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All materials and videos in the CT-N State Civics
Toolbox are made available to Connecticut Teachers
free of charge as part of
our commitment to your students!
Anyone wishing to view or purchase a CT-N event not for use with the
CT-N State Civics Toolbox should click here
.
The lessons, videos and activities in the CT-N State Civics Toolbox are
designed to help teachers explain the workings of Connecticut's local
and state political institutions to middle school and high school
students. The generic format of each lesson is designed for teachers to
borrow, amend, edit, and enlarge, as they deem necessary, for their
classrooms. These activities are appropriate for use in Middle School
7th and 8th grade Social Studies and American History courses and for
High School Civics and United States History at all levels. Teachers
utilizing the program or designing additional materials should address
the Connecticut Framework K-12 Curricular Goals and Standards for Social
Studies and the curriculum standards below, taken from the
National
Council for the Social Studies ten themes. Individual activities should
also reflect
Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences approach to the
development of materials and Benjamin Blooms' Taxonomy of higher level
thinking skills.[1]
CT-N Educational Video Library
View our growing list of educational video programs.
Classroom Reference Posters
The Connecticut Network offers full size reference posters to
Connecticut teachers to help better illustrate the structure and
function of state government. Posters are 22 by 34 inches and are
available while supplies last.
Maps
Download and use these maps to help students understand the political
geography of Connecticut.
CT Congressional Districts ( pdf )
CT State Senate Districts ( pdf )
CT House of Representatives Districts (
pdf )
Connecticut Legislators by District/Town
CT Congressional Districts by town (
doc |
html )
CT Senators by District ( html )
CT Representatives by District ( html )
Elections
Campaign Finance Lesson Plans and Activities
Federal and state governments have been proposing and passing various
campaign finance reforms since the late 1800's leaving behind a rich
history of laws and events. Have any reform efforts worked? How have
elections changed since then? Inside this unit teachers will find lesson
plans, activities, anticipatory sets and support materials to help you
bring this exciting topic into your classroom.
Your Vote: Where Democracy Begins
This series of short videos explains voting in Connecticut and why it is
important to cast a vote.
Election Simulation Game
In this simulation game students take roles as candidates,
campaign staff, legislators, lobbyists, and voters to construct
a working understanding of the importance of political and
economic activism in a republican form of government.
Federal vs. State Government
Lesson Plans: The Road to Impeachment
Although the events leading to the resignation of Connecticut's Governor
created a period of crisis in the state, they offer several worthwhile
lessons related to the structure and function of Connecticut's
government. In the following series of lesson plans students will study
the relationship between the three branches of government, analyze the
differences between the state and federal impeachment process and
role-play the duties of government officials during the impeachment
proceedings.
Understanding
the Legislature
A six-part video lecture hosted by Judge Robert Satter detailing the
structure and function of the Connecticut General Assembly.
Current Issues
Legislative Debate Activities and Lesson Plans
CT-N has taken traditional core teaching objectives and added our
archive of legislative debates (Hot Topics) to challenge students to discover the
historical and present day issues surrounding civics. The combination of
current public policy issues and creative activities will not only
foster a dynamic learning environment, but it will help engage students
in the process of government.
Persuasive Writing
Writing Exercise: Legislative Letter
One of the best ways to participate in government at any level is to
contact your elected officials and voice your opinion on a particular
issue. CT-N has developed the tools to assist you with this activity.
This is a great CAPT pre-test!
Click here to learn more.
Lesson Plan: Understanding Bias
This interactive writing and discussion activity will engage students in
the study of bias as it is used in political debate and decision making,
and enable them to evaluate the presentation of material and its
importance in making informed decisions. This activity is also a good
CAPT practice.
The Role of the Media
Lesson Plan: Journalistic Politics
Students will analyze media products, evaluate the role of "filters"
employed in media coverage, including perspective and biases, using
selected national issues/events, draw conclusions about how individuals
within society determine "truth." Further, they will also uncover the
symbiotic nature of the relationship between media and society, and
reflect both orally and in writing to synthesize learned concepts and
ideas. This lesson is appropriate for high school students in a variety
of courses, ranging from Government to English offerings.
Language Arts & Government Interdisciplinary Exercise
In this activity, high school students will recognize the defining
characteristics of various categories of newspaper writing, including
features (spotlights, in-depth issues, human interest, etc.), news,
editorials, and opinions; identify key facts and information from a
taped legislative session (who, what, when, why, where, and how); apply
and synthesize learning by writing a journalistic piece in a specified
mode/point of view; understand that point of view influences the
selection of information, the tone of the language used, and the
reader's interpretation of the issue.
Research Projects
Lesson Plan: Tracking A Legislator
Students will track a member of the CT legislature whose political life
and choices during the course of the semester, or other teacher-selected
period, provide the opportunity for students to gain greater civic
literacy and understanding through in-depth, multi-perspective analysis.
This is a project for the spring semester, as it will coincide with the
CT General Assembly when in session.
Reference Tools
Classroom Reference Posters
The Connecticut Network offers full size reference posters to
Connecticut teachers to help better illustrate the structure and
function of state government. Posters are 22 by 34 inches and are
available while supplies last.
Maps
CT Congressional Districts ( pdf |
gif )
CT State Senate Districts ( pdf |
gif )
CT House of Representatives Districts (
pdf |
gif )
Connecticut Legislators by District/Town
CT Congressional Districts by town (
doc |
html )
CT Senators by District ( html )
CT Representatives by District ( html )
CT Legislative Officials & Their
Duties html |
pdf
This page will offer a brief look at the function of Legislative
Officials of the Connecticut General Assembly and offer links for more
information.
How to Read a Bill
html |
pdf
The text of a bill is one extra piece of information that helps students
gain a deeper insight into the legislative process. This page is
provided to help teachers fully utilize the bill information for
classroom instruction by understanding its components.
How a Bill Becomes Law
(pdf)
Learn about the process that a bill must go through in order to become a
law through this flowchart.
This Is Your General Assembly
(pdf)
A good overview of how many aspects of the General Assembly works.
Including; members, bills, dates, committees, contact information, and
much more.
Legislative Terms
Here's a list of terms you'll probably hear while watching the House and
Senate on CT-N.
Links
Media Links
Connecticut is home to a wealth of print publications and television and
radio news sources. The state's broad base of media organizations
provides invaluable supplementary material for teachers interested in
expanding their "toolbox" to include current local, state and national
news.
Educational Links
The following list of web sites has been compiled for the purpose of
assisting teachers and students in researching the activities on this
web site.
[1] Victor W. Geraci. Table 4.1 Instructional Objectives: Bloom's
Taxonomy of Educational Objectives and Table 4.2 Seven Styles of
Learning: Summary Chart. In Karolyn Smardz and Shelley J. Smith editors.
The Archaeology Education Handbook: Sharing The Past With Kids. New
York: Alta Mira Press, 2000.
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Connecticut Public Affairs Network - The CT-N State Civics
Toolbox and associated content is copyright protected. Duplication
for purposes other than intended is illegal.
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