Virginia SOL 3.9.a

Social Studies3rd Grade

The Standard

explaining the purpose of governments and understanding that other countries have governments similar to and different from that of the United States

Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students explain why people create governments, including making laws, protecting people, and providing public services. They identify ways the United States government is similar to and different from another country’s government.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can name at least three purposes of government and give an example of each. The student can complete a comparison chart with one accurate similarity and one accurate difference.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think every country has a president or follows the same election process. They may also think government only makes laws, or that one national leader controls every government decision.
How to Assess It: Give students an exit ticket: Name two purposes of government, then write one similarity and one difference between the United States and United Kingdom governments.

Lesson moves

Place two yarn circles on the floor, then sort fact cards into United States, United Kingdom, or both.
Write three sentences answering: Why do people create governments, and what might happen without laws or public services?
Play Government Match by pairing purpose cards, such as protection or services, with concrete examples from several countries.
Examine a local fire department webpage and identify who provides the service, who uses it, and why government supports it.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.9.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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