Teaching the structure of United States Government can be confusing to younger students. Many of the students we have in our classrooms are not exposed to how our government works until they walk through our classroom doors! No big deal, right? Just teach the students everything they need to know about how the government works so that they can be productive citizens in the future š . Donāt stress out! Iāll share all my tips on how to teach the structure of the United States Government here.
I love teaching social studies, and Iāve found it is my passion to make sure students are engaged and truly learning the content. I think it is important to introduce stories, make connections, and show students how amazing our history truly is. The United States Government can be a pretty boring topic because students donāt always grasp political concepts. However, I try to make sure students get a basic understanding and learn some valuable lessons while doing so!Ā
If you want access to resources on teaching the United States Government, you can find them all in my Creating a New Government Bundle on Teachers Pay Teachers. Youāll find PowerPoints, digital Google Slides activities, vocabulary pages for your notebooks, quizzes, and more!Ā
Weāve all been there. It is time to teach your government unit to kids. HOW EXCITING! š I know, the government is a dry topic for kiddos to begin with, and now we have to explain how it works?! And you want them engaged?? I totally get it. Some teachers will opt for skimming through the content and only teaching the basics that kids need to get by and pass the test. What if you focused on the content just a little longer and gave students a true experience that will stick with them? It is possible!
I remember my first year teaching, and I was working hard to make sure students were ready for their tests at the end of the year. In doing so, I failed to engage my students in the curriculum. Most of them barely learned the content, and then when it came time to test, they couldnāt remember what I had taught them. That was when I had an aha moment. How could I expect them to remember boring content when they hadnāt made any connections? After that year, I made sure to try and help my students really connect.Ā
Pacing your Lessons on the United States Government
Itās is important to share what topics I cover while teaching the structure of our United States government. In this unit, we discuss the Articles of Confederation, the United States Constitution, the three branches of government, and the Bill of Rights. Altogether, I spend roughly 2-3 weeks in this unit of study.Ā
I believe that all of these lessons are important, and students can learn a great deal about the founding of our great nation during this unit. They also learn about compromise and human rights.
Enduring Lessons from the New Government Unit
When teaching lessons, I always try to relate this to something that can connect with my students. Sometimes they are silly stories and real-world examples, but most times they are little tidbits of wisdom that I hope to stick with them for years to come. Here are a few that I share during this unit.
You must work together to build something that lasts
Talk about a life lesson right? I donāt know how many times I talk about working as a team and team building in my classroom, but it feels like a million times. I love that the government unit lends itself to this lesson and you can incorporate activities along with it. Students need to understand that our nation wouldnāt have been possible without people coming together to work on something bigger than themselves. If one person had designed our nation’s government, the odds of it lasting were going to be slim to none!Ā
A fun way to work on this is to let students design their own government in groups!Ā
Compromises are Key in Teamwork
There were SO MANY compromises made during the development of the Constitution. Of course, understanding those compromises are importantā¦ But, take a second to talk with students about the art of compromising with others. This is a skill that will help students become better humans for years to come.
Give students different scenarios, government-related or not, and have them develop a compromise that keeps most people happy!Ā
Activities for Teaching the Structure of theĀ United States Government
Teaching the Content
Dig deep into the constitution and explain it in more common, simple terms. The idea of government is pretty abstract and hard to grasp when you are so young. Make sure to break it down into simple terms. Remember that we arenāt trying to explain all the details, this is just the basics of how it works and came to be!Ā
I use PowerPoint with scaffolded notes to help students remember content without being bogged down with writing. Iām not trying to have my students drowning in lectures every day, but they do need to hear the facts and get ready for their test as well.Ā
Making it Engaging
Students love videos in my classroom, and I believe the visuals really help students. Here is a list of some videos I would recommend for this unit.
I use puzzles to review vocabulary concepts in my classroom. Students can always grab a bag and practice reviewing with a partner or group of friends. These also make great grouping cards! Pass them out and have students pair up based on finding the correct answers.Ā
Donāt forget to make it meaningful to students. Always stop to explain WHY they should know this and HOW it affects them. You donāt want students to walk away from a lesson saying, āIāll never use this in my life.ā
Hands-On Fun For Students
Let students build their own classroom constitution. This doubles as a fun community builder as well. You might even want to go a step farther and allow groups of students to build their own government after hearing how the U.S. Government is set up.Ā
Have students memorize the preamble and earn a prize for being able to cite it to the class! You can challenge them to read it to 10 family members in order to practice, or have them write it somewhere to read each morning before school!
Illustrating how our government works is a great way for students to really grasp and understand such a difficult concept. Assign each group of students a different word/phrase/topic related to the government and have them create an educational poster on that topic. This will make for great classroom decor and provide students with some visual cues to remember important concepts!
Have students write letters to their state representatives, governors, or local mayor. Youāll be surprised at how many students get a response back! They can explain what they have learned, address issues they may see, and more.Ā
When you are short on time, you can review with short quizzes or task cards that allow students to review information on their own or with a partner. I love creating scavenger hunts for my students too! I have them look back in their notes to find answers to questions that may be on the test.
More Ideas on Teaching the U.S. Government
Teaching U.S. Government Lesson Plans
How to Teach Government in a Fun Way
The Ultimate Guide for Teaching the American Revolution
Civics and Government Resources | PBS kids
You might find planning for social studies very overwhelming and something that ends up being pushed to the bottom of your to-do list. If that is you, check out my year-long resource on teaching 4th Grade social studies content! It has resources that begin with the American Revolution and moves all the way through the reconstruction period after the Civil War!Ā
Are you looking for planning resources that are easy to use, minimal prep, and ready at your fingertips? I have created a planning document for upper-elementary social studies teachers, and you are definitely going to want to go check it out! š I have linked resources ideas, vocabulary, and essential questions ready to go for you. If you teach in the upper elementary classroom, there is something for you in that document. What are you waiting for? Go check it out NOW!
I hope understanding how I break down the government for my students helps you in planning for your next unit! Helping students understand what is the purpose of the US government is always my main goal. If they walk away being able to explain the structure of the United States government, Iāve done my part! Good luck and happy teaching!
