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iCivics Curriculum Unit

The Legislative Branch

Students will learn about the structure, function, and powers of the legislative branch of government. They will explore the legislative process, as well as the influence of citizens and political parties.

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

Choose Grade Level:

  • Game

    Branches of Power

    Learn to control all three branches of the U.S. government!
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  • Lesson Plan

    Leadership & the Agenda (Infographics)

    Members in the House and Senate decide who will take on important leadership roles. In these printable infographics, teach students about how party leaders shape the congressional agenda. Separate infographics are provided for the House of Representatives and the Senate, and they can be combined for students to compare and contrast!Looking for more? Pair these infographics with our mini-lesson on Congressional Leadership.  
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  • Video

    Patsy Mink: Changing the Rules

    In this video, students learn about the life of Patsy Takemoto Mink who became the first woman of color elected to Congress. In her 24 years as a Representative, Mink battled inequality by changing the laws. Her greatest legacy is as the co-author of Title IX, the landmark legislation that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal money.
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  • Lesson Plan

    Mini-Lesson: Congressional Leadership

    How are leaders in Congress elected and organized? In this short mini-lesson, students learn about Congress' leadership positions and the primary duties of each one. Students will also think through how to creatively represent the leadership structure in diagram form. Looking for more? Follow this mini-lesson with our visual infographic Leadership & the Agenda!
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  • Lesson Plan

    Midterm Math (Infographic)

    How many reasons are there to care about the midterms? Thousands! Use this printable infographic to show your students the impact that the 2022 midterm elections have on the legislative and executive branches.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

    Can You BILL-ieve It? (Infographic)

    How does a bill become a law? Follow this decision tree through the life and death of a bill in Congress.
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  • Lesson Plan

    Gerrymandering: Where Do We Draw the Line? (…

    Where do we draw the line? Find out how redistricting turns into gerrymandering, and how gerrymandering negatively impacts people in those districts.
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  • Lesson Plan

    LawCraft Extension Pack

    Make your students’ game play more meaningful by using our activity and assessment set designed specifically for LawCraft. 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!  This Extension Pack uses a Google Slides deck and is designed for use with projectors or interactive whiteboards. 
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  • Lesson Plan

    Congress in a Flash!

    Need to teach the legislative branch in a hurry? This lesson is designed to cover the basics in a single class period. Students learn what Congress is, what the Constitution says about the legislative branch, and how a bill becomes law. They analyze some actual language from the Constitution, compare the House and the Senate, and simulate the lawmaking process by reconciling two versions of the same fictional bill.Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below!
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  • WebQuest

    Who Represents Me?

    Do you know who represents you in the federal, state and local government? Do you know how to get in touch with them? Follow this WebQuest to find answers to these questions and more!
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See how it all fits together!

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