types of government assignment high school

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Classroom Activities and Project Ideas for American Government, Forming a New Nation

These are classroom activities and project ideas for kids and teachers to use in your American History Unit Study of Forming a New Nation, the creation of a new government - Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, and 3 Branches of Government. These activities and projects can be adjusted for any grade. We hope you'll find some ideas you can use.

Inquiry Project : Why did the new nation want a different form of government from British rule?

Inquiry Project: What are some of the challenges that faced the new nation and what did they do about it?

Donn, Group Activity: Building the Constitution (middle school and high school): Prepare a handout prior to class that is a list of things not found in the Constitution, but do not tell your students that these things are not in the Constitution.  http://www.usconstitution.net/constnot.html . Pass out the list. As a class activity, ask students what is and what is not, in the Constitution from this list. Take a class vote (by show of hands) on each item on the list and post the yes or no vote (majority rules) on your blackboard, whiteboard, or overhead next to the item on the list. THEN, hand out copies of the Constitution. Move students into groups. Assign each group 5 or 6 items to find in the Constitution from your list. Allow 20 - 30 minutes for search. Have each group report their findings. Some groups may think they have found reference to the list item(s) you assigned them. But actually, none of the items on the list can be found in the Constitution. It's amazing what is not there. Conclude activity by having each group come up with one or two things that they believe should have been included in the constitution that were not. Give them a few minutes. Then have each group share their ideas. Prior to lesson 2, list all or some of the items the groups believed should have been included on the original constitution. Have that list ready as a handout prior to lesson 2. Lesson 2: Building the Constitution: Activity: Amendments, the Bill of Rights

Donn, Mock Trial Activity: The Big Bad Wolf on Trial (middle and high school):  Explain to the kids that a mock trial is a pretend trial. In our classroom, we put the big bad wolf on trial every year for the murder of little red riding hood, with one trial per class. Start with: The Story of Little Red Riding Hood from the Kids Academy  because it has a happy ending. Or adjust for any story you chose about Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Next, I share with the kids this true story: In one class (not ours unfortunately) the key witness for the prosecution stated that he saw the big bad wolf slip a bloody knife into his jacket pocket and then saw the big bad wolf run away from little red riding hood's house. The student who was acting the part of the defense attorney looked up quickly. She grabbed the "wolf's" jacket that had been introduced as evidence by the prosecuting attorney a little earlier in the trial, and asked the witness: "Is this the jacket?" The witness said yes. She handed the jacket to the witness and said: "Could you show me which pocket please?" The witness hunted but could find NO pocket in the jacket! Without evidence, the jury had no choice but to find the wolf innocent of all wrong doing! At the conclusion of the trial, this class gave the defense attorney a standing ovation! It's important to include this story because the kids are more aware of the importance of witness testimony, of evidence, and how you might discredit a witness and/or evidence. After you share this story, organize your class in prep for your own mock trial activity. If they need help in their small group, remind them to ask themselves - what if the witness says .... and prep from there. Assign roles, but that's it. The kids will run with it. It takes some prep, but this lesson is a winner.

Donn, Local Government Simulation:

Simulate a Mid-Atlantic town meeting, called to discuss problems of the diverse backgrounds of townspeople.

Preparation: Create several personalities, one each on a 3×5 card. Include background, occupation, etc., per card.

Put the cards in a hat. Have the kids each draw a card.

Stay in character. 2 day activity.

Inquiry Project: Can the structure of the U.S. government prevent a dictatorship?

Inquiry Project: What happens when a state does not want to follow federal law?

Inquiry Project: Is voting worth the time?

Role Play Activity: Separation of Power, Who's Got the Power?

Simulation: Separation of Power, What's for Lunch? handout and What's for Lunch?

Group Activity: 3 Branches of Government, the Power Grab Game

Group Activity, Class Competition: Claim your powers!

Inquiry Based Project: What makes a good president?

Projects: US Civics and Constitution Projects - an interesting and long of ideas

Americans experiment with types of government in the Articles of Confederation

Choose Your Own Adventure from over 70 different classroom activities and possible assignments

American Government Lesson Plans with Classroom Activities - Declaration, Constitution, Bill of Rights, 3 Branches and more

American Government Free Interactive Games

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American Government for Kids

Guidelines for Conducting a Mock Trial in the Classroom

Explore American History

For kids and teachers, creating a new nation.

• Native Americans in Olden Times
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Creating a New Government

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Lesson Plan

Students learn about the different forms of government that exist, including democracy, autocracy, oligarchy, and others. They compare and contrast these forms, and they look at real-life examples in the world today. 

iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.

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Teacher Resources

Get access to lesson plans, teacher guides, student handouts, and other teaching materials.

• Who Rules_Student Docs.pdf
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I find the materials so engaging, relevant, and easy to understand – I now use iCivics as a central resource, and use the textbook as a supplemental tool. The games are invaluable for applying the concepts we learn in class. My seniors LOVE iCivics.

Lynna Landry , AP US History & Government / Economics Teacher and Department Chair, California

Related Resources

A dive into democracy.

AP® U.S. Government and Politics Course

Familiar But Flawed

Foundation Basics

Lessons from antiquity.

Limiting Government

Philosophically correct.

Rule by One

Rule of law.

The Sovereign State

See how it all fits together!

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Interactive Teaching Unit: How to Use the 3 Branches of Government Materials

There are 5 main focal areas to these teaching materials:

Our Three Branches of Government and Balance of Power

Legislative Branch

Executive Branch

Judicial Branch

Each area has background information, activities and projects. Each area provides Internet links to other sites where information may be obtained for student research. We have provided two formats for teaching using these materials. The first is a DAILY SCHEDULE FORMAT and the second is PROJECT FOCUS FORMAT.

DAILY SCHEDULE FORMAT:

The entire unit could be taught as a 3 week (15 days) government focus, or separated into sections that fit areas of your curriculum as needed. A suggested schedule is listed below for the 3 week course including the Cabinet project. Suggest having students do the  How a Bill Becomes a Law  file folder game as an ongoing review activity.

DAY 1:  Students use the computer lab and access the site. Read  3 Branches of Our Government . Print off the accompanying worksheet and fill in the blanks as individuals or partners. Discuss in class together the main points and have students check their own worksheets and correct them. Keep these for review.

DAY 2 : Students use the computer lab and access the site. Read  The Legislative Branch  and  The House of Representatives  and complete the tasks as individuals or partners using the suggested web sites. Print off the  The Legislative Branch  worksheet and have students fill in the blanks.

DAY 3 : Review the Legislative Branch worksheet. Students check and correct their own work. Save this sheet for review. Review responses to House of Representatives tasks. Students use the computer lab and access the site. Students work in partners to read and complete tasks on  The Senate--Voice of the States . Print off  Questions for the Senate--Voice of the States . Students complete activities together. However, each student writes a report in his/her own words on one of the five famous senators listed.

DAY 4:  Review work from Day 3. Students keep corrected pages for review and read their senator report to a partner. Students spend time in the computer lab reviewing the sites suggested on  United States Capitol . Students then access the site  How A Bill Becomes a Law  and complete activities. Play in partners the folder game How a Bill Becomes a Law ( see games and puzzles section)  Print off the following as homework assignments:  Congress - Courts--Keeping the Balance ;  Congress - President--Keeping the Balance .

DAY 5:  Check homework. Print off  The Executive Branch  and run off copies for class. Print  What a President Can and Cannot Do  and make this a transparency.

Brainstorm with students about what they think a President's powers are. List these on board or overhead. Pass out the  The Executive Branch . Read together and discuss. Use the transparency you have made and have students compare this list with what is on the chart. Students come to the front to mark off the chart duties listed there that are not correct. Print off both the information sheet and worksheet  The Judicial Branch  and use as a homework assignment. Print off  Government Crossword Puzzle  and have students complete this at home.

DAY 6:  Check homework. Print off both the information sheet and worksheet  The Balance of Government  and do this in class. Review together in groups the worksheets they have saved and quiz each other over the material. Homework assignment: Each student writes a fill in the blank test of fifteen questions and a separate answer sheet. Answers -  https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/three-branches/balance-of-government-answers

DAY 7:  Students trade quizzes and answer them. Return to author and have them graded. Collect. Students get points for level of test questions submitted and their answers on the other test.

Give essay quiz over material presented. (Allow students to use their notes.) Essay possibilities are suggested below:

• Describe how a Congress can check a President.
• Describe why the job of a Supreme Court Justice is so important and powerful.
• Describe in detail which job you would prefer and why: President, Senator, Representative, or Supreme Court Justice. Use facts from your information sheets.
• Draw a diagram or picture showing the three branches of government and the main focus of what each one does.

DAY 8:  Cabinet Focus: Students use the computer lab. Access site and go to part called  Why Does the President Need a Cabinet? . Students read and complete activities. Then have students go to:  The President's Cabinet-Who are the Secretaries? . Have them read the list and access the listed web site to complete activity. Compare and report on answers.

DAY 9:  Cabinet Focus: Student use the computer lab. Go to web site and access  Cabinet Web Sites  information page. Divide into partners. Each partner group will prepare a report on one Cabinet department. See guidelines under  Cabinet Department Presentation . Suggest giving 2 days to complete.

DAY 10 & 11:  Students work on project.

DAY 12 & 13:  Project presentations. Students watching take notes on fellow classmates' presentations. Homework assignment: Study notes.

DAY 14:  Quick quiz over departments. Suggest writing role or area of focus and having student write the name of the department next to it. Do twenty questions so some departments have more than one blank.

DAY 15:  May do  "A Cabinet Meeting"  activity.

PROJECT FOCUS FORMAT: (15 days)

Students are given 4 days to complete all the activity pages and on-line tasks for each of the three branches and balance of power plus Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branch activity pages. Students may work in partners or individually. Students are given lab time and the teacher serves as the advisor and facilitator. However, students are expected to do some sections as homework. Students keep all work in an electronic or paper copy portfolio for future checking and presentation.

On the fifth day, questions and activities are checked in groups of four. Teacher roams around meeting with each group discussing their questions and which answers were being debated. Students make corrections so that they will have accurate information for the upcoming project. Introduce the "Teach Another Class Project" and decide on scoring guide.

Projects and Presentations:

Teach Another Class About What They Have Learned: (3 days preparation + 1 day presentation)

Students are divided into six groups (four each), two groups are assigned the Legislative Branch, two groups are assigned the Executive Branch, and two groups are assigned the Judicial Branch. Each group summarizes materials studied the first 5 days and conducts additional research on-line. Then each group designs a chart, backboard, PowerPoint presentation, a series of colorful overheads, or other format to teach another class about their subject. Arrange for students to make presentations to two classes. One set of three groups (Legislative, Executive, Judicial) presents to each class. Each group must time their presentation and keep it to ten minutes. Develop a scoring guide as a class to determine criteria for presentation. Students do a trial run for teacher before going "on the road" with their presentation.

Cabinet Project: (3 days preparation = 2 days presentation)

Students divide into partners for the Cabinet Project (see above). They are given 3 days to complete the project and 2 days are provided for presentations.

Government Types

Our Government Types lesson plan teaches students about six forms of government — democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, theocracy, totalitarian, and anarchy. Students will be able to describe each type and will be able to compare and contrast them with each other.

Our “Options for Lesson” section suggests additions to the lesson if you’d like to expand it. One of these possible additions is to have students write an essay about what the United States would be like under a different form of government.

Description

Additional information, what our government types lesson plan includes.

Lesson Objectives and Overview: Government Types explores the differences between different types of governments.  Students will learn to define, compare, and contrast the different types of governments, and identify their roles in society or a country. This lesson is for students in 5th grade and 6th grade.

Classroom Procedure

Every lesson plan provides you with a classroom procedure page that outlines a step-by-step guide to follow. You do not have to follow the guide exactly. The guide helps you organize the lesson and details when to hand out worksheets. It also lists information in the orange box that you might find useful. You will find the lesson objectives, state standards, and number of class sessions the lesson should take to complete in this area. In addition, it describes the supplies you will need as well as what and how you need to prepare beforehand. For this lesson, the only supplies you will need are the handouts. You can prepare for this lesson ahead of time by creating the groups for the activity and copying the handouts.

Options for Lesson

Included with this lesson is an “Options for Lesson” section that lists a number of suggestions for activities to add to the lesson or substitutions for the ones already in the lesson. One optional addition to this lesson is to assign a government type to each student and have them do additional research on it, including some countries that currently have that form of government. You can also have your students write an essay where they describe what the United States would be like with a different type of government.

Teacher Notes

The teacher notes page includes a paragraph with additional guidelines and things to think about as you begin to plan your lesson. It notes that you are welcome to expand this lesson by including additional forms of government not already covered here. This page also includes lines that you can use to add your own notes as you’re preparing for this lesson.

GOVERNMENT TYPES LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES

Democracy & dictatorship.

This lesson plan includes two content pages. The first section of this lesson begins by discussing what a government actually is. Students will learn that there are six main types of governments that currently exist or have existed historically.

The first of type of government covered in this lesson is democracy. Students will learn that the United States is a democracy, which means that this is the form of government that they live under! In democracies, the citizens of the country hold the power. Eligible citizens can run for public offices at the local, county, state, or national level. Countries hold elections throughout the country at every level. Another important note is that democracies usually have at least two major political parties at any given time.

Next, students will learn about dictatorships. They will learn that a dictatorship is led by a dictator, or one person who holds all of the power. A single person almost always forms this type of government by taking all of the power by force. An example of a dictator from history is Adolf Hitler.

Monarchy, Theocracy, Totalitarian & Anarchy

Students will then learn about monarchies, which is a system of government in which there is a single leader such as a king or queen. This person rules for their entire life! They inherit leadership based on who is the first born in the next generation of the ruling family. Students will learn that monarchies used to be more common than they are today. Today, most monarchies are symbolic. Great Britain, for example, is a democracy that still also has a queen.

Next, students will learn about theocracies, which are governments that recognize a god or divine being as their ultimate authority. They often mix this form of government with another form, such as a democracy. The law of the land is still based on a religion in these cases, though. Iran is a current example.

A totalitarian form of government, on the other hand, is sort of like a dictatorship. However, a single group of people run totalitarian governments, rather than a single person. Students will learn that both Russia and Vietnam used to have totalitarian governments.

The final type of government discussed in this lesson is anarchy. This is a type in which no one has control or everyone is trying to control the country at the same time. This can lead to chaos and violence. It can even lead to civil war!

Here is a list of the vocabulary words students will learn in this lesson plan:

• Democratic: when a government is a democracy; the United States has this type of government
• Political parties: different groups of people with different beliefs about how a country should be run; elections are held between them
• Dictatorship: when a single person holds all of the power
• Dictator: the person who holds all of the power in a dictatorship; examples include Adolf Hitler and Fidel Castro
• Holocaust: the horrible event perpetrated by Hitler’s government in Germany in which more than 11 million people were murdered
• Monarchy: has a single leader, such as a king or queen; leadership is inherited by the first born member of the family
• Theocracy: a form of government that recognizes God or a divine being as the ultimate authority
• Totalitarian: a form of government where a single group of people have control of a country
• Anarchy: a form of government where no one has control, or everyone is trying to control the country at the same time

GOVERNMENT TYPES LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS

The Government Types lesson plan includes three worksheets: an activity worksheet, a practice worksheet, and a homework assignment. You can refer to the guide on the classroom procedure page to determine when to hand out each worksheet.

RESEARCH PRESENTATION ACTIVITY WORKSHEET

The activity for this lesson is a group project where you will assign each group of students a different type of government. Each group will consider how their type of government would handle running the school for a day. The groups first discuss what will happen at the school and in their classroom during the rule of their government type, with the understanding that they are not picking a single student to act as a dictator or individual leader. They can use either the lesson content or the internet to do additional research on their type of government.

Next, they will look at the provided list of questions and discuss them. These questions include, “How is the curriculum of the school chosen?” and “What rules are included for students at the school?” Once they’ve discussed and answered all of the questions, they will create a presentation for the class. They finalize and summarize their plan for how the school would be ruled according to their government type during the presentation. During their presentation, they will answer questions from the rest of the class.

This activity allows students to think through the many decisions and considerations that each type of government must make on a day-to-day basis.

MATCHING PRACTICE WORKSHEET

For the practice worksheet, students will match statements with the form of government that most correctly matches it. Their choices are democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, theocracy, totalitarian, or anarchy.

GOVERNMENT TYPES HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

The homework assignment requires students to read sample quotes from imaginary citizens and identify the type of government that would best suit the person making that statement. For example, they would write “dictatorship” next to the statement “I cannot do anything without feeling like someone is watching or listening.”

Worksheet Answer Keys

This lesson plan includes answer keys for the practice worksheet and the homework assignment. No answer key is provided for the activity worksheet, as each group will present on a different type of government and, therefore, their presentations will vary. If you choose to administer the lesson pages to your students via PDF, you will need to save a new file that omits these pages. Otherwise, you can simply print out the applicable pages and keep these as reference for yourself when grading assignments.

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Legislative Branch

Lesson Plans

These lesson plans are designed to assist teachers with using primary source materials to integrate Congress into history, government and civics classes. They are suitable for junior high and high school students.

Fundamental Principles of Government

• Teaching Six Big Ideas in the Constitution Students engage in a study of the U.S. Constitution and the significance of six big ideas contained in it: limited government; republicanism; checks and balances; federalism; separation of powers; and popular sovereignty.
• Reviewing the Preamble with Primary Sources Students review the Preamble of the United States Constitution by defining its phrases and matching them to primary source documents.
• Studying the Constitution using Primary Sources Students use primary sources to analyze the plan for the structure and powers of government embodied in the Constitution.
• Reviewing the Constitution’s Big Ideas with Primary Sources Students analyze clauses from the Constitution of the United States and analyze political cartoons to reinforce their understanding of the major principles of government embodied in the Constitution.
• Constitution Scavenger Hunt with Political Cartoons Students analyze political cartoons to learn about the outline and structure of the Constitution, as well as the content of many of its clauses.
• Inaugurating the Republic: Congress and George Washington's First Inaugural Address Students analyze excerpts from President George Washington’s First Inaugural Address, translate them into modern speech, and derive lessons from them about civic life in a republic.
• Congress and Civility by Design Students study the congressional process and analyze the rules of debate from the First Congress to shows how civility played a central role in its actions.
• Congress Creates the Bill of Rights: Completing the Constitution These activities present questions, lesson ideas, and supporting resources selected to facilitate learning with the app and eBook, Congress Creates the Bill of Rights .
• Congress and the Bill of Rights in History and Today Students use primary sources to learn how the First Congress created the Bill of Rights, and the essential role James Madison played in that process.
• Congress, the President, and the War Powers Students explore the implementation of the war-making power from the first declared war under the Constitution—the War of 1812—to the Iraq War.
• Understanding Federalism Students explore five aspects of federalism by completing the activities in this lesson.
• Discussing Equality: Who is Included within the Phrase “We the People” Students analyze primary sources to identify groups of Americans granted or denied equal rights and equal status in society at various points in history.

Congress in History

The constitution through the civil war (1789 - 1864).

• Inside the First Congress: Debating the Bill of Rights Students contrast selected proposals from state ratifying conventions with amendments as proposed in the House by James Madison and with amendments as sent to the states for ratification to better understand the Bill of Rights and the debate that shaped it.
• Congress Creates the Federal Court System Students analyze the Judiciary Act of 1789 to learn the origin of the Federal court system.
• Petitions to Congress: Grassroots Democracy, 1800–1850 Students analyze 19th-century petitions to Congress to identify the issues that people petitioned about, place the petitions in the context of their time, and understand how everyday people lobbied Congress to influence action by the government and shape the course of history.
• Congress and Human Trafficking in 1812 Students analyze documents reflecting how Quakers from Baltimore, Maryland, petitioned Congress for legislation combating human trafficking.
• 1812: Congress's First Declaration of War Under the Constitution Students examine primary sources to analyze the reasons in support of and opposed to going to war against Great Britain in 1812.
• The Rise of the Two-Party System: A Revolution in American Politics, 1824-1840 Students study the emergence of the two-party system in the United States between 1824 and 1840.
• Congress Debates the Fate of the Nation: Analyzing the Wilmot Proviso and President Polk's 1848 Map Students study the issue of sectionalism after the war with Mexico by studying primary sources.
• In Their Own Words: Women's Petitions to Congress (1830 - 1971) Students analyze women's petitions to Congress from five different eras to identify the issues women petitioned about, place the petitions in the context of their time, and understand how women have used the First Amendment right to petition to make their voices heard.

Reconstruction through the Great Depression (1864 - 1933)

• Reviewing the Civil War and Reconstruction Students analyze primary sources to review major issues related to the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Civil Rights.
• Was Reconstruction a Revolution? Students examine primary sources from the Reconstruction era to determine whether the Reconstruction period of American history should or should not be viewed as a revolution.
• Congress and Harriet Tubman's Claim for a Pension Students explore records from the U.S. House of Representatives to discover the story of Harriet Tubman’s Civil War service to the government and her petition to Congress for compensation.
• Congress Celebrates the Industrial Revolution Students study the impact of the Industrial Revolution by analyzing nineteenth-century depictions of technological innovation.
• Exploring the Western Frontier with the Records of Congress Students use primary sources to investigate whether the frontier shaped America or if America—through Congress—shaped the Western frontier.
• Hetch Hetchy: Congress and the Environment Students use primary sources to study the Hetch Hetchy Valley environmental debate in Congress, and analyze how those positions inform today’s environmental debates.
• Kids at Work: Congress and Child Labor Students analyze petitions and letters sent to Congress to discuss whether Congress should change regulating child labor from a state to a Federal responsibility.
• Woman’s Place in America: Congress and Woman Suffrage Students explore petitions, correspondence, and legislative records sent to Congress as it debated suffrage prior to passage of the 19th Amendment.
• Studying U.S. Foreign Policy through Political Cartoons, 1898 - 1940 Students analyze political cartoons drawn by Clifford K. Berryman between 1898 and 1948 to learn about topics and major events in U.S. foreign policy.
• Studying 4 Major Issues of the Post-World War I and 1920s Era with Primary Sources Students analyze primary source documents from the National Archives and political cartoons drawn by Clifford K. Berryman to learn about topics and major events in U.S. History from 1919 - 1930.
• Congress and the Money Trust Students study key evidence from the Progressive Era's Pujo Committee investigation of the Money Trust that led Congress to pass the Clayton Anti-trust Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and the Federal Reserve Act.
• Congress Investigates: The Senate Investigation of the Stock Exchange during the Great Depression (Pecora Investigation) Students learn about Congress’ power to investigate by reading a brief summary of the Pecora Investigation. They will also learn about Great-Depression-era public opinion of Wall Street abuses and increased government regulation by analyzing examples of correspondence received by the Committee.

The New Deal to Today (1933 - Present)

• Seeing the Big Picture: U.S. Foreign Policy 1920-2020 Students analyze primary source documents and a timeline of foreign affairs and domestic events to understand the role of U.S. foreign policy in world events and its impact on events in the U.S.
• Launching the New Deal: FDR and Congress Respond to the Great Depression Students use primary sources to examining how President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress responded to the Great Depression, and how the role of the Federal government changed as a result of the New Deal.
• Reviewing Major Topics in U.S. History from 1940 – 1963 with Political Cartoons Students analyze political cartoons by Clifford and Jim Berryman to review seven major topics in U.S. History from 1940 to 1963.
• The Impact of Racial Discrimination on Black American Lives in the Jim Crow Era (1944 – 1960) Students analyze primary source documents to assess the impact of legalized racial segregation on the lives of Black Americans from 1944 – 1960.
• The Cold War in Political Cartoons, 1946 - 1963 Students analyze political cartoons from the Cold War Era to learn about five important issues and to understand the relationship of the United States to the world in this era of fundamental changes in foreign policy.
• From the Cold War to Camp David: Reviewing U.S. Foreign Policy in Post-World War II Era (1948 – 1979) Students analyze primary source documents to review four major topics in U.S. History from 1948 - 1979.
• Congress Investigates: The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency Investigates Comic Books in the 1950s Students learn about 1950s fears of juvenile delinquency and Congress’s power to investigate by reviewing evidence considered by the subcommittee and analyzing a summary of the investigation.
• Congress Protects the Right to Vote: The Voting Rights Act of 1965 Students use primary sources from the House Committee on the Judiciary to explore the constitutional issues that the committee encountered as it deliberated the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
• The Great Society: Extending the New Deal? Students analyze historical information to compare and contrast the New Deal and the Great Society.
• Congress, the Great Society, and Today Students use primary sources from an online exhibit to study legislation passed in response to President Lyndon Baines Johnson's call for America to become a "Great Society."

How Congress Works

• The Presidential Veto and Congressional Veto Override Process Students use primary sources to illustrate the veto and veto override process.
• The Legislative Process Students analyze primary sources to learn the process of a bill becoming a law.
• The Legislative Race Students explore a simplified version of the legislative process in the U.S. Congress
• What Congress Does and Why it Matters Students use primary sources to learn the concepts of representation, separation of powers, and the constitutional role of Congress.
• Congress Represented in Political Cartoons Students analyze political cartoons drawn between 1898 and 1948 to learn about Congress and its constitutional role in government.
• Reviewing Big Civics Ideas through Political Cartoons Students analyze political cartoons drawn by Clifford K. Berryman between 1898 and 1948 to learn about the Constitution and constitutional institutions of government and politics.
• Studying U.S. Elections with Political Cartoons Students analyze historic political cartoons to learn about timeless features of elections within the two-party system.

Visit the National Archives without leaving your classroom! Our free, interactive programs feature primary sources from our holdings. Each program aligns with National Social Studies Standards and Common Core State Standards. We also provide teacher guides with pre- and post-program lessons.

We Rule: Civics for All of US  is a new education initiative from the National Archives that promotes civic literacy and engagement.  Learn more about these K-5 civics distance learning programs available by request .

—— Page Template ——

What Your Child Will Learn in High School American Government

Essential curriculum for american government, foundations of government.

Goal 1: Students will understand the purposes of government and governmental systems.

Objectives:

• Define government and explain its importance.
• List the purposes of government.
• Describe the structure of the Preamble.

Goal 2: Students will analyze advantages and disadvantages of various types of governments throughout the world.

• Describe the differences, advantages, and disadvantages among types of governments, from authoritarian to democratic.
• Identify the features of unitary, federal, and confederate systems of government.

Goal 3: Students will understand the historical foundations of American government.

• Identify how philosophers have described the nature and purpose of the state and analyze the origins and historical development of values and principles, that have influenced and shaped the United States constitutional system.
• Explain the importance, ideals, and contributions of common law and key historical documents leading to the Declaration of Independence.
• Relate the colonial experience to the overall development and design of the American governmental system through the development of the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and relevant Amendments.

Goal 4: Students will understand key principles implemented in American Government.

• Analyze the meaning and importance of values and principles fundamental to democracy in the United States.
• Apply the basic principles on which the United States Constitution is based to contemporary situations.
• Explain how the Constitution ensures the people’s authority over the government.

Goal 5: Students will evaluate the structure and content of the United States Constitution.

Goal 6: Students will evaluate the federalism of the United States and analyze how it assists and impedes the function of government.

• Explain how the United States Constitution grants and distributes powers to national and state governments (federalism) including reserved, delegated, concurrent, and denied powers.
• Analyze issues related to the division of powers and its impact on institutions, groups, and individuals (e.g. taxation, welfare, regulation, education).

Political Structures

Goal 1: Students will understand the structures and functions of the legislative branches on the national, state and local levels.

• Explain how the legislative bodies at the different levels differ in structure, membership, and responsibilities.
• Describe the special powers granted to legislative bodies.
• Analyze the powers, responsibilities and limitations of legislative bodies in relation to the other two branches.
• Describe how legislation is enacted at national, state, and local levels.
• Analyze the structure of elections for the legislative branch.

Goal 2: Students will understand the structures and functions of the executive branches at the national, state and local levels.

• Describe the qualifications, duties, and powers of the president.
• Describe the qualifications, duties, and powers of the governor.
• Describe the qualifications, duties, and powers of the county executive
• Describe the qualifications, duties, and powers of a mayor.
• Analyze how the other branches balance the powers of the executive branch.
• Identify the importance of the executive departments, agencies, and independent regulatory agencies at the national, state, and local levels.
• Compare and contrast an executive order with a law.
• Analyze the structure of elections for the executive branch.

Goal 3: Students will understand the role of political parties in the political structures of government on the national, state, and local levels.

• Analyze the roles of political parties, campaigns and elections in United States politics.
• Determine how the public agenda is set and shaped by political parties.
• Explain the functions, impact, and ideology of American political parties and their role in elections and government.

Law and Policy

Goal 1: Students will understand the structures and functions of the judicial branch at the national and state levels.

• Identify the structure and function of the court system at each level of government.
• Describe the membership and function of the United States Supreme Court.
• Describe the process for judicial appointment.
• Explain how the Supreme Court operates including the process.
• Identify the roles of the Maryland courts and describe their authority.
• Identify limitations placed on judicial branches.
• Compare the differences between substantive and procedural due process.

Goal 2: Students will analyze the impact of landmark Supreme Court decisions on governmental powers, rights, and responsibilities of citizens in our changing society.

• Explain the significance of landmark Supreme Court decisions in relation to due process and civil rights.
• Explain how the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights guarantee civil liberties for American citizens.
• Explain how the laws of Howard County forbid discriminatory practices based upon race, religion, creed, disability, color, gender, national origin, occupation, marital status, political opinion, sexual orientation, personal appearance, familial status, or sources of income.

Goal 3: Students will analyze elements, proceedings, and decisions related to criminal law.

• Categorize types of crimes.
• Evaluate the balance between the protection of civil rights in a free society and the need to protect society from criminal behavior.
• Interpret the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and amendments as they pertain to judicial proceedings.
• Summarize the proceedings, which occur before, during, and after a criminal trial.

Goal 4: Students will analyze elements, proceedings, and decisions related to civil law.

• Explain the process of civil law cases.
• Distinguish between the varieties of civil law, including contract, tort, property, and family.

Goal 5: Students will understand the role of government in shaping domestic public policy.

• Explain how government at the national, state, and local levels develops public policy affecting health, environmental, land use, economic, political, social equity (including gender discrimination, affirmative action, and Native American rights,) internal security, and education matters.
• Explain the role of the federal government in setting immigration and naturalization policies.
• Describe how regional interests impact political decisions and government policy.
• Examine how regional interests in the state of Maryland have impacted decision making and government policy of the state General Assembly.

Goal 6: Students will understand the roles played by individuals, groups, and institutions in influencing governmental policies and actions.

• Analyze the role of public opinion in American politics.
• Determine how the public agenda is set and shaped by the media.
• Evaluate the role of lobbyists and private and public interest groups in influencing governmental policy.
• Determine how the public agenda is set and shaped by interest groups and lobbyists.
• Determine how the public agenda is set and shaped by individual citizens.
• Explain how the individual can play a role in influencing governmental policy.

Goal 7: Students will understand the role of the federal government in shaping foreign policy.

• Explain how nation-states interact with each other through trade, diplomacy, treaties, international law, and military alliances.
• Describe the various means used by the United States in developing and carrying out foreign policy including diplomacy; ideology; economic, military, and humanitarian aid; military intervention; and sanctions.
• Evaluate significant issues of United States foreign policy in light of national interests, values, and principles.
• Research the ways in which the United States can further its foreign policy interest through economic practices including foreign and humanitarian aid.

Economics and Financial Literacy

Goal 1: Students will understand basic economic concepts and systems.

• Analyze the economic concepts of wants, needs, and scarcity.
• Identify the factors of production: labor, capital, and entrepreneurship.
• Define opportunity cost.
• Explain the relationship between supply, demand, and price.
• Summarize how traditional, command, and market economies answer the basic economic questions of what to produce, how to produce, how much to produce, and how to distribute goods and services.

Goal 2: Students will understand the forces that direct the United States market system and the role of the government in establishing a domestic economic policy.

• Construct the phases of the business cycle. Describe the characteristics and use of fiscal policy including taxation and spending.
• Describe the characteristics and use of monetary policy and the role of the Federal Reserve.
• Support ways in which the government provides for the economic welfare of the people including public assistance, Social Security, and minimum wage.
• Identify ways in which the government seeks to achieve socioeconomic goals.
• Select issues surrounding conflicting contemporary economic public policy goals.

Goal 3: Students will understand the role of the government in establishing economic policies in the global arena.

• Determine the impact of multinational corporations on international trade.
• Interpret the economic interdependence among the United States and other nations.
• Compare the American labor force with that of other nations.
• Examine the economic exploitation of foreign workers in relation to trade issues.

Goal 4: Students will understand the issues associated with personal economic decision making.

• Explain what money is and describe how it is used in our society.
• Explain how one’s financial goals are directly related to one’s personal investment in education and decision making in life choices.
• Identify sources of income and personal wages.
• Explain the differences between gross and net pay.
• Read a pay stub and identify the types of deductions taken from wages.
• Fill out a simple tax form.
• Compare the differences between various savings and checking options.
• Fill out a check and balance on a checkbook.
• Identify the types of loans offered by financial institutions.
• Explain the financial obligations, consequences, and costs of borrowing money.
• Describe how to manage credit responsibly.
• Demonstrate how to create a responsible personal budget based on personal income.
• Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using credit.
• Compare the types of insurance options provided for consumers.
• Compare the characteristics and risks of different types of personal investments.
• Discover practices used by wise consumers.
• Determine the role of advertising in influencing consumer behavior.
• Describe the financing options for continuing or higher education.
• Categorize taxes as progressive, regressive, and proportional.
• Distinguish between taxes designed to raise revenue and those designed to influence behavior.

Sample Test Questions

What is the opportunity cost for state governments that spend state money during natural disasters?

• Main highways between states may be blocked.
• Prices for snow removal equipment may increase.
• Other services offered by the states may have to be cut.
• State governments may receive additional highway funds.

In which of these cases did the U.S. Supreme Court interpret the “necessary and proper” clause of the United States Constitution?

• Marbury vs. Madison
• McCulloch vs. Maryland
• Tinker vs. Des Moines School District
• Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka

Read the excerpt below.

“After [dividing] the several classes of power, as they may in their nature be legislative, executive, or judiciary, the next and most difficult task is to provide some practical security for each, against the invasion of the others.” —The Federalist, No. 48

Which of these principles of government is described in the excerpt?

• due process.
• popular sovereignty.
• checks and balances.
• representative democracy.

In 1974, Congress passed a law that restricts financial institutions from considering factors such as race, religion, gender, or age when considering an applicant for credit.

This law was most likely passed to:

• reduce the number of businesses offering financial loans.
• protect groups of people from unfair business practices.
• increase the length of time it takes to process credit applications.
• prohibit businesses from verifying financial information.

Which of these best explains why local governments create zoning laws?

• to require builders to pursue creative designs.
• to increase the number of jobs in a community.
• to encourage businesses and citizens to recycle more goods.
• to control the use of buildings and land within a community.

Study the political cartoon below.

Cartoon “If you Don’t Like It, Hold Your Breath . . .” by Nick Anderson, copyright ©2001, The Washington Post, Writers Group. Reprinted with permission.

What would be the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the situation shown in the cartoon?

• setting prices for the sale of electricity across the United States
• preventing companies from developing their own clean air policy
• deciding how much energy the United States should produce
• ensuring that companies follow pollution control laws

Read the graph below.

Which of these best characterizes the condition of the United States’ economy between 1975 and 1978?

• a rapidly rising unemployment rate
• increased economic growth
• a constant inflation rate
• steady interest rates
• What Your Child Will Learn Guides
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• Family Guide to the Maryland High School Assessments
• Maryland Graduation Requirements
• High School Academics – Parent Involvement Resources

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

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15 Activities & Websites to Teach Kids About the Branches of Government

Teach the legislative, executive, and judicial branches!

More than ever, our country is examining the laws that were put in place to protect and guide us. It can be overwhelming, however, to explain exactly how that works. To help you give your lesson plans a boost, we’ve put together this list of resources that help teach kids about the branches of government.

Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!

1. Three Branches of Government Lesson Plan

This official guide to the United States government teaches students about the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Use it to identify checks and balances, the groups that make up each group, and more!

2. The 3 Branches of Government at a Glance

This great chart provides a simple overview to teach kids about the branches of government. Discuss it and then use to build an anchor chart!

3. What is Congress?

This site includes a glossary as well as a teacher’s area filled with resources, activities, and lesson plans. 

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4. Three Branches of Government Activity Book

This mini book will transform your social studies block. It breaks down the information your students need to know and makes learning about the three branches of government fun.

5. Branches of Government

How does our government run? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby introduce kids to the three different branches of the United States government.

6. 3 Branches of Government Activities

This hands-on activity set comes in digital and printable formats to teach students all about the checks and balances of the Three Branches of the U.S. Government

7. Kids Academy — 3 Branches of Government

This short video teaches kids about the branches of government in under five minutes!

8. Federal Government of the United States Facts for Kids

Quick facts about the federal government of the United States.

9. Our Government: The Three Branches

Students will build literacy skills and social studies content knowledge as they learn about the three branches of government and the purpose of this separation of powers. 

10. 3 Branches of Government Activity & US History Research

These pennant posters are perfect for a quick interactive activity to study the US Branches. Your students will love researching and studying.

11. . Fast Fact: Branches of Government

This brief overview includes a helpful graphic to give kids a visual representation of how the branches of government work together. 

12. Three Branches of Government Activity Pack & Flip Book

This no-prep activity pack about the Three Branches of Government has it all with leveled reading passages, vocabulary posters, and a flipbook!

13. What Are the Branches of Government?

Kids can easily navigate this simplified site to learn more about the three branches of government.

14. Three Branches of Government Activities

This resource contains an activity for distance learning for students to input their responses in answer boxes and to use other tools to draw and highlight. 

15. Branches Of Government Poster Set

Teach kids all about how the U.S. Government operates with this Branches of Government Poster Set featuring live photography and the main duties of each branch. 

Plus check out 18 Books About Elections for Kids of Every Age (& Lesson Ideas!) .

If these ideas inspired you, join our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group and come talk with the very teachers who suggested them!

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55+ Best Social Studies Websites for the Classroom

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25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes

Writing Ideas That Will Make Students Think

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• M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida
• B.A., History, University of Florida

If you are a teacher searching for essay topics to assign to your U.S. government or civics class or looking for ideas, do not fret. It is easy to integrate debates and discussions into the classroom environment. These topic suggestions provide a wealth of ideas for written assignments such as  position papers , compare-and-contrast essays , and  argumentative essays . Scan the following 25 question topics and ideas to find just the right one. You'll soon be reading interesting papers from your students after they grapple with these challenging and important issues.

• Compare and contrast what is a direct democracy versus representative democracy. 
• React to the following statement: Democratic decision-making should be extended to all areas of life including schools, the workplace, and the government. 
• Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans. Explain how these led to the Great Compromise .
• Pick one thing about the U.S. Constitution including its amendments that you think should be changed. What modifications would you make? Explain your reasons for making this change.
• What did Thomas Jefferson mean when he said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants?" Do you think that this statement still applies to today's world? 
• Compare and contrast mandates and conditions of aid regarding the federal government's relationship with states. For example, how has the Federal Emergency Management Agency delivered support to states and commonwealths that have experienced natural disasters?
• Should individual states have more or less power compared to the federal government when implementing laws dealing with topics such as the legalization of marijuana  and abortion ? 
• Outline a program that would get more people to vote in presidential elections or local elections.
• What are the dangers of gerrymandering when it comes to voting and presidential elections?
• Compare and contrast the major political parties in the United States. What policies are they preparing for upcoming elections?
• Why would voters choose to vote for a third party, even though they know that their candidate has virtually no chance of winning? 
• Describe the major sources of money that are donated to political campaigns. Check out the Federal Election Regulatory Commission's website for information.
• Should corporations be treated as individuals regarding being allowed to donate to political campaigns?  Look at the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC ruling on the issue. Defend your answer. 
• Explain the role of social media in connecting interest groups that have grown stronger as the major political parties have grown weaker. 
• Explain why the media has been called the fourth branch of government. Include your opinion on whether this is an accurate portrayal.
• Compare and contrast the campaigns of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
• Should term limits be instituted for members of Congress? Explain your answer.
• Should members of Congress vote their conscience or follow the will of the people who elected them into office? Explain your answer.
• Explain how executive orders have been used by presidents throughout the history of the U.S. What is the number of executive orders issued by the current president?
• In your opinion, which of the three branches of the federal government has the most power? Defend your answer.
• Which of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment do you consider the most important? Explain your answer. 
• Should a school be required to get a warrant before searching a student's property? Defend your answer. 
• Why did the Equal Rights Amendment fail? What kind of campaign could be run to see it passed?
• Explain how the 14th Amendment has affected civil liberties in the United States from the time of its passage at the end of the Civil War.
• Do you think that the federal government has enough, too much or just the right amount of power? Defend your answer.
• January Writing Prompts
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• American Government Journal Topics
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• What Is Political Participation? Definition and Examples
• Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
• The Important Role of US Third Parties
• Why Puerto Rico Matters in the US Presidential Election
• What Is a Caucus? Definition and Examples

Creating a Government Class Assignment

Published: Sep 15, 2020 Contributor: Rachel Bzostek Walker License: CC BY NC SA 4.0 license – Allows revisions and additions but forbids commercial use.

In this active learning class assignment, students are asked to think about what type of government they would create if all options were on the table and they were starting a new country. In this respect, it gets the students thinking about the implications and consequences of different regime types, systems of government, and various powers granted to the government. The only parameters given to the students are that the country is large in size and population and that it is diverse in population–and the government must be able meet the needs of the large and diverse population. Deployed after discussions regarding political culture, the Constitution, and federalism, this assignment serves as a good way for the students to be able to tie together the information from those parts of the course and think about if they would have done anything differently.

Key words: active learning; lower division course; in class assignment; federalism

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Resource Type

• Writing assignment

Course Topic

• U.S Government and Politics

Course Level

• High school
• Introductory
• Lower division

Course Type

Peer reviewed.

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Lesson Plan: Types of Government Systems

Description.

In this lesson, students describe different types of government and where those forms of government are practiced.

Download the lesson plan

Scroll to the related items section at the bottom of this page for additional resources.

U.S. History Lesson Plans for Sixth Grade: Project on Types of Government

• Pamela Martin
• Categories : Lesson plans for middle school social studies
• Tags : Teaching middle school grades 6 8

Learning About Government – Following Up

For world geography and world cultures classes, you can explore how the geography of a nation might have influenced the type of government that developed there. In U.S. history classes, include lessons about the specifics of the nation’s government, including the bicameral nature of the legislature and the election process.

Where Do Different Types of Government Come From?

Discuss with students the idea that the basis of government may be one of three types:

Economics : This foundation determines who controls the manufacture and distribution of goods and services. While most governments combine the systems in different degrees, economic governments include capitalism, socialism and communism.

• Capitalism: Private individuals and corporations own capital, land and other resources necessary for the manufacture and distribution of goods and services.
• Socialism: The community as a whole owns capital, land and other resources necessary for the manufacture and distribution of goods and services.
• Communism: Capital, land and other resources necessary for the manufacture and distribution of goods and services are owned by the state, usually in the form of a totalitarian political system.

Politics : This refers largely to the selection means for government leaders and what determines the right to rule. These government types include dictatorship, monarchy, theocracy, parliamentary and republican forms.

• Dictatorship: In this system, a single individual has absolute power, but that power is not hereditary. Power is typically taken, rather than being given by those being governed.
• Monarchy: While the monarch may have absolute or limited authority, government leadership is inherited.
• Theocracy: Power is vested in church or religious leadership.
• Parliamentary and Republican: Power is vested in leaders elected by the governed.

Authority : This element of government involves the importance of the consent of the governed and the leadership’s adherence to rule of law. It includes revolutionary, totalitarian, oligarchic/plutocratic and democratic authorities.

• Revolutionary: Seen primarily during attempts to overthrow one government in favor of another, this authority is often in the hands of a few “rebel” leaders. Frequently, rule of law is set aside during the struggle, although it may or may not be recognized when the conflict ends.
• Totalitarian: All power rests in the hands of the ruling authority. The consent of the governed is neither important nor sought and rule of law is ignored entirely.
• Oligarchy/Plutocracy: In an oligarchy, a small class or “clique” holds power, while the wealthy rule in a plutocracy. The consent of the governed is of minimal importance, although it may not be completely ignored. Rule of law may or may not be valued, depending on the principles of those in power.
• Democracy: All power rests in the hands of the people, making the consent of the governed the rules. All leaders and citizens are subject to the rule of law.

What Types of Government Exist?

Discuss briefly the characteristics of anarchy, democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, republic and theocracy. You don’t need to go into great detail, as the students will be doing that as a part of their project.

What Types of Government Do Different Countries Have?

Group students into pairs or triads. Assign each group one of the following styles of government: democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, theocracy, parliamentary republic, presidential republic, oligarchy.

Give the groups the following prompt:

Your group is to make a presentation to a United Nations committee that will decide what type of government to recommend for new or emerging governments. You will need to explain the characteristics of that government system, provide examples and give arguments as to why that style of government is best.

Each group should find the following information:

• What characteristics does this style of government have?
• Who has the authority in the country?
• How are the leaders chosen?
• Is there a peaceful way to replace the leaders?
• Do the leaders have to follow the same laws as everyone else?
• What are some examples of this type of government? (This may be nations, but it could also be parts of a country, like the New England town meetings for democracy.)
• What does this government look like in each country? How is it the same or different between the examples?
• How does the government style in each country affect its economic system? Is it a capitalist, socialist or communist style of the assigned government?
• What are some of the advantages of this type of government? What are some of the disadvantages?
• What other interesting things did you discover about this type of government?

When they have completed their research, groups should prepare a presentation in which they will teach the rest of the class the details of the assigned topic. Projects should include:

• A multimedia slide show or movie with the key points explained
• A handout summarizing the key points
• A practice activity to reinforce the concepts – a worksheet, a game, a hands-on project, etc.
• Five to ten multiple-choice or true/false quiz questions
• A short-answer essay question

Make sure that students know the grading criteria before they start on their presentation planning and preparation. Grade projects on:

• Thoroughness: Did the group explain the key characteristics of the government type completely?
• Accuracy: Was the information factually accurate?
• Completeness: Are all the required components present? Did the group provide additional elements, such as extra handouts, additional visual aids, etc.?
• Participation: Did every group member have a share in the oral presentation? Was every group member responsible for some part of the research, planning and preparation of the materials?
• Creativity: Did the group attempt to “think outside the box” with the presentation, including the practice activity? Did they resort to a worksheet with minimal effort evident? Is the slide show/movie visually appealing?
• Correctness: Are the written materials free from grammar and spelling errors? Are the materials written legibly or typed without errors? Are the fonts and colors easy to read?

Allow the rest of the class to ask questions of the presenters, in the form of queries the U.N. committee might have. Follow up with an oral or a silent debate, as time permits, and then allow the “committee” to vote on the best government.

Extend the lesson with a simulation of the process of working out a compromise, if you have the time. Regroup students, putting one person from each original study pair or triad as an expert in the new groups. Point out that each type of government has both advantages and disadvantages and ask the new groups to combine the best of each system to create an even better one.

Sixth grade students will enjoy the opportunity to convince their classmates of their points when you use these U.S. history activities for sixth grade to engage them in learning about government.

Dictionary.com, https://dictionary.reference.com

Newsround: Types of Government, https://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find _out/guides/world/united_nations/types_of_government/newsid_2151000/2151570.stm

Descriptions of Governments, https://stutzfamily.com/mrstutz/WorldAffairs/typesofgovt.html

Webquest – Forms of Goverment, https://www.stjoanofarc.org/school/grade7/government/govquest.htm

Types of Goverment – Free Presentations, https://government.pppst.com/types.html

Government Lesson Plan, https://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/hsa/government/lesson _plan/lesson12.html

Student Government in High School and College

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Updated March 22, 2023

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Student government offers students excellent ways to get involved in the inner workings of their schools, both in high school and in college. Students who participate in their student governments are privy to a range of personal and professional benefits, and they can be exposed to a variety of opportunities in school and beyond. Hearing from students who have gone through it before and gaining a little background information on student government structures, roles, benefits and challenges can help high school and college students decide whether student government is the perfect addition to their personal and academic pursuits.

Student Government 101

Many students are aware their schools have a student government, but the details can be bit hazy. With some understanding of student governments and their various elements, students can see why they might want to participate and where they fit into their school's organizations.

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What is student government?

Student government is a group of students that are charged with managing a wide range of events, activities, programs, policies and initiatives around school. Some members are elected by the student body, and others may be appointed by the elected officials to help with specific tasks or areas of interest. Student government represents the best interests of a school's student body and helps shape the student experience on campus.?

What does student government do?

Student governments may take on a wide range of responsibilities, and a student government's role can vary greatly depending on the school and its needs. For instance, high school student councils are generally responsible for organizing student activities like dances, spirit weeks, community service and fundraising movements and assemblies. College student governments, especially those of smaller schools, may take on similar responsibilities and manage clubs and student activities. Larger college student governments may have more responsibilities, like managing campus health and wellness, community outreach, sustainability, drafting and pushing initiatives and policy and budgeting for clubs.

Schools may have more than one student government to manage different areas of campus interest. For example, UC Berkeley is comprised of multiple student governments that represent the university's schools and colleges. The main student government, ASUC, is so large that it is run as an independent non-profit entirely separate from university governance. ASUC not only controls student club funding, provides student support and organizes programming and activities, it also represents and advocates for students at the university at the local, state and national level.

How does student government differ in high school and college?

It depends on the school, but typically, high school student councils are smaller and have fewer responsibilities than their collegiate counterparts. A high school student council's focus is very much within the school and centers around student activities. College student governments have the potential to be much larger to accommodate a larger student body and more intricate social and academic system. College student governments may have more roles and varied responsibilities, be comprised of both elected and appointed members, represent many aspects of student life and can have influence on university policies and standards as well as local, state and national legislature.

Who joins student government?

Any student can run for a position or try to get involved in other ways. Typically, students who get involved in their schools' governments care a lot about their schools and campus communities, do well in leadership roles, are proactive, want to get involved with student life at its roots and are interested in government and politics.

Why is student government important?

It's common for students to think that their student government isn't important, but without student government, many of the aspects of high school and college life that they enjoy exist and persist because of student government. Student government also works as a representative body through which students can voice their concerns and interests. They are students advocating for students.

Is Student Government Right for You?

There isn't a set of personality traits that students are required to have to join student government. Especially as they get into college, students will find that there are many different roles and responsibilities that benefit from unique perspectives, experiences and interests. However, having certain skills, wants and attributes can help students be successful in their leadership roles and enjoy the experience.

Doing a self-evaluation is helpful in figuring out if student government is a good fit.

• Do I manage my time well?
• Am I comfortable and confident in expressing my ideas to others?
• Am I passionate about participating in student government and enacting change within my school, or do I see student government solely as a resume-builder?
• Do I let people see my authentic self, and do I express myself sincerely?
• Am I naturally curious and open to hearing new ideas?
• Can I be assertive without being aggressive or flippant?
• Do I take control of my own life and responsibility for my actions?
• How receptive am I to other people's feedback and critique?
• Am I empathetic? Are people comfortable talking to me about personal emotional issues?
• Am I trustworthy, honest and candid?
• Can I assess potential outcomes of my decisions?
• Do I learn from my mistakes?
• How adaptable am I? Am I flexible and willing to work in a variety of roles with a variety of people?
• Do I get people excited to participate in events and activities?
• Am I an effective communicator?
• Do I have strong listening skills?
• Am I grounded by my ethics?
• Have I successfully maintained balance between by personal, social, professional and academic pursuits in the past?

Students who feel they are lacking in some of these qualities shouldn't be discouraged; they may find that student government is an excellent way to develop and hone leadership skills and traits.

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Structure, Roles & Responsibilities

High school and college student governments have established structures and roles to help ensure they function as effectively as possible. Looking at a school's government organizational chart or trying to decipher descriptions of roles, especially when you're not very familiar with the names and purposes of school-specific clubs, initiatives and events, can get overwhelming.

Luckily, while there is some variance, most student governments and councils have similar structures and positions for students to fill.

How Student Governments are Structured

The structure of student government can vary depending on the school, and the size of the institution and its level of student participation can play heavily into which structure works best. Despite their differences in details, there are a few main structures after which most student governments are modeled.

It's common for student governments, particularly at the college level, to be modeled after the U.S. government. These student governments are made up of three branches: Executive, legislative and judicial. These branches work together to ensure balance of power within the student government.

The executive branch can take many shapes but at minimum consists of the President, Vice President and other directorial positions. It's common for the executive branch to have a Treasurer, Secretary and Chief of Staff, who may act as head of the Presidential Cabinet, if one exists. The Cabinet can be composed of directors or vice presidents of different significant interest groups or factions of the student government, such as Legislative Affairs or Diversity and Inclusion.

Legislative

A senate typically makes up the bulk of the legislative branch. School senators represent different colleges and schools or interest groups around campus and may cast votes on behalf of these groups. A speaker and parliamentarian preside over the senate and facilitate meetings. The legislative branch meets to address student needs, organize and carry out committee projects and initiatives, create legislation and work on ways to improve campus life.

The judicial branch is the big player in any legal matters associated with the student government and student interests. Comprised of a Chief Justice and Associate Justices, this branch works to ensure the executive and legislative branches, along with other student groups, uphold and adhere to legal standards. They may handle cases relating to student government bylaws and constitutions, contested elections and student government member conduct.

Schools may find that a bicameral system works better for them. Some schools may call this a “senate style” of student government. This model is similar to the federal model, but it usually forgoes the judicial branch. For instance, New York University is made up of a Student Senators Council and a President's Council. These two groups work together to enhance student life and create policy that improves the overall student experience. The Student Senators Council brings student concerns to the University Senate, and the President's Council works with the Student Senators Council to enact senatorial policy and increase student engagement.

High schools and some smaller colleges, like community colleges and technical schools, are likely to stick with a small student government, comprised mostly of the main roles of the executive branch: president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. At the high school level, the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer may be supported by officers and representatives from each class.

At the college level, club presidents may act as part of the student government, representing student interests. In these types of student governments, administrators and other school staff may play a larger supportive role than in larger student governments.

Common Roles & What They Do

The roles a student may pursue in their student government can be numerous and varied, depending on where they go to school, so the best way to learn about specific roles and responsibilities within a particular school's student government is to go to a few meetings on campus and research positions online or in person.

However, students who want to get a general idea of the governmental roles they may come across at their schools can check out the following list to learn about common titles and what parts they play.

High School

Responsibilities: Runs student council meetings and facilitates discussion, acts as representative of the student body when meeting with school faculty, breaks ties in voting and participates heavily in student activities.

Responsibilities: Shares the president's responsibilities and stands in for the president when needed. May be in charge of managing student clubs and other academic committees.

Responsibilities: Records the minutes and attendance of student council meetings, keeps records of discussions and decisions, and manages files and other important documents.

Responsibilities: Manages the student council's funds and expenses, keeps financial records and works with the president and vice president to create budgets and allot funds for clubs and events.

Responsibilities: Each class level has its own president, vice president, secretary and/or treasurer. These are known as class officers, and they represent the particular interests of each class. They may have separate meetings from the student body council, and the president from each class may serve as the class's representative voice during student body council meetings.

Responsibilities: Some schools may have students with close ties to student associations, clubs or other groups participate in student government. They voice the concerns, needs and desires of their respective groups during meetings.

Responsibilities: Student councils may have special roles for duties that may not inherently fall under another council member's. For example, a speaker serves as emcee at student activities or presents the student council's ideas to faculty and the student body. An activity coordinator is responsible for putting together events and activities.

Responsibilities: Elected by the student body and represents the student body as a whole. They choose a cabinet and designate roles to help ensure the school is run in a way that best serves the student body.

Responsibilities: Varies, but generally to assist the president in managing executive branch members and activities. May stand in for the president if the president is absent.

Responsibilities: Overseeing cabinet members and many of the logistics of running the executive branch. Chief advisor to the president and vice president and make sure that agendas are addressed and deadlines met. May meet individually with cabinet members to discuss needs and relay them to the president and vice president.

Responsibilities: The variety and type of committees, boards and groups colleges may have can be vast, and the president of a school's student government is often responsible for creating roles to represent and meet the needs of these groups and interests. For example, a president's cabinet could consist of a Director of Campus Life, Director of Equity and Outreach, Director or Sustainability, Director of Public Relations and a Director of Academic Affairs. There may also be smaller roles within these breakout groups that exist as part of the executive branch.

Responsibilities: College legislatures are composed of senators that represent schools, clubs or other committees within the college. Senators voice the concerns and interests of their respective student groups and work with one another to enact legislature that will improve students' overall college experience. They may also vote in favor of or against the President's cabinet appointees.

Responsibilities: Presides over and facilitates senate meetings. Serves as the representative voice of the senate in meetings with other student government branches, university staff and faculty, the student body and the general public.

Responsibilities: Operates the internal affairs of the senate. May manage the signing on and resignation of senators, the senate's finances and relay necessary information to senate members.

Responsibilities: Facilitates senatorial elections, writing and disseminating bylaws and enforcing procedure during meetings.

Responsibilities: Presides over and serves as spokesperson for the judicial branch. Writes the official orders and decisions made by the judicial branch and relays this information to other student government branches and the university.

Responsibilities: Must attend all meetings and cast votes in hearings brought to the student government's judicial branch. Must ask questions in hearings and ensure they hear all sides of an issue before casting a vote.

Responsibilities: Acts as a liaison between grieving parties, accused parties, justices and other student government branches as part of the judicial branch. They may receive complaints against student government members and conduct investigations.

Responsibilities: College student governments can have a lot of breakout groups and members within those groups, so students may be able to find student government roles specific to their interests. Responsibilities will vary based on the group and role.

The Benefits & Challenges

Participating in student council or student government can be an enriching experience with lasting positive impacts. However, the rewards don't come without their difficulties. As with any commitment, students should be sure to consider all aspects of joining student government before going all-in.

• Get familiar with governmental structures Student council and student government introduces students to the overall structure and function of the government and its processes.
• Build relationships Working closely with other students and school faculty gives students the opportunity to build strong, meaningful friendships and professional relationships.
• Change the school Those who get involved in student government can propose initiatives, policy, outreach and other activities that can create positive change within their school and community.
• Gain professional skills Professional skills like effective communication, research, presenting ideas, organizing meetings and events and collaborating between different groups can all be developed and honed through student government.
• Bolster your resume Because of the skills and knowledge gained and the commitment required, having student government on a resume can be an advantage when applying for college, jobs and internships.
• Find or develop personal interests Whether students know they are interested in developing policy or they accidentally stumble upon a passion for sustainability or community outreach, involvement in student government offers many opportunities to develop their interests.
• Learn to work in a team Effective teamwork is an invaluable skill that students will certainly get to practice while in student government.
• Network Student government members not only make connections with members of the student body, but also with faculty, school staff, local activists and policy-makers, community members and other people of interest and influence. This exposure can open many doors for students in the future.
• Committing the time The time needed to participate in student government can be taxing on top of other student commitments.
• Taking on responsibility For many, school is a time to focus on studies and social life, so the extra responsibility that comes with participating in student government may be a drawback.
• Working with others Working well with others is an excellent skill, but it's not always a fun or easy one to master. Collaborating and communicating with a variety of people who have different passions and levels of investment can be rough.
• Feeling insignificant Some student governments have considerable influence over the way their schools run. Others may feel more symbolic than anything else. Students may get excited to incite change only to find that their school's student government doesn't have much sway, which can be frustrating.
• Handling stress With the time commitment and responsibility required of student government involvement, students can get overwhelmed. Some can work through the stress and grow from it, but others may find it's too much.
• Getting others involved A big part of student government is getting the rest of the student body to participate. Students, especially busy, stressed ones with their own interests and commitments, can be hard to convince.
• Balancing life The types of students who are drawn to student government likely have a lot of commitments. School, work, friends, family and other activities may all play a part in students' lives, and adding student government to the mix can be challenging.

Famous People Who Were Class Presidents

Participation in student government won't necessarily skyrocket students to lives of prominence and fame, but student government members can at least count on being in good company.

Blake Lively

After filming her breakout role as Bridget in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, actor Blake Lively finished her senior year at Burbank High School in California, where she served as senior class president.

Hugh Jackman

Add political prowess next to acting, singing and dancing on Hugh Jackman's list of accomplishments. Before Les Miserables, X-Men and a slew of other high-profile roles, Hugh Jackman was class president of Knox Grammar School in Australia.

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton's political career began early in her life. She was senior class president of Wellesley College before pursuing bigger roles in American politics.

Herbie Hancock

One of America's most prominent and innovative jazz pianists, Herbie Hancock, was elected president of his sophomore class at Hyde Park High School, where African Americans were in the minority, and was elected president of student council twice.

This iconic movie star, known for his unique voice and gait as much as for the iconic roles he played in movies like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, True Grit and The Alamo, was class president at Glendale High School.

Halle Berry

Prior to becoming an on-screen superhero, playing both Catwoman and X-Men's Storm, Halle Berry was class president at Bedford High School in Ohio.

Jesse Jackson

Jesse Jackson, who is known for his lifetime of civil rights activism, was elected class president at Sterling High School. He would later run for President of the United States twice.

Ronald Reagan

The American actor who would later become the 40th President of the United States was first student body president of Eureka College.

Student Government Alums Weigh In

Susanna Compare High School Student Council Vice President

“I joined the student government my freshman year when I was new to Milton Hershey School. I wanted to get involved, and it sounded like a great opportunity to gain leadership experience while also meeting new people and learning about myself and how I could help impact the Milton Hershey School community. Some of the highlights for me were being able to plan events for my class and watch them come together as one, and work with other students who also wanted to make a difference. I also had the opportunity my senior year to get students involved in leadership roles and taking initiative who normally would not be in that position.

Being in student government, of course, has its challenges, but they also seem so minimal when you are actually able to make an impact. It was challenging to work on an idea and propose it and be told “no.” This, however, also made the times when you heard “yes” even better. My time in student government had a huge impact on who I am today. It gave me communication skills, confidence and friendships that I carried through all of high school. It also helped give me a better idea of what I wanted to do for my future career. I have those leadership skills ready for when I enter the real world.

I plan on doing student government to some extent in college, but if I decide not to, I will definitely be using the skills I learned. I learned a lot about patience, time management and how I can best serve those around me. I would highly recommend student government to other students—it is a great opportunity to not only be a leader to your peers, but to help you grow as a person and prepare you for after high school.”

Michelle McAdams College Student Government President

“I joined student government because I was applying for scholarships, and they all asked what I did outside of the classroom. I was looking for something to put on my resume other than just classes, and student government was during a time I didn't have class. I never really had an interest in government before, but there are so many wonderful highlights that came out of being in SGA.

Getting to know what the Student Affairs department did and how to get involved in the University of North Georgia community was the best thing. I realized I had a love for Student Affairs and hope to be able to return to UNG as an employee in the Student Affairs Department and earn my Master's Degree. I actually changed my major from business to General Studies so I could learn more about a variety of things for this type of position.

As SGA President, I was asked to give several speeches and address the student body and different members of the community in many ways. I hope through these speeches, I was able to encourage students to become more involved in the UNG community and to enjoy their time at UNG as much as possible.

I was also able to create new SGA positions and increase opportunities for leadership and campus involvement, and I had a hand in creating a memorial wall and carrying out a community service project that united UNG's different campuses. UNG had gone through a consolidation a few years before I started, and we wanted to help students feel like they were part of the same university no matter what campus they take classes on.

The most challenging thing about my position was getting the help I needed to accomplish the things my council and I wanted to do. We had very poor attendance and participation because we are a commuter campus. Most students come to campus just to take classes, then leave to go home or to their job. Getting students to stay on campus was a challenge and getting them to commit to joining SGA was even harder. They felt they didn't have time to participate in any activity.

The best lesson I learned from SGA was that to see an idea come to life, it takes a lot of time and dedication, but it also takes a lot of help from others. You have to have negotiating skills and leadership skills to be able to influence others to help you reach the goals you have set for yourself and your organization.

My advice would be to join and learn as much as you can about the organization, then run for office. Become a leader and participate in the activities at your school. You will form a tighter bond and connection with the community, and it will be a much more rewarding experience all around. Take advantage of all the opportunities you get to attend leadership training and conferences. You will not only learn new skills and have amazing experiences, but you will also make new friends you will keep for a lifetime. You might even have a new network of people you can turn to in your future career. And it looks great on your resume, too.”

Kendall Burchard

“I joined student government because I had a desire to serve my community and directly contribute to the events and extracurricular activities that gave so much meaning to school. Some of my fondest memories come from Leadership/Student Council in high school; both directly being responsible for and subsequently participating in the quintessential “high school” moments like Homecoming, Winterfest, Prom, etc. was both educational and meaningful. It wasn't without its rough spots, though.

In high school, I lost two elections within two weeks of each other, and I was devastated. It was the first time my sense of self-worth had been rocked at my core, and the experience taught me how to fail gracefully and how to root my confidence and sense of being in something other than the titles I held. I'm grateful for the lesson to this day.

When I entered college at the University of Oklahoma, I continued my participation in student government. I was part of the Sooner Freshman Council during my first year, then served as Director of Student Organizations (Sophomore), Director of Student Organizations (Junior) and eventually became Director of the Interior for my senior year.

That year, the University of Oklahoma experienced a national controversy when fraternity men on a bus began a racially-charged chant while coming home from a party. As Director of the Interior, I handled a lot of the response for the Student Government Association, coordinating with the administration, other SGA members and community members. This was one of the most challenging and unexpected student government experiences I underwent.

I'd like to think that the student governments I've served in have made a positive impact. We created experiences for students to enrich their time outside of class, like prom; we advocated for their voices to the administration, like addressing parking concerns; and we saw our students through trying times on campus by serving as examples, like acting appropriately when dealing with the fraternity incident and, in high school, when a violent video of students fighting circulated around school.

I also credit my time in student government with developing my ability to manage people. I run two large organizations at my law school, and I find myself comfortable in management positions. It has also inspired an interest to serve my broader community in some capacity one day. I have also learned to work with administration and hold my own against those with actual power, and how to speak truth to power.

I'd absolutely recommend participating in student government to other students. The experience will enable you to hone a skill set and a number of organizational abilities that a classroom education cannot, and you'll make memories to last a lifetime.”

Students looking to learn more about student government and student council or get ideas for improving their current student government system can start their research at these websites:

American Student Government Association (ASGA) ASGA is a go-to resource for members of collegiate student governments. This website provides a wide range of resources and services, from revamping an existing student government to conducting research.

Campus Compact Student Government Resource Center Students can use Campus Compact's student government training and resources to become better leaders and build strong campus governments.

National Student Council (NatStuCo) NatStuCo is a national organization dedicated to helping student build more effective student councils. They provide leadership development opportunities, host events and provide a ton of resources for high school student councils.

Student Government Resource Center Student Government Resource Center is a comprehensive resource for college student governments. Students can access toolkits, training and other information and services to help them improve their campus governments.

"Fundraising Ideas for Student Council: Class Acts" – YouCaring Geared towards high school student councils, this YouCaring blog provides an array of fundraising ideas.

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Outrage as high school student is suspended just for using the term ‘illegal alien’ in class discussion.

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A 16-year-old North Carolina high school student says he was suspended just for saying “illegal alien” while discussing word meaning in English class — possibly ruining his chances of landing a college sports scholarship.

Christian McGhee, a student at Central Davidson High School in Lexington, received a three-day suspension last week after he used the term in English class, the Carolina Journal reported .

His mother, Leah McGhee, said his teacher had given an assignment that used the word “alien,” and Christian asked: “Like space aliens or illegal aliens without green cards?”

Another student reportedly took offense and threatened to fight Christian, so the teacher took the matter to the assistant principal, according to the Carolina Journal.

Eventually, his words were determined to be offensive and disrespectful to Hispanic classmates, so he was suspended.

 “I didn’t make a statement directed towards anyone — I asked a question,” Christian told the outlet.

“I wasn’t speaking of Hispanics because everyone from other countries needs green cards, and the term ‘illegal alien’ is an actual term that I hear on the news and can find in the dictionary,” he added.

The suspension may also affect the student-athlete’s prospects of securing a college sports scholarship, the Journal noted.

“Because of his question, our son was disciplined and given THREE days OUT of school suspension for ‘racism,’” Leah wrote in an email describing the incident.

“He is devastated and concerned that the racism label on his school record will harm his future goal of receiving a track scholarship. We are concerned that he will fall behind in his classes due to being absent for three consecutive days,” she added in the message, which was shared with the outlet.

The irate mom said the assistant principal has refused to remove the suspension from the boy’s record, so the family has hired an attorney.

On Tuesday, Leah appeared on “The Pete Kaliner Show,” which airs on radio station WBT, and said her family had once lived in England, and Christian mentioned how Britons also need green cards to live in the US, Newsweek reported . She said she and her husband told the assistant principal that “illegal alien” is a term their son can look up in a dictionary. “It is a term used as federal code, and it is a term that is heard frequently on many news broadcasts,” Leah said on the show. “I feel that if this was handled properly in the classroom, it could have easily been used as a teachable moment for everyone.”

Republican state Sen. Steve Jarvis said he has contacted the school district superintendent about the matter — but he has not yet taken a stance on what should be done.

“I do not see that that would be an offensive statement, just in getting clarification,” Jarvis told the Journal. “But there again, I don’t know. I don’t know the situation of this particular incident.”

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The popular X account Libs of TikTok also weighed in by saying Christian’s record could be “damaged” by the brouhaha over political correctness.

“Please support this based student by helping to raise awareness to his story!” the conservative account wrote in the post, which has received more than 4 million views.

Among those to respond was X owner Elon Musk, who wrote: “This is absurd.”

Conservative personality Ian Miles Chong called it “insane.”

“How does one get suspended for using the term illegal alien?” he asked.

Libs of TikTok added: “Hopefully North Carolina officials can step in and ensure his record isn’t tarnished in any way because he’s trying to secure an athletic scholarship for college.

“He should not be persecuted for using the correct term just because the left is trying to change our entire language,” the account added.

A staffer at Central Davidson High School told Newsweek that they could not comment about a specific student due to federal protections.

“Please know that Davidson County Schools administrators take all discipline incidents seriously and investigate each one thoroughly,” the rep told the mag. “Any violation of the code of conduct is handled appropriately by administrators.”

The student handbook says that “schools may place restrictions on a student’s right to free speech when the speech is obscene, abusive, promoting illegal drug use, or is reasonably expected to cause a substantial disruption to the school day,” the Carolina Journal reported.

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