Separation of Powers
Course: Government
Theme: 3: Organization, Duties, Powers of Government and its limitation
Focus/Big Idea(s):
Organization, duties, powers of government
 Separation of Powers
Culminating Assignment:
Culminating Assessment:
 Critical Response
 DBQ
 Essay
 Imaginative Writing
 Project
 Is the system of checks and balances
working today?
 2-3 page persuasive essay
 Clearly stated thesis.
 Clearly structured organization and control of
convention.
 At least three detailed supportive arguments.
 Address opposing arguments
 Cited evidence addressing:
a. Constitution
b. Current Events
c. Historical Examples
d. Legal Precedents
 Documentation, Work cited, and bibliography
Essential Question(s):
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Should power be distributed equally?
 Should partisanship effect the distribution of power?
 Which branch of government has the most power?
 Has the president lost or gained power throughout history?
 Considering the Founder Father’s view on separation of power, would they support unitary executive theory?
 If you were to design a new government what would it look like? Why?
PPS Standards:
Academic Vocabulary: (Content to Know)
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The articles of the Constitutions and what they pertain to.
Powers of each branch as defined in the Constitution
Founders view on separation of power (Declaration of
Independence, Federalist Paper #47, etc.)
Historical and current perspectives of the executive, legislative, and
judicial branches (FDR and New Deal, Bush and Wiretapping,
Patriot Act).
Relevant Supreme Court cases (US v. Nixon, Hamdan v.
Rumsfeld, Clinton v. New York, Ex Parte Merryman)
Judicial Review (Marbury v. Madison)
Unitary executive theory (i.e., constitutional theory concentrated in
the executive branch).
Impeachment
Executive Orders and Privileges
Commerce Clause
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Skills to learn:
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Writing a persuasive essay.
Research
Ask, acquire, Apply, and Analyze
At least three detailed supportive arguments.
Address opposing arguments
Cited evidence addressing:
e. Constitution
f. Current Events
g. Historical Examples
h. Legal Precedents
Documentation, Work cited, and
bibliography
Time Frame: (in Hours)
Instructional Design: Outline of lessons, in step-by-step progression. Attach additional pages.
Susan Snyder, Tim Graham, Kim Davis, 3/7/2016
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Separation of Powers
1. Free write on one of the essential question. Share, discuss, record.
2. Socratic Seminar on Declaration of Independence and/or Federalist #47 – Students will determine
how the documents address limitation of government.
3. Lesson on Constitution specific to definition of Executive, Legislative, and Judicial powers.
4. Group research activity in which students determine how specific executive orders, acts of
legislation, and Supreme Court cases relate to separation of powers.
5. Lesson in which students create a visual display of checks and balances. Or any other lesson that
specifically addresses checks and balances.
6. Series of three lessons addressing historical and current application of power each branch:
a.
Lecture/Notetaking/Video on Judicial Review (Marbury v. Madison)
b. Series of brief mock trials on court cases involving presidential/executive power (US v. Nixon,
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, Hirabayashi v. United States (1943))
c. Writing lesson on Congressional powers (Impeachment, Patriot Act, Commerce Clause).
7. Review in preparation for culminating assessment – Using a debate format groups discuss the
question posed in the culminating assessment.
Resources and materials: (Text, links, videos, speakers, etc.
Please note if available district-wide)
Definition of Unitary Executive Theory:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_executive_theory
Link to Socratic Seminar on Declaration of Independence
Diana Hess
Lesson and visual on checks and balances:
http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/lessons/oct6usg.htm
Additional supports and extensions: (TAG, SPED, ESL, etc.)
Constitution power grab game
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/score_lessons/power_grab_game/
Worksheet describing powers granted to each branch:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/soci
alstudies/scotus_powers.pdf
Susan Snyder, Tim Graham, Kim Davis, 3/7/2016
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