Government 3 rd Grade

GA Grade 3, Social Studies StandardSS3E2 The student will explain that governments provide certain types of goods and services in a market economy and pay for these through taxes and will describe services such as schools, libraries, roads, police/fire protection, and military.

Government Services The government provides services for the citizens using tax money. The citizens expect the government to pay for some basic services like schools, parks, and libraries.

Schools Public schools are provided by the government. The kids do not have to pay to go to a public school. Public schools teach kids from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Parks Public parks are provided by the government. People do not have to pay to use the park. Some parks have playgrounds, sports fields, ponds, walking trails, and picnic tables.

Library Public libraries are provided by the government. People do not have to pay to use the library. Libraries have books, magazines, music, and movies that people can borrow for free. They have to be sure to return them on time, or they will have to pay a late fee!

Taxes  Taxes are an important part of our economy. Taxes help to pay for services and items that the government needs. Taxes pay for different things. The idea is that taxes that citizens pay end up helping all citizens. Services and items bought with tax money are supposed to benefit all citizens.  Some taxes pay for services. For example, some taxes are used to pay for public employees. City workers, librarians, police officers, and teachers get paid from taxes.  Some taxes pay for certain items. For example, some tax money is used to buy books and school supplies for schools. In another example, tax money might be used to build highways or fix city roads.

Sales Tax Sales Tax—Sales taxes are taxes that are charged to the items people buy every day. Things like candy, electronics, and clothes are some of the many items that are usually charged with sales tax. Some things you buy are not charged with tax. For example, basic foods like milk, eggs, and bread are not taxed because they are items that people NEED in order to live. Also, prescription drugs, baby food, fruits, and vegetables are not taxed. These items may be different from city to city. The amount of sales tax is also different from city to city For example, Julie lives in a city with a 7% sales tax. This means that for every dollar Julie spends, she must also pay 7%. If Julie buys a book for $3, she will have to pay.07 cents in tax for each dollar she spends. It looks like this: $ cents (taxes) $ cents (taxes) $ cents (taxes) $3.21

Income Tax Income Taxes—This is the tax money that gets taken out of a person's paycheck. This money goes to the government. The government uses it to pay for things like defense and public safety. Depending on how much money you make, the government may take more or less of your paycheck.

GA Grade 3, Social Studies StandardSS3CG1 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that provide the foundation of a republican form of government. a. Explain why in the United States there is a separation of power between branches of government and levels of government. b. Name the three levels of government (national, state, local) and the three branches in each (executive, legislative, judicial), including the names of the legislative branch (Congress, General Assembly, city commission or city council). c. State an example of the responsibilities of each level and branch of government.

Levels of Government Levels of Government Governments can be divided into different levels. The levels are local, county, state, and national. Each person or group in the different levels has special duties.

Local Government The local government is in charge of a city or town. It is made up of the: Mayor—the leader of the city or town City Council— group of people who help the mayor make rules for the city or town Police Chief— the leader of the police department who makes sure the people in the city or town follow the laws

County Government The county government is in charge of all the cities and towns in the county. It is made up of the: Commissioner—the leader of the county Tax Commissioner— person in charge of collecting taxes and making sure the money pays for services for the citizens Sheriff— person in charge of making sure all the people in the county follow the law County Courts— the courts that hold cases for people who broke laws in the county

State Government The state government is in charge of all the counties in the state. It is made up of the: Governor—the leader of the state Legislature or General Assembly - the group that makes laws for the state; made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives State Supreme Court— the court that holds cases where the decision connects to the whole state

National Government The national government is in charge of the whole United States. It is made up of the: President—the leader of the country Congress—the group that makes laws for the country; made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives U.S. Supreme Court— the court that holds cases where the decision connects to the whole country

GA Grade 3, Social Studies StandardSS3CG1 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that provide the foundation of a republican form of government a.Explain why in the United States there is a separation of power between branches of government and levels of government. b.Name the three levels of government (national, state, local) and the three branches in each (executive, legislative, judicial), including the names of the legislative branch (Congress, General Assembly, city commission or city council). c. State an example of the responsibilities of each level and branch of government.

Branches of Government The federal and state governments are divided into parts, or branches. The three branches are the executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch. In the United States Federal Government: The executive branch is made up of the President, Vice President, the Cabinet, and a number of departments. Their job is to carry out the laws. The legislative branch is also called Congress. It is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Its job is to make the country’s laws. The judicial branch is another name for the federal courts, such as the Supreme Court. The courts’ job is to decide if a law has been broken. They also make sure that the rights of the people are protected.

In the State Government… In State Government: The executive branch is made up of the governor, lieutenant governor, and a number of departments. Their job is to carry out the laws. The legislative branch is also called the General Assembly. It is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Its job is to make the country’s laws. The judicial branch is another name for the court system, which includes the supreme court and city courts. The courts’ job is to decide if a law has been broken. They also make sure that the rights of the people are protected.

Checks and Balances The U.S. Constitution gives the government a system of checks and balances. This system gives each branch a way to cancel or stop the activity of other branches. It keeps one branch from having too much power. Here is a chart that shows how some activities of one branch can be "checked" by another. PowerChecked Congress passes a bill to become law President can veto the law President vetoes a law Congress can cancel the veto with a 2/3 vote President signs a bill into law Supreme Court can declare the law unconstitutional President breaks the law Congress can impeach the president (put him on trial) President appoints judges to the Supreme Court Congress can refuse to approve the judges