America's Founding Era Education Forum (AFEEF)

Checks and Balances Reading

A document titled "Checks and Balances Reading" with sections on the Legislative Branch and three branches of government.

A short, student-friendly reading that explains checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution, written for grades 3–5. Use it to introduce the idea or pair it with the Checks and Balances Jigsaw Activity.

Activity at a glance

  • Grade level: 4th–5th grade (written for grades 3–5)
  • Printable PDF handout
  • Created by: Bill of Rights Institute
  • Cost: free

This free resource was created by Bill of Rights Institute, an AFEEF member organization. Open the full activity on the original site:

View Activity (opens Bill of Rights Institute in a new tab)
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