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Home > The Executive Branch > Brief the Chief
Game
The Executive Branch
Available in Spanish

Brief the Chief

List Teaser
Advise the president through major moments in U.S. history.
6-8
9-12
0-15  min.

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Learning Objectives

  • Explain the structure, functions, and processes of the executive branch of government
  • Compare and contrast historical, cultural, economic, and political perspectives
  • Question and use inquiry to construct arguments, using evidence from multiple sources

Overview

Should LBJ run for a second term? How might President Lincoln respond to the situation at Ft. Sumter? What can President Jefferson do about the Port of New Orleans?

Your students will take on the job of advising the president through historical events and challenges by talking to people in and around the White House. Consult with confidants within the White House and use evidence-based reasoning to provide a presidential briefing.

Can your students advise Presidents Jefferson, Lincoln, and Johnson on landmark events and important historical decisions that defined their presidencies? 

In Brief the Chief, your students will:

  • Select from three presidencies: Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Lyndon B. Johnson
  • Choose from 6 historical challenges
  • Interview stakeholders and collect notes
  • Make an informed position and present it for consideration
  • Discover the historical outcomes of each challenge

Made in partnership with The White House Historical Association.

 

Teacher Tips

The Brief the Chief Extension Pack includes activities and a mini quiz that give the game context and reinforce and assess its concepts. Extension Packs include a downloadable teacher lesson plan, assignable student handout, and instructive Google Slides. 

Multilingual and English learners (ELs/MLs) and Spanish-speaking students: This game offers a decision-support tool, an English voiceover, a contextualized glossary, and a Spanish-language version.

Our games integrate seamlessly into your curriculum and classroom! Learn more about how to teach with games.

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Create your free iCivics account and discover standards aligned lessons and games that meet all of your instructional needs. Our nonpartisan classroom resources engage students with complex concepts in ways they can understand and relate to.

Tags

Pedagogy Tags
History Connection
EL/ML
Vocabulary
Spanish
Assessment
Tech Options
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Smartphone App
Tablet/iPad App
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Partners

Discover an additional resource to engage with Brief the Chief

Dr. Matthew Costello, Chief Education Officer for the White House Historical Association, is joined by two real-life presidential advisors to discuss their time working in the White House.

Hear from Anita McBride, who previously served as an assistant to President George W. Bush and chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush, and Tina Tchen, who previously served as an assistant to President Barack Obama and chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama. Anita and Tina take questions from middle school students and discuss their time working in the White House and public service as a whole. 

Use the Scope & Sequence to help you plan your iCivics classroom experience!

Whether you enjoy finding opportunities within a well-structured sequence of resources or prefer looking around for pieces and bits that can be jigsawed together, our Scope & Sequence documents are a perfect reference point for planning. Scope & Sequence documents are available for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms and list all of our resources in one place.

View the Scope & Sequence