Virginia SOL 3.9.e
The Standard
explaining how local, state, and national governments are organized
Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify local, state, and national levels of government and the geographic area each serves. They match each level with its leaders and lawmaking bodies.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can create an accurate chart for local, Virginia, and United States government. They can name a leader and lawmaking body for each level and explain whom each serves.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may assume the president is the direct boss of governors and local leaders. They may confuse Congress with the General Assembly or assume every local government has a mayor.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Draw three boxes labeled local, Virginia, and United States. Place city council, General Assembly, and Congress correctly, then add an executive leader for each level.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups office and institution cards, then have them build three labeled charts for local, Virginia, and United States government.
Ask students to write: Why can a city council, the General Assembly, and Congress make rules for different areas?
Play a sorting relay with cards such as mayor, governor, president, city council, General Assembly, and Congress.
Use official government websites to find one local leader, Virginia's governor, and the president, then map whom each serves.
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Printable 3.9.e Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.9.e, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- 3.9.b
explaining how the Constitution supports the structure of the United States government
- CE.4.c
comparing and contrasting powers and responsibilities of local, state, federal, and tribal governments, including, but not limited to citizen engagement, how ea...
- CE.4.a
describing the structure and powers of the local government and explaining the local lawmaking process;
- 3.9.d
explaining what governments do at the national, state, and local levels; and
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