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Content Area: Social Studies
Index: 6.2E Grade 8 CPI 3
Standard: 6.2 - Civics
Strand: E - International Education: Global Challenges, Cultures, and Connections
Cumulative Progress Indicator: 3 - The student will compare and contrast the powers the Constitution gives to Congress, the President, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the federal judiciary regarding foreign affairs.
Grade: 8
Sample Activities:
· Explain to the class that the Constitution is a set of rules for our country and that it has been effective for more than 200 years. The key provisions of the U.S. Constitution can be listed as follows: Separation of powers Bicameral legislature Popular election of the president and members of Congress Powers specifically granted to the federal government and those accruing to the states The judicial system The first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights. Explain to the class the meaning of each of the key principles. Assign readings for each of them from the library or from the popular press. Students investigate answers to questions such as the following: What does Congress do? What is the difference between the Senate and the House in Washington? How is the president elected? What are specific jobs of the national government? of the states? Explain that there is an ongoing need for the courts to apply the principles to everyday situations. The courts and the scholars often disagree among themselves. Emphasize to the students that the interpretation of the meaning of the Constitution’s language involves trying to discover the “original intent” of the founders as well as determining the modern applications of that intent.
· Students learn that the three branches of government are: The legislative branch, which creates the laws The executive branch, which enforces the laws The judiciary branch, which interprets the laws After reviewing these three branches, the class examines the powers of the Board of Education, the district superintendent, and the building principal in relation to those of the three branches of government. Do they see any connections or similarities?
Inspiration Templates:
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