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3rd grade · Social Studies · Unit 4 of 7

Governing Arizona

The Governor, the Legislature, counties, cities and tribes

What your child practices

How Arizona is governed: the Arizona Constitution, the three branches in Phoenix, the Legislature's 30 senators and 60 representatives, how a bill becomes law, initiatives and recalls, counties, cities and tribal governments, and residents' rights and responsibilities.

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 3.C3.1; 3.C1.1; 3.H3.1 · the Arizona Constitution and Arizona's state, local and tribal governments, civic virtues, and how rights and responsibilities can differ by community and state

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Arizona’s government in Phoenix has three branches.
  2. The Legislature makes laws, with 30 senators and 60 representatives. The Governor can sign or veto a bill.
  3. Voters can propose laws by initiative or remove officials by recall.

Example: When the Governor refuses to sign a bill, it is called a… Signing makes a bill law. Refusing to sign is a veto. Answer: veto

Governing Arizona in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 4 of 7 in 3rd grade Social Studies, after Arizona's Indian Nations and before Arizona at Work.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Arizona Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A responsibility of an Arizona resident is to…

    • follow the laws
    • skip school
    • ignore neighbors

  2. Question 2

    When the Governor refuses to sign a bill, it is called a…

    • veto
    • verdict
    • vote

  3. Question 3

    Where does Arizona's state government meet?

    • City Hall in Tucson
    • the Capitol in Phoenix
    • the White House

  4. Question 4

    The judicial branch…

    • decides what laws mean and settles disputes
    • plows the roads
    • makes the laws

  5. Question 5

    Which level of government runs a city's police, parks and libraries?

    • local government
    • the federal government
    • a foreign government

  6. Question 6

    Why do communities need rules?

    • so nobody can play
    • to keep people safe and treat everyone fairly
    • to make life harder

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