The Branches of

Government
A WebQuest for 9th Grade Government
Designed by
Breanna Potter
[email protected]

Introduction | Task | The Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Teacher Section

Introduction
Hello Student! You have been chosen as the new political
columnist for The New York Times. The job entails writing about
anything in the political realm for the paper. Since you have been
given this new job, you must learn all you can about how the
different branches of government work, as well as how they
interact with each other. You must answer the question of what is
the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government,
and how do they interact with each other.

The Task
After you have learned all you can about the three branches of
government, you will get into your table groups to produce a Prezi
to present to the class over what you have learned. The Prezi
should include what you know prior to completing your quest,
what you learned from doing it, compare and contrast the
difference between the various branches of government, and how
this relates to you in your new position as the political columnist
for the New York Times.

The Process
1) First, youll get into your table groups to complete this project.
2) After you have done this, you will look through the list of guiding
questions listed below to know what to look for in doing this project.
3) Once you have examined these questions, divide them up between
the people in your table group to complete.
4) Conduct your research using the websites list below to assist you.
As you do your research make notes of what you find to assist you
later in creating your Prezi.
5) When you have completed your individual research, come back
together as a group and discuss what you found.
6) Once you have done all the other steps and have read the evaluation
section of this, begin working on your Prezi with your group.
List of Guided Questions:
1) What are the 3 branches of government in detail? (I would suggest
that this be divided between 3 people)
-judicial
-executive
-legislative
2) How do they interact with each other?
3) Compare and Contrast the three

4) How does each of these branches affect your daily life?

5) How would they affect the job of being the political columnist for The
New York Times?
6) What might our country be like without these three branches of
government?
List of Websites to use:
1) http://kids.usa.gov/teens/goverment/about-ourgovernment/index.shtml
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt5K4ZK0ILY
3) http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_threebranches.htm
(After reading the information click on and complete
http://www.congressforkids.net/games/threebranches/1_multiplech
oice.htm)
4) http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/branche
s_government.htm
5) https://www.brainpop.com/games/branchesofpower/
6) http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k-2/government/index.html
As the Teacher I will monitor instruction through 3 means. The first is through
observation of students. I will go through the room as students are working to access
that they have full knowledge of how to do it, what they are doing, and why. The second
method is by spending time with each group as they answer the questions together. The
last method is through asking students direct questions about what they are doing.

Evaluation
You will be evaluated using a rubric for the Prezi and oral presentation of
the Prezi. Each person in the group will receive their own individual grade
for their part in the presentation. This means everyone MUST participate in
making the Prezi as well as the oral presentation part. The rubric is as
follows:

Oral Presentation Rubric : The Branches of Government

Teacher Name: Ms. Potter

Student Name:

________________________________________

CATEGORY
Preparedness

4
Student is
completely
prepared and
has obviously
rehearsed.

Speaking
during
Presentation

Student
actively spoke
during group
presentation
with
confidence.
Shows a full
understanding
of the topic.

Content

Collaboration
with Peers

Design

Use of Prezi

3
Student seems
pretty prepared
but might have
needed a
couple more
rehearsals.

2
The student is
somewhat
prepared, but it
is clear that
rehearsal was
lacking.

1
Student does
not seem at all
prepared to
present.
Student didn't
speak during
presentation at
all.

Shows a good
understanding
of the topic.

Shows a good
understanding
of parts of the
topic.

Does not seem

to understand
the topic very
well.

Almost always
listens to,
shares with,
and supports
the efforts of
others in the
group. Tries to
keep people
working well
together.
The Prezi is
well designed
and is
interesting to
look at.

Usually listens
to, shares with,
and supports
the efforts of
others in the
group. Does
not
cause \"waves\
" in the group.

Often listens
to, shares with,
and supports
the efforts of
others in the
group but
sometimes is
not a good
team member.

Rarely listens
to, shares with,
and supports
the efforts of
others in the
group. Often is
not a good
team member.

The Prezi is
kind of
interesting.

The Prezi is not

interesting or
designed well

The Prezi is not

designed at all,
not completed,
or is not
completed.

Students use
Prezi as a
visual aid and
do not read
directly off of
the Prezi.

Students use
Prezi as a
visual aid and
occasionally
read off of it.

Students do
not use Prezi as
a visual aid and
read directly off
of it.

Prezi is not
present or
completed.

Conclusion
Through this lesson you have learned about the three branches of
government in the United States. You learned the difference between them
and how they interact with each other. You also discovered their importance
to us as citizens in this country. Now that you have completed the activity,
what do you still wonder about? What did you learn about working in groups
from this project? What would you have done differently if given the chance
to do it again?

Teacher Section
Standards
NET Standards: 1. Creativity and innovation: Students demonstrate creative
thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes using technology.
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or
processes
b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
NET Standards: 3. Communication and collaboration: Students use digital
media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including
at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of
others.
a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others
employing a variety of digital environments and media
b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple
audiences using a variety of media and formats
NET Standards: 6. Technology operations and concepts: Students
demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and
operations.
a. Understand and use technology systems

High School Social Studies: Government Content Standard 1: The student

will compare the formation of contemporary governments in terms of access,
use, and justification of power.
1. Contrast the essential characteristics of limited versus unlimited
governments with an understanding that the United States
constitutional system establishes legal restraints on governmental
power.
3. Summarize and explain how the American system is a
representative republic in which the citizenry is sovereign.
4. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the major ways
governmental power is distributed, shared, and structured in unitary,
federal, and confederal systems in terms of effectiveness, prevention
of abuse of power, and responsiveness to the popular will.
High School Social Studies: Government Content Standard 3: The student
will analyze the fundamental principles of the American system of
government.
Cite specific textual and visual evidence and summarize how power is
separated as well as shared under the American system including the
separation of powers and checks and balance, which is designed to
prevent abuse of power by any government body at the local, state,
tribal, and federal levels.
High School Social Studies: Government Content Standard 4: The student
will examine the United States Constitution by comparing the legislative,
executive, and judicial branches of government as they form and transform
American society.
2. Examine the makeup, organization, functions, and authority
exercised by the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of
government.
A. Identify constitutional qualifications for holding public office,
the terms of office, and the expressed powers delegated to each
branch of the national government including the numbers of
members comprising the United States Congress and United
States Supreme Court.
B. Evaluate the extent to which each branch of government
reflects the peoples sovereignty including current issues
concerning representation such as term limitations and
legislative redistricting.

C. Describe the process in which public policy is formulated into

law including both the constitutional and operational procedures
utilized in the modern legislative process.
D. Explain why certain provisions of the United States
Constitution result in tensions among the three branches, and
evaluate how the functions of the national government have
changed over time through executive actions and judicial
interpretation of the necessary and proper clause.
F. Apply the principles of limited government, federalism, checks
and balances, and separation of powers to the workings of the
three branches of government in real world situations including
current issues and events.

Adjustments/Adaptations
For students with specialized learning needs, the teacher will be available to
assist them. They will also be paired according to groups where students
with and without learning disabilities can assist each other.
For students with Autism/social anxiety/ or anything else that may hinder
presentations, these students will work one-on-one with the teacher to
overcome these issues.
For ELL students, the material will be read to them to make the focus be on
comprehension.
Strategies to Meet Students Learning Styles
Students learning styles will be met through several different means. For
visual and audio learners, a video is included as one of the websites to be
seen. For tactile, students will use their hands to surf the web.
Resources and Materials
Describe whats materially needed to implement this lesson. Some of the
possibilities:

Class sets of books (For students to reference for further research)

E-mail accounts for students to create Prezi accounts
computer
paper and pencil (for note-taking)

Students can do everything independently. The teacher will be there to guide

students in finding the information in the websites and in forming answers to
the questions. The teacher will also be there to clarify instructions. If other
teachers or parents are present, they will be there to also assist students in
the things listed above as well sit with the groups and observe.

Credits & References

http://videoclips.mrdonn.org/government.html

Last updated on July 31, 2012. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page

Adapted by Northeastern State University course instructors for Technology in Education Jan. 7, 2009 for Competency #4 of the COE ePortfolio.