The Executive Branch

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.

View our Constitution Explained video series for short-form videos to share with students about the executive and other branches of government.

Choose Grade Level:

Lesson Plan

Foreign Policy: War & Peace and Everything In…

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.
View
Lesson Plan

Executive Roles: Money Doesn't Grow on Trees?

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.Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below!
View
WebQuest

Being President

Ever wondered what it would be like to be President of the United States? Find out what the president does every day, who the president's helpers are, and how the president's job affects your life.
View
Game

Executive Command

Being the president is no easy task. Are you up to the challenge? Now available in Spanish!
View

DBQuest

The Louisiana Purchase: Branching Out

President Jefferson usually gets the credit for the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the size of the young nation. But this ignores one important actor, the U.S. Congress. Nearly every step of the process involved the approval of, and funding from, the Legislative Branch. This DBQuest will walk you through primary sources that show the give and take between the two branches.
View
Game

Branches of Power

Learn to control all three branches of the U.S. government!
View
DBQuest

Little Rock: Executive Order 10730

When President Eisenhower authorized troops under federal authority to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in 1957, he became the first president since Reconstruction to use federal forces to help enforce equal rights for African Americans. Using the example of Executive Order 10730, students will explore how executive orders can be used to enforce the law and examine how Eisenhower justified his actions.
View
Lesson Plan

Supreme Court Nominations

This lesson plan 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, and Merrick Garland.iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.
View
Game

Branches of Power

Learn to control all three branches of the U.S. government!
View
Game

Branches of Power

Learn to control all three branches of the U.S. government!
View
DBQuest

The Louisiana Purchase: Branching Out

President Jefferson usually gets the credit for the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the size of the young nation. But this ignores one important actor, the U.S. Congress. Nearly every step of the process involved the approval of, and funding from, the Legislative Branch. This DBQuest will walk you through primary sources that show the give and take between the two branches.
View
Lesson Plan

Order Up! Executive Orders (Infographic)

Order up! What the president says goes... or does it? This printable infographic explains what executive orders are, how they work, and what they can be used for, and how they are limited. iCivics en español! A version of this infographic is available in Spanish along with a Spanish Teacher’s Guide.
View
Lesson Plan

The Modern President

Everything changes over time. The presidency is no exception. In this lesson, students look at the Framers’ original vision for the presidency and explore how the role has expanded and evolved since it was established.
View
Lesson Plan

Foreign Policy

Many pieces play a part in carrying out our nation’s foreign policy—and they don’t always get along. In this lesson, students learn what foreign policy is, discover the agencies who execute it, and examine how the legislative and executive branches sometimes clash. The lesson includes a case study that focuses on the Vietnam War and a spotlight activity that asks students to make the tough choices involved in a foreign policy decision.
View