THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

•  There are three different levels of government: local, state, and federal. Each level of government has its own elected officials who have specific jobs to do. As an American citizen, you have a voice in all three levels of government when you vote.

• Local government is the level that is closest to the community. People in the neighborhood elect a mayor and city council members. Town meetings allow the people to bring their concerns to their elected leaders. The mayor and city council members pass laws that affect the city and the people who live there.

• State government is in charge of writing and enforcing laws for all the people within one state. The people of the state elect a governor and representatives who handle business for the state. Special state departments handle issue like how to organize public education, and how to protect the health and safety of state citizens.

• Federal government is in charge of writing and enforcing laws for the people in our entire nation. The people of the United States elect a president, senators, and representatives to handle business that affects the whole country. The federal level of government is the only level that can print money, negotiate with other countries, or declare war.

• Each level of government has specific officials and duties.  We, the people, entrust our power to our leaders. It is their responsibility to make sure that our interests and safety are protected.

 Name:__________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the reading passage. Don’t forget to go back to the passage whenever necessary to find or confirm   your answers.

1)   What are the level levels of government?

2)  How does the average person have a voice in government?

3) Which level of government has the ability to print money? 

4)  Which level of government is in charge of organizing public schools? 

5)  Which level of government is most likely to have meetings where you can meet your elected officials? Why?

WORLD CLIMATES

•  There are quite a few different climates found on planet Earth. A climate is the usual or average condition of the atmosphere (the layers of gases and air above Earth) in a certain area. Climate can change slightly from day to day, but you should think of it as what the weather is like most often.

• Scientists have identified eleven different climates on Earth. They are named either for the specific region where they can be found, or to describe the typical weather found there. In the polar regions of Earth, near the North Pole and the South Pole, there are two extremely cold climates: Ice caps and Tundra. In the warmer tropical regions near the equator, there are three separate climates: Monsoon, Wet, and Savannah/Grasslands. In the subtropical regions between the tropical regions and the polar regions, there are six different climates: Dry summer, Dry winter, Humid, Marine West Coast, Mediterranean, and Wet.

• Why are the warmest climates found near the equator?  The equator is at the widest surface of Earth, so the sun shines directly on it when Earth is facing the sun. Because Earth is a sphere, the surface curves as it moves away from the equator, and those areas receive less direct sunlight. The poles, at the top and bottom of Earth’s sphere, receive the least sunlight of all, and therefore have a layer of ice year-round.

 Name:__________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the reading passage. Don’t forget to go back to the passage whenever necessary to find or confirm   your answers.

1)   What is a climate?

2)  What is the climate of the region where you live?

3)   Why is it coldest in the Polar Regions?

4)  How does the shape of Earth affect the climate of different regions?

5)  Are you more likely to have a warm climate in Canada or in Mexico? Why?

STORYTELLING & FOLKLORE

•  Did you know that many early Native American groups did not have a written language? Think about all the history and stories that we preserve in our culture by writing them down in books. Of course, we have technology to use today as well, but in the early days the people had only their own voices. They used their voices to pass down their history through special stories and customs. This is called folklore.  Many of their stories were in the form of myths that explained mysteries of nature, or legends about past heroes of their culture. Elements of religion and magic are often included.  Even though they have modern methods available to them today, many tribes choose to continue the custom of storytelling and folklore as part of their cultural experience.

• Many Native American groups have a history of believing in spirits. They believe that the spirits, often in the form of animals found in nature, watch over them. However, they also see the ancient gods as tricksters. A trickster is a character who plays tricks and jokes on others, often causing trouble or inconvenience, but really meaning no terrible harm. Many of the traditional customs, ceremonies or celebrations use costumes of various animals and honor them in the hopes that they will save their tricks for someone else. Some ceremonies are done to help the tribe prepare for a special event, like a marriage, or a battle, or a hunt.

 Name:__________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the reading passage. Don’t forget to go back to the passage whenever necessary to find or confirm your answers.

1)  If the only way you had to save your family history was by using your voice, what stories would you choose to tell?

2)  Why do you think many Native Americans continue storytelling even though other methods are available today?

3)  What is something in nature that might be fun to explain through a mythical story?

4)   What is a trickster?

5)  Why do you think many of the natives’ gods look like animals?

WHAT IS A TRIBAL GOVERNMENT?

•  Many American Indians live on reservations, which are areas of land that are owned by a specific American Indian tribe, or group.  Each American Indian tribe is in charge of its own tribal government. Tribal governments are not part of the local or state governments. They are under the supervision  of the United States federal government. Native Americans serve on tribal councils, which make laws for the reservation.  The laws are a lot like the laws that our state governments make to protect the health, safety, and rights of the people.   Tribal governments also provide their own services, such as police, fire, and courts for the people who live on the reservation.

• Many tribal governments have written constitutions just like our state and federal governments. A constitution is a written plan for how the government will work, including the duties and freedoms of the people, and the government. When there are disagreements or court cases, the constitution is used to help resolve the issues.

• Tribal governments help their people earn money so they can meet their needs. Some tribes create art or sing and dance in cultural performances on their reservations. Visitors pay money to see artifacts in museums, attend performances, and buy original arts and crafts. Some tribes have casinos and other entertainment to bring in paying customers. Reservations are located within states. Native Americans help our economy by spending their money on local businesses and services.

 Name:__________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the reading passage. Don’t forget to go back to the passage whenever necessary to find or confirm   your answers.

1)   What is a reservation?

2)  Which level of the U.S. government supervises tribal governments?

3)   What is the purpose of a constitution?

4)  What kinds of laws would you expect to find on a reservation?

5)  Do you think that having separate tribal governments are a good idea? Why, or why not?