In Government, we are studying how the US government is structured, according to the US Constitution.  We  identify that the US is a republic, with a representative democracy – we citizens elect representatives who make our laws and understand our rights and responsibilities as voting citizens.  We will  study the 3 different branches of government, understand the duties and responsibilities of each branch, and identify who the members of each branch are, and how they came to those positions.  We will also explain how each branch serves as a check and balance for the other two.  It is an especially exciting time to study this subject as we are in the middle of a Presidential election year!  In the months leading up to the election, we will learn and discuss current events as they happen, espeically in terms of the election and how those events can affect us every day in our homes.  We will watcj CNN Student News brodacasts  to learn about the news.  The textbook we are using this year is Pacemaker American Government by Pearson, and we will draw upon the website i-Civics for greater insight and understanding of the topic.