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.

** HAPPY NEW YEAR! **

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

* GRANTS DEADLINE: CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH AWARDS *

1. People Who Served in Congress
2. Congress Defined
3. *New* Logrolling
4. *New*  Cartoons & Related Lesson Plans
5. *New* Dr. King’s Dream
6. *New* USAspending.gov
7. *New* Martin Luther King, Jr. Cryptogram & Trivia
8. Postscript Information

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

Edward Dickinson Baker (R-OR).  By the 1830s, Baker had become one of Illinois’s most prominent lawyers and a close friend of Abraham Lincoln.  In 1844, he won a seat in the U.S. House, defeating Lincoln for the Whig Party nomination.  By 1852, he had left Congress to practice law in San Francisco.  By 1860, Baker had moved to Oregon and won a seat in the U.S. Senate.  When the Civil War began, he raised a militia unit and helped defend Washington DC, but he led a disastrous charge in which 1,000 of his 1,700 troops died—Baker included.  The disaster led directly to the creation of the toughest congressional investigating committee in history—the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War.  During World War II, the War Department banned the active service of all Congress members, preserving Baker’s distinction as the only U.S. Senator event to die in a limitary engagement.

Sources:

Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress:  http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000059

2. CONGRESS DEFINED
Words and phrases that describe congressional processes

Expunging from the Record.  Deletion from the Congressional Record of remarks or other materials that violate the rules of either chamber, such as derogatory statements about another member.  Expunging requires unanimous consent in the House and unanimous consent or agreement to a motion to do so in the Senate.

Source: Congressional Quarterly, American Congressional Dictionary, 3rd ed. (Washington DC;  CQ Press, 2001):  97.

3. * NEW * LOGROLLING

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, Buddy Hardwicke, Coronado High School, Coronada, CA, presented his lesson entitled, Logrolling.

This is a simulation about the legislative process of logrolling.  This simulation could be used as a sidelight to the lawmaking process, the committee system, or as an exercise to demonstrate a reason for client politics with concentrated benefits and distributed costs.  After completing this simulation, students will have a more complete understanding of the process of logrolling, how it occurs, and what are the consequences.

Find Logrolling at: http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_logrolling.htm

4. * NEW * CARTOONS AND RELATED LESSON PLANS

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

The editorial cartoons and related lesson plans from The Dirksen Center 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 three new cartoons and related lesson plans:

Caption: Domestic Program –– http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/lessons/domestic_program.htm
Caption: Dirksen’s 1962 Campaign –– http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/chron1-10.htm
Caption: The Dirksen-Johnson Relationship –– http://www.congresslink.org/cartoons/chron1-10.htm

5. * NEW RELATED LESSON PLAN * DR. KING'S DREAM

Walk with Martin Luther King, Jr. on the historic March on Washington, hear his inspirational “I Have a Dream” speech, and envision your own dreams of freedom for all Americans.

In this EDSITEment lesson, students will learn about the life and work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.  Students will listen to a brief biography, view photographs of the March on Washington, hear a portion of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and discuss what King’s words mean to them.  Finally, they will create picture books about their own dreams of freedom for Americans today.

Find Dr. King’s Dream at: http://www.congresslink.org/civilrights/1963.htm#august

6. * NEW * USASPENDING.GOV

The Office of Management and Budget officially launched a new Web site that shows taxpayers where their dollars go and which legislators, contractors, and regions get the most.

On this site, you can find the top government contractors, look up your own Congressman, and find out how much and what government contracts he or she steered to the district.  This site offers data going back to 2000.

Find USAspending.gov at: http://www.aboutgovernment.org/print_usgov_evecutivegeneral.htm#white

7. * NEW * MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. CRYPTOGRAM & TRIVIA

Unscramble the words by placing the correct letter in the shaded boxes. Use the numbered boxes to complete the answer to the riddle.

Find Martin Luther King, Jr. Cryptogram at: http://www.congressforkids.net/games/makinglaws/2_makinglaws.htm

Trivia: In Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream Speech,” he talks about the rude awakening of the Negro’s determination to bring justice to all.  He concludes by saying, “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our national until the……”

1. United States of American is just to all men, black or white
2. Black man has his glory day
3. Bright day of justice emerges
4. Negro and the white man walk hand-in-hand

*Find the answer in next month's issue.

Answer to December 2007"s Fun, Facts, and Trivia: http://www.webcommunicator.org/classroom%20resources/funfactstrivia_ans1207.htm

8. NOTICE REGARDING E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Communicator's mailing list has over 25,000 names and is still growing. Please follow the instructions below to help us with list editing:

SUBSCRIBE: To join the Communicator mailing list, send an e- mail to enews@webcommunicator.org with the phrase - Subscribe Communicator -- in the subject line of the message.

UNSUBSCRIBE: To be removed from the Communicator mailing list, send an e-mail to enews@webcommunicator.org with the phrase - Remove Communicator -- in the subject line of the message.

UPDATE E-MAIL ADDRESS: To change your e-mail address, send an e-mail to enews@webcommunicator.org with the phrase - E–mail Change -- in the body of the message and list your old e-mail address and new e-mail address.

FORWARD E-MAIL: We encourage you to forward The Dirksen Congressional Center's Communicator to a friend!

If you experience any problems, send an e-mail to Cindy Koeppel.