Government

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24 November 2016
Education
The website chosen is teachingcivic.org. The lesson is Seven Principles of the Constitution and a brief overview if Checks and Balances. The following principles covered are Checks and Balances, Individual Rights, Limited Government, Popular Sovereignty, Republicanism, Separation of Powers. The Law Focused Education, Inc. a non-profit advisory board produced this lesson plan to assist in preparing students for responsible and effective citizenship. This information is a basic explanation of how representative government works and why there are three branches of government, and how they share power, and the decision-making. This is how no one branch has more power than the other branches of government (LFF, 1).
The section of TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills chapter 113.18 (sixth grade) section Subchapter B. Middle School the section is in Social Studies. While it does not specifically discuss Civics, it does talk about the importance of economics and state and federal government topics. How the government works is an important base of information that builds the student to learn it in detail in later grade levels. In TEKS 113.18 describes sixth grade Social Studies sections a1- a8 defines Social Studies as learning about places and people in reference to economics, civics, government, education, and religion, along with state and federal laws and how they work in regards to checks and balances (TEA, 1). Section b under 113.

17 describes knowledge and skills. Section 8-10 is the economic portion in different societies. Sections 11-13 relates to the government in the United States and other countries. This short lesson shares just the basics on Checks and Balances. It can be a platform to introduce sixth-graders introducing how the representative government of the United States works in today’s world. It is simple and straightforward and seems to be just the right amount information to start a lively question and answer session that encourages the students to ask questions.
Kenneth Monigue traced the history of government through the centuries starting with the Romans. As each society evolved, adjustments occur to make the process of government smoother and efficient (Monigue, 15). There were many problems along the way as society slowly progressed to the representative government of the United States. It is far from perfect. The current system is a work in progress and that is a due representative government of the United States. Students need to learn and understand why government changed from what the Romans did to the present. This knowledge is crucial to understanding how it works today. A brief history is appropriate for six-graders and it will build up to more the complex information the students will learn in later grades. Learning about government and economics are the most important parts of any civics class, it is about self-government. This information will prepare the student for how money works in Democratic society. The students learn the importance of paying taxes and earning a living in the world. The final message of the students to understand how the system works and how to go about making changes by getting involved, and knowing the proper channels for making a change. When students learn the basics in the sixth-grade, it prepares them to handle more the complex information in later grades.
Students need preparation in sixth grade for these future subjects. The lesson Checks and Balances was a very straightforward and simple explanation of how the United States three branches of government work to keep each other in balance. This lesson does not discuss another form of government in other countries. The TEKS does not specifically describe the “Checks and Balances” system until later grades in middle school. It does document that each builds on prior information and so this lesson plan covers in detail in grades seventh and eighth. They do describe what the student should know about the representative government of the United States.
It starts with the basics about systems of government and does not specifically mention Check and Balances, and in a sense does ignore this subject for the six-grade level, but builds on the basics in later grades. This small lesson gives a great and simple overview of how the representative government of the United States works. It looks like it can set the students for discussion and provide a group interaction to discuss any topics they did not understand.
As stated in the TEKS guide information learned in schools starts with the basics and build in previously learned information so the students learn the information, as they are ready to learn more detail. Learning about how Economics work in the United States and other countries is crucial information. It teaches them great information about how things work in the real world. All students need to look at how government works and how the monetary system works. Students need to know how the United States governing bodies are different from other systems. Why citizens pay taxes and what those taxes go for. They need to know why voting in elections is a critical function of citizenship. That it is the correct way to make change happen by getting involved in the system.
Works Cited
Texas Education Agency TEA, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills TEKS 2016 Web 22
November 2016
Monigue, Kenneth: a Very Short Introduction Study Guide, Liberty University 2008 Web 22 November 2016
Seven Principles of the Constitution Checks and Balances, Law Focused Foundation, LFF 2013
Web 22 November 2016
http://teachingcivics.org