Checks and Balances: The Separation of Powers

The United States Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the legislative branch which makes laws, the executive branch which carries out laws, and the judicial branch which evaluates laws. This organization is referred to as the separation of powers. In this civics and history worksheet for middle grades, students will first read an infographic describing “checks and balances” between the three branches of government. Students then use the information in the table to answer several comprehension questions. As a bonus assignment, learners can research and record other checks and balances that exist but were not included in the infographic.