1. Reflect on yesterday’s “island” activity. What difficulties did you encounter individually or as a class? What would have helped make the activity run smoother?

2. Make a list of rules you must abide by at Mepham. What would life be like here if you did not have any rules? ProsCons

3. Working with your group think about your daily/ weekly activities? Make a list of all the ways in which government directly or indirectly impacts your life on a daily basis. Be prepared to share your group’s response with the class.

4. Definition of Government: A body of people that sets and administers public policy and exercises executive, political, and sovereign power, through customs, institutions and laws within a state.

5. Government Responsibilities: Local Government: Include two groups (counties and municipalities aka towns/cities) Responsible for parks, recreation, police, fire, housing services, emergency medical services, courts, transportation, public works (sewers, snow removal, signage) Local government must be granted power by the state. The officials that serve are directly elected by the people

6. State Government: Under the 10 th Amendment all power not granted to the Federal Government is reserved for the states. State government is modeled after the federal government They can organize any way they would like Executive Branch: – Governor is the head of the state, he is directly elected by the people. – Attorney General and Secretary of State are also elected by the people. Legislative Branch: All 50 states have legislatures made up of elected representatives. They create legislation that becomes law. – All states but Nebraska have two chambers in their Legislative branch Judicial Branch: Led by State Supreme Court

7. Federal Government: Defense Veterans Affairs Homeland Security Treasury Justice Agriculture Health and Human Services Labor State Housing and Urban Development Education Social Security Environmental Protection