The Executive Branch Article & Review for Civics & American History

This Executive Branch Article & Review introduces students to Article Two of the United States Constitution and the powers and responsibilities of the U.S. President. With an engaging reading passage, comprehension review, creative writing response, and a one-pager for note-taking made to look like the desk of the President of the United States, this print-and-go resource is a perfect way to introduce middle school Civics, American History, or American Government students to the Executive Branch! 

✯ Compatible with the Florida State Standards for Middle School Civics:

• SS.7.CG.3.3: Describe the structure and function of the three branches of government established in the U.S. Constitution. 
• SS.7.CG.3.8: Explain the structure, functions and processes of the executive branch of government. 

This Executive Branch Article & Review resource includes:

✯ 6-page United States Constitution: The Executive Branch reading passage. 

• Engaging, easy-to-read article keeps students’ attention with fun facts as it breaks down the key information kids need to know.
• The following topics are covered:
  • An introduction to Article Two of the U.S. Constitution
  • Qualifications for running for President.
  • How the President is elected through the Electoral College.
  • Powers of the President, including the power of the veto, presidential pardon, the power to negotiate treaties, and the power to appoint U.S. Ambassadors, Supreme Court Justices, and federal judges.
  • The Roles of the President, including: Commander-in-Chief, Chief Diplomat, Chief Executive, Chief Legislator, Chief of Party, Chief Citizen, and Chief Guardian of the Economy.
  • The 15 departments in the President’s Cabinet.
  • Various examples of checks and balances between the Executive Branch and the Legislative and Judicial branches. 
• Reflection questions and fun bonus facts are included throughout the article. Students are asked whether the Electoral College is a direct or indirect democracy, as well as which role of the President they feel is most important.

✯ The On The President’s Desk One-Pager. Designed to look like the President’s desk, complete with a notebook, coffee cup, and classified file folder, this creative note-taking page allows students to compile all of the vital information they have learned from the article in one place.

• Includes written responses and fill-in-the-blank prompts.
• Covers key vocabulary from the article, like executive order and presidential pardon.
• Reviews main ideas related to the Executive Branch, like the Roles of the President, the Presidential Line of Succession, and Qualifications for Office.
• This one-pager is really fun for students to decorate and make their own, plus they can refer back to it easily to remember important facts related to the President! 

✯ A President’s Schedule Creative Writing Response asks students to use what they have learned in the article to create a sample schedule for the President. They relate these events to the various roles of the President they have learned, and are encouraged to use vocabulary words in their response from a word bank at the bottom of the page.

• Vocab words include: veto, bill, ambassador, override, vote, pardon, treaty, Impeach, Executive Order, and more! 

✯ A final 1-page Comprehension Review reinforces key concepts and vocabulary. 

• A vocabulary check includes: veto, pardon, treaty, enforce.
• Students define the roles of the Attorney General, Secretary of State, and U.S. Ambassadors.
• Students create a logo representing one of the departments in the President’s Cabinet.
• Students identify the checks on the Executive Branch. 

If you enjoy this Executive Branch Article and Review, my Civics Task Cards: The Executive Branch resource include 32 task cards directly related to the vocabulary and key concepts pulled from this article! 

This resource comes as a non-editable, printable PDF and includes an Answer Key. There is also a digital version available through TPT Easel, which can be assigned directly to Google Classroom or shared with your students via a link!

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