Branch Review

It's that time of year!  My SOL test is 23 school days away.  This week the students are reviewing branches and the levels of government.  I posted earlier about TEI questions and have tried to utilize them in my classroom.  On a word doc I typed the names and functions of each of the different levels (national, state and local) of the branches.    I printed them out and cut the slips and then placed those in an envelope.

Here is the the legislative worksheet:

Local Legislative

Board of Supervisors

County

Town Council

Towns

City Council

City

Makes laws for County

State Legislative

General Assembly

Makes laws for Virginia

National Legislative

U.S. Congress

Makes laws for whole nation

House of Delegates

Virginia Senate

House of Representatives

Senate

Here is executive:

Local Executive

County Administrator

Mayor

Executes, enforces and administers laws in counties

Executes, enforces and administers laws in towns or cities

State Executive

Governor

Lieutenant Governor

Executes, enforces and administers laws in state

National Executive

The President

The Vice President

Executes, enforces and administers laws for entire nation

Senate

Here is Judicial:

Local Judicial

Local courts

Interprets laws for county and punishes law breakers for county

State Judicial

VA Supreme Court

VA District Court

VA Court of Appeals

VA Circuit Court

Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court

Interprets laws for state and punishes law breakers for state

National Judicial

The US Supreme Court

US District Court

US Court of Appeals

Interprets laws for nation and punishes law breakers for nation

I had students cycle through each branch.  After this I gave each student a copy of the worksheet you find below.  I like to have the students use two color highlighters- one color to highlight the action (make, appoint, approve) and then another to highlight the key word for the level (country, D.C., Richmond, county).   Then the student is to determine what is the name that corresponds to the branch and level.

Name: _________________________________ Date: ______________ Period: _______________

Directions: Read each sentence.  Decided which branch (Legislative, executive or Judicial) is being described.  Write  L, E, or J in the box.  Then decide which level of government is being represented.  Your choices are N (National), S (State) or L (Local).  Then name the person or group being described.

	Branch	Level	Descriptor	Name
1			They make the laws for the country.
2			They prepare the biennial budget.
3			They approve the annual budget.
4			They make the laws for Bedford County.
5			They decide if laws are Constitutional.
6			They debate laws in the General Assembly.
7			They are the Commander in chief of the National Guard.
8			The top court meets in Washington, DC.
9			The Vice President is second in line.
10			They can veto laws that affect only VA citizens.
11			They can appoint Supreme Court Justices.
12			They can declare war.
13			The middle level has no jury and only judges
14			They can over-ride vetoes for laws that affect the entire country.
15			They regulate land use.
16			They are bicameral and meet in Washington, D.C.
17			They prepare the annual budget.
18			Their main power is Judicial Review.

Happy Teaching!
C