Government
What is government?
A group of leaders who help make rules and keep people safe and organized.
How many branches of government did we learn about?
Three
What are the three levels of government we learned about?
Local, state, and national.
What is a representative?
A person who speaks or acts for the people they represent.
What is one way citizens can participate in government?
Vote/Communicate with Representatives/Share Ideas -or- Opinions
What is one job of government?
Any reasonable answer such as making laws, providing services, keeping people safe, or solving community problems.
Which branch makes laws?
A. Legislative
B. Executive
C. Judicial
D. Local
A — Legislative
Which level of government is closest to the people in a community?
A. Local
B. State
C. National
D. Judicial
A — Local
Which person is a local government leader?
A. Mayor
B. President
C. Governor
D. Supreme Court Justice
A — Mayor
What does a citizen do when they vote?
A. Makes a choice
B. Makes every decision for everyone
C. Becomes a government leader
D. Makes a new law
A — Makes a choice
Which of these is something government can do?
A. Make laws and rules
B. Choose everyone's favorite food
C. Decide what games children must play
D. Pick everyone's friends
A — Make laws and rules
Which branch carries out or enforces laws?
A. Legislative
B. Executive
C. Judicial
D. State
B — Executive
Which level of government helps make decisions for all of Maryland?
State government
Why might a citizen contact a government representative?
To ask for help with a problem, share an idea or concern, or communicate what people in the community need.
In our kitten election, why did each student get only ONE vote?
So each person had an equal chance to have their choice counted. (So that all the individual votes carried the same weight)
A road in a community has a large pothole that could hurt someone. Why might people ask the government for help?
Government can help solve community problems and provide services that keep people safe.
People disagree about what a law means, and someone needs to make a decision about how the law should be understood. Which branch would help?
Judicial
A community park needs new playground equipment. Which level of government would people most likely contact about this problem? Why?
Local government, because the park is part of the local community.
A family has a problem with something happening in their community. They want to tell someone in government about the problem. What could they do?
They could contact a representative, such as by writing a letter, sending an email/message, or making a phone call.
In an election, one person chooses Shadow, another chooses Midnight, and another chooses Velvet. Is it okay for them to make different choices? Why?
Yes. People can have different opinions/choices, and voting gives everyone a chance to have a voice.
Why do communities need government? Give TWO reasons.
Answers should give two valid reasons, such as making laws/rules, keeping people safe, providing services, solving problems, or helping communities make decisions.
A new law is being discussed. Government leaders debate the law and decide whether it should be passed. Which branch is responsible, and what is it doing?
Legislative branch — it is debating/making a law.
A problem affects people across the entire United States rather than just one community or one state. Which level of government would most likely help? Explain why.
National government, because the problem affects the country as a whole.
A citizen has a problem and wants the government to know about it. Name ONE representative they could contact and explain how the citizen could communicate with them.
Any appropriate representative from the unit + an appropriate communication method.
For example: A citizen could contact their mayor by email.
Explain how voting can help a group make ONE decision when people have different opinions.
Each person makes a choice, the votes are counted together, and the choice with the most votes becomes the group's decision.