each team member will be responsible for a role or function of each branch. For example, if a team has the legislative branch, one group member will describe a function, such as, makes laws. Another team member may describe that a function is to approve presidential appointments etc…
5. Each group member will have a different color marker when describing and writing these functions.
6. After each student describes a function of each branch, the team presents its research to the class. Each student is responsible for describing their individual function that they have defined.
7. After all teams have presented their branch and its role. Student will then work as a team to discuss how checks and balances work.
8. Use a current event to discuss checks and balances. For example, discuss the recent retirement announcement for Justice Anthony Kennedy, what does that mean for the government? Who nominates judges? Who must confirm the president’s nomination? Can any branch impeach a judge? Who can veto congressional legislation? How might the process look when a new judge is appointed? Why are these checks and balances important?
9. Show YouTube video to explain the branches of government:

10. Display charts found on Pinterest to help with describing the branches and the checks and balances to add a visual aid to the lesson.

Assessment: The teacher will assess the students on the performance objectives based on their individual presentations and overall understanding of the topic.