Three Branches of Federal Government

Introduction

We live in the United States of America. As citizens, it is our responsibility to obey the law and to exercise our right to vote. It is the Federal Government's responsibility to protect all of its citizens.

Representatives met in Philadelphia in 1787, eleven years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. Over the course of four months, fifty-five representatives met to draft the U.S. Constitution. The constitution was drafted with the purpose of dividing government powers among several administrative branches. Each branch holds checks and balances over the others, so no one branch holds too much power. In order to ensure the system's sustainability into the future, the framers instituted it in the hope that it would last well into the future. As a result, we continue to use this government system today. In order to ensure that no person or group held a majority of authority, this was essential.

Can you name the three branches of government?

Do you know what each branch is in charge of?

By the end of this quest, you will know the answers to our essential questions.

Task

Task One: Discover the three branches of the Federal Government.

Task Two: Learn what each branch is in charge of. What power does each branch hold?

Task Three: Present what you have learned in a newscast.

The class will be broken into three groups. Each member of your group will have an important role. Scroll down to find out what your role is!

 

Facilitator

Keeps group on task and verifies that all contribute

Recorder

Takes notes on important thoughts expressed in the group. Writes final summary.

Reporter

Shares summary of group with large group. Speaks for the group, not just personal view.

Materials Manager

Picks up, distributes, collects, turns in, or puts away materials.

Technician

Controls computer and website resources

 

Charlie- Reporter 1

Sarah- Technician

Justin- Facilitator

Abby- Recorder

Daniel- Materials Manager

 

Ryan- Reporter 2

Presley- Technician

Lane- Facilitator

Sydney- Recorder

Alixia - Materials Manager

 

Paisley- Reporter 3

Holly- Technician

Hade- Facilitator

Zach- Recorder

Chelsey-Materials Manager

Process

In order to complete your tasks, you will need to use these resources to gather information.

 View the video: The Three Branches of Federal Government | Checks and Balances: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7uovPuH07Q

Make sure to take notes using your graphic organizer during the video!

Visit https://government.mrdonn.org/executivebranch.html, https://government.mrdonn.org/legislativebranch.html, and https://government.mrdonn.org/judicialbranch.html to gather even more information about each branch!

Now that you have discovered each branch and their roles, play this game https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/government/balance-of-power/ to test your knowledge on checks and balances!

Now that you are an expert on the topic, visit me at the front of the room to get supplies for an interactive notebook. After completing this short task, get started on your newscast.

Student newscast Information:

  • Create an outline.
  • Discuss important points to make with your group.
  • You can either have the newscast videoed by me to show on the smart board, or you can present it live in front of the class!
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypZG5NrhArQ

What to include in the newscast:

  • General information about the branch of government you selected.
  • Why are the checks and balances important?
  • What does the branch you selected control? What are their responsibilities?
  • One important piece of information that you would like to share with the class about the topic.

 

Evaluation

 

4

3

2

1

Branch of Government

Selected branch was discussed with many details in the newscast.

Selected branch was discussed in the newscast.

Selected branch was mentioned in the newscast.

Selected branch was not discussed in the newscast.

Accuracy

All information was correct.

Most information was correct.

Some information was correct.

None of the information was correct.

Creativity

The newscast and props were creative.

Most of the newscast and props were creative.

Some of the newscast and props were creative.

None of the newscast or props were creative.

Teamwork

The group always worked well together.

The group worked well together most of the time.

The group worked well together sometimes.

The group did not work well together.

 

Conclusion

Your journey through the three branches of the Federal Government is over! We gathered so much valuable information for your newscasts! I hope you enjoyed your WebQuest and are ready to learn again tomorrow!

Make sure to reflect on the process and think about all the information you have learned.

Credits
Teacher Page

This WebQuest was created to allow students to build familiarity with technology while learning important information about our government.