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6th grade · Social Studies · Unit 7 of 8

Governing Minnesota

The state constitution, branches and voting

What your child practices

The purpose of the Constitution of the State of Minnesota, the Governor, the Legislature and the courts, counties and cities, how people become citizens and vote, and Minnesota's state symbols.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 6.1.4.1; 6.1.2.1; 6.1.3.1 · the purpose of the state constitution and how it relates to the US Constitution, democratic principles, and citizenship

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Minnesota's constitution says government gets its power from the people.
  2. If the state and US constitutions disagree, the US Constitution wins.
  3. The governor serves 4 years. Cities have a mayor and city council. The state bird is the common loon.

Example: If Minnesota's constitution and the US Constitution disagree, which wins? The US Constitution is the supreme law of the land. States must follow it. Answer: the US Constitution

Governing Minnesota in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 7 of 8 in 6th grade Social Studies, after Work & New Minnesotans and before Minnesota Through Time.

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: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

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

    Who signs a bill to make it a Minnesota law?

    • The Governor
    • A county sheriff
    • The Chief Justice
    • A mayor

  2. Question 2

    A city's government is usually led by a mayor and a…

    • Senate
    • king
    • Supreme Court
    • city council

  3. Question 3

    A democratic principle in the Minnesota Constitution is that…

    • only some people may speak
    • the governor rules for life
    • laws are secret
    • government gets its power from the people

  4. Question 4

    A person becomes a US citizen by being born in the US or by…

    • turning 10
    • visiting once
    • buying a house
    • naturalization

  5. Question 5

    Minnesota's state bird is the…

    • cardinal
    • robin
    • bald eagle
    • common loon

  6. Question 6

    Minnesota's state motto, L'Étoile du Nord, means…

    • Land of Lakes
    • Many Rivers
    • Star of the North
    • Big Woods

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