Station 1
TQ: To what extent does the “check and balance” system check and
balance the power?
Objectives:
Students will be able to determine which Branch has the power and
which Branch is being checked.
Students will be able to explain how the “check and balance” system
checks and balances power.
Materials:
U.S. Constitution (Pocket Size – 3)
Checks and Balances System Worksheet (1 per student)
Checks and Balances Flow Chart (1 per student)
Scenarios (1 per student)
Station Participation:
1. Working as a team, determine:
- Which Branch has the Power
- Which Branch is being checked
- Where does it say that (or imply) in the Constitution? (Article and
Section)
- Prior to moving to the next step have the teacher approve your work
2. Working as a team
- Read the scenarios
- Determine “who has the power”
The Checks and Balances System Worksheet
Name: _________________________________
Various governmental powers are listed below. Identify the branch doing the
checking and the branch being checked. More than one answer may be possible
per section.
Power
Create and pass
legislation
Veto bills
Ratify treaties
Appoint federal judges
Impeachment of
federal officials
Confirm the
appointments of
Presidential
appointments
Declare laws
unconstitutional
Judges are appointed
for life
Controls
appropriations of
money
Override Presidential
vetoes
Which Branch
Has the Power?
Which Branch’s
Power is being
checked?
Where does it say
that (or imply it) in
the Constitution?
Checks and Balances Flow Chart
Scenarios
For each situation:
1) Decide which branch of the government has the power to perform this
action
2) Decide which of branch of the government has the power to “check”
the branch with power
3) Explain how the branch will “check” the power of the branch with the
power
4) What did you need to know to determine the answer?
Scenario #1: Homeland security officials have been ordered to open
suspicious packages they believe might be from terrorists.
Scenario #2: The President does not believe a law passed by Congress to
increase funding for education is fair to all children.
Scenario #3: A law, recently passed in a state legislature banning gay
marriage, is being challenged as unconstitutional.