Grade 4

Social Studies

Unit 6: Our Government

Activity 5: Branches of Government (GLEs: 23, 24)

CC:  Using a timeline, give students a historical background of the writing of the Constitution. Emphasize the following on the timeline: the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Also illustrate on the timeline the order of the first 13 states to ratify or approve the Constitution.

Use Timeliner software to create the timeline.

Timeliner template - "The Constitution_Uniting Our Nation"

Unitedstreaming videos

http://unitedstreaming.com

Founding of Our Federal Government (20:00)

Ssssshhhh! We're Writing the Constitution! (31:00)

CC:  Divide students into three groups and have each represent one branch of the U.S. government. Assign students in each group to roles found in their branch of government (e.g., president, vice president, cabinet members for the executive branch; senators and representatives for the legislative branch; Supreme Court justices and federal judges for the judicial branch). Ask the students in each group to research the responsibilities, powers, and limits that apply to their branch and to their individual roles.

Web Sites:

World Book Online

http://www.louisianaschools.net/worldbook/

EBSCO (Kid Search)

Use your school link to EBSCO

Unitedstreaming videos

http://unitedstreaming.com

America At Its Best: The American Government (15:00)

Judicial Branch, The: Our Federal Government (18:00)

Legislative Branch, The: Our Federal Government (18:00)

Almost Painless Guide to the Legislative Branch, The (21:12)

This is Our Government (18:00)

Almost Painless Guide to the Executive Branch, The (22:34)

Almost Painless Guide to the Judicial Branch, The (19:01)

Executive Branch, The: Our Federal Government (18:00)