Grade 2 - Our Government At Work
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Video Storyline: When America was a new country its leaders created a plan called the Constitution. Our leaders, lawmakers, and judges still use this plan today.
Video length: 12:45 minutes.
Learning Resources with this Video*
Quizzes – PDF & Online
State Symbol Search
Finish the Sentence Government Worksheet
Our Government At Work – Blooket Quiz
Draw A Scene – Our Government At Work
Universal Resources
National Standards
*Links are active on Full Video page.
Classroom Ideas
Our Government At Work
Independence Day around the World
Compare/contrast celebrations such as Independence Day in the U.S., Bastille Day (France) and National Revolution Day (Cuba). Explore the similarities and differences between these celebrations.
Explore Vocabulary
Identify key vocabulary terms while previewing each video. Prompt students to find the meaning of each word as they watch the video.
Visual Learning
Offer videos to struggling learners as another means of creating knowledge and accessing information.
Cloze Practice
A cloze piece has full sentences used in the virtual field trip with blanks where students can write in the information that is missing. This task requires close listening to the trip in order to complete it.
Coral reefs are the _______ type of ecosystem in the world. They’ve been around for over _____ million years.
Answers: oldest; 240
Alternatively, you could have students create 5-10 cloze statements and they could share those with the class.
A third alternative is to distribute the cloze worksheets before watching the video. Students can fill them in as they watch.
Art and Social Studies
Draw a scene from the video you just watched.
Classroom Ideas for ALL Videos
Here are dozens and dozens of ideas that you can use in your classroom along with our videos!
Topics Covered In This Video
Governments make laws
The first set of laws made by the new U.S. government was the Constitution
2 important sets of laws say that citizens have Freedom of Speech & Freedom of Religion
The Constitution says that the government is made up of 3 parts
The 1st part is run by the President, who helps to guide the lawmakers in the U.S. He lives in the White House
The 2nd part are the lawmakers who are known as the Congress, and they work from the Capitol building
The 3rd part are the judges in the Supreme Court who decide if someone has broken a law
These 3 groups are all based in the Nation’s Capital city, Washington, DC
Other famous buildings in Washington are the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial
All of these leaders have to win enough votes in an election in order to get their jobs
We also vote to elect leaders for our States, and even our cities
National and State symbols
The Statue of Liberty was an important symbol for new immigrants arriving in the U.S.
Many laws have changed over time to make the country a better place for all who live here
Videos in this Series
Grade 2 - Early Americans
Grade 2 - Land and Water Around Us
Grade 2 - Work and Money
Grade 2 - Living Together
Related Videos
Grade 1 - Let's Learn About The Government
Grade 3 - How Government Helps Our Communities
