Texas TEKS 7.14.A
The Standard
describe the structure and functions of government at municipal, county, and state levels
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify the leaders and governing bodies at the city, county, and Texas state levels. They explain what each level does and decide which level handles a given public issue.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can compare a city council, a county commissioners court, and the three branches of Texas government. They can match services such as zoning, county roads, and state laws to the correct level and explain why.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may confuse city and county government or assume every Texas resident lives inside a city. They may think a county judge only runs court trials, or that the governor directly controls city and county officials.
How to Assess It
- Give students three scenarios: a broken city water line, repairs to a county road, and a new statewide law. Ask them to name the responsible level and one official or body involved.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups leader, governing body, and service cards to sort under city, county, or state headings.
Ask students to write which government level should address stray animals and defend their answer with two details.
Play Who Handles It by reading service scenarios while teams hold up city, county, or state response cards.
Use local government websites to find one city service, one county service, and one state service available to residents.
Keep exploring
Related Standards
- 4.13.B
identify and explain the basic functions of the three branches of government according to the Texas Constitution; and
- 3.7.A
describe the basic structure of government in the local community, state, and nation;
- 3.7
Government. The student understands the basic structure and functions of various levels of government. The student is expected to:
- 5.15.A
identify and explain the basic functions of the three branches of government;
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