Empowering Global Citizens

2. Students will evaluate current events in terms of the branches of
government that are involved and in terms of the constitutionality
of the decisions that are made.

Overview

Students learn about the three branches of the US government and about
the cultures and experiences of the individuals who helped to form the US
government by reading biographies of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas
Jefferson. They will study the first country case in the extended comparison
of the three branches of government: the United States.

Activity 6.6.1.1

Balancing Three Branches at Once: Our System of
Checks and Balances

(Note that this activity is taken from the National Endowment for the
Humanities’ Edsitement!)

With the class, do the four activities concerning the three branches of gov—
ernment listed on the NEH’s “Edsitement” page (http://edsitement.neh.
gov/lesson—plan/balancing—three—branches-onceeour—system—checks—and~

balances#sect—activities):

“No More King” from Schoolhouse Roch
The Colonies Complained
“Three—Ring Government” from Schoolhouse Roch

$93!”?

Accounts of Checking and Balancing

Activity 6.6.1.2

Extended Role-Playing of the Three Branches

The teacher divides the class into three groups: the executive branch, the legisla—
rive branch, and the judicial branch. Each group receives a description of its role:

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