National Government: The Executive Branch
Session 6: Checks and Balances of the Executive Branch

Materials

• Overhead projector or board
• Textbook

Instructional Activities

1. Ask students to respond the following question in their notebooks:
   
   Think of a weight scale. Why it is important at times for both sides to be equal?
   
   Student responses may vary; however, they should center on the fact that equality is necessary for the scale to balance.
   
   
2. Assign students the section of the textbook that pertains to the checks and balances of the executive branch.
   
   
3. Have students create a list of the checks the executive branch has over the other branches of government.
   
   
4. Likewise, have students create a list of the balances the other branches of government have over the executive branch.
   
   
5. Using the lists that were created, have students explain the importance of each check and balance of the executive branch.
   
   
6. Homework: Have students justify the checks and balances they believe are essential, identify those that they believe are not essential, and create one additional check and balance.  Study for the test.