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Interactive
iCivics

I Civics: Games: Lawcraft

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Interactive game that takes the student through the law-making process. Pick a member of Congress and an issue, then see what is necessary to get the bill passed and made into law.
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Activity
US House of Representatives

Kids in the House: How a Bill Becomes a Law

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Interactive website in which students build a bill and journey through the process of how a bill becomes law. With links to significant material, glossary, and resources for teachers.
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Activity
Other

Project Vote Smart: How a Bill Becomes a Law

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Project Vote Smart provides a detailed guide to the process of making a bill become a law. Content also includes links for more explanation on certain topics.
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Activity
Other

Project Vote Smart: How a Bill Becomes a Law

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Project Vote Smart provides a detailed guide to the process of making a bill become a law. Content also includes links for more explanation on certain topics.
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Website
Other

Classroom Law Project

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource archive serves as resource for students and teachers for reference for multiple law topics including: the Census, presidential impeachment process and criminal justice reform.
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Lesson Plan
The Dirksen Congressional Center

Congress Link: Lesson Plans

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
The Dirksen Congressional Center provides abundant lesson plans on all aspects of the US Congress and the US Constitution. All lessons contain time frames, objectives, and links to material, and are built around Bloom's taxonomy.
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Primary
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: Congressional Record

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. Successful navigation of the site take knowledge of the GPO's navigation code. An important hint for when looking up a specific...
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Primary
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: Congressional Reports

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Congressional committee transcripts are compiled into the Congressional Reports section of the Government Printing office website. Most of the information included within the Congressional Reports include the gathering of expert...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Mini Lesson: Congressional Committees

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students discover the different types of congressional committees and their responsibilities in this lesson.
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Handout
Other

Iri: What Are Ballot Propositions, Initiatives, and Referendums?

For Students 9th - 10th
This site explains what ballot measures are and the different forms these can take. It also provides lists of states that allow initiatives and legislative propositions.
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Website
US Government Publishing Office

Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Learning Adventures: How Laws Are Made: The Language of the Law

For Students Pre-K - 1st Standards
Learning Adventures from Bensguide summarizes the process of lawmaking outlined in the U.S. Constitution and provides links to a glossary of legislative terms and Congressional Resolution from 2003.
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Website
US Government Publishing Office

Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: How Laws Are Made

For Students 3rd - 5th
An easy-to-understand reading of the process of how a law comes to be.
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Activity
The Dirksen Congressional Center

Congress for Kids: The President and Congress

For Students 3rd - 5th
A brief description of the interaction between the president and Congress. Also includes information about the process for signing a bill into a law and take a quiz to test your learning.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Changing the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 10th
America's constitutional government has changed over time as a result of amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Supreme Court decisions, legislation, and other practices. Students will use the seven basic principles found in our government...
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Graphic
US Government Publishing Office

Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: How Laws Are Implemented

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Students can visualize how a bill becomes a law with this infographic that breaks the process down into 7 steps with pictures and explanations. [PDF]
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Website
US Government Publishing Office

Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Citizenship: Becoming a u.s. Citizen

For Students 3rd - 5th
Ben's Guide is a fun way to present U.S. Government to students. This site presents a description of the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Links to related sites are available.
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Activity
US Government Publishing Office

Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: What Is a Law?

For Students 3rd - 5th
Find out what a law is and who makes them. Learn the step by step process of how laws are made on the national level.
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: The Role of the Conference Committee

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Students will use C-SPAN to observe short film clips of a Congressional conference committee in action. Students will hear the rules under which the committee functions and hear debate regarding aspects of the bill. Finally, students...
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Website
Other

Joint Committee on Taxation

For Students 9th - 10th
A general explanation of the Joint Committee on Taxation is contained on this website. The members of the committee are listed by name and state. The site aslo describes the responsibilities of this committee.
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Primary
Curated OER

National Park Service: Andrew Johnson Historic Site: Fourteenth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
The complete text of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
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Lesson Plan
US National Archives

National Archives: Congress at Work: Presidential Veto

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The veto process is an integral part of our checks and balances. Introduce the power of the presidential veto and override to a class using an example from President Nixon's administration. Materials include the Constitution, worksheets,...
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Primary
US Department of Justice

Us Department of Justice: Statutes Enforced by the Antitrust Division [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
As part of the antitrust division manual of the United States Department of Justice, this document provides the full text of the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Wilson Tariff Act, the Clayton Act, the amended Antitrust Civil Process Act, and...
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Lesson Plan
University of Illinois

University of Illinois: The Chinese Experience: Chinese Exclusion

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan is from a larger unit examining the Chinese immigrant experience in America in the 19th century. Students will examine actions that were taken to discriminate against the Chinese and exclude them from American society.
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Website
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: Congressional Hearings

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Massive directory of the transcripts of all Senate and House committee and subcommittee hearings from the 105th Congress to the 109th Congress. Hearings are typcially open to the public and done for the purpose of attaining information...