The Three Branches of Government

Before splitting up into groups, you will all research the following links:

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110221/USGovernment.html

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/branches.html

After reviewing the links, we will discuss the answers to the following questions:

• When were the three branches of government established?
• Why were the three branches of government established?

Now, you will be split into three groups of seven.  Group One will be the legislative branch.  Group Two will be the executive branch.  Group Three will be the Judicial branch.  Each individual in each group will have a specific area within their branch to research.  Group members must decide amongst themselves which area each individual will research.  The areas of research with their respective links follow.  Please use any additional resources as references.  Also, please feel free to use the links within the links already given to you.

Group One - The Legislative Branch

• Person One, Two and Three will research The U.S. Capitol

http://209.16.222.180/capitolhistory/

Person one will do research on part 1 of watch program, person two will do research on part 2 of watch program and person three will do research on part 3 of watch program.

• Person Four will research The Legislative Branch

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/legislative.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110221/Legislative.html

• Person Five will research The Congress

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/congress.html

http://clerkkids.house.gov/congress/index.html

• Person Six will research The House of Representatives

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/house.html

http://www.house.gov/

• Person Seven will research The Senate

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/senate.html

http://www.senate.gov/

Group Two - The Executive Branch 

• Person One, Two, Three and Four will research The White House

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/video/kidsvideo.html

Each person will watch a videos and research them as follows: Person one will watch Oval Office, person two will watch Cabinet Room, person three will watch East Room and person four will watch Blue Room.

• Person Five will research The Executive Branch

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/executive.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110221/Executive.html

• Person Six will research The President

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/president.html

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9218450/presidency-of-the-United-States-of-America

• Person Seven will research The Vice President and The Cabinet

http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/presidents/officevp_rolesvp

http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/cabinet.html

Group Three - The Judicial Branch

• Person One and Two will research The Supreme Court

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc78.htm

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/scourt.html

• Person Three and Four will research the Judicial Branch and the Supreme Court Justices

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/judicial.html

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/justices.html

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/about/biographiescurrent.pdf

• Person Five, Six and Seven will research cases brought before the Supreme Court

http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/government/national/scourt2.html

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/about/episode3_video.html

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/04/28/arena.sc.voter.id.cnn

Now, that you have completed your research, you must meet with your group and formulate a forty five minute narrative to share with us, the knowledge you have gained.  Please use the attachment below that corresponds to your group.  This will help you in summarizing all the information. 

After each group, shares their narrative, you will be provided with the following scenario.

Imagine there is a mother who lost her child.  Her child was killed when an automobile passed a stop sign.  She is trying to pass a law to get all stop signs replaced by traffic lights.  From what we have learned, let us simulate the process.  We will discuss it along the way.