How Does the Florida Constitution Organize Our State Government?

How does the Florida Constitution organize our state government?

SS.4.C.1.1

Describe how Florida’s constitution protects the rights of the citizens and provides for the structure, function, and purposes of state government

SS.4.C.1.1

Describe how Florida’s constitution protects the rights of the citizens and provides for the structure, function, and purposes of state government.

Correlated Florida Standards (See Full Text on Cover Page)

· LAFS.4.RF.4.4, LAFS.4.RI.1.2, LAFS.4.SL.1.1

Essential Question

How does the Florida Constitution organize our state government?

Learning Goals/Objectives

· Students will read to understand the three branches of Florida’s state government.

Overview

Students will work as a whole class to read primary source text from the Florida Constitution. Through close reading and text marking they will understand the structure, function and purpose of the three branches of Florida’s state government.

Materials

· Analyzing the Florida Constitution handout

Time

· 15-20 minutes

Activity Sequence

INTRODUCTION/HOOK

1. Engage students in a brainstorm about some of the rules and procedures they have at home and school using the following prompts:

· How are chores done at home? Are specific jobs assigned to specific family members? How do you set up a plan to get a chore done at home?

· Do you and your parents have rules you follow at home?

· Are there rules you have to follow at school?

· What happens when these rules are broken?

2. Explain to students that just as there are plans for accomplishing jobs at home and rules everyone must follow at home and school, there is a set of laws and procedures citizens of Florida must follow called the Florida Constitution.

ACTIVITY

3. Pass out the Analyzing the Florida Constitution handout.

4. Explain to students that they will work as a whole class to read actual and modified text of the Florida Constitution to understand the structure, function and purpose of Florida’s state government. Teacher Note: You may choose to do only a portion of the Constitution for this lesson, depending on your time.

5. Engage students in close reading and text marking strategies to dissect and understand the excerpts of the Florida Constitution.

6. Instruct students to fill in the handout during the reading activity.

CLOSURE

7. Pass out index cards.

8. Instruct students to respond to the following prompt on their index card, using their handout for guidance: What is one main idea you learned today about Florida state government according to the Florida Constitution?

Name______Date______

Analyzing the Florida Constitution

Selected Text of the Preamble

We, the people of the State of Florida … in order to … insure domestic tranquility, maintain public order, and guarantee equal civil and political rights to all, do ordain and establish this constitution.

Translated Text of the Preamble

All citizens of the State of Florida in order to make sure the people of the state are happy and peaceful, to make sure the state runs smoothly, and to give equal rights to everyone, establish the Florida Constitution.

According to the preamble, what are three purposes of Florida’s state government?
1. ______
2. ______
3. ______

The Structure and Function of Florida’s Government

Article III: The power to make laws in the state shall be given to a legislature of the State of Florida, consisting of a senate and a house of representatives.

Branch / Function / Structure
1.
2.

Article IV: The executive power of the state government shall be given to a governor who is the commander-in-chief of the state’s military and is in charge of putting all laws into place.

Branch / Function / Structure
1.
2.

Article V: The judicial power of the state government shall be given to a supreme court, district courts of appeal, circuit courts and county courts. The Supreme Court makes sure that laws follow the Florida Constitution.

Branch / Function / Structure
1.
2.
3.
4.

Analyzing the Florida Constitution – ANSWER KEY

Selected Text of the Preamble

Translated Text of the Preamble

All citizens of the State of Florida in order to make sure the state is happy and peaceful, to make sure the state runs smoothly, and to give equal rights to everyone, establish the Florida Constitution.

According to the preamble, what are three purposes of Florida’s state government?
1. Make sure everyone is happy and peaceful
2. Make sure the state runs smoothly
3. To give everyone equal rights

The Structure and Function of Florida’s Government

Article III: The power to make laws in the state shall be given to a legislature of the State of Florida, consisting of a senate and a house of representatives.

Branch / Function / Structure
Legislative / To make laws / 1. Senate
2. House of Representatives

Article IV: The executive power of the state government shall be given to a governor who is the commander-in-chief of the state’s military and is in charge of putting all laws into place.

Branch / Function / Structure
Executive / 1. Leader of the state military
2. Putting laws into place / Governor

Branch / Function / Structure
Judicial / Make sure that laws follow the FL Constitution / 1. Supreme Court
2. District Courts of Appeal
3. Circuit Courts
4. County Courts