One of Three Branches:
The Legislative Branch of Government
Prepared By:
Christina Andersen
Rapid City Area School District
Robbinsdale Elementary School
Rapid City, SD
Developed for
Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study (LEGIS)
Chiesman Center for Democracy, Inc.
1641 Deadwood Ave.
Rapid City, SD 57702
www.chiesman.org
2009
The contents of the K – 12 LEGIS LESSONS were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of
Education (Grant No. 84.304c – LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study). However,
the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should
not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. (EDGAR: 34 CFR)
LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study
E.2.A.3; E.2.B.1; E.2.C.2; E.2.D.2
Lesson Title: One of the Three Branches: The Legislative Branch of Government
Prepared By: Christina Andersen
Grade Level: 2nd (Could be adapted to 1st: just add more whole group work, examples
of the poster, and more time for completion).
Time Required: 2-4 Thirty minute lessons (This depends on how long it takes to
complete the poster)
2nd
Lesson 3 of 5 in Unit:
Lesson 1 of 1 in Unit:
Lesson 2 of 2 in Unit:
Lesson 2 of 2 in Unit:
I.
Essential Questions:
What is the Legislative Branch of Government?
Why is the Legislative Branch of Government important?
Who makes up the Legislative Branch of Government?
What are the House of Representatives and the Senate?
Who are Legislators in the US Congress?
Who is the Governor of our state?
II.
South Dakota Grade Level Content Standards
Indicator 1: Analyze forms and purposes of government in relationship to the
needs of citizens and societies including the impact of historical events, ideals,
and documents.
2.C.1.3. Students are able to explain the basic political roles of leaders in the
larger community.
III.
Assessment Strategies
Assess the students on completion, neatness, and accuracy of the Legislative
Fact Posters. (Rubric Attached)
IV.
Learning Objectives
1. The students will learn basic information about the Legislative Branch.
2. The students will learn basic information about the 2 houses in the Legislative
Branch.
3. The students will learn the main role of the Legislative Branch (Make and
pass bills into laws).
4. The students will be introduced to their states congressman.
V.
Necessary Materials/Technology:
1. Chart Paper
2. Computer, Projector, Internet Access
3. Three large pieces of Chart Paper
4. Blank white paper - 8 ½ by 11 (one per student)
5. Post-It notes (larger size)
What is Government?
Governmental Leadership
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Relationships between Citizens and Legislators
LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study
Page 1
6. Large Construction Paper (one per student)
VI.
Background Information:
The lesson titled “Let’s Talk Branches and I don’t mean Tree Branches: The
Three Branches of Government” would be a great precursor to this lesson.
VII
Detailed Lesson Description
Day 1: Basic Legislative Introduction
1. Label the following before the lesson:
On the top of the large white piece of construction paper write “What is the
Legislative Branch of Government?”
On the top of the large blue piece of construction paper write “What is the
Senate?”
On the top of the large red piece of construction paper write “What is the
House of Representatives?”
Tape the labeled pieces of construction paper to the board. Introduce the
lesson by reading each question to the children and telling them that by the
end of this short unit on the Legislative branch they will be able to answer
these questions.
2. Go to http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/government/branches.html . Select “US
Congress” near the bottom of the webpage. Explain that our Legislative
Branch is Congress. Read over this page with the students, then refer back
to the chart labeled the “What is the Legislative Branch of Government”.
Have the children share something they remember learning from the website.
List these on the chart paper.
3. Give each student a copy of the Legislative Branch Fact Sheet. Place a
transparency of the Fact Sheet on the overhead. Read each fact with the
kids. While you are reading and discussing the facts with the children, have
them stand up and stay “STOP” if the fact is not already written on your chart
from #2. Add it to the chart.
4. Read over the chart with the kids. Have them pick their favorite fact and write
it on a blank piece of white paper. Then have them illustrate that fact on the
same paper. Collect all the facts with illustration and create a class
Legislative Book.
Days 2 and 3: Legislative Posters
1. Read the Legislative Book that the class created. Discuss some of the facts.
Have the children share with you their favorite legislative fact and why.
2. Use the two charts labeled House of Representatives and Senate. Reread
the chart of facts about the Legislative Branch. Tell the students to think
about the facts from the chart as well as those from the class Legislative
LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study
Page 2
book. Give each student a post-it note and ask them to choose a fact from
the chart that could be moved to either the Senate chart or the House of
Representatives chart because it is a fact that only pertains to that group.
Have the students come up and post their facts to the correct chart. Read
over the charts with the children. Discuss whether or not they were posted
correctly and why or why not there are correct or incorrect.
3. After completing that activity, give the children the following prompt:
The principal of our school is concerned that our students do not have a good
enough understanding of the Legislative Branch. He/she heard our class was
studying the Legislative Branch, and was wondering if we could make
Legislative Fact Posters to could hang around the school for other students to
read and think about. The posters should have at least 2 facts, illustrations
that pop out, and be very neat and well written. Tell the students that since
they are such a smart and creative bunch you felt that they would do a great
job.
The students can work alone or with a partner to create their Legislative Facts
Poster. Keep the fact charts and the class Legislative Book available as a
resource.
It may take a couple sessions to complete the posters. You may also
consider having the children work on the posters as a center activity if more
time is needed to complete them.
4. When the posters are complete, have the children share their posters with the
rest of the class. Through an interactive writing activity write a letter to the
principal about the posters. As a class, deliver the letter and the posters to
the principal.
NOTE: Interactive writing is a great way to add a writing focus into your
lesson. In this particular lesson you could focus on the format of a friendly
letter, sentence fluency, spelling tricky words in parts, etc.
Day 4: Meet Our Congressman
1. Using a computer, go to
http://www.netstate.com/states/government/sd_government.htm . You will
find information about South Dakota’s governor, US Senators, and US
Representative. The governor’s information is toward the top of the page and
the US Senators and the US Representative are located in a drop box at the
bottom of the page. When you click on the drop box you can chose the page
you want to view. Review the information about these leaders. Tim Johnson
has a slideshow of pictures that would be really fun for the children to view.
Also you can go to www.state.sd.us/governor/ and learn lots of great
information about our governor. There is also a section titled “Just for Kids”
that could be used as a Computer Center Activity. Some of the games may
be hard for first grade, and more feasible for 2nd grade students.
LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study
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2. Once you review the information, have the students choose one of the 4
leaders and write a letter to them introducing themselves and sharing what
they know about the US Legislative Branch. This would be a great time to
teach them how “published” work should look. Since they are sending their
letter to a real congressman then it is considered published work. In first
grade, write a letter as an Interactive writing activity and send it to one of the
congressman instead of having each child write their own.
VIII.
Enrichment
Center Activity: (For 2nd Grade) Allow students to go to the websites used in this
lesson and have them read through them and create their own fact sheet about
what or whom they are reading about.
IX.
Bibliography/Resources
Ben’s Guide to the Government
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/
Information on the 3 Branches of Government; in particular, the Legislative
Branch http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110221/Legislative.html?tqskip1=1
You can find additional information the Legislative Branch as well as other
information about the Government at http://congressforkids.net/
Information about South Dakota’s Congressmen
www.state.sd.us/governor/
http://www.netstate.com/states/government/sd_government.htm
The contents of the K – 12 LEGIS LESSONS were developed under a grant from the
U.S. Department of Education (Grant No. 84.304c – LEGIS: Legislative Education for
Greater Inquiry and Study). However, the contents do not necessarily represent the
policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement
by the Federal Government. (EDGAR: 34 CFR)
LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study
Page 4
Legislative Branch
Fact Sheet
*535 members of Congress: 435 members in the House of Representatives and 100
members in the Senate.
*In our Legislative branch, the members of Congress write bills and vote on those bills in
order to determine which bills become laws.
*If bills are passed into law in the House and the Senate, they are then sent to the President
who can sign the law or reject (veto) it. If the President rejects (vetoes) it then it goes back
to the Congress and they can accept the veto or override the veto.
Did you know…?
1. The Legislative Branch writes the bills.
2. There are two groups of the Legislative Branch.
3. There are 100 senators and 435 representatives, a total of 535.
4. When the bill is written they need a simple majority to make it a law.
5. When the representatives and senators meet together they are called the Congress.
6. A senator serves 6 years.
7. A representative serves 2 years.
8. The Constitution got started in 1787.
9. The first ten Amendments are called The Bill of Rights
10.A bill has to go through the Congress to get to the President
(Information found at http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110221/Legislative.html?tqskip1=1 )
LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study
Page 5
Making a Poster: Legislative Fact Poster
Teacher Name: __________________________________________
Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY 4 Advanced
3 Proficient
2 Basic
1 Below Basic
Content Accuracy
Three (3) or
more accurate
facts are
displayed on the
poster.
Two (2) accurate
facts are
displayed on the
poster.
One (1) accurate No accurate facts
facts are
are displayed on
displayed on the the poster.
poster.
Graphics Relevance
All illustrations
are related to the
topic and make it
easier to
understand.
All illustrations
are related to the
topic and
illustrations may
or may not make
the topic easier
to understand.
Illustrations are
present, but they
are not all related
to the topic.
Illustrations do
not relate to the
topic and/or it is
difficult to make
out what their
illustration is
showing.
Attractiveness
The poster is
exceptionally
attractive in
terms of design,
layout, and
neatness.
The poster is
attractive in
terms of design,
layout and
neatness.
The poster is
acceptably
attractive though
it may be a bit
messy.
The poster is
distractingly
messy or very
poorly designed.
It is not
attractive.
Use of Class
Time
Used time well
during each class
period. Focused
on getting the
project done.
Never distracted
others.
Used time well
during each class
period. Usually
focused on
getting the
project done and
never distracted
others.
Used some of the
time well during
each class
period. There
was some focus
on getting the
project done but
occasionally
distracted others.
Did not use class
time to focus on
the project OR
often distracted
others.
LEGIS: Legislative Education for Greater Inquiry and Study
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