Welcome to The Dirksen Congressional Center's Communicator–a web-based e-newsletter providing educators with news and ideas to improve the understanding of Congress: http://www.webcommunicator.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. People Who Served in Congress
2. Congress Defined
3. Congress in the Classroom 2010  =  Success!
4. *New* Lesson Plan: Greater Debate Issues #2 – Does the Separation of Powers Produce Ineffective Government?
5. *New* Editorial Cartoons
6. *New* U.S. House of Representatives Oral Histories
7. *New* Video: Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report
8. *New* Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: Budget Simulator
9. *New* The Redistricting Game, What Does it Take to be a U.S. Citizen? & Trivia
10. Postscript Information

1. PEOPLE WHO SERVED IN CONGRESS
   Sketches of famous and not-so-famous Senators and Representatives

African-Americans in Congress: 

Women in Congress:  

2. CONGRESS DEFINED
   Words and phrases that describe congressional processes

Fast-Track Procedures.  Procedures that speed up the legislative process, sometimes by circumventing the usual rules. In the House these include special procedures in rules reported by the Rules Committee, procedures for dealing with measures on the corrections and private calendars, and suspension of the rules. The Senate uses unanimous consent agreements.

Source:  Congressional Quarterly’s American Congressional Dictionary, 3rd edition (2001):98.

3. CONGRESS IN THE CLASSROOM 2010 = SUCCESS!

The key element to The Dirksen Center’s national, award-winning education program, Congress in the Classroom, is the participation and collaboration among the teachers who attend the program.

From the staff perspective, this was the best workshop in at least five years!  We are already at work for the 20th Congress in the Classroom®, which will take place from July 25 through July 28, 2011.

Congress in the Classroom is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information on teaching about Congress.  Although the program featured a variety of sessions, the 2010 program  featured a broad overview of Congress with special attention to the mid-year elections of 2010. 

Read what our 2010 participants had to say about the program at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm#say

4. * NEW LESSON PLAN * GREATER DEBATE ISSUES #2 – DOES THE SEPARATION OF POWERS PRODUCE INEFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT?

During our annual Congress in the Classroom® workshop –– http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm –– participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms. A past participant presented a lesson entitled, Greater Debate Issues #2 – Does the Separation of Powers Produce Ineffective Government?

Many current issues are debated in government classes, issues that real representatives debate in Congress.  Yet, there are larger or “greater” issues that deal with core ideas, philosophies or values behind American government that divide politicians or students of politics.  In this lesson, the second of three, students will learn, read, and debate the merits of the separation of powers. 

Assignments for this and the next debate will consist of  (a) preview reading/journal, (b) reading and recording of points from a “yes” or “no” point of view, (c) meeting with an opposite point of view, recording notes, and discussing, and (d) post-reading journal.  An all-class debate will occur for only some topics.

Find Greater Debate Issues #2 – Does the Separation of Powers Produce Ineffective Government?
at:  http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_greaterdebateissue2.htm

5. * NEW * EDITORIAL CARTOONS

The Dirksen Congressional Center recently announced additions to the Editorial Cartoon Collection project: http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/index.htm.

The editorial cartoons and related lesson plans will teach students to identify issues, analyze symbols, acknowledge the need for background knowledge, recognize stereotypes and caricatures, think critically, and appreciate the role of irony and humor.

This month we have posted five new cartoons:

• Caption: Everett Dirksen’s Death
  http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/chron121-130.htm  #124
  
  
• Caption: Dirksen Opposes Financial Disclosure
  http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/chron111-120.htm  #115
  
  
• Caption: Everett Dirksen’s Death
  http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/chron121-130.htm  #125
   
• Caption: Everett Dirksen’s Death
  http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/chron121-130.htm  #126
  
  
• Caption: Dirksen vs. Federal Courts
  http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/chron141-150.htm  #143

We now have a total of 143 cartoons posted!

6. * NEW * U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ORAL HISTORIES

Beginning in 2004, the Office of the Clerk authorized the first oral history program for the U.S. House of Representatives. Created to make the rich heritage of the U.S. House of Representatives more accessible to Members, staff, scholars, and the general public, the program seeks to include interviews with a wide variety of House employees such as Member aides, committee staff, support staff, technical assistants, and family of Members. Select former Representatives also are interviewed. Interviews are conducted by the Office of History and Preservation (OHP).

The collection and preservation of the stories and experiences of people who have worked on Capitol Hill greatly contributes to the historical record of the U.S. House of Representatives. Detailed descriptions of legislative processes and procedures, personal and political anecdotes, and recollections about the evolving nature of the institution, represent a vital source of information about the inner workings of Congress. Recording the memories of people who have worked in various capacities at the Capitol allows current congressional staff the opportunity to familiarize themselves with past House practices, which in turn may inform those making decisions and planning policies in the present. By providing such a resource, the Clerk’s Office also seeks to promote further interest in and study of the history of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Interviewees include a wide variety of House employees: House Officers, Member aides, committee staff, support staff, family of Members, and select former Representatives.

As an example, take a look at Cokie Roberts Audio and Video: http://oralhistory.clerk.house.gov/interviewee.html?name=roberts-cokie&view=media 

Interviews are conducted by the Office of History and Preservation (OHP). New interviews will be added regularly.

For more information about OHP’s oral history program contact the Office of History and Preservation at (202) 226-1300, or via email at: history@mail.house.gov.

7. * NEW * VIDEO: SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE TRUSTEES REPORT

C-SPAN officially launched the C-SPAN Video Library, a free, searchable online collection of every C-SPAN program aired since 1987.  This means teachers will now have access to over 160,000 hours of searchable digital video. You will also be able to create your own embeddable clips for lessons and presentations in your classroom.

C-SPAN's Video Library easily equips teachers with thousands of free resources to create authentic learning experiences for students that deepen their understanding of U.S. and world history, the workings of governments, the role of the media, and current political events.

This month we will highlight a video where Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who serve on the Board of Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, released a new report on the fiscal condition of Social Security and Medicare. The briefing follows an earlier announcement by the Obama administration, projecting that new spending cuts would save the Medicare program $8 billion dollars by the end of 2011. Under the new health care law, Medicare spending will increase by 5.3 percent a year over the next decade and allow the program’s trust fund to remain solvent until 2029.

Find Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report at: http://www.webcommunicator.org/teacher%20topics/newsviews.htm#video

8. * NEW *  COMMITTEE FOR A RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL BUDGET: BUDGET SIMULATOR

Last month The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) launched a new interactive project to underscore the long-term fiscal challenges facing the United States and promote dialogue on how best to resolve them. The Stabilize the Debt online budget simulator allows users to get a truer sense of the difficult decisions that will be required to put the U.S. on a sustainable fiscal path. Users will see how their budget choices affect the longer-term debt picture and share their results with friends in order to spark discussion.

The simulator will be particularly useful to students in gaining a better understanding of our fiscal situation and the trade-offs involved in dealing with it. It is easy to use, but also full of information. You can experience it at http://crfb.org/stabilizethedebt/.

9. * NEW * THE REDISTRICTING GAME; WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A U.S. CITIZEN?; TRIVIA

* THE REDISTRICTING GAME *

The Redistricting Game is designed to educate, engage, and empower citizens around the issue of political redistricting. Currently, the political system in most states allows the state legislators themselves to draw the lines. This system is subject to a wide range of abuses and manipulations that encourage incumbents to draw districts which protect their seats rather than risk an open contest.

By exploring how the system works, as well as how open it is to abuse, The Redistricting Game allows players to experience the realities of one of the most important (yet least understood) aspects of our political system. The game provides a basic introduction to the redistricting system, allows players to explore the ways in which abuses can undermine the system, and provides info about reform initiatives - including a playable version of the Tanner Reform bill to demonstrate the ways that the system might be made more consistent with tenets of good governance. Beyond playing the game, the web site for The Redistricting Game provides a wealth of information about redistricting in every state as well as providing hands-on opportunities for civic engagement and political action.

Find The Redistricting Game at: http://www.congressforkids.net/games/elections_voting/2_voting.htm

* WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A U.S. CITIZEN? *

What does it take to be a U.S. citizen?  You can become an U.S. citizen by birth, through a process called "naturalization," through "derivative citizenship," or through "acquired citizenship."
 
Learn more at: http://www.congressforkids.net/citizenship_1_whatdoesittake.htm

See how prepared you are to take a 100-question citizenship test. Link to the PDF worksheet at the bottom of the page and enter your answers in the text boxes provided.  After completing the worksheet, discuss your answers with your teacher and classmates.

* TRIVIA *

Which of the following has voted the most consistently for a single party's presidential candidates?

1. Washington, DC
2. Alaska
3. Hawaii
4. Arizona

*Find the answer in next month's issue.

Answer to June 2010’s Fun, Facts, and Trivia: http://www.webcommunicator.org/classroomresources/funfactstrivia_ans0610.htm

10. POSTSCRIPT INFORMATION

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