U.S. Government – Elementary School Lesson Plans and Activities at Your Fingertips

Get ready to dive in the the concepts of the United States government with Teach Starter resources designed to inspire and engage students. This activity is the first of many resources joining the library to enhance your Social Studies and Government Lesson Plans.

This sorting activity is designed to help students understand how their taxes pay for services that are provided by the government, such as parks and highways. Students are given a series of statements that can be sorted into two categories: Government Services or Non-Government Services. 

To use, students will sort a series of services into two columns. They will identify services that are and are not provided by the government.

Through this activity, students will discover and learn about the different types of services provided by the government.

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

A team of dedicated, experienced educators created this resource to support your Social Studies lessons. 

If you have a mixture of above and below-level learners, check out these suggestions for keeping students on track with the concepts: 

🆘 Support Struggling Students

Help students who need help understanding the concepts by

• Providing read aloud assistance as needed
• Assist students with activity in small groups or one-to-one settings
• Allow students to work with partners or reference a government anchor chart while completing the activity.

➕ Challenge Fast Finishers

• Encourage fast finishers to expand their learning by researching other services provided by the different levels of government.

Plan lessons for all ability levels with our 10 Best Scaffolding Strategies! 

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the Color or Blackline version of this resource. 

Print on cardstock for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access. 

This resource was created by Lindsey, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities and resources that cut down on lesson planning time: