The Executive Branch
Students will learn about the executive branch, including the unique role and powers of the president and the function of executive departments and agencies. They will explore key facets of foreign policy and the president’s role in it.
Check out this quick video on the Executive Branch on YouTube!
Starting a brand new nation was a tough job for America’s first presidents—and it didn’t help that many Americans were wary of the new central government. In this lesson, students learn about some of the decisions and actions the first presidential administrations took to make sure the United States would be strong enough to last.
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Students learn the primary responsibilities of the president and how those duties connect to the powers the Constitution grants to the Executive Branch. Students also learn about the types of issues the Executive Branch deals with and which federal agencies handle them.
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*Please note: In preparation for the 2021 Inauguration, this lesson has been updated to reflect the incoming administration.
This lesson teaches the fundamentals of Supreme Court Justice nominations and helps students understand the politics behind the nominations. It challenges students to cut through the politics and compare nominees’ judicial philosophies and includes an optional extension for students to research and analyze the controversial nominations and confirmation processes of Robert Bork, Harriet Miers, Clarence Thomas, and Merrick Garland.
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Find out about the importance of the vice presidential candidate in a presidential election, and how this person is much more than a running mate.
In A Very Big Branch, students learn that there's more to the executive branch than just the president! Students explore the roles and responsibilities of the presidential cabinet and executive departments and agencies.
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Students learn the role of the executive branch in creating and carrying out laws. Through role-play, the class models the legislative and execution processes as they create a new coin in order to learn how the executive and legislative branches work together.
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Students learn what foreign policy means. First, they learn the distinction between foreign and domestic policy. Then they find out what role the executive branch plays in foreign policy and the primary tools it uses: foreign aid, the military, and treaties. In addition, students learn how foreign policy power is shared with the legislative branch.
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