4-Day Lesson Plan: The Three Branches of the USA Government

Hello fellow teacher! Thank you so much for visiting my page and trusting me with this lesson plan. Below you will find a 4-day lesson plan for the USA Branches of the Goverment. Each day is broken up into sections with times.

Grade Level: 3rd–4th

Time Needed Each Day: 30–40 minutes

Materials:

• USA Branches of the Government Review and Collaborative Displays

• Chart paper/markers or whiteboard

• Optional: short videos or picture books on each branch

Day 1 Executive Branch

Objective: Students will explain the role of the Executive Branch and identify key responsibilities of the President, Vice President, and Cabinet.

Warm-Up (5 min)

• Quick brainstorm: “What does the President actually do?” Record responses.

Mini-Lesson (10–15 min)

• Read or show a short text/video describing the Executive Branch’s duties (enforcing laws, veto power, Commander-in-Chief, etc.).

• Discuss checks and balances—how the Executive works with the other branches.

Collaborative Activity (15–20 min)

• Distribute all collaborative-poster pieces that focus on the Executive Branch.

• Students work individually or in pairs to answer the questions and color their piece.

• Put together the display with all the pieces students completed

Wrap-Up (5 min)

• Share one surprising fact about the Executive Branch.

Day 2 Legislative Branch

Objective: Students will describe the structure and responsibilities of Congress: House of Representatives and Senate.

Warm-Up (5 min)

• Ask: “How does a bill become a law?” Take a few guesses.

Mini-Lesson (10–15 min)

• Introduce Congress: two houses, main job of making laws, how members are elected, powers like approving budgets.

• Optional: quick role-play of proposing a bill.

Collaborative Activity (15–20 min)

• Give out the Legislative Branch poster pieces.

• Students complete, review, and color their sections.

• Put together the display with all the pieces students completed

Wrap-Up (5 min)

• Whole-class reflection: Why is it important to have two houses in Congress?

Day 3 Judicial Branch

Objective: Students will explain the purpose of the Judicial Branch and the role of the Supreme Court.

Warm-Up (5 min)

• Pose a scenario: “Two people disagree about what a law means—who decides?” Discuss.

Mini-Lesson (10–15 min)

• Teach how the courts interpret laws, the difference between lower courts and the Supreme Court, and the concept of judicial review.

Collaborative Activity (15–20 min)

• Hand out Judicial Branch poster pieces.

• Students complete and color their sections.

• Put together the display with all the pieces students completed

Wrap-Up (5 min)

• Students share one example of a Supreme Court decision (past or present) that affected people’s lives.

Day 4 Review & Compare All Three Branches

Objective: Students will review the powers, responsibilities, and checks and balances of all three branches and explain how they work together.

Warm-Up (5 min)

• Quick “Which Branch?” quiz: Teacher reads a power (e.g., “approves treaties”) and students hold up 1 finger (Executive), 2 fingers (Legislative), or 3 fingers (Judicial).

Class Discussion / Anchor Chart (10–15 min)

• Create a large 3-column chart on the board labeled Executive, Legislative, Judicial.

• As a class, recall and list main responsibilities, key people, and examples for each.

Compare & Contrast (10–15 min)Choose one or two:

• Venn Diagram: Students fill out a 3-way Venn to show overlaps and differences.

• Review Game: Play a Jeopardy-style or Kahoot quiz using questions from Days 1-3.

Reflection / Exit Ticket (5 min)

• Prompt: “Which branch do you think is most powerful, and why? Or are they balanced?”

Tips for Teachers

• Differentiation: Offer sentence starters or simplified questions for emerging writers; challenge advanced students to give real-world examples.

• Assessment: Use a simple exit ticket each day (“One fact I learned today…”) or a short quiz on Day 4.

• Cross-Curricular Tie-In: Add a writing prompt: “If I were President / Senator / Supreme Court Justice…”

I hope this can help you with you USA Branches of the Government unit! The displays are so fun to put together, and they really add an extra level of enjoyment within the unit!

Happy Teaching!!!

Alyssa