The Three Branches of Government
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Subject Area: Social Studies | Grade Level: 7
Lesson Length: 45 minutes
Keywords/Tags: The three branches of government
Lesson Description: In this lesson, students will learn about the three branches of government. This includes who is in each branch, and what job they perform. Students will also learn important vocabulary such as legislative, executive, judicial, veto, congress, and constitution.

  • SS.7.C.3.3 Illustrate the structure and function (three branches of government established in Articles I, II, and III with corresponding powers) of government in the United States as established in the Constitution.
  • SS.7.C.3.8 Analyze the structure, functions, and processes of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
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Video : Branches of the U.S. Government
Instructions: Please watch the following video as many times as needed before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of the video is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this video content.
Video : BrainPop: Branches of Government
Instructions: Please watch the following video as many times as needed before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of the video is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this video content.
Reading : The Three Branches of Government
Instructions: Please read the following article as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through the rest of the lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the following lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the article if needed.

What are the Branches of Govement

The United States Govement is divided into three parts, or branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. Each branch has a different duty, but all three branches must work together.

The Legislative Branch
The legislative branch is in charge of making laws. It is made up of the Congress and several Govement agencies. Congress has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate are voted into office by American citizens in each state. There are currently 100 Senators, 435 Representatives, 5 Delegates, and 1 Resident Commissioner. The Govement Publishing Office and Library of Congress are examples of Govement agencies in the legislative branch. These agencies support the Congress.

The Executive Branch
The executive branch of our Govement is in charge of making sure that the laws of the United States are obeyed. The President of the United States is the head of the executive branch. The President gets help from the Vice President, department heads (called Cabinet members), and heads of independent agencies. Here are some of the things those people do:
· The President leads the country and commands the military.
· The Vice President becomes President if the President can no longer do the job and is also President of the Senate.
· Department heads advise the President on issues and help carry out decisions made by the Govement.
· Independent Agencies also help carry out decisions made by the Govement or provide special services.

The Judicial Branch

The judicial branch is in charge of deciding the meaning of laws, how to apply them to real situations, and whether a law breaks the rules of the Constitution. The Constitution is the highest law of our Nation. The U.S. Supreme Court, the highest court in the United States, is part of the judicial branch. The Supreme Court is made up of 9 judges called justices who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The justices hear cases that have made their way up through the court system.

The main task of the Supreme Court is to decide cases that may differ from the U.S. Constitution. Once the Supreme Court makes a decision in a case, it can only be changed by a later Supreme Court decision or by changing or amending the Constitution. This is a very important power that can affect the lives of many people. 

Resources : The Three Branches of Government Kahoot
Instructions: Please see additional external resources below. Feel free visit each link to learn more about this lesson.
The Three Branches of Government Kahoot

Quiz : The Three Branches of Government
Instructions: Please complete this quiz by choosing the correct answer for each question. You can take this quiz as many times needed.
Question #1

How many branches of govement are there?

Question #2

The President is a part of the _____________?

Question #3

Which branch of the govement carries out the laws?

Question #4

Which branch of the govement evaluates laws?

Question #5

Which branch of the govement makes, debates, and passes the laws?
 

Question #6

The senate is a part of the___________ branch of the govement. 

Question #7

What is the highest court in the land?

Question #8

Who is the leader of the Executive Branch?
 

Question #9

How long do Supreme Court Justices serve?

Question #10

Who controls the impeachment process?