Indiana Social Studies IS.2.3
The Standard
Analyze and compare the major functions, responsibilities, and relationships of the legislative (Article 4), executive (Article 5), and judicial branches (Article 7) of state government as written in the 1816 and 1851 Indiana Constitutions.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students read short excerpts from Indiana’s 1816 and 1851 constitutions. They compare what lawmakers, the governor, and judges do, then explain how the branches affect one another.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can identify who makes laws, who can veto bills, and who decides cases. They can explain how the shift from appointed to elected judges changed the governor’s and Senate’s roles.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the governor makes laws alone or that courts vote on bills. They may assume Indiana judges were elected under both constitutions.
How to Assess It
- Hand out the judge-selection excerpts from both constitutions. Ask: Who chose judges in each year, and how did the change affect the governor and Senate?
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs six constitution excerpt cards, then have them label each branch’s job and draw arrows for vetoes and judge selection.
Ask: How did electing judges instead of appointing them change who held power over Indiana courts?
Play a matching round with cards for bills, vetoes, judicial appointments, and judge elections, pairing each action with its branch and year.
Print a recent Indiana bill summary and have students mark where lawmakers and the governor act, and where courts could step in if challenged.
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