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If you’re helping pupils navigate the confusing realm of politics, civics, law, and other issues related to government, consider asking your learners the following question: Is there a connection between campaign donations and legislative votes? Although the answer may seem laughably obvious, the implications of the response are anything but amusing. What might inform a neutral observer’s answer to the question? What evidence could a citizen use to seek clarification? Is there a beacon to guide a truly curious individual on such a quest?

Enter MAPLight.org.

MAPLight, uses a public database to shine a light on the links that exist between campaign donations made to political figures and legislative voting records. Not surprisingly, there are more than a few politicians who do not appreciate the glare of such attention on their behavior and decisions.

UPDATE: After writing this post, I came across a news item that seemed particularly relevant to the point I was trying to make. Robert Pear of the New York Times reports,

“In the official record of the historic House debate on overhauling health care, the speeches of many lawmakers echo with similarities. Often, that was no accident. Statements by more than a dozen lawmakers were ghostwritten, in whole or in part, by Washington lobbyists working for Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies.”

I’ve included a citation for any teacher or student who may be wish to refer to the article.

Pear, R. (2009, November 14). In House, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’. New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/us/politics/15health.html?_r=1&hp

Related resources:

• If you’re teaching students how to gain a better understanding of the government of the United States, you’ll want to get acquainted with the Sunlight Foundation because it also provides a great deal of clarity.
• Visitors who access Capitol Words are able to track and visualize the most used words in the Congressional Record. The words being tracked and visualized are displayed in more than one manner. They appear in a word cloud as well as in list view.
• Kim Rees of Periscopic (an impressive interactive design firm specializing in information visualization), points out that curious educators, pupils, and citizens should also explore Congress Speaks as it’s a great way to review the words spoken by the 110th Congress.

government, rights ethics, government, govt, integrity, money, political, politics

It began with the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. Yes, today is Veterans Day. Do your students understand the significance of this day? Do they understand what it mean to truly pay respect to veterans? What are some of the ways veterans are (and should be) honored in our society today?

Encourage your pupils to stop and think about the brave men and women who have served and are currently serving in America’s Armed Forces. They deserve our respect and students should know why. The United States Department of Veteran Affairs contains educational resources designed to help teachers discuss the importance this day.

It’s never too late to learn.

Related resources:

• The Veterans History Project is a content rich Library of Congress web page dedicated to Veterans Day.
• The on a Smithsonian’s stirring Price of Freedom is an exploration of Americans who served during times of war.

government civics, freedom, history, holiday, liberty, peace, war

October is Energy Awareness Month. Many teachers don’t realize that the U.S. Department of Energy’s very own Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) provides helpful materials and ideas for promoting energy-saving practices. The Department of Energy also has a site designed for educators that’s worth exploring. Make a point to explore the site’s You Have the Power campaign resources.

Another way to make the concept of energy conservation more relevant to students is to help them simulate what it’s like to operate an electrical grid. Deciding who gets power and how it’s delivered involves a great deal of both creative and critical thinking (not to mention an appreciation for and the skilled application of math and science). Thankfully, the Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (MSTE) program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign collaborated with the Information Trust Institute (ITI) NSF Trustworthy Cyber Infrastructure for the Power grid (TCIP) project and created some powerful instructional resources for pupils in middle and high school that explore and illustrate key concepts about how and why the power grid works the way it does. Once students play with the Power Grid simulation applet, they’ll continue coming back to tinker with it time and again.

Related links:

• What do you know about energy efficiency and renewable energy? The U.S. Department of Energy has a website for these topics, too! Check out EERE. While you’re at it, swing by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Younger students will enjoy EERE’s partnership with Tinkerbell.
• Freelance science journalist Maggie Koerth-Baker recently contributed a BoingBoing post entitled Power to the People about NPR’s engaging, interactive U.S. power gridmap. It’s good to know where our power comes from as well as how we’re using it.
• Have you heard about Google PowerMeter?
• Ever heard of the Global Energy Network Institute? This progressive organization believes that everyone on the planet should have access to ecologically sustainable energy. GENI focuses on linking renewable energy resources around the world using international electricity transmission.
• Ever wonder what power cords look like in other countries? Ningbo Yaosheng Electric Co., Ltd (of Ningbo, Zhejiang, China) has a rather interesting collection of world power cord/plug specifications.
• It’s a small world. Lots of people–teachers and students included–are traveling from place to place these days. Many are bringing along laptops and other, related devices. Sooner or later they’ll have to recharge. I hope these educators and pupils take the time to research electricity around the world.

environment, government, science, virtualization electricity, energy, power, powergrid

Today is Constitution Day. Does this matter to your students? Do they know their rights? How informed are they about their liberties? On September 17th, 1787, attendees at the U.S. Constitutional Convention made history by signing the one of the most important documents in the world. Now, some 222 years later, America proudly recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution (as well as all individuals who’ve become citizens by either coming of age or through the process of naturalization).

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. Even after more than two centuries, its effects on our nation are profound. This innovative document defines the three main branches of our government. Given the fact that upcoming debates on public issues center on interpretations of the Constitution (for example, disagreements over health care reform and the Tenth Amendment), educators should help pupils discover, explore, and respect its power.

Integrate a little technology: listen to a digital audio recitation of the Constitution as read by David P. Currie, the Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of University of Chicago Law School.

Essential questions related to this topic:

• What’s the best/worst way in which the Constitution has been interpreted?
• Is the Constitution the best means of resolving the struggle between security and liberty? Explain your answer.
• What (if anything) is the most important reason to understand or support the continued use of the Constitution?
• Is it possible to improve the Constitution or is such an idea preposterous? If not, why not? If yes, why and how?
• What’s the best evidence of the power of the Constitution?
• What is the most good the Constitution has done for any individual in the history of our nation?
• Is any portion of the Constitution weak?
• What is the single, most important right insured by the Constitution?
• What is the most compelling reason to deny and/or suspend an individual’s or group’s rights as guaranteed by the Constitution? Should these rights ever be suspended?
• Which individual is the epitome of the ideals expressed in the Constitution (i.e., who is a role model for the ideals expressed in the document)?
• How can/could the Constitution be reworded so as to express the same (or even more noble) ideals for a larger audience?

Related links:

• Explore vital events and themes in our nation’s history with We the People.
• Take a very detailed tour through the U.S. Constitution Online.

government, rights civil-rights, civility, freedom, law, politcs, rights