Checks and Branches: Separation of Powers
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Game Info for Teachers
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LENGTH
15 Minutes
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Description
A ransomware attack is hitting school districts nationwide. Players must guide Bill 2475, the National School Cybersecurity Act, through all three branches of government before the damage spreads. Playing as a Member of Congress, then the President, then a Supreme Court Justice, players make real constitutional decisions at every step. Before each major decision, advisors present competing arguments and primary source quotes from the Constitution and the Federalist Papers to frame the question. Players then weigh two named positions in a Question Presented format before committing to a choice. Every alert, every power card, and every vote produces different consequences depending on what the player decides. The bill can be rushed to a floor vote or carefully reviewed in committee. It can be signed or vetoed. It can be upheld or struck down. Each path tells a different constitutional story. In 15 minutes, players experience the full journey of a bill through all three branches of the U.S. government.
Vocabulary Words
Instructions
Play through this interactive game to learn about Separation of Powers. Suitable for Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8.
Main Concepts
Discussion Questions
Before the Game
What is tyranny, and why did the framers want to prevent it? What does separation of powers mean? Why is government power divided among three branches? What are checks and balances? How can one branch stop another branch from becoming too powerful? What could happen if one branch of government were allowed to make, enforce, and interpret the laws by itself?
After the Game
How did the three branches of government limit one another’s power during the simulation? Give one example of a branch trying to do something that the Constitution says is another branch's job. How was it stopped? How did checks and balances affect what happened to the cybersecurity bill? Why is separation of powers important even when the government needs to act quickly? How did Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court each have a different role in deciding what happened to the law? What did the simulation show about the difference between having power and having constitutional authority? Which decision in the game best demonstrated checks and balances? Explain your reasoning. Based on the simulation, why might the framers have wanted no single branch to control the entire process
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