Teacher Notes

History Social Science Content Standards:

Grade 12
12.4 Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government as established by the U.S. Constitution.

  1. Discuss Article I of the Constitution as it relates to the legislative branch, including eligibility for office and lengths of terms of representatives and senators; election to office; the roles of the House and Senate in impeachment proceedings; the role of the vice president; the enumerated legislative powers; and the process by which a bill becomes a law.
  2. Explain the process through which the Constitution can be amended.
  3. Identify their current representatives in the legislative branch of the national government.
  4. Discuss Article II of the Constitution as it relates to the executive branch, including eligibility for of office and length of term, election to and removal from of office, the oath of office, and the enumerated executive powers.
  5. Discuss Article III of the Constitution as it relates to judicial power, including the length of terms of judges and the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
  6. Explain the processes of selection and confirmation of Supreme Court justices.

8.2.6. Enumerate the powers of government set forth in the Constitution and the fundamental liberties ensured by the Bill of Rights.

8.2.7. Describe the principles of federalism, dual sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, the nature and purpose of majority rule, and the ways in which the American idea of constitutionalism preserves individual rights.

PURPOSE: To encourage students to comprehend these points of emphasis and relate them to the study of the three branches of our federal government. Several activities are described. The culminating activity is the "Power Grab Game" given before the final test on the Constitution Unit.


This activity can be done on- or off-line. If you have access to a lab, make the U.S. Constitution Search the start page. Read the questions and have the students search the site for the answer, either individually or in groups. If you don't have access to the web, your students can work from a hard copy of the Constitution.

Power Grab Game