NY Social Studies 3.7c

Social Studies3rd GradeKey Idea 3.7

The Standard

Different governments have different ways of maintaining order and keeping people safe. This includes making rules and laws and enforcing these rules and laws.

New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework

Key Idea 3.7

Governments in communities and countries around the world have the authority to make and the power to enforce laws. The role of the citizen within these communities or countries varies across different types of governments.

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students identify who makes rules and laws and who carries them out in the United States and another world community. They compare how each government keeps order and protects people.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given two community profiles, students can name the rule makers, enforcement groups, and safety goals. They can explain one similarity and one difference using details from both profiles.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think police officers make laws because they enforce them. They may assume every government works like the United States, or that rules and laws are exactly the same.
How to Assess It: Give students two short government profiles. Ask them to name who makes and enforces laws, then write one similarity and one difference.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Give groups role, law, and enforcement cards from two communities, then have them arrange each set into a government process chart.
Ask students to write: How can the same safety problem be handled differently by two governments?
Play a matching game where students connect each lawmaker, law, enforcement group, and public safety result.
Choose a local traffic law, then compare who created and enforces a similar law in another world community.

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