Yup. It’s October and we need to teach about government. I am not sure I can think of a drier subject to teach in Social Studies than government. This year though, there is an upcoming federal election to help build a bit of interest. Still soooo much vocabulary for my fifth graders (barely fifth graders!). What to do? Here is a list of options to make that Government unit engaging and memorable!
- Show a Video
Use this video if you dare. Kids will sing it constantly. They may request it on the last day of school..yes…this did happen! It’s all about the responsibilities of the three levels of government.
The video below is from Student Vote. They have great resources although I do find them a bit advanced for my fifth graders so, I have the kids use ear buds and a laptop so that they can pause the video as needed. I encourage them to stop and back it up as needed or even rewatch it. It moves fast and is packed with information.
2. Flip Books Are Awesome!
Need somewhere for kids to record all the information from their textbooks or videos? Flip books to the rescue! Once kids build one flip book, they are hooked! Below is the one I use and have for sale in my TPT store. It now comes ready for Google Classroom with 3 passages to support students in completing the flip book. You may find this post handy if you are using Microsoft OneDrive.
3. Games and Activities
Yes! There are games and activities to reinforce the vocabulary of the three levels of government. Below are a few that I have created and that students have loved! Spoons was their absolute favourite! You can see a preview and purchase them at my store on Teachers Pay Teachers.
4. Online Interactive Sorting Game
This interactive game has 3 levels for students to conquer as they learn about the responsibilities of each level of government. Best of all it is free! Click the link below.
Levels of Government Interactive Game
5. Write and Wipe Review
Once in a while I will break out the mini white boards for a quick and easy review. Each students gets a white board and a marker. I ask them questions and they respond on their white boards. I will also ask them to remove certain items by erasing them. I do the same set of questions several times. At first, I have students check their boards for the correct answers after each question, but after a few times, I only check when they have one item left on the board. It’s pretty simple concept, yet the addition of white boards seems to make it fun. You can download a free sample below.
6. Quiz
After spending some time with the vocabulary I like to have kids take a short quiz. If you’re looking for a quiz, I do have one available. You can find it here – Quiz
So there you have it! My list of go to items to include when I teach the three levels of government.
Happy Teaching!
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