U.S. Government/Civics lesson plan: Checks & balances
Topic: Separation of powers and checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution (C3 D2.Civ.4.9-12). Adjust the settings, then copy the prompt.
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Planning notes for this lesson
Prerequisite skills to check: the three branches of government from middle school civics; the purpose of the Constitution; reading informational text.
Key vocabulary: separation of powers, checks and balances, veto, override, judicial review, impeachment, advice and consent.
Warm-up idea: Ask students to write rules for a club so that no single officer can take it over, then compare their rules with the Constitution.
Exit ticket idea: Students read a scenario and name the branch that acts next, the check it can use, and the article of the Constitution it comes from.
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Quiz on the same standard
After the lesson, check understanding with a full quiz and answer key on this topic.