HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION LIMIT THE
POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT?
• Students will explain the concept of limited government as set forth in the
U.S. Constitution.
• Students will describe and distinguish between the concepts of separation
of powers and checks and balances.
• Students will analyze how government power is limited by separation of
powers and/or checks and balances.
• Students will be able to recognize examples of separation of powers and
checks and balances.
BELLWORK:
Answer the following
questions on your activity
sheet: Analyze and examine
the objects in the political
cartoon.
1. What do the 2 football
teams represent?
2. What do the referees
represent?
3. What principle is this
cartoon illustrating?
4. Which document sets
up this structure?
HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION LIMIT THE
POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT?
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Students will research current events and/or historical examples
of separation of powers and checks and balances to evaluate
how they limit the powers of the government.
Students will analyze how government power is limited by
separation of powers and/or checks and balances and be able
to recognize examples of separation of powers and checks and
balances.
Students will describe and distinguish between the concepts of
separation of powers and checks and balances.
Students will explain the concept of limited government as set
forth in the U.S. Constitution.
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT
AS SET FORTH IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
• Constitutional government
is a form of government based
on a written set of laws that all
citizens agree to. In this form of
government, the constitution is
the highest law of the land.
• The U.S. Constitution is the
supreme law of the land.
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT
AS SET FORTH IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
• The legislative branch is
made up of Congress,
comprised of the House
of Representatives and
the Senate. The
legislative branch
creates and passes
laws.
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT
AS SET FORTH IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
• The executive branch is
made up of the
President, the Cabinet
and federal agencies.
The executive branch
signs bills into law and
can veto bills. This
branch makes sure that
laws are carried out.
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT
AS SET FORTH IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
• The judicial branch is
made up of the
Supreme Court and
lower federal courts.
This branch makes
sure laws are in line
with the U.S.
Constitution.
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT
AS SET FORTH IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
• Each branch has separate
powers and they work together
to accomplish the goal of
governing the country. We
have a limited
government, a government
that has been limited in power
by a constitution, or written
agreement.
Everyone needs a
copy of the graphic
organizer!
Using your notes,
come up with a
definition for the
following terms:
• LIMITED
GOVERNMENT
• CONSTITUTIONAL
GOVERNMENT
Write your definitions
in your own on your
graphic organizer.
ADD YOUR DEFINITIONS!
• Everyone needs
a copy of the
reading!
• Number your
paragraphs!
EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF LIMITED GOVERNMENT
AS SET FORTH IN THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
• As I read, mark up
the text.
• Put a V next to any
vocabulary terms.
• Put a D next to
anything that helps
you define those
terms!
Do we need to
add anything to
the terms we
have already
defined?
Remember, as I read, mark up the
text.
• Put a V next to any vocabulary
terms.
• Put a D next to anything that helps
you define those terms!
HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION LIMIT THE
POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT?
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Students will research current events and/or historical examples
of separation of powers and checks and balances to evaluate
how they limit the powers of the government.
Students will analyze how government power is limited by
separation of powers and/or checks and balances and be able
to recognize examples of separation of powers and checks and
balances.
Students will describe and distinguish between the concepts of
separation of powers and checks and balances.
Students will explain the concept of limited government as set
forth in the U.S. Constitution.
Read the rest of paragraph 1 and 2 with your
shoulder partner, mark up the text.
• Put a V next to any vocabulary terms.
• Put a D next to anything that helps you define those
terms!
Using your reading, come up
with a definition for
“separation of powers”. Write
your definition in your own
words on your graphic
organizer.
Then, add examples
of “separation of
powers” from the
text to your graphic
organizer.
Read the rest of the
passage with your
shoulder partner, mark
up the text.
• Put a V next to any
vocabulary terms.
• Put a D next to
anything that helps
you define those terms!
Using your reading, come up
with a definition for “checks
and balances”. Write your
definition in your own words
on your graphic organizer.
Then, add examples
of “checks and
balances” from the
text to your graphic
organizer.
• Each activity sheet includes a summary of the powers for a branch of
government, a list of how that branch can check the other two and a role-play
scenario.
• Read the first three sections of the activity sheet that outlines the powers of the
branch and the powers that branch has to check the other two branches.
• Find evidence from your reading to identify the
powers and the checks on powers for your assigned
branch of government.
YOU BE THE…
• With your shoulder partner:
• Finish Part One: Actions to
Accomplish Your Goal
• Finish Part Two: Actions to
Check the Other Branches
Goal
• Be prepared to share with your
team.
FINISH WITH YOUR TEAM…
• Discuss the following questions with your
teammates. Use examples from your
reading and role play activity.
• Remember to use vocabulary from the
lesson and your accountable talk stems!
• You have 2 minutes, add your responses to
your graphic organizer!
• Distinguish between the concepts of
separation of powers and checks and
balances.
• How are these two concepts different?
How do they support the idea of a
limited government?
HOW DOES THE CONSTITUTION LIMIT THE
POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT?
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Students will research current events and/or historical examples
of separation of powers and checks and balances to evaluate
how they limit the powers of the government.
Students will analyze how government power is limited by
separation of powers and/or checks and balances and be able
to recognize examples of separation of powers and checks and
balances.
Students will describe and distinguish between the concepts of
separation of powers and checks and balances.
Students will explain the concept of limited government as set
forth in the U.S. Constitution.
CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING
WRITE A WELL-CRAFTED INFORMATIVE RESPONSE
USING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS:
Prompt 1
• How do the systems of
separation of powers and
checks and balances limit the
power of the government?
Give an example of a power
for each branch and one
example of how each branch
can “check” that power.
Prompt 2
• In Federalist No. 47, James Madison
wrote the following: “…Montesquieu
was guided… in saying ‘There can be
no liberty where the legislative and
executive powers are united in the
same person, or body’ … he did not
mean that these departments ought to
have … no CONTROL over, the acts of
each other.” Explain the passage in
your own words and how this passage is
related to the concept of checks and
balances.