Georgia SS3CG1.a
The Standard
Describe the three branches of national government: executive (president), legislative (Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court of the United States).
Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies · Describe the elements of representative democracy/republic in the United States.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify the three parts of the national government and connect each one to its main person or group. They explain that Congress makes laws, the president carries them out, and the Supreme Court interprets them.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can match executive with the president, legislative with Congress, and judicial with the Supreme Court. Given a government action, they can name the responsible branch and explain their choice.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the president makes every law or controls the other branches. They may also think Congress is one person, or that the Supreme Court carries out laws.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Complete three rows labeled executive, legislative, and judicial. For each, name its person or group, state its main job, and give one example action.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Have pairs sort action cards such as writing a bill, vetoing a bill, and reviewing a law beneath three branch posters.
Ask, “Why should one branch not make, carry out, and interpret every law?” Students support an answer with one branch example.
Play Branch Charades: students act out a government job card while classmates name the branch and the matching person or group.
Show photos of the White House, Capitol, and Supreme Court, then match each building to a branch and job.
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Printable SS3CG1.a Worksheet
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Related Standards
- SS3CG1.b
Describe the three branches of state government: executive (governor), legislative (Georgia General Assembly), and judicial (Supreme Court of Georgia).
- SS8CG1.b
Explain separation of powers and checks and balances among Georgia's three branches of government.
- SS3CG1.c
State the main responsibility of each branch: executive (enforcing laws), legislative (making laws), judicial (interprets the laws).
- SS4CG3.a
Describe how the three branches of government interact with each other (checks and balances and separation of powers), and how they relate to local, state, and ...
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