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Students will be able to identify and explain the three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial) and describe their main functions and responsibilities.

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- Understand the concept of checks and balances
- Identify key positions in each branch
- Explain why the separation of powers is important
- Compare and contrast the roles of each branch

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Why did the Founding Fathers create three separate branches of government instead of just one?

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Watch the Schoolhouse Rock video 'Three Ring Government' to introduce the concept of three branches.

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Teacher presents interactive diagram of the three branches using the BrainPOP video on branches of government.

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Using Padlet, divide class into three groups. Each group becomes 'experts' on one branch and creates a collaborative post about their assigned branch's main responsibilities.

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Students complete the iCivics online game 'Branches of Power' to understand how the three branches work together.

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Simulate the way separation of powers and checks and balances limit government

Analyze the structure, functions, and processes of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches

Illustrate the law making process at the local, state, and federal levels

Do your students like running things? Branches of Power allows them to do something that no one else can: control all three branches of the U.S. government.
Each branch plays a specific role in turning an idea into a law. In Branches of Power, your students will practice their decision-making skills as they take on the roles and responsibilities of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches and turn as many bills into laws as possible. Through the game, players will introduce a presidential agenda, communicate with the public, write legislation, sign or veto bills, and even judge passed laws.

In Branches of Power your students will:

Create a presidential agenda and learn about the executive branch powers

Introduce bills and pass laws out of Congress

Apply judicial review to passed laws

For English Language Learners: Use the support tool, Spanish translation, voiceover and glossary.

Teacher Tips

The Branches of Power Extension Pack includes activities and a mini quiz that give the game context and reinforce and assess its concepts. Extension Packs include a downloadable teacher lesson plan, assignable student handout, and instructive Google Slides.

Multilingual and English learners ( ELs/MLs) and Spanish-speaking students: This game offers a decision-support tool, an English voiceover, a contextualized glossary, and a Spanish-language version.

Our games integrate seamlessly into your curriculum and classroom! Learn more about how to teach with games.

Create your free iCivics account and discover standards aligned lessons and games that meet all of your instructional needs. Our nonpartisan classroom resources engage students with complex concepts in ways they can understand and relate to.

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Made with support from the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics of the Annenberg Public Policy Center

Whether you enjoy finding opportunities within a well-structured sequence of resources or prefer looking around for pieces and bits that can be jigsawed together, our Scope & Sequence documents are a perfect reference point for planning. Scope & Sequence documents are available for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms and list all of our resources in one place.

View the Scope & Sequence

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Do something that no one else can-control all three branches of the U.S. government! Each branch plays a specific role in turning an idea into a law. In Branches of Power, you will take on the roles and responsibilities of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches as you turn as many bills into laws as possible.

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Advanced students can create a news report about a current event showing how two or more branches are working together/checking each other.

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Visual learners can complete a simple graphic organizer comparing the three branches using provided vocabulary words.

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Throughout the lesson, monitor student understanding using thumbs up/down signals and group discussions about branch responsibilities.

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Students participate in a Kahoot! quiz about the three branches of government.

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Students create a simple flowchart showing how a bill becomes a law, identifying which branches are involved at each step.

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Students write:
3 things they learned
2 things they found interesting
1 question they still have

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Share exit ticket responses using a collaborative Padlet board where students can see and respond to each other's questions.

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Create a comic strip or mini-poster showing how the three branches work together on a specific issue (e.g., passing and enforcing a new law).

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Complete the USA Government for Kids interactive activities.

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Find fun, engaging activities that will help students better understand the currency in their pockets.

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Find and write about one current example of checks and balances in the news (appropriate for elementary students).