Project Vote Smart

It is, once again, voting season. Sign wavers are on street corners, smiling and trying to entice your vote. Everyone's candidate is the best candidate, apparently. So how can voters make an informed decision? There are quite a few resources that do their best to keep voters informed but, today, I will highlight only one - Project Vote Smart. This site contains information for voters on political leaders, their positions on issues, and campaign finance. It also has a special section for teachers, with lesson plans for elementary, middle and high school. The lessons use the Project Vote Smart website to help students explore the politicians of their state and what they stand for. This is a great site, not only to teach students about voting and their representatives, but for adults who want to get an unbiased comparison of the candidates.

Civics

Now that the school year is just about over it is time to start thinking about the Fall, right? Well, here's a little something to get you started.

It can difficult to find material on civics topics that is interesting to the students. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s “iCivics Project” has done a wonderful job of producing reliable information in a way that is engaging to students. The site contains games to help introduce students to the Separation of powers, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch. I actually started playing Do I Have A Right? where I got to run my own law firm and deal with Constitutional issues. Pretty cool, huh? The teachers section is arranged by curriculum topic with interactive webquests and lessons that provide everything you need to teach your students.

And don't forget that Constitution Day is Friday, September 17. Visit Sunnylands Classroom to register for free Constitution Day 2010 resources. According to a promotional email I received from annenbergclassroom.org, 2010 resources will include:

Several films:
A Fair and Impartial Jury: Jury Selection – Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Company (mailed only to those who sign up by September 3rd)
A Conversation on the Constitution with Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony M. Kennedy: The Right to an Impartial Trial by Jury

And many interactive educational games on the Constitution:
The Bill of Rights
Being John Marshall
Branches of Power*
LawCraft*
Executive Command*
Court Quest*

* produced in partnership with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s “iCivics Project”.

So get a jump on the new school year and check these out.

Award Winning Web Sites

I stumbled upon this list at pbs.org while looking for something else and wanted to share. The sites on this list "invite visitors to interact through non-linear storytelling and social issue games. Accompanying lesson plans explore the arts, culture and society."

First on the list is BEYOND THE FIRE: Teen Experiences of War recommended for grades 7-12. This site allows students to experience the life of teenage refugees through the eyes of teens who have actually experienced it. The provided lessons deal with issues of child soldiers and comparing the experiences of teen refugees. Students can sign up for a passport, collecting stamps as they visit each teen. Once the student collects all 15 stamps they can publish comments on the site.

Next is Circle of Stories which introduces students to the oral tradition of Native American storytelling. Recommended for grades 6-12, the lessons allow students to explore the Native American cultures, the issues they face today, and the importance of recording their family history.

Third is Off the Map which is all about visionary art and ten people around the world who have created their own "visionary paradise". The site gives students the opportunity to build their own "backyard paradise" online. There are five learning activities for different grade levels.

Fourth on the list is Face to Face which deals with what life has been like for Americans of Japanese, Middle Eastern, and South Asian descent after the events of Pearl Harbor and September 11th. Real people tell their stories of "fear, anger, hatred, loyalty, and trust." Lesson plans are designed to give students the experience of being treated as "the enemy". Recommended for grades 6-12, this is an incredibly powerful site.

Last on the list is World Without Oil, which was originally "a realistic simulation of the first 32 weeks of a global oil shortage chronicled in 1,500 personal blog posts, videos, images and voicemails." This simulation has been used to create lesson plans for use with high school students, asking the questions “What if there was an oil shortage? Starting today? How would your life change?” There are also lessons for students to do an independent study.

Five great sites. My favorite is Face to Face. Which one is yours?