US House of Representatives
Legislative Trends and Power Sharing Among Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1977–2012
New ReviewBilingual education, voting rights, and Congressional redistricting come up often in the news. Explore these topics from another view—the perspectives of Hispanic members of Congress. Activities include an article with comprehension and...
College Board
Balance of Power Between Congress and the President
Three branches of government help create a system of checks and balances. A helpful resource provides a series of articles regarding the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government. Historians answer...
Curated OER
Speaking Out Against War
High schoolers research on the Web and in other venues to track the Iraq war protests high school students have joined or even led. High schoolers interview students in your community who have joined protests or expressed their views in...
Curated OER
Writing Letters to Legislators
Students discuss the importance of writing to their representatives. Using the internet, they identify who their representative is and ways they can communicate with them. They review the guidelines in which they need to follow in order...
Curated OER
A Representative Back Home
Students explore the day in the life of a U.S. Congressman through a multimedia presentation. They view the activities of Representative Zach Wamp of Tennessee as he meets with constituents in his home district. In small groups, they...
Curated OER
Making Public Policy
Eighth graders examine a Legislative website to view the biography of a member and a map of the district that the member represents. They are then visited by the member who engages students in a discussion about how legislators make...
Curated OER
Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West
Students write a day in the life story from the point of view of another endangered animal. Students write to your local newspaper to express their opinions on the issue. Students research a horse's diet and explain why horses have...
Curated OER
Who Can Influence Legislators?
Students identify four influences that affect how a Member of Congress decides to vote on a bill, and describe ways that individuals and groups influence legislators.
Curated OER
Making Laws
Learners list examples of how laws have impacted their daily lives, and describe how legislators debate, discuss, and pass into law public policies that affect individuals and society.
Curated OER
Communicating with Legislators
Students explain why it is important to communicate with legislators, describe three ways to communicate with legislators, and create a radio public service announcement that explains why it is important to vote and to communicate with...
Curated OER
The Relationship between Legislators and Constituents
Students discuss roles of a legislator, explain why some people criticize legislators for not looking out for the interests of their constituents, and identify ways citizens can monitor legislators and hold them accountable.