State Leadership - The Executive Branch

Open Ended

What is your name?

​State Governments Provided Services to their Citizens

It takes a lot to run a state.  Think about it! People need transportation that is reliable, education to ensure that they have a successful future, police officers / firefighters / EMTs for emergency situations, water and electricity to help us run our homes and businesses, and many other things too. 

​States are involved in all of these areas of life, and many more, thanks to the leadership of the state’s governor, lieutenant governor (like an assistant governor), and members of the governor’s “cabinet” .  Each member of the governor's cabinet is charge of managing a different department of the state government.

State Leadership

Every state has one leader. That person is called the governor! Do you know who your state’s governor is? Any idea what he or she has been up to lately?

Governors, all of whom are elected by the people of the state, serve as the chief executive officers of the fifty states. As state managers, and heads of the Executive Branch, governors are responsible for implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch.

Directions:
Follow the link to the State Government's website. Find the names of the Massachusetts Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Name:

Title: Governor

Name:

Title: Lieutenant Governor

The Governor and Lieutenant Governor are both part of which branch of state government?

Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito have assembled a team of professionals to help improve Massachusetts. The members of the cabinet are tasked with overseeing their respective agencies and helping to develop policies and initiatives to advance the Administration’s agenda.

​The Governor's Cabinet

​Directions:

Read the descriptions of each of the departments led by members of the Governor's Cabinet on the next two slides and match them try to correctly place the department above each description. Then fill the labels onto today's handout.

​Use the link to the Governor's Cabinet in Google Classroom to help if you would like.

Match

Match each of the Departments of the Governor's Cabinet to the description of what each department does.

You can use the link in Google Classroom to the governor's cabinet to provide you with assistance.

• This Department is in charge of making sure that workers, employers, and the unemployed have the tools and training needed to succeed in the Massachusetts economy.

• This department supports job creation and business growth. They also support the creation of new housing for residents through investments in communities

• This department works to make sure that people traveling throughout Massachusetts have access to safe and reliable roads and transportation. This department helps improve people’s quality of life and helps the state’s economy.

Department of Labor and Workforce

Department of Housing and Economic Development

Department of Transportation

• Department of Labor and Workforce

• Department of Housing and Economic Development

• Department of Transportation

Match

Match each of the Departments of the Governor's Cabinet to the description of what each department does.

You can use the link in Google Classroom to the governor's cabinet to provide you with assistance.

• This department is there to make sure that everyone in the state of Massachusetts has access to free public education in grades K-12 as well as options for higher education after graduation.

• The purpose of this department is to make sure that citizens of Massachusetts have access to secure and quality digital information, digital services, and digital tools when and where they need them.

• This department is in charge of the state budget, oversight of the state and local governments, collecting taxes for the state, and making sure that the state of Massachusetts pays its bills

Department of Education

Department of Technology Services and Security

Department of Administration and Finance (Money)

• Department of Education

• Department of Technology Services and Security

• Department of Administration and Finance (Money)

Match

Match the following departments in the Governor's Cabinet to the description of what this group of people do.

You can use the link in Google Classroom to the governor's cabinet to provide you with assistance.

• The goal of this department is to to protect the people of Massachusetts and keep them safe.  This means keeping people safe from everyday emergencies like crimes and fires, but also protects the people and state in the event of both manmade and environmental disasters

• This department works with about 1 out every 4 members of the state to make sure that the people in the state are healthy, resilient and independent.

• This department is in charge of protecting, preserving, and improving the state’s environmental resources while also making sure that clean energy is provided to the state's residents.

Department of Public Safety and Security

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs

• Department of Public Safety and Security

• Department of Health and Human Services

• Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs

​Now read the scenarios on today's handout.

​Decide with your group members which department of the governor's cabinet would be in charge in each situation.