Tim's ESL Page

Video: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/17676-the-executive-branch-the-executive-branch-video.htm

This video provides an overview of U.S. government and the three branches with more attention paid to the Executive Branch in particular. This is a good starting point for the rest of the other branches.

Time: ~11 minutes

Intended Audience: high intermediate to advanced learners. High School to Adult students are recommended.

Three Parts of the Video:

How The Executive Branch was made.

Why the executive branch was made.

Powers the executive branch possesses.

*discuss these three objectives of the video with students before the video begins*

Comprehension Questions:

These comprehension questions are used to help either test a student’s ability to comprehend listening using top-down and bottom-up processing or it can be used for a discussion aid.

1. who are the most important people in government?

2. What are important to make sure that one branch isn’t more powerful than another?

3. Who shares the responsibility with the Federal Government?

4. In response to questions number 3, what is one example of the powers that they (the answer to #3)  are reserved.

5. What are the three branches of government? *these provide checks and balances.*

6. President is what ____ and chief of the armed forces?

7. What does impeachment mean?

8. Which president in 1998 was impeached, but not convicted by the senate. (He was not removed from office)?

9. True or False. The American system of government is the oldest government in existance?

10. Multiple Choice. Who is The Executive Power vested in?
1) Congress
2) Judges
3) The President

11. List one power that he/they may have.

12. President enters into office through _____?
1) election
2) appointment
3) royal family
13) Why was the electoral college used?

14. What are two requirements for the Presidency?

15. What amendment limited the amount of terms a president can serve to 2?

16. What part of the legislative branch does the vice president reside over and casts a tie-breaking vote if necessary?

1) The House of Representatives
2) The Senate

17. True or False. The Vice President becomes President in the case of the President’s death?

Review of the executive branch video: found here:http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/27241-the-executive-branch-the-executive-branch-review-video.htm

The review can be a good video to use after you have shown the first video. This can summarize some main points of the presidency and Executive Branch. This will be limited mainly to facts.

Video Quiz: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/27242-the-executive-branch-the-executive-branch-quiz-video.htm

The video quiz can be used to help students have the information reviewed after the video to fill in parts of the comprehension assignment above that may be unclear, or just to give a good overview of the information that was presented. I would recommend:

1) Form groups of threes or vary it depending upon class size

2) Next, present one question from the video link and then pause it.

3) Give each group 2-3 minutes to discuss the video and give their interpretations to their classmates.

4) Call on one group to present their answer.

5) Repeat 2-4 for each question.