Unit Plan 20 (Grade 4 Social Studies): Branches of Government

Focus: Identify and describe the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at the state level, including their basic roles, people, and public services they help provide. Students gather information from multiple sources (charts, websites, book excerpts, diagrams) to understand how state government is organized and how the branches work together.

Grade Level: 4

Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • Inquiry/Skills)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Students explore their state government as a team made of three main branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. They learn who works in each branch, what they do, and how each branch connects to public services they see every day (roads, parks, schools, courts). Using simple graphics, short readings, and state-specific resources, students discover that no single branch should have all the power. By the end of the week, they create a Branches of Government at Work organizer or mini-poster that explains how each branch helps the state and serves the public.

Essential Questions

• What are the three branches of state government, and what does each branch do?
• Who works in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches at the state level?
• How does state government provide public services like roads, schools, and parks?
• Why is it important for government power to be divided among branches instead of held by just one person or group?
• How can we use multiple sources (charts, websites, books, diagrams) to learn about our state government?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify and name the three branches of state government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
2. Describe basic roles of each branch (making laws, carrying out laws, interpreting laws) and give at least one example of an office or institution in each branch (e.g., state legislature, governor, state courts).
3. Explain how state and local government provide public services (roads, parks, schools, safety) and connect some services to specific branches or agencies.
4. Use multiple sources (charts, informational texts, simple state websites, diagrams) to gather facts about state government and record information in an organizer.
5. Compare and organize information from at least two different sources, noting how they present the same branches in different ways (e.g., picture, chart, paragraph).
6. Create a Branches of Government at Work product (chart, mini-poster, or booklet page) that shows each branch, its main job, and an example of a service or decision it affects.

Standards Alignment — 4th Grade (C3-based custom)

• 4.C3.Civ.2 — Describe roles of state/local government (branches, levels, agencies) and public services.
  • Example: Match departments (transportation, parks) to services provided.
• 4.C3.Inq.2 — Gather information from multiple sources (maps, charts, primary/secondary texts, interviews, digital).
  • Example: Use a state atlas, census table, and historical marker to study a town.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name the three branches of my state’s government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
• I can tell what each branch mainly does (makes laws, carries out laws, interprets laws).
• I can give at least one example of a person or office in each branch (like governor, legislature, or state court).
• I can explain how state government helps with public services such as roads, schools, or parks.
• I can find and record information about my state government from at least two sources (like a website and a chart).
• I can make a clear Branches of Government at Work product that someone else can read and understand.