Three questions for you to answer on your blog:
1) Of all of the amendments to the Constitution, which do you think is the most important? Why?
2) Is there an amendment that you would get rid of? Which one? Why?
3) Is there an amendment you think should be added? Why?
Go to YOUR blog and post your response to ALL THREE questions.
Below are several sites that discuss the Constitution. Which of these sites do you think will help us, as fourth and fifth grade students, understand what the Constitution says and what it means for our everyday life? Why do you think the site you’ve chosen is a good one for our needs? Why did you NOT choose the other sites?
Keep in mind that some sites are better for little kids, some sites are great for our age, and some are easier for adults to use. We also want a site that explains what the Constitution says AND what it means- the Constitution is not easy to understand, even for adults. So we need student-friendly site.
Post your response on YOUR blog. Once again, here are the three questions you need to answer:
1) Which of these sites do you think will be the BEST at helping us, as fourth and fifth grade students, understand what the Constitution says and what it means for our everyday life?
2) Why do you think the site you’ve chosen is a good one for our needs?
3) Why did you NOT choose the other sites?
Site 1
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/
Site 2
http://www.usconstitution.net/constkids4.html
Site 3
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/documents/constitution/index.html
Post your response on YOUR blog at http://missionstudents.learnerblogs.org/
Which branch of the government would you want to join- Executive, Legislative, or Judicial? Why? Give at least three reasons with clear explanations. Don’t think you have enough information to make a decision? GO FIND MORE- you’ve got the world in your hands.
Not OK- I wanna be the Prez cuz it be cool.
OK- I would like to be part of the Legislative branch because I think the Senate and House of Representatives are able to make the most impact on the way the country is run. (This is only a start- it needs much more information.)
Post your response on YOUR blog, not as a comment here. That way we can read and respond to your thoughts.
There are three branches of government- the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial. Which branch do you think is most important? Why do you think that? Include examples to support your answer, and the links to the sites where you found your information.
Think about these questions while you read and search:
What Does the Judicial Branch Do?
The framers created the judicial branch to handle disagreements over the law. Article III of our Constitution describes the responsibilities and powers of this branch. In this lesson, you will learn how the judicial branch works.
Suppose you thought the government had taken away one of your rights guaranteed by the Constitution. What could you do? You could ask a court to listen to your case. If the court agreed with you, it would order the government to stop what it was doing and protect your rights.
The courts interpret the law. They also settle disagreements between individuals and the government. Different levels of court handle different kinds of cases. Federal courts handle cases about the Constitution and the laws made by Congress. They also deal with problems between one or more states.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the judicial branch. The judicial branch also includes lower courts. The judges on the Supreme Court are called justices. The head of the Supreme Court is the chief justice.
The framers believed that if judges were elected by the people, they might favor some people over others. For this reason, judges are not elected. They are appointed to office. Judges on all federal courts are appointed by the president. However, the Senate must approve all the president’s appointments. Judges serve in the judicial branch until they retire or die. They can also be impeached, tried, and removed from their positions, just like the president.
Judicial review is one of the most important powers of the judicial branch. Judicial review is the power of the courts to say that the Constitution does not allow the government to do something. For example, the Supreme Court can say that a law passed by Congress is not constitutional. The Supreme Court can also say that the president is not allowed to do certain things.
Suppose Congress passed a law that said you must belong to a certain religion. The Constitution says Congress cannot do this. You can go to court and say that Congress has no right to tell you to belong to a certain religion. The court will review your case. The court has the power to say that the law made by Congress is unconstitutional. If the court does this, the law cannot be enforced.
From http://www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/schools/lessons/46_judicial.html
Now visit these sites to read more about the Judicial Branch. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE CREATORS OF THE SITE TO DECIDE IF THIS IS A TRUSTWORTHY SITE.
http://www.congressforkids.net/Judicialbranch_index.htm
http://www.mcwdn.org/GOVERNMENT/Judicial.html
http://www.uscourts.gov/faq.html
Which of these sites do you trust or not trust? Why? Leave a comment explaining your thinking.
Who are the Justices of the Supreme Court? Leave a comment that tells who they are AND the site where you found the information.
I found a great page on Scholastic that gives the important details about all three branches of the government, but I forgot to bookmark it. Can you find it and post it in a comment here? There’s a prize for those who can find it!
Check out these links to learn more about the legislative branch!
