Checks and Balances Lesson

Checks and Balances Lesson

Topic: Branches of the Government

Grade level: 5^th Grade Time Allotted: 40 minutes

New York State Learning Standard

Social Studies – Standard #5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

I.) Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the Checks and Balances through a “hands on” activity.

II.) Preparation:

Purpose – The purpose of this lesson is to inform the students of Checks and Balances which keep the powers of the Federal Government evenly distributed among the three branches. The students will also be able to show their understanding through a variety of activities.

Materials –

- Checks and Balances handout

- Question Sheet

- Teachers Question and Instruction sheet

- “Tug-of-War” rope which is connected and has three marked spots which will make a triangle when pulled tight

III.) Procedure

A.) Anticipatory Set:

“If we are using a scale how would we make the two sides even? That’s right we would balance them. We do not want one side being greater than the other so we balance them. This is how the government works as well. Each branch has to be even so they balance each other. We are going to do some activities today so we can learn more about the Checks and Balances of the branches of the Government.”

B.) Body of the Lesson:

Step 1 – Pass the handouts to each student.

Step 2 – “I need a volunteer to read the first paragraph.” Student reads the paragraph. “Great job, thank you.”

Step 3 – “I need another volunteer to read the second paragraph.” Student reads the paragraph. “Wonderful, thank you.”

Step 4 – Read the last sentence before the diagram.

Step 5 – Start with the Legislative Branch and read aloud through the diagram. Make sure that the students follow along and follow how each branch can balance the power between the branches.

Step 6 – “Does anyone have any questions about how the Checks and Balances work in order to keep the balance of power even between the three branches?

Step 7 – Pass out the question sheet to each student.

Step 8 – As a class fill out the question sheet. Ask for volunteers for each question. Have the volunteer read the question aloud and then give the answer.

Step 9 – After the question sheet is filled out have the students push their desks to the wall.

Step 10 – In the center of the room lay the rope down in the form of a triangle.

Step 11 – Place the students at the three corners of the rope as evenly possible.

Step 12 – Instruct the students to pick up the rope, but don’t do any pulling.

Step 13 – Ask the questions, and give the directions, off of the teacher’s instruction sheet.

Step 14 – When the Tug-of-War activity is over pick up the rope and instruct the students to put their desks back in the regular formation.

C.) Closure:

“Is there any one branch that has more power than the other? That’s right, how do we know that? That’s right the Checks and Balances make the Separation of Powers work so that there is no branch more powerful than another.”

D.) Follow-Up Activity:

The students will make their own diagram of the Checks and Balances, making sure to have the proper balances written in the proper direction from one branch to the other. The diagrams can be in any format they chose as long as they have the correct information.

E.) Evaluation:

The students will hand in their diagrams to be graded for content as well as proper display of the functions of the Checks and Balances.

Checks and Balances

Name: _____________________

Date: _______________

1 – How does the Executive Branch balance the other two branches?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

2 – How does the Legislative Branch balance the other two branches?

3 – How does the Judicial Branch balance the other two branches?

Teachers Questions and Directions for Tug-of-War

1 - Red = Judicial

Blue = Executive

Yellow = Legislative

2 – To the Judicial Branch: “If the Legislative Branch was to pull on your side of the triangle (at this time instruct the Legislative Branch to lightly pull on the Judicial side) what power would you use against the Legislative Branch? As you tell me, pull on the rope to give the Legislative Branch resistance.”

3 – To the Executive Branch: “If the Judicial Branch were to pull on you, (at this time instruct the Judicial Branch to lightly pull on the Executive side) what power would you use against the Judicial Branch? As you tell me, pull on the rope to give the Judicial Branch resistance.”

4 – To the Legislative Branch: “If the Executive Branch were to pull on you, (at this time instruct the Executive Branch to lightly pull on the Legislative side) what power would you use against the Executive Branch? As tell me, pull on the rope to give the Executive Branch resistance.”

5 – “Is there any one side who is winning? Why is that? That’s right because you are all pulling against one another keeping the power of the three groups balanced. This is what it is like for the three branches with the Checks and Balances. There is no one branch that has more power than the other.”

6 – “And if you would notice that if one of the branches was to let go of their rope, or duties, the other two may fall. That’s because all three branches must work together so that the Federal Government will work properly.”