The "Focus on Government" video series consist of four parts: (1) "Congress and the Legislative Branch"; (2) "The Presidency and the Executive Branch"; (3) "The Supreme Court and the Constitution"; and (4) "The Media and Public Policy." Each of these parts is approximately twelve minutes long and consists of six to seven short segments about key topics. The teacher's guide is designed to help students learn more about the processes and principles of American government. The guide is composed of four lessons. The topics of the lessons correspond to the four videotapes. The videotapes and teacher's guide should help students to: (1) gain a deeper understanding of the three branches of American government, as well as the "fourth branch"--the media; (2) compare and contrast the responses of Washington experts on key topics involving the Congress, the President, the Supreme Court, and the media; and (3) develop their own opinions on critical issues in American government. The activities in each lesson provide students with a variety of educational experiences, many of which develop higher-order thinking skills. All of the activities involve class discussions or small-group work. The active learning approach encourages students to go beyond recognition or knowledge of facts to begin analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating the issues and concepts under study. (LH)