Our Federal System of Government
Session 23: Regulatory Agencies (The Match Game)

Materials

• Textbooks
• Library resources
• Computer with Internet access

Instructional Activities

1. Congress creates independent agencies, which are responsible for keeping the government and economy running smoothly. Four agencies will be studied in the economics portion of this course (FTC, FCC, EPA, and the Federal Reserve System). Pay special attention to these and make sure students select them.
   
   
2. Divide students into groups of three students.
   
   
3. Explain that each group is going to research four independent agencies of the executive branch. For each, they will find out the agency’s official name and any nickname it uses, and write three sentences describing what it does. This information will be written on an index card. Students should use a variety of sources. (The official government site for the agencies is <http://www.firstgov.gov/Agencies/Federal/Independent.shtml>.) To ensure good coverage, ask students to sign up for which agencies they are describing.
   
   
4. Once all cards are complete, have students switch cards with another group and identify which expressed or implied power of Congress the group helps to carry out. Continue circulating the cards until all student groups have used the cards from every other group.