THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Introduce students to the executive branch in one class period with this easy lesson plan. First, kick students
off with our optional sponge activity while you’re taking care of business, then show our video on the Executive
Branch. Using our printable resources, have the class read a short passage that reinforces and builds on the
video, then guide students as they use what they’ve learned to complete a graphic organizer and worksheet.
With the last few minutes of class, take them right up to the bell with a no-materials-required, activeparticipation assessment activity.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
Procedure:

1. Show the Executive Branch video found on
OurCourts.org. The video is also broken down
into individual “chapters” so you have the option
to review certain topics afterward. (If you can’t
show the video, start with the reading page.)
2. Give students a copy of the Executive Branch
reading page. Read the passage as a class.
3. Have students complete the Executive Branch
graphic organizer. You may want to read
through this page with the class to be sure they
understand the task.
4. Assess students with the Executive Branch
worksheet.
5. Stop students a few minutes early and do an
informal assessment the group using either the
true/false or A/B active participation
assessment activities.


Students will be able to describe the structure
of the Executive Branch.
Student will be able to explain the roles of the
President and the Executive Branch
departments.
Students will be able to define key terms
associated with the Executive Branch.
Materials:

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Executive Branch video on www.OurCourts.org
(optional)
Executive Branch reading page
Executive Branch worksheet
Executive Branch graphic organizer worksheet
(optional)
Executive Branch “active participation” teacher
page
Sponge Activity/Bell Work:
Accommodations:
This is designed to be an open-ended, ungraded
brainstorming-type activity that students begin the
moment they sit down and that gets them thinking
about the topic. You can provide scratch paper or
they can provide their own. On the board, write the
following question for which students will
brainstorm answers:

List as many activities as you can think of that the
President might do during a typical day.
Chorally read the passage.
 Repeat and reinforce bolded words.
 Read worksheet to the class or as a chorus
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Is It Lonely at the Top?
No way! That’s because in our government there is no
“top.” The President is our leader, but our government
was specially designed so the executive branch must
share power with the legislative and judicial branches.
The
President
Yeah, sure, but…
No, really! The Constitution of the United States gives
the President “executive power,” which means the
President’s job is to carry out laws passed by the
legislative branch. The Constitution gives the President
very few powers of his own. Most of the time, the
President has to work closely
with the legislative branch in
order to accomplish anything. For
“Execute”
example, the President can
means “to
appoint new justices to the
carry out”
Supreme Court… but only with
the Senate’s approval. Or the
President can make treaties with
other countries… but only with the Senate’s approval.
The President has the power to order troops into battle,
but only Congress can declare war. And the President
can veto laws that Congress passes, but he cannot
make laws.
The Cabinet
Heads of government
departments give advice to help
the President
Departments of Government
Each department has a different purpose and
works to carry out laws related to that purpose
Getting the Work Done
There’s more to the executive branch than just the
President.
The executive branch is huge!
That’s
because it’s mostly made up of many departments that
are in charge of carrying out different kinds of laws. For
Short End of the Stick?
example, the Department of Education carries out
Don’t start feeling sorry for the President yet. The
education laws. The Department of Homeland Security
carries out laws designed to secure our borders and
President has lots of special jobs. One of the most
important is deciding which issues the country
keep the country safe from terrorism.
Each
To-Do List
should focus on. There are many problems that Set agenda
department has lots of employees that do the
need to be solved, and the President sets an
everyday work of carrying out laws.
Hold press conference
agenda for the country by deciding which
Veto bill
problems deserve the most attention. Then he will
Advice, Please!
Meet with cabinet
suggest ideas for laws that Congress should pass
Nobody
could
carry out the laws of the United
OK treaty with Senate
to help solve those problems. In the process, the
States all alone! That’s why the President gets
Welcome foreign leader
President communicates with the American
lots of advice from the people who are in charge
Suggest new law
people about the issues he believes are important
of the departments. This group is called the
for the country. Often the President will hold a Run for reelection!
cabinet.
Each department head keeps the
press conference to make announcements and
President updated about issues facing that
answer questions from newspaper and television
department and offers advice about what should to be
reporters. Also, once a year the President gives a State
done to carry out the laws more effectively.
of the Union Address to discuss important issues
facing our nation and what should be done about them.
That was Fun—Can I Do it Again?
A President and Vice-President get elected as a team,
But Wait—There’s More!
and they serve a four-year term. At the end of the four
As Commander in Chief, the President is in charge of
years they can run for office again, and if they win they
the entire military. The President also has the power to
will serve four more years. Eight years
pardon people who have committed crimes, which
is the limit, though—nobody is
means they get to go free. In addition, when leaders of
allowed to be President longer
foreign countries visit the United States, the President
than that. A new President brings
receives them and makes them feel welcome.
a new agenda for the country and
chooses new leaders for each
department of government.
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Name
Date
_
A. That’s Incorrect! Whoever wrote these
sentences needs some help understanding the
executive branch! Cross out the parts that are wrong
and make corrections on the line provided.
The President’s job is to carry out the laws he makes.
The executive branch is made up of only the President.
As Commander in Chief, the President is in charge of
the entire Department of Education.
The President and Vice President get appointed to a
four-year term.
The President doesn’t need anyone’s approval to
appoint new Supreme Court justices.
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B. Word Search. Find and circle a word that matches
each clue:
A new President keeps the outgoing President’s agenda
and cabinet.
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When foreign leaders visit our country, the President
snubs them and gives them the cold shoulder.
Nobody would dare try to give advice to the President.
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The Constitution gives the President total power over the
government.
Means “to carry out”
How a person gets to become President
Large units of government in charge of carrying
out different kinds of laws
The President’s decision about which problems
deserve the most attention
When Congress passes a law, the President can
choose to do this to reject it
Number of years in one presidential term of
office
The President’s yearly speech
The group of people who advise the President
Total number of years anybody can be President
The President can do this for a person who
committed a crime
This person gets elected with the President
What the cabinet gives the President
Mystery Word: One word is in the puzzle but not in the
clue list. Write that word and its definition below:
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Name
_Teacher’s Key
Date
_
A. That’s Incorrect! Whoever wrote these
sentences needs some help understanding the
executive branch! Cross out the parts that are wrong
and make corrections on the line provided.
The President’s job is to carry out the laws he makes.
_passed by the legislative branch
_
The executive branch is made up of only the President.
the President and many departments
As Commander in Chief, the President is in charge of
the entire Department of Education.
military
The President and Vice President get appointed to a
four-year term.
elected
The President doesn’t need anyone’s approval to
appoint new Supreme Court justices.
needs the Senate’s approval
_
A new President keeps the outgoing President’s agenda
and cabinet.
chooses his own cabinet and make a new
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B. Word Search. Find and circle a word that matches
each clue:




agenda

When foreign leaders visit our country, the President
snubs them and gives them the cold shoulder.

_receives them and makes them feel welcome
_


Means “to carry out” execute
How a person gets to become President elected
Large units of government in charge of carrying
out different kinds of laws departments
The President’s decision about which problems
deserve the most attention agenda
When Congress passes a law, the President can
choose to do this to reject it veto
Number of years in one presidential term of
office four
The President’s yearly speech state of the union
The group of people who advise the President
cabinet
Nobody would dare try to give advice to the President.

eight

The members of the cabinet give
Total number of years anybody can be President

The President can do this for a person who
committed a crime pardon
This person gets elected with the President vice
president

The Constitution gives the President total power over the
government.
What the cabinet gives the President advice
Mystery Word: One word is in the puzzle but not in the
clue list. Write that word and its definition below:
shared power with the other branches, and a few
press conference: the President makes announcements
powers of his own
_
and answers questions from reporters
E X E C UT I V E BR A NC H S C R A M BL E !
Name
Directions:
The executive branch is made up of many
departments. Each department has a mission
and lots of agencies inside the department to
help carry out the laws. The four departments in
this list are all mixed up, and it’s your job to reorganize them!
Fill in the chart by finding a
place for each department, mission, and agency
on the list. And don’t forget who’s in charge!

Food Safety and Inspection Service (inspects
the food supply to make sure it is safe and
properly labeled)






Department of Agriculture
To manage the government’s money and
finances
U.S. Mint (prints paper money and makes coins)
To keep the country secure from terrorists
and welcome lawful immigrants
Department of Homeland Security
Transportation Security Administration
(provides security for airlines and other
transportation)










To help workers, people looking for work,
and retired people.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(assists people from other countries who want to
become a United States citizen)
Food and Nutrition Service (helps low-income
families buy food)
The President
Department of Labor
Employment Standards Administration
(enforces laws about peoples’ rights at work)
Internal Revenue Service (collects taxes)
To help the country have a safe and
productive food system
Department of the Treasury
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(makes sure employers follow laws about
creating a safe workplace)
Mission:
Mission:
Mission:
Mission:
EX EC U T I V E BR A NC H S C R A M BL E !
Directions:
The executive branch is made up of many
departments. Each department has a mission
and lots of agencies inside the department to
help carry out the laws. The four departments in
this list are all mixed up, and it’s your job to reorganize them!
Fill in the chart by finding a
place for each department, mission, and agency
on the list. And don’t forget who’s in charge!

Food Safety and Inspection Service (inspects
Note: Departments can be
in any order going across.
Department of
Agriculture
D
E
P
Name
Teacher’s Key
The President
Department of
Homeland Security
A
R
Department of Labor
T
M
E
N
Department of the
Treasury
T
S
the food supply to make sure it is safe and
properly labeled)






Department of Agriculture
To manage the government’s money and
finances
U.S. Mint (prints paper money and makes coins)
To keep the country secure from terrorists
and welcome lawful immigrants
Department of Homeland Security
Transportation Security Administration
Mission:
Mission:
Mission:
Mission:
To help the country
have a safe and
productive food
system
To keep the country
secure from
terrorists and
welcome lawful
immigrants
To help workers,
people looking for
work, and retired
people
To manage the
government’s money
and finances
(provides security for airlines and other
transportation)










To help workers, people looking for work,
and retired people.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(assists people from other countries who want to
become a United States citizen)
Food and Nutrition Service (helps low-income
families buy food)
The President
Department of Labor
Employment Standards Administration
(enforces laws about peoples’ rights at work)
Internal Revenue Service (collects taxes)
To help the country have a safe and
productive food system
Department of the Treasury
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(makes sure employers follow laws about
creating a safe workplace)
A
G
Food and Nutrition
Service
Food Safety and
Inspection Service
E N C I
Transportation
S Security
E Administration
R V
U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services
E S
Occupational Safety &
Health
I Administration
C E
Employment Standards
Administration
a n
S U.S. Mint
d
Internal Revenue
Service
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION INFORMAL ASSESSMENT #1
EXECUTIVE TRUE/FALSE
Procedure
Tell students you are going to read a series of true/false questions. Tell them that when you have finished
reading each statement (sometimes you may need to repeat the statement), you will ask them to tell you
whether the statement is true or false. There are several ways you can have students respond:
 Ask them to give you a “thumbs up” if the answer is true and a “thumbs down” if it’s false.
 Have students call out “true” or “false” in a chorus.
 Make a quick set of T/F cards using index cards. On each card, write a large T on one side and F on
the other. Give each student a card and ask them to answer by showing you the T side or the F side.
Either way, ask students to wait until you have finished reading the statement to respond.
Example
Teacher:
Class:
Teacher:
The President stays in office for ten years. True or false?
(showing thumbs down)
Great! Everyone is showing me that’s wrong. What is the limit? (This is a good
opportunity to verbally reinforce the material with students)
1. The President’s job is to make laws all by himself. (F)
2. The President is all there is to the executive branch. (F)
3. The President sometimes suggests laws that Congress should pass. (T)
4. The Vice President is the only person in the President’s cabinet. (F)
5. The President is called the Commander in Chief because he is in charge of the military. (T)
6. If a President and Vice President really love their jobs, after eight years they can run for office again.
(F)
7. When the President decides which problems should have priority, that’s called his agenda. (T)
8. “Executive” means to order troops into battle. (F)
9. Whatever powers the President does have, he gets from the Constitution. (T)
10. The President can pardon people who have committed crimes. (T)
11. The executive branch has more power than the other two branches. (F)
12. The President can declare war. (F)
13. The President yearly speech is called a press conference. (F)
14. Each department in the executive branch is in charge of carrying out certain kinds of laws. (T)
15. The cabinet is where the President keeps all his dishes. (F)
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION INFORMAL ASSESSMENT #2
EXECUTIVE A/B
Procedure
Tell students you are going to read a series of statements that are not complete. Tell them that when you have
finished reading each statement (sometimes you may need to repeat the statement), you will give them two
possible answers—an “A” answer and a “B” answer. There are several ways you can have students respond:
 Ask them to give you a “thumbs up” if the answer is A and a “thumbs down” if the answer is B.
 Have students call out “A” or “B” in a chorus.
 Make a quick set of A/B cards using index cards. On each card, write a large A on one side and B on
the other. Give each student a card and ask them to answer by showing you the A side or the B side.
In addition to reading the answer options, you can also make an overhead with an A column and a B column
so the students can see the answers as you go along. Either way, ask students to wait until you have finished
reading the statement to answer.
Example
Teacher: The President’s term of office is
. Is it A: Eight years, or B: Four years?
Class:
(saying or showing B)
Teacher: Great! Everyone is saying it’s four years. Where did the 8 years come from? (This is a good
opportunity to verbally reinforce the material with students)
QUESTION
The group that advises the President is his
If the President wants to appoint a new Supreme
Court justice he needs
The Constitution authorized the President to
During a press conference, the President talks to
The President’s most important job is
A person becomes President by being
To make treaties with other countries, the
President needs
To veto a law Congress passed, the President
needs
The executive branch is
Compared to the other branches, the executive
branch has
The President and Vice-President get elected
The cabinet is made up of
When the President pardons someone, they
The Department of Transportation probably carries
out
When a new President comes in, the old
President’s agenda
A
B
department
cabinet
The Senate’s
nobody’s approval
approval
carry out laws
make laws
journalists and
his cabinet
reporters
choosing issues
welcoming foreign
to focus on
leaders
chosen by
elected by the
Congress
people
nobody’s
the Senate’s
approval
approval
nobody’s
the Senate’s
approval
approval
large
small
equal power
separately
department
heads
must have a new
trial
farming laws
gets re-used
the most power
as a team
members of
Congress
get to go free
transportation
laws
gets replaced