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Course, Subject

Grade 12: Participation in Government, Social Studies, United States History and Government, Social Studies, Social Studies (NYS K-12 Framework Common Core)

Duration

Three 43-minute class periods

Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson students will be able to:
Identify and describe the system of checks and balances
Create and provide examples of checks placed on the various branches of government

Materials

SMART Board
Media Player access
Access to a computer lab with internet access

• Checks and Balances Diagram
• Checks and Balances Powerpoint
• Checks and Balances SMART Notebook

Step-by-Step Procedure

Day 1

1. Students will be introduced to the separation of powers/checks and balances system including an historical background via a SMART Board/PowerPoint presentation, slides 1 and 2.

* If SMART Board technology is not available, a PowerPoint version has been included in the materials section.

2. Following the SMART Board/PowerPoint presentation students will view a short 5 minutes video clip on the separation of powers and checks and balances.

Video Description:

Our Constitution: The Document that Gave Birth to a Nation

Utilizing the spectacular backdrop of the events which surrounded the "We the People 200" celebration in Philadelphia 1987, this program simply, clearly and with dramatic flair, examines and explains the historical significance of the Constitution, its structure and function, and its present day meaning and importance. © 1988 Rainbow Educational Media
*Access to video may be done by accessing the united-streaming video web site. Video titled "Our Constitution: The Document that Gave Birth to a Nation" can be found on unitedstreaming video web page. You must have an account. Type in the title of the video. Under segments choose the Separation of powers/checks and balances segment.

3. Next, students will explore an interactive diagram, slide 3, displaying various checks, by clicking each branch they will receive a more descriptive explanation.
Students should duplicate these checks on their blank checks and balances diagram sheet.

4. After completing their charts students will be placed in groups of three. In their groups they will be asked to write in examples provided on slide 4 of various headlines containing checks on the three branches.

5. One member of each group will then come up to the SMART Board and drag one example to its appropriate place. The entire class will then confirm all the entries.

Day 2

1.Students should be escorted to the computer lab. In their groups of three, they should be given a blank checks and balances diagram.

Students may search any web engine, I would recommend Google. By typing in examples of checks, they will be able to find a variety of current or near current event articles pertaining to checks and balances.

*Teacher may want to pre-prepare a data base available by Google.

2. Each student should choose a branch of the government and find and print a copy of their article.

3. Students should place the title of their article on the diagram sheet in its appropriate place.

4. Students should then begin to summarize their articles for presentation the following day. This task may be completed at home if time runs out.

*Alternative to instructor with no computer internet access. Teacher may search the internet and pre-print select articles to distribute in class to the groups.

Day 3

1. Students should meet in their groups and combine their diagram attaching their summaries and articles behind.

2. Each group will be asked to pick one article to summarize for the class and display by writing the headline on the appropriate space on the SMART Board diagram.

3. After the presentations and the diagram is filled the class will confirm that all the selections are correct.

Description

The purpose of this lesson is to give students an in-depth look at how our checks and balances system helps maintain the separation of powers between the three branches of government. This lesson is intended for secondary U.S. History and Government classes, 11th and 12th grade. Students will be able to identify several of the key checks as they were written in the Constitution. Students will then use current event head lines and insert them in the appropriate space along the Check and Balance Diagram.

Website(s)

Checks and Balances Video
Google Search Engine
National Archives - U.S. Constitution

Assessment

Assessment will be based on students ability to recognize the various checks on government by providing current event examples.
Students may also be given a quiz testing their knowledge of the checks and balances system.
Hand out a blank copy of the Checks and Balances Diagram to each student.
Using the Checks and Balances Examples sheet, list ten or as many examples as desired on a blackboard or slide. Students will then be asked to place the appropriate checks where they belong on the chart.
Instructor may want to use real examples or made up examples of checks to offer a more realistic assessment.

Checks and Balances Diagram

Checks and Balances Examples

Related Academic Standards

New York State

SS.11.2.c.3 Students will examine the structure, power, and function of the federal government as created by the Constitution, including key constitutional principles such as the division of power between federal and state government, the separation of powers at the federal level, the creation of checks and balances, the sovereignty of the people, and judicial independence.

SS.11.2.d Under the new Constitution, the young nation sought to achieve national security and political stability as the three branches of government established their relationships with each other and the states.

SS.C.1.1B Students describe the evolution of American democratic values and beliefs as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the New York State Constitution, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other important historical documents.

SS.C.1.3C Students prepare essays and oral reports about the important social, political, economic, scientific, technological, and cultural developments, issues, and events from New York State and United States history.