Deepen your knowledge of the content of the new high school civics and government standards and explore resources for teaching them Build your knowledge of Read More
Author Archives: Jennifer Bloom
Constitution USA
May 5, 2013 – 9:07 pm
Does the Constitution have what it takes to keep up with modern America? Join Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! as he hits the Read More
Project Citizen comes to the State Capitol
April 1, 2013 – 6:28 pm
May 3, 2013 9:00-1:30 Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda Are your students preparing portfolios for the annual Project Citizen Showcase? Don’t forget to register them! Space Read More
Free Professional Development Seminar: Meeting New Standards
March 15, 2013 – 9:55 am
Tuesday, March 26, 3:30-7:30 Using the Deliberating in a Democracy Lesson “Should we lower our voting age to 16?” learn how to build your students’ Read More
Law Day Art Contest for U.S. Students Grades 9 through 12
February 21, 2013 – 6:23 pm
2013 Theme: Realizing the Dream: Equality for All. Submission: Students should create an art piece that can be represented in two dimensions (including, but not limited to, drawings, Read More
Congress in the Classroom applications due March 15
February 15, 2013 – 4:34 pm
Congress in the Classroom is a national, award-winning education program developed and sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange Read More
4th Annual First Amendment Cartoon Contest
February 12, 2013 – 7:56 pm
Open to students nationwide: high school, middle school, and elementary school. Join us in celebrating the Bill of Rights with the 4th Annual First Amendment Read More
The real history of the NRA and gun control in America – Short Video
January 3, 2013 – 6:15 pm
In the wake of the Sandy Hook school massacre, legislators have returned to the debate over gun rights. Adam Winkler, a professor of constitutional law Read More
New game from iCivics
December 11, 2012 – 4:03 pm
Can jury duty be fun? In We the Jury, it is. In the latest game from iCivics, you decide a tough case and discover what jurors Read More
Grants available for middle and high school teachers to attend Political Science workshop, application deadline January 15, 2013
November 30, 2012 – 4:23 pm
This initiative is sponsored by the Workshop on the Scientific Study of Politics at the Department of Political Science at Texas A&M University, Midwest Political Read More
We the People State Showcase and Competition Dec. 6
November 5, 2012 – 8:36 pm
At the State Capitol, participation expenses supported through Legacy Grant, and announcing new pilot program for elementary and middle school students! Find out more!
Last-minute presidential election guide – top five links worth sharing
November 2, 2012 – 4:13 pm
From ProCon.org Top five links includes Presidential Candidate Match Quiz, Candidate Summary Chart, and other important resources for the final days!
We the People State Showcase and Competition Dec. 6
October 30, 2012 – 10:37 pm
At the State Capitol, participation expenses supported through Legacy Grant, and announcing new pilot program for elementary and middle school students! Find out more!
Teaching Electoral College
October 29, 2012 – 6:49 pm
As focus turns to the Electoral College in the last week of the too-close-to-call campaign, explore these lessons on this news-breaking topic: PBS NewsHour includes Read More
Lessons for Minnesota Constitutional Amendments
October 24, 2012 – 2:03 pm
Minnesota voters face two constitutional amendment questions: marriage and voter ID. New lessons tackle these controversial topics. Minnesota Marriage Amendment Minnesota Voter ID Amendment New Read More
Advancing civic learning
October 11, 2012 – 3:07 pm
Opportunity to voice your thoughts. . . From the US Department of Education : At a White House event this past January, the Obama Administration Read More
Looking for lessons on Presidential Debates and Elections?
October 3, 2012 – 6:33 pm
Links to ideas for teaching the upcoming Presidential Debates. Use a scorecard or bingo game!
Essay Contest for Minnesota High School Seniors –$500 scholarships to be awarded. Register by Sept. 15
August 28, 2012 – 5:57 pm
The Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society launches second annual essay contest. The contest is open to all Minnesota high school seniors and is sponsored in Read More
UPDATE 2013–Get Updated Before School Starts!
April 18, 2012 – 2:33 am
Deepen your knowledge of the content of the new high school civics and government standards and explore resources for teaching them Build your knowledge Read More
New Free Workshop Offering from Humanities Center, April, 28 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
April 10, 2012 – 11:59 pm
Based on the curriculum for the PBS documentary, Slavery by Another Name, learn best practices for using storytelling, including digital storytelling, as an effective teaching tool Read More
FlackCheck.org will track political lies, launches Jan. 1
November 17, 2011 – 3:19 pm
http://www.flackcheck.org/ FlackCheck.org will use humor to track the media and political adds, pointing out deceptions and spin. Brought to you by FactCheck.org from the University of Read More
Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration
November 16, 2011 – 9:36 pm
Popular, entertaining video that depicts the Founding Fathers as they perform “Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZfRaWAtBVg
iCivics launches new game!
November 4, 2011 – 7:25 pm
”Win the White House” allows players to run for president from the primaries through Election Day. As part of the Politics and Public Policy curriculum Read More
Street Law Supreme Court Institute Application Available
October 4, 2011 – 8:10 pm
Street Law, Inc. is now accepting online applications for the 2012 Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers. The application deadline is March 12, 2012. http://www.streetlaw.org/en/Article.266.aspx
Supreme Court Teaching Resources
October 4, 2011 – 8:02 pm
Tuesday, October 04, 2011 The Supreme Court of the United States began the 2011-12 Term on Monday, October 3. Street Law, Inc. is celebrating the beginning of the Read More
Cases lining up to ask Supreme Court to clarify Second Amendment rights
August 16, 2011 – 3:03 pm
A funny thing has happened in the three years since gun-rights activists won their biggest victory at the Supreme Court. They’ve been on a losing Read More
We the People Update Washington, DC Institute REGISTRATION CLOSED
May 20, 2011 – 6:14 pm
We the People/Update goes to Washington! THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY AND THE MEDIA IN A DEMOCRACY Sunday, June 26 (starting around 5 pm) to Read More
NAEP Civics Test Points to Crisis
May 5, 2011 – 3:33 pm
Only a tiny percentage of American students achieved superior performance in civics on the 2010 NAEP test known as the “nation’s report card.” From the Read More
Updated Lesson: Islamist Terrorism: From 1945 to the Death of bin Laden
May 3, 2011 – 2:50 am
On May 1, 2011, President Barak Obama announced to the nation and the world that Osama bin Laden, the head of the Al Qaeda terrorism Read More
America, the ignorant?
March 21, 2011 – 4:17 pm
NEWSWEEK gave 1,000 Americans the U.S. Citizenship Test—38 percent failed. The country’s future is imperiled by our ignorance. In this week’s issue, Andrew Romano looks Read More
Rock the Vote & the National Education Association Announce Democracy Day!
March 17, 2011 – 3:19 pm
Forty years ago, educators and students worked together to lower the voting age to 18. In doing so, they amended the Constitution and empowered millions Read More
Comment on First Draft of MN Social Studies Standards by March 14
March 10, 2011 – 1:46 pm
The first draft of the revised standards was posted online on Feb. 25. Members of the public are invited to view the draft and make Read More
Legislator for a Day POSTPONED!
March 3, 2011 – 3:32 am
June 21, 2011 8:30-3:00 Minnesota State Capitol Due to the anticipated special legislative session before July 1 and the election to the Minnesota Senate of Read More
Project Citizen Summer Institutes-registration deadline soon!
February 10, 2011 – 9:30 am
The early registration deadline for the 2011 Project Citizen Summer Institutes is quickly approaching! Once again the Center for Civic Education is offering five national Read More
New Lesson on presidential powers for Ronald Reagan’s Birthday
February 10, 2011 – 9:22 am
Ronald Reagan Lesson On the occasion of the one-hundredth anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth, the Center for Civic Education and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Read More
Bill of Rights Institute website updated! Re-subscribe!
February 9, 2011 – 10:31 am
Discover free lesson plans, Founding documents, and landmark case resources, all easier to find and use, on the updated Bill of Rights Institute website. And Read More
A column about Supreme Court of the United States histories that made me smile
February 9, 2011 – 10:26 am
Hope you enjoy it too! Mark A. Graber, “The Supreme Court Justices’ Guide to the Supreme Court” http://umlaw.typepad.com/quoth/2010/09/the-supreme-court-justices-guide-to-the-supreme-court.html
Declaration of Independence You Tube Video
October 19, 2010 – 3:05 pm
This might be a useful online video resource for teachers: This is an excerpt from a July 1997 CBS News Sunday Morning broadcast (the episode Read More