Comparing governments: Local, state, and national

This lesson on comparing governments will focus on looking at the similarities and differences between local, state, and federal governments in North Carolina and the United States. It is suggested that this lesson be followed by Comparing governments: International. This plan could be easily adapted for eighth-grade or high-school ESL students.

A lesson plan for grades 4–5 English Language Development and Social Studies

By Tami Weaver and Wendy Pineda

Learn more

• The White House - Government The official government website for the White House has information about the three difference branches of government.
• The Three Branches of Government This ThinkQuest provides detailed information about the U.S. government that is specifically formatted for student use.

Related pages

• Writing and English as a Second Language: Strategies for helping English Language Learners throughout the writing process.
• Reaching Latinos through social studies: Teachers can help immigrant students feel more comfortable in the classroom by basing social studies lessons on students' own knowledge and backgrounds.
• Send me to Congress: Students learn about the qualifications for and job descriptions of members of the U.S.Senate or the U.S.House of Representatives by designing and creating a campaign brochure. Students apply their knowledge of these requirements by "selling" their candidate to the general public.

Related topics

• Learn more about American government, English language learners, United States, executive, government, judicial, legislative, and social studies.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• identify the three branches of government and explain how they function.
• compare similarities and differences between local, state, and federal government.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3-5 days

Materials/resources

• index cards, markers
• chart paper
• overhead projector
• transparencies, markers for transparencies
• photocopies and a transparency of the flowchart
• How the Government Works by Syl Sobel
• books on local, state, and national governments.
• computer lab with internet connections
• LCD projector
• TV and DVD player (optional)

Pre-activities

• Review and build on background knowledge of the branches of government. Review and discuss name of local (city), state, and national government.
• Reserve the computer lab for class research.

Activities

1. Read the book, How the Government Works by Syl Sobel. As a whole class, complete the first level of the flowchart on an overhead projector to review the branches of government.
2. Go to the computer lab to research the functions of the different branches of the government using Ben’s Guide to the US Government for Kids or any of the other websites listed below. The students may take notes and complete the flow chart.
3. Have students watch a video on the three branches of government. One video you may choose is “America Rock” from the School House Rock company.
4. As a whole group, on chart paper or on an overhead projector, create a Venn diagram with three circles to compare the similarities and differences between the local, state, and national governments.
5. Have students create and play a concentration game to review names and functions of each branch and official titles at each level. (Ex: One card would say “Legislative Branch” and the matching card would be “The branch that makes the laws.” Or one card would say “mayor” and the matching card would say “leader of the local government.”)

Assessment

The students will take a quiz based on the information on the concentration cards.

Supplemental information

Modifications

• Have a bilingual dictionary or picture dictionary for the students to look up vocabulary words that they do not understand.
• Have students do a vocabulary practice sheet before the lesson with the ESL teacher. One possible activity is a folding activity as shown in The Big Book of Books and Activities: An Illustrated Guide for Teacher, Parents, and Anyone Who Works With Kids! by Dinah Zike.
• Let students work in pairs and give them extra time to finish.

Alternative assessments

• Have students create their own personal picture dictionary using the vocabulary words.
• Have ESL students will work with partners to complete the flowchart.
• When students take the quiz, let them use the concentration cards that they have practiced with.

Critical vocabulary

legislative, executive, judicial, local, state, national, mayor, governor, president

Comments

This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. This lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.