OBJECTIVE:To identify delegated powers of the national government and reserved powers of the individual state governments.TIME:30 minutes
This activity includes three contests to make it more enjoyable for students to learn about federalism. After reading with the class the introductory paragraphs about the system of federalism, go over the directions for the contests.In each contest, class members read through a series of descriptions that apply to the national government or state governments. Students must fill in the spaces with "N" for national government or "S" for the state governments. No concurrent powers are given. Have the kids work on Contest 1 only. Set a time limit. Once the time has elapsed, have them exchange and check papers. The number of correct answers can be put in a box below question 10. Determine which students have the most right answers. (TIP: Tell class members the top 5 scores are the winners of the contest.) Continue in the same way with Contests 2-3.
Easy-to-follow Teacher Instructions and answer key included, along with a 20-question follow up quiz to measure student progress. The quiz can also be given as a homework assignment.