Powers of Congress Newspaper Matching Activity

This Powers of Congress Newspaper Match employs students’ critical thinking skills as they examine real-life scenarios (“newspaper headlines”) and match them to their related Enumerated Power of Congress. This makes for a great small group review activity for middle and high school students in Civics, American History, or American Government studying the Legislative Branch and the Expressed Powers of Congress! 

The newspaper headlines are pulled from real-life political events, and each is representative of a time Congress has used one of its Enumerated (also known as Expressed or Delegated) Constitutional Powers. In this hands-on activity, students make connections between real-life events and the responsibilities of the Legislative Branch. The answers aren’t always obvious! Students have to think critically, finding clues in the text to figure out which Power of Congress is being employed. 

Happy Teacher Tip: The cut-outs look best when printed in color. If you have access to a color printer, my best advice is to print out 10 or so sets of this resource, laminate them, and use this as a small group center activity! 

This activity includes:

✯ The two-page Enumerated Powers of Congress matching sheet, where students will be placing their newspaper headlines on the appropriate power of Congress the clipping depicts. The following powers of Congress are listed:

• Collect Taxes
• Coin Money
• Make Rules about Immigration and Citizenship
• Regulate Foreign and Interstate Trade
• Approve Presidential Appointments
• Impeach Public Officials
• Ratify Treaties with Foreign Nations
• Create an Army and Navy
• Declare War

✯ The one-page Powers of Congress Newspaper Matching Headlines. These are nine “clippings” from newspapers that include a headline and short blurb (as though the first sentence of the article) that describes some type of action taken by Congress. Students study the clipping, think critically about what it is describing, and choose the Power of Congress that’s been employed. Makes for great EOC test prep! 

Sample newspaper clippings include:

• SENATE APPROVES SOTOMAYOR: FIRST HISPANIC JUSTICE: In a 68–31 vote, the Senate has approved President Obama’s choice to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat. Sonia Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic, first Latina, and first woman of color seated on the highest judicial court… (Approve Presidential Appointments)
• CONGRESS APPROVES FUNDS TO BUILD ELLIS ISLAND: Congress has approved a bill that provides funding for an immigration station on Ellis Island in New York Harbor. The station will function as a welcoming point for new arrivals to our country… (Make Rules about Immigration and Citizenship)

This resource comes as a non-editable PDF and contains an Answer Key.

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