3 branches of govt...

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Home : 2003 : February : 22

3 branches of govt...
By Nancy

I know that they're old, but I recently used the SchoolHouse Rock videos to help explain the 3 branches of govt. and how a bill becomes a law within the legislative and executive branches.

I wish I had had the time to do
it, but a friend of mine had her 5th graders pull roles out of a box...there was a president, his/her cabinet, senators, representatives to the House, and justices. Each branch of govt. was given an issue, and they had to decide how they would vote on either side of the issue if it got to them. The legislative branch started the bill. It began in the House and they voted on it. It

then went to the Senate and they decided if they needed to make any changes. If they didn't, they voted, and it went to the president. If they made changes, it went back to the House,they decided if the changes were okay, revoted and then it went to the president.

The president decided whether to veto the bill or make it a law. If he/she vetoed, it went back to the legislative branch and they had the opportunity to override the veto. Eventually, the bills did become law.

The teacher then became a concerned citizen, and questioned the law's constitutionality. The law then went before the Supreme Court and they decided whether it was a constitutional law or not.

The kids LOVED doing this exercise, and she did it over a period of three days, beginning with each branches' duties and such.