SS.3.CG.3.1

Explain how the U.S. and Florida Constitutions establish the structure, function, powers and limits of government.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: Students will recognize that the U.S. Constitution and the Florida Constitution establish the framework for national and state government.

Clarification 2: Students will recognize how government is organized at the national level (e.g., three branches of government).

Clarification 3: Students will provide examples of people who make and enforce rules and laws in the United States (e.g., congress and president) and Florida (e.g., state legislature and governor).

General Information
Subject Area: Social Studies
Grade: 3
Strand: Civics and Government
Date Adopted or Revised: 05/24
Status: State Board Approved

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5021050: Social Studies Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
7721014: Access Social Studies - Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
SS.3.CG.3.AP.1: Identify that the U.S. and Florida Constitutions have three branches of government.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Vote: Lesson 6 Summarizing the Work Involved in a Campaign:

This is lesson #6 in the text unit series for Vote! In this lesson students will create a plan and campaign advertisements as final products. The teacher will discuss the role of the mayor and how this government position relates to the role of the governor and president as examples of people who make and enforce rules and laws. This lesson is focused on pages 24-29 which shows the amount of work needed to campaign for an election and highlights the importance of voting. The teacher will use a presentation to support students as they summarize the events and work needed to plan a campaign.

This unit will explain voting in the United States. Unit lessons include duties of responsible citizens for voting, the voting process, responsibilities of candidates, and voting outcomes. Teacher will utilize a read aloud over several lessons incorporating text structure, text features, figurative language, and the use of multimedia in presentations. Teachers will facilitate research to help students create a presentation.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

What Are the Branches of Democracy?: Central Idea of Government Branches:

Students will read and discuss What Are the Branches of Democracy? by Ann Matzke. After, students will break off to determine the central idea of the text in segments. They will work to determine the significance and job of one of the three branches of Government.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Branches of Government Work Together:

Students will conduct research to identify two to three relevant details that support a given central idea about the three branches of the U.S. government. Students will gather information through text and text features utilizing informational texts and/or teacher given websites about how each branch is organized and operates. Students will then compile the information in order to summarize the main idea and relevant details into a multimedia project comparing and summarizing the three branches.

Type: Lesson Plan

Comparing the U.S. and Florida Constitutions:

In this lesson plan, students will compare and contrast the structure of the U.S. and Florida Constitutions. Students will complete a stations activity to learn about the function and powers of the national and state government.

Type: Lesson Plan

Teaching Idea

Grade 3 Civics Family Guide: Standard 3:

This Grade 3 Civics Family Guide provides some ideas and activities to support civics education when at home, out and about, and in the community. The activities provided align to the civics learning benchmarks within Standard 3 at this grade level.

Type: Teaching Idea

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Teaching Idea

Grade 3 Civics Family Guide: Standard 3:

This Grade 3 Civics Family Guide provides some ideas and activities to support civics education when at home, out and about, and in the community. The activities provided align to the civics learning benchmarks within Standard 3 at this grade level.

Type: Teaching Idea