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Social studies pack for subs

Social studies passages at each grade in the band with questions and keys, and a K-W-L sheet for before and after reading. Pick the grades and print the lot.

Grades
In the social studies pack, 3rd to 5th grade (7 pages):
  • Rules and Laws (grade 3, 156 words, 6 questions) and its key
  • The Three Branches of Government (grade 4, 187 words, 7 questions) and its key
  • Supply and Demand (grade 5, 176 words, 6 questions) and its key
  • A K-W-L sheet
Each student page says how many to print; keys are marked “for you”.
Rules and Laws · page 1 · print 24
Social studies pack · 3rd to 5th grade · teach.peabody.kids/sub · Date: ____________

Name: ____________________________

Every group of people needs rules. At home, a rule might be to wash your hands before dinner. At school, a rule might be to walk in the hallway. Rules help people stay safe and get along.

A community has rules too, and they are called laws. A law is a rule that everyone in a city, state, or country must follow. Laws tell drivers to stop at a red light. They say that people must not take things that belong to someone else.

Leaders make laws. In many cities, a city council makes the laws. In the United States, Congress makes laws for the whole country. People vote to choose many of these leaders.

If a person breaks a law, there may be a penalty, such as paying a fine. Courts decide what should happen when someone is accused of breaking a law.

Good laws are fair to everyone, and they help keep people safe.

  1. Why do groups of people need rules?
  2. What is a law?
  3. What is one example of a law from the passage?
  4. Who makes laws for the whole country?
  5. What do courts do?
  6. How is a school rule different from a law?
Answer key: Rules and Laws · page 2 · for you
Social studies pack · 3rd to 5th grade · teach.peabody.kids/sub · Date: ____________
  1. Why do groups of people need rules?
    Rules help people stay safe and get along.
  2. What is a law?
    A rule that everyone in a city, state, or country must follow.
  3. What is one example of a law from the passage?
    Drivers must stop at a red light, or people must not take things that belong to someone else.
  4. Who makes laws for the whole country?
    Congress.
  5. What do courts do?
    They decide what should happen when someone is accused of breaking a law.
  6. How is a school rule different from a law?
    A school rule is for the people in one school. A law is for everyone in a city, state, or country.
The Three Branches of Government · page 3 · print 24
Social studies pack · 3rd to 5th grade · teach.peabody.kids/sub · Date: ____________

Name: ____________________________

The United States government is divided into three parts, called branches. Each branch has its own job. The rules for the branches are written in the Constitution, the most important set of laws in the country.

The legislative branch makes the laws. It is called Congress, and it has two parts, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Voters choose the members of Congress.

The executive branch carries out the laws. The President leads this branch, with help from the Vice President and many workers who run government offices.

The judicial branch decides what laws mean. It is made up of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. Judges decide whether a law was followed and whether it agrees with the Constitution.

Why split the power in three? The writers of the Constitution did not want any one person or group to have too much of it. So each branch can check the others. Congress can pass a law, and the President can refuse to sign it. The courts can decide that a law does not agree with the Constitution. This system is called checks and balances.

  1. What are the three branches of the United States government?
  2. Which branch makes the laws, and what is it called?
  3. What are the two parts of Congress?
  4. Who leads the executive branch?
  5. What does the judicial branch do?
  6. Why did the writers of the Constitution split the power into three branches?
  7. What is an example of one branch checking another?
Answer key: The Three Branches of Government · page 4 · for you
Social studies pack · 3rd to 5th grade · teach.peabody.kids/sub · Date: ____________
  1. What are the three branches of the United States government?
    The legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
  2. Which branch makes the laws, and what is it called?
    The legislative branch, which is called Congress.
  3. What are the two parts of Congress?
    The Senate and the House of Representatives.
  4. Who leads the executive branch?
    The President.
  5. What does the judicial branch do?
    It decides what laws mean, and whether a law agrees with the Constitution.
  6. Why did the writers of the Constitution split the power into three branches?
    They did not want any one person or group to have too much power.
  7. What is an example of one branch checking another?
    The President can refuse to sign a law Congress passed, or the courts can decide that a law does not agree with the Constitution.
Supply and Demand · page 5 · print 24
Social studies pack · 3rd to 5th grade · teach.peabody.kids/sub · Date: ____________

Name: ____________________________

Why does the price of something go up or down? Often the answer is supply and demand.

Supply is how much of something is for sale. Demand is how much people want to buy it. The price depends on how the two fit together.

Imagine a stand that sells lemonade. On a cool day, few people feel thirsty, so demand is low. The stand has plenty of lemonade, so supply is high. To get people to buy, the owner may lower the price.

Now imagine a hot day. Many thirsty people want a cold drink, so demand rises. If the stand has only a little lemonade left, supply is low. The owner can raise the price, and people may still pay it.

The same pattern shows up in stores everywhere. When a toy is hard to find and everyone wants one, its price may rise. When a store has too many winter coats left in spring, it may put them on sale.

Prices do not change by magic. They change when supply, demand, or both change.

  1. What is supply?
  2. What is demand?
  3. Why might the owner lower the price of lemonade on a cool day?
  4. What happens to demand for lemonade on a hot day?
  5. Why does a store put winter coats on sale in the spring?
  6. What does the last sentence mean?
Answer key: Supply and Demand · page 6 · for you
Social studies pack · 3rd to 5th grade · teach.peabody.kids/sub · Date: ____________
  1. What is supply?
    How much of something is for sale.
  2. What is demand?
    How much people want to buy something.
  3. Why might the owner lower the price of lemonade on a cool day?
    Few people are thirsty, so demand is low, and there is plenty of lemonade. A lower price may get people to buy.
  4. What happens to demand for lemonade on a hot day?
    It rises, because many thirsty people want a cold drink.
  5. Why does a store put winter coats on sale in the spring?
    It has too many left and few people want them now, so supply is high and demand is low.
  6. What does the last sentence mean?
    Prices change for reasons: they change when supply or demand change.
K-W-L: Rules and Laws · page 7 · print 24
Social studies pack · 3rd to 5th grade · teach.peabody.kids/sub · Date: ____________

Name: ____________________________

What I KnowWhat I Want to knowWhat I Learned

How to use it

  1. Pick K–2, 3–5 or 6–8.
  2. Check what's in it, then press Print the pack.
  3. Keep it in your sub bag, or leave it in the emergency folder.

Related

Questions

Where do the sheets come from?

Every passage and worksheet is a page of its own on Peabody Teach, with the same questions and the same answer key.

Is it the same pack every time?

Yes. The same subject and grades print the same sheets, so a pack in the folder matches the one on the site.

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