- Katie Ashcroft
- Lori Pettit
3 Branches of Government
- Grade 5
- Objectives:
- Students will understand the process of making and passing laws within Congress by simulating this as a class.
- Materials:
- - 3 Branches diagram
- - Bill Form
- Procedure:
- Discussion
- 1. For background knowledge for students review the three branches of government and focus on the legislative branch for the purposes of creating a bill. Pass out the 3 branches of the government handout so the students will be able to takes notes on the discussion.
- 2. Outline and briefly explain the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the government.
- -Who is included in each branch?
- -What is their job?
- -How does it help and affect us?
- 3. This lesson will be focusing mainly on the Legislative Branch so it will further be broken down into Congress to include the Senate and the House of Representatives. Discuss their job of making and passing laws for our country and listening to the needs of the people they represent.
- Activity:
- 1. Divide the class into committees. Put three to four people in a group.
- 2. Create two webs to help students to brainstorm ideas for possible bills for their classroom and school. Use the word classroom for one web and school for the other. List all ideas on the board and connect them to either classroom or school ideas. When finished tell the students to focus on something in the classroom web.
- 3. Give each group a form that will be used for them to write a bill that they would like to become a law in their classroom. Explain what is required for each section of the bill.
- 4. Each committee will write a bill, choose a speaker, and present the bill to the floor, or the classroom.
- 5. After students present bills to the class have class members give three comments or questions.
- 6. The committee's each present their bills give them time to revise and add to their bills.
- 7. The bill will then be presented to the floor for a final vote to be taken, majority vote rules in order to pass this bill.
- 8. The president (teacher or student appointed beforehand) will then sign or veto the bill.
- 9. If any of the bills can be enacted take time to enact them. Students tend to leave out a lot of details. Check bills for possible additions to gear towards classroom.
- Possible Extensions:
- This activity may be used on a state or federal level.
- Evaluation:
- Students will demonstrate understanding through participation in this mock Congress and will each voice their opinions by voting.
- We will go around the room and look over their work as they set up their bills to go before the class. Return to Index
Bill Form2000 General Session
- The United Students of _______________ Class
- 1.Title:________________________________________________________
- 2. Name of Committee Members:___________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- 3. Summary of the bill (What is the purpose of the Bill?):
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- 4.Detailed description of the bill:
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- 5. How is it going to be carried out? _________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
6. Effective date: When will the bill go into practice?___________________________________________
Three Branches of Government Diagram
Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch Who is in charge:
Who is in charge:
Who is in charge:
What do they do:
What do they do:
What do they do:
Voting Ballots
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