Lesson Plan
Checks and Balances
The System of Checks and Balances in the American Governmental System.
All Notes
Teacher Notes
Student Notes
1 Hook--Prediction
Padlet
Free, Paid
- Read the scenario posted on the board to students about the president issuing an executive order banning travel to the U.S. from multiple countries.
- Have student predict what actions might be taken by the U.S. courts and the Congress in response.
- Have students share their predictions using padlet.
2 Direct Instruction--Definition and Crash Course
YouTube
Free, Paid
- Define using Smart Notebook slides.
- View YouTube video Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances: Crash Course Government and Politics.
- Pause and discuss as needed.
3 Guided Practice--Graphic Organizer
MindMeister
Free, Paid
- Have students read text about checks and balances.
- Instruct students to fill in graphic organizers by entering the checks each branch has over the other two branches that are detailed in the text.
Student Instructions
- Read the provided text and fill out the graphic organizer worksheet.
- Make sure to fill in each bulleted line.
- Illustrate your chart to enhance its readability or to increase its effectiveness.
4 Independent Practice--Checks and Balance in Action
Newsela
Free, Paid
- Students select an article from Newsela that have been chosen by the instructor to analyze and vary by reading level.
- Students write a paragraph to explain how one branch of government is checking another according to the news story.
Student Instructions
- Write a paragraph explaining how one branch of government is checking another.
- Include the branch and government actor (i.e. Congress, the President, U.S Supreme Court) that took the original action or exercised a governmental power and the branch that blocked that action. Also include the action that both branches took and explain how the second action blocked or attempted to block the first.
5 Wrap-Up--Kahoot Quiz
Kahoot!
Free
- Have students take a Kahoot quiz about checks and balances.