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.

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Lesson Plan

Mini-Lesson: Vice President

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.
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Lesson Plan

Shedding Light on a State of Emergency (Infographic)

In case of emergency, declare it! Help your students understand what it means when a state of emergency is declared with this printable infographic.
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Lesson Plan

Impeachment and Conviction (Infographic)

Impeachment really is only half the story! Follow the processes and powers of impeachment in this easy to follow printable infographic.
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Lesson Plan

Six Roles of the President (Infographic)

From Commander-in-Chief to Chief Executive—keep track of the many roles of the president with this printable infographic for your classroom!Love this infographic? Explore all of our free election curriculum and teaching resources at our Election Headquarters. iCivics en español! A version of this infographic is available in Spanish along with a Spanish Teacher’s Guide.
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Lesson Plan

Mini-Lesson: The Presidential Agenda

For the winning candidate, campaign promises evolve into an official presidential agenda. And despite the doubting general public, 75% of agenda goals since Woodrow Wilson have been delivered. This mini-lesson takes a look at how the presidential agenda is developed, shared, and executed.Love this lesson? Explore all of our free election curriculum and teaching resources at our Election Headquarters.
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Lesson Plan

Mini-Lesson: The First 100 Days

Even presidents have to worry about making the grade! Discover the history behind the “First 100 Days” and its impact on the American presidency with this new lesson plan that includes extension ideas and media literacy moments. Students will evaluate the fairness of judging presidents based on this somewhat arbitrary time period.Got a 1:1 classroom? Try our customizable Google Slide activities!Love this lesson? Explore all of our free election curriculum and teaching resources at our Election Headquarters.
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Lesson Plan

Executive Command Extension Pack

Make your students’ game play more meaningful by using our activity and assessment set designed specifically for Executive Command. This easy-to-use Extension Pack helps you give context and purpose to the game, as well as reinforce and assess the game concepts. That means deeper learning for students, and best practices around game-centered learning for you! Extension Packs are designed for use with projectors or interactive whiteboards.
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Lesson Plan

Nation Builder in Chief

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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Lesson Plan

A Very Big Branch

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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Lesson Plan

For The President, All In A Day's Work

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.iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.
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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.
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Game

Branches of Power

Learn to control all three branches of the U.S. government!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Executive Branch

Choose Grade Level:

Mini-Lesson: Vice President

Shedding Light on a State of Emergency (Infographic)

Impeachment and Conviction (Infographic)

Six Roles of the President (Infographic)

Mini-Lesson: The Presidential Agenda

Mini-Lesson: The First 100 Days

Executive Command Extension Pack

Nation Builder in Chief

A Very Big Branch

For The President, All In A Day's Work

The Louisiana Purchase: Branching Out

Branches of Power

Little Rock: Executive Order 10730

Supreme Court Nominations

Branches of Power

Branches of Power

The Louisiana Purchase: Branching Out

Order Up! Executive Orders (Infographic)

The Modern President

Foreign Policy

See how it all fits together!