3rd Grade Civics & Government — We the People — Our Government and Constitution
Students will learn about the three branches of the U.S. government and understand how they work together to keep the government fair.
The Founding Fathers were very wise. They knew that if one person or one group had all the power, they might become unfair or even cruel. So they divided the government into three branches, each with its own job.
The Legislative Branch is Congress — the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress makes the laws. The people elect members of Congress to represent them and make decisions on their behalf.
The Executive Branch is led by the President. The President's job is to carry out the laws that Congress makes. The President is also the commander of the military and represents America to the rest of the world.
The Judicial Branch is the court system, led by the Supreme Court. Judges decide if laws follow the Constitution. If a law goes against the Constitution, the courts can say it is not allowed.
This system is called 'checks and balances.' Each branch can check the power of the other two, so no one branch becomes too powerful. The idea comes from the Bible! Isaiah 33:22 describes God as judge, lawgiver, and king — the same three roles as our three branches of government.
Draw a tree with three big branches. Label each branch: Legislative (makes laws), Executive (carries out laws), and Judicial (judges laws). Draw a symbol on each branch — a scroll for laws, the White House for the President, and a gavel for the courts.