Summary
An animated breakdown of the three branches of government — one that makes the laws, one that carries them out, and one that decides what they mean — and why splitting the work keeps any single part from having too much power. A sing-along intro to checks and balances for elementary students.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Government splits its work into three branches so no single part is in charge of everything.
- What are the three branches, and what is each one's main job?
- Why might it be a problem if one person or group made all the decisions?
- How is sharing power like sharing jobs on a group project?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: branch, power, balance.
Try it: Match each branch to its job — makes the laws, carries out the laws, decides what the laws mean.