Indiana Social Studies USG.1.2
The Standard
Define the terms and explain the relationship between politics, government, and public policy.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies · Students understand the nature of citizenship, politics, and governments, understanding the rights and responsibilities of citizens and how these are part of local, state, and national government. Students examine how the United States Constitution protects rights and provides the structure and functions of various levels of government. Students examine how the United States interacts with other nations as well as the government's role in world affairs will be examined.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students define politics as efforts to influence public decisions, government as the institutions that make and carry out those decisions, and public policy as the rules and actions chosen. They explain how political activity can shape a government decision.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Given a city parking dispute, students identify residents’ petitions as politics, the city council as government, and a new parking rule as public policy. They explain how the petitions might affect the rule.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may call a campaign promise public policy before the government acts. They may treat politics and government as the same thing, or think public policy means only laws, not budgets or programs.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Residents petition for a new bus route, and the city council votes to fund it. Label the politics, government, and public policy, then explain how they connect.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs cards showing park curfew petitions, city council votes, and a curfew rule; have them sort the cards and draw arrows.
Ask: Can a mayor’s promise to cut bus fares count as public policy before the city acts? Explain in two sentences.
Play a label race: show a petition, a city council meeting, and a parking rule; teams name politics, government, or policy.
Open a city council agenda with a budget vote; have students identify the policy choice and predict who might speak about it.
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Printable USG.1.2 Worksheet
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Related Standards
- S.7.3
Discuss the concept of political power and factors that influence political power.
- USG.1.1
Define and distinguish between civic life, political life, and private life, and describe the activities of individuals in each of these spheres.
- USG.3.14
Describe the influence of the media and technology on public opinion and public policy.
- 8.C.7
Explain how citizens can monitor and influence the development and implementation of public policies at local, state, and federal levels of government.
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