November is election time, time to vote for individuals to represent you – and bills that improve your life. Voting is a right and a privilege for citizens. What are the citizen of? Today, you might be a digital citizen. Find out what it means to be a citizen in this global society.
CONNECT:
- Congress for Kids (http://www.congressforkids.net/) gives you access to interactive, fun-filled experiences designed to help you learn about the foundation of our federal government and how its actions affect you.
- You are a citizen of a country, but also have state’s rights. Find out about state government by seeing California’s state capitol museum at http://www.capitolmuseum.ca.gov/
- Tour the Angel Island immigration station and learn about what many Chinese and Japanese immigrants had to endure to become US citizens: http://aiisf.org/?page_id=5
- Did you know that it’s the Electoral College who elects the US President; technically, it’s not by popular vote? Find out about its procedures, policies, history and information on Presidential elections at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/index.html
CREATE:
- iCivics teach kids about important civics topics: Citizenship and Participation, Separation of Powers, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Judicial Branch, the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch and Budgeting. Sound boring? How about running for President? Passing new laws? It’s fun and games at https://www.icivics.org/
- One of the reasons for the American Revolution was lack of representation; Americans had little voice in the government but they were being taxed. Find out about the Boston Tea Party, and how this event by Boston citizens helped lead to the founding of the USA. Watch young people reinact this history-changing party at http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/
- Explore what it means to be a digital citizen at http://www.digizen.org/kids/
- The U.S. Department of Justice is adding a Kids Page where you can learn their department. Since this website is just for kids, the department wants K-12 kids to submit their ideas for the welcome page in a contest. You can draw, write, or use your computer. You can send entriies to the Department of Justice by mail or email. See https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/kidspage.pdf for details.
CARE:
- The Center for Civic Education tries to help students develop (1) an increased understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy and the fundamental principles and values upon which they are founded, (2) the skills necessary to participate as effective and responsible citizens, and (3) the willingness to use democratic procedures for making decisions and managing conflict. Do you have a minute? Try their 60-second civics quiz and podcast at http://new.civiced.org/60-second-civics
- You can participate in elections even before being of voting age. Find out from PBS at http://pbskids.org/democracy/vote/
- Rock the Vote (http://www.rockthevote.org/) is dedicated to protecting freedom of speech, educating young people about the issues that affect us, and motivating young people to participate by registering, voting, and speaking out.
- One of the rights and responsibilities of citizens is to participate in the democratic political process. You can so this as part of the Endangered Species Coalition. Get active at http://www.endangered.org/
CAREERS:
Think about the jobs that are connected with citizenship,
from helping people enter the country to teaching them how to become citizens
to participating as a citizen through government service and leadership. Here
are a few leads:
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