National Government: The Legislative Branch
Session 8: Checks and Balances

Materials

• The chart below on checks and balances enlarged and printed on an overhead as an example of the activity

Instructional Activities

1. Review with students the content covered to this point in the unit.
   
   
2. Remind students that the U.S. government was designed to provide balanced power through a system of checks and balances. Ask students to explain this concept.
   
   
3. After a brief discussion, instruct students to use available classroom resources to develop a list of the checks the executive and judicial branches have over the legislative branch as well as the checks the legislative branch has over the executive and judicial branches. Instruct students to work in groups to develop a chart similar to the following on large poster paper: