The president of the United States is the most powerful person in the government, right? Well, sort of. Scholars analyze the powers of the president in the scope of the United States government and politics. They view a short video clip gathering information on just what the president is allowed to do while in office. The 11th lesson in the 50-part series generates thought and discussion surrounding the issues of formal and informal powers outlined by the Constitution.

Concepts

the united states government, presidential roles and powers, american politics

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Split the class into the three branches of government and have the president play out his/her impact on each branch 
• Research the formal and informal powers of the president according to the Constitution 

Classroom Considerations

• Video is less than seven minutes in length, place in unit on the presidency accordingly 

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Uses the Clone Zone to lay out different points of view on the topic
• Incorporates animation, which helps visual learners understand the concepts

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.1 RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.3 RH.11-12.1 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.3