Checks and Balances
Grades 5-12
Student Target
SS.5.C.3.1, SS.5.C.3.2, SS.7.C.1.7, SS.7.C.3.2, SS.7.C.3.4, SS.7.C.3.3, SS.7.C.3.8,
SS.912.C.1.5, SS.912.C.3.3, SS.912.C.3.4, SS.912.C.3.6 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.5.4.A,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.9,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.9,
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.9, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.9, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1112.9
Materials
Teacher: access to computer with screen, all attached handouts and student worksheets.
Students: access to computer, Student Worksheet 1, Student Worksheet 2, Student Handout 1,
Student Handout 2, Reflection Activity, Pre/Post survey, pen/pencil, extra blank paper.
Warm-up
Before beginning the Warm-up, give students the Pre-survey and have them answer questions.
After completing the Pre-survey, review the answers.
Begin warm-up by asking the students if they know what are the three branches of government?
As the students name the branches, write them on the board. Ask: What is the main responsibility
of each? Why do the students think the Founding Fathers created a government with three
branches?
Explain that the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania conducted a
nation survey in 2011 of 1,230 adults asking if they could name the three branches of
government. Just 38% could name all three branches; 33% were unable to correctly name any of
the branches. (see complete survey at http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/newannenberg-survey-asks-how-well-do-americans-understand-the-constitution/.
It is important that we understand our three branches of government.
Explain that with three branches of government, the Founding Fathers established a checks and
balances process, which ensures an equal distribution of power among the executive, judicial,
and legislative branches of government. Ask student to think about this and how critical the equal
distribution of power is to our form or government.
Vocabulary
Checks and Balances
Separation of Powers
Lesson
While developing our form of government, the Founding Fathers created a federal government
consisting of three branches, the executive, legislative, and judiciary, which was a separation of
powers (as stated in the Warm-up above).
We will now look at where the branches get their power and what each branch can do to balance
the other branches.
Handout Student Handout 1: Branches of Government and Their Powers
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Brief Review:
The executive, headed by the president, implemented and enforced laws passed by Congress.
The legislative branch, with two houses of Congress, made laws and the judicial comprised of the
federal courts system, interpreted federal laws and the Constitution rendering judgments of those
laws. Our form of government provides a system of checks and balances. Checks and balances
is the system in which each branch of government has the ability to limit the power of the other
branches to prevent any from becoming too powerful.
Handout Student Handout 2 Checks and Balances and Student Worksheet 3. Working in groups,
have students use Handout 2 to answer question from Handout 3. After competing the
assignment, review the answers as a class.
Reflection
In many cases, state government mirrors federal government. Have student go online and
research the government of Florida. Have them use the attached Venn diagram to compare the
two governments, focusing on the three branches (their powers and responsibilities) and the
checks and balances.
After they have completed their comparison, review their work as a class.
Assessment
Groups and classroom participation and completion of all worksheets, Pre and Post surveys.
Enrichment
To extend the lesson, have students use the Internet to research Great Britain’s form of
government. Have students focus on branches of government and checks and balances. Once
their research is completed, have student write a paper comparing the US And Great Britain’s
branches of government and their system of checks and balances.
Attachments
Pre-survey
Post-survey
Student Handout 1: Branches of Government and Their Powers
Student Handout 2: Checks and Balances
Student Worksheet 1: The Balance of Power: Checks and Balances
Student Worksheet 2: Match
Reflections Activity: Compare the US Government and Florida Government
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Student Handout 1 Branches of Government and Their Powers Article 1 of the Constitution defines the powers of the Legislative Branch.
The powers of the Legislative Branch
Power to make laws.
To write, debate, and pass bills.
To approve or disapprove the president’s declaration of war on other countries.
To approve the president’s budget.
Can override president’s veto of bill by 2/3 vote.
Can impeach president for misconduct.
The House: power to decide if a government official should be put on trial before the Senate
if/he/she commits a crime against the country.
To start laws that make people pay taxes.
The Senate: power to say yes or no to any treaties the president makes with leaders of other
countries.
To say yes or no to any people the president recommend for jobs, such as the cabinet officers,
Supreme Court justices, or ambassadors.
To hold a trial for a government official who does something very wrong.
Article 2 of the Constitution defines the powers of the Executive Branch
The Powers of the Executive Branch
To approve or veto a law created by the Legislative Branch.
To make treaties with leaders of other countries.
To authorize then use of troops overseas without declaring war.
To nominate the Secretaries of the executive departments, the Attorney General and
ambassadors.
To appoint justices to the Supreme Court.
To create a budget for the government.
Article 3 of the Constitution defines the powers of the Judicial Branch.
The Powers of the Judicial Branch
To interpret laws, how they are applied, and whether they are unconstitutional
To rule whether an action is unconstitutional.
Can change a Supreme Court decision through another Supreme Court decision.
The power to decide cases that challenges the Constitution.
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Student Handout 2
Checks and Balances
The courts can declare
executive acts
unconstitutional.
Executive Branch
The President, executive office
of the President, executive and
cabinet departments &
independent government
agencies
Congress approves
presidential
nominations and
Controls the budget. It
can pass laws over
the President’s veto
and can impeach
the President and
remove him or
her from office.
The President
nominates judges.
The President can veto
Congressional legislation
Judicial Branch
The courts:
Supreme
Court
Courts of
District
Appeal
Courts
Legislative
Branch
of Representatives
House
Senate
The courts can declare
laws unconstitutional.Bus Loading/Unloading The Senate confirms the President’s
nominations. Congress can impeach
judges and remove them from office.Not to scale HSPBC/Johnson History Museum
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Student Worksheet 1
The Balance of Power: Checks and Balances
Power
Which Branch
has Power
Which Branch’s
Power is being checked
Create and pass legislation
__________________________________________
Veto bills___________________________________________________________________
Appoints federal judges _______________________________________________________
Impeachment of federal officials_________________________________________________
Confirm the appointment of
Presidential appointees________________________________________________________
Declares laws unconstitutional __________________________________________________
Override presidential vetoes____________________________________________________
Judges are appointed for life____________________________________________________
Controls appropriation of money_________________________________________________
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Student Worksheet 2
Match
Which branch of government:
Branch:
A. Executive
B. Legislative
C. Judicial
Approves treaties with other counties ___
Can declare war _____
Creates a budget
Rules on the constitutionality of laws
The President is the head of ______
Can veto a bill _______
Approves/disapproves the budget _______
Appoints justices to the Supreme Court _______
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Pre-survey
Working independently, fill in the blanks.
1. Name the three branches of the federal government.
___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ 2. What is meant by checks and balances?
3. Which branch of government has the power to declare war?
___________________________________ 4. Which branch has more power over the other two branches?
5. The _______________________ Branch of our government makes the laws.
6. The _______________________ Branch study laws to see if they are correct according to the
Constitution.
7. The _______________________ Branch nominates judges.
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Post-survey
Working independently, fill in the blanks.
1. Name the three branches of the federal government.
___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ 2. What is meant by checks and balances?
3. Which branch of government has the power to declare war?
___________________________________ 4. Which branch has more power over the other two branches?
5. The _______________________ Branch of our government makes the laws.
6. The _______________________ Branch study laws to see if they are correct according to the
Constitution.
7. The _______________________ Branch nominates judges.
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Reflections Activity
Compare the US Government and Florida Government Use the Internet to research Florida Government and the handouts provided for the US
Government. Then use the Venn diagram to compare the US Government and Florida
Government, focusing on the three branches (their powers and responsibilities) and the checks
and balances.
US Government
Similarities
Florida Government
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