The Three Branches of Government

Help your third graders learn how their government works, one clear page at a time! In this one-page worksheet, students read a short passage about the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, then decide which branch does each of six jobs by writing C for Congress, P for President, or S for Supreme Court, and finish by circling the two true facts.

The passage keeps it concrete: Congress makes the laws, the President carries out the laws, and the Supreme Court decides what laws mean. It ends with checks and balances in kid language: each branch can check the others, so no branch gets too much power. The six jobs come straight from the passage, so students practice finding evidence, not guessing. Everything students need to answer is right on the page, so it works for independent practice.

What's inside:

• A short passage with key words in bold
• 6 which-branch items with a write-in box for C, P, or S
• 2 true facts to circle out of 4 choices
• A visual answer key with every answer marked in red

How teachers use it:

• As a quick check after a civics lesson
• For morning work, centers, or an exit ticket
• As homework or sub plans, with no prep needed

It takes about 5 to 10 minutes and prints clearly in black and white. This is one of 7 worksheets in our Reading in Civics series for grade 3, covering government, rules and laws, voting, and citizenship. Each sheet in the series uses a different mix of activities, so the set stays fresh from the first page to the last.