Indiana Social Studies 3.C.3
The Standard
Explain that the United States has three levels of government (i.e., local, state, and federal), and that each level has special duties and responsibilities.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students name the local, state, and federal levels of government. They match each level to jobs it handles, such as city park upkeep, driver's licenses, or national defense.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can identify which level handles a given job and give a reason. For example, they can explain that a state issues driver's licenses, while the federal government handles national defense.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the president runs every government office. They may also mix up city and state jobs or assume that every level handles the same tasks.
How to Assess It
- On an exit ticket, ask: Who handles city park upkeep, driver's licenses, and national defense? Have students label each local, state, or federal and explain one choice.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs three labeled envelopes and picture cards showing city park upkeep, driver's licenses, and national defense; have them sort and explain each card.
Ask students to write two sentences answering: Why does a state issue driver's licenses instead of a city office?
Read job cards aloud; teams hold up local, state, or federal cards and earn a point for a correct reason.
Show a city park sign, a sample state driver's license, and a U.S. passport; ask who handles each one.
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Printable 3.C.3 Worksheet
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Related Standards
- 5.C.5
Identify the three branches of the United States government, and explain the functions of each.
- 3.C.2
Identify and explain the duties of and selection process for local and state government officials who make, implement, and enforce laws.
- 8.E.2
Explain how federal, state, and local governments are involved in the economy of the United States.
- 8.C.4
Recognize and explain the relationship between the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States.
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