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    Civic Education, Law-Related Education, and Government Links

    Teaching, Research, and Citizen Group Resources

    • Active Citizenship: Empowering America's Youth
      Features a 17-lesson curriculum unit for grades 7-12; information about citizenship education, civic values, service learning, and in-service programs on all these topics.
       
    • The American President
      This is the official Web site for the PBS documentary series by the same name.  It features lesson plans based on the series; in-depth information about all 41 U.S. Presidents; learning activities; historical documents; essays on a wide range of presidential topics; a political magazine by and for students; and a section devoted to following and learning about the 2000 election.
       
    • Anatomy of a Murder: A Trip Through Our Nation's Legal Justice System
      Visitors to this site can follow the fictional story of a murder trial, complete with legally accurate details. Provided to enhance the educational purposes of this site are an introduction to the legal justice system, a glossary, information on Supreme Court cases, and actual documents filled out during an arrest.
       
    • Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
      This site, maintained by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), provides learning tools for K-12 students, parents, and teachers about how the U.S. government works.
       
    • C-SPAN Online
      Not just up-to-the-minute news on activities in Congress, but information on and materials for using C-SPAN in the Classroom.
       
    • Center for Civic Education
      This website offers information on CCE and its many civic education programs such as "We the People ...," its publications, articles and papers on civic education, research and evaluation, curricular materials, civics frameworks and standards, and sample lesson plans from CCE books.
       
    • CIVNET
      The mainstay of this site, published by CIVITAS, an international, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting civic education, is a monthly journal of articles about the current state of democracy and civic education, reviews, and reports, all written by civic educators. A civic education resource library features on- and off-site links to historical documents, lesson plans, syllabi, bibliographies, research, journals, newsletters, and other materials.  Also featured is a directory of civic education organizations around the world, a calendar of civic education events, and news about CIVITAS activities.
       
    • The Civic Network
       
    • Close Up Foundation
      The Close Up Foundation aims to teach "responsible participation in the democratic process through civic education programs and publications on government and citizenship." Their website offers information about Close Up's educational books, videos, games, and simulations; its travel programs and service learning programs for K-12 students and older Americans; the K-12 "Close Up Connections" program; and "Close Up on C-SPAN," a weekly public affairs/news program broadcast on C-SPAN.
       
    • CongressLink
      Lesson plans and other teaching resources on Congress, how it works, its Constitutional underpinnings, its leaders and members, and the public policies it produces. Developed by The Dirksen Congressional Center.
       
    • Constitution Society
      Explores rights, powers, and duties; abuses and usurpations; jurisdiction and due process; and electoral process. Also provides information and additional links on citizen action; organizations; events; commentary; resources; United States founding documents; the concept of unity and federalism; constitutional defense; legal and political reform; public education; publications; people; references; and images.
       
    • Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) and Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago
      The websites of these community-based organizations dedicated to educating young people for civic participation feature publications, K-12 curriculum on civic participation, service learning, government, and law-related education, and mock trials and simulations. Also, information about CRF and CRFC teacher workshops and other programs.
       
    • PBS Democracy Project 2000: Classroom Resources for Teachers
       
    • DemocracyNet (National Endowment for Democracy Website)
      The website of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) offers the Democracy Grants Database, the catalog of NED's Democracy Resource Center, information- about Journal of Democracy and other NED publications, and  instructions for subscribing to the electronic newsletter "DemocracyNews."
       
    • Digital Diplomacy for Students
      From the U.S. Department of State, this site for teachers and students provides and links to information about the work and history of the state department, foreign policy, and related topics. Includes resources on social studies, the arts, and careers in civil and foreign service.
       
    • Documents for American Legal History
      Maintained by a professor of history at the University of Houston, this collection includes documents pertaining to government prior to the United States Constitution, the government of the early American states, actions of the confederated states, the United States Constitution, the Marshall Court, Common Law, the Taney Court, and the fourteenth Amendment.
       
    • Electronic Model Congress
      This simulation, under development since 1994, teaches students "about citizenship in a democratic society and about participation in the legislative processes" in order to develop civics literacy, political involvement, and leadership and telecomputing skills. The website describes the project and how schools can participate.
       
    • Famous Trials
      Maintained by a Professor of Law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School, this site features  primary source materials, bibliographies, and other information about over three dozen well-known trials, from the Salem Witchcraft trials of 1692 to the O.J. Simpson trial in 1995.
       
    • FBI Kids Educational Page (K-5th Grade)
      Educational games, information on crime prevention and detection, and stories about the "working dogs" of the FBI.
       
    • FBI Youth Educational Page (6th-12th grade)
       Activities, games, and information for learning and teaching about the FBI in middle school and high school.
       
    • FindLaw
      This site provides information on nearly every aspect of the law, including law schools; legal cases and codes; legal organizations and professional development; law firms and lawyers; state, federal, and international information; legal news and reference; jobs; a dictionary of legal terms, and more.
       
    • Justice for Kids and Youth
      Maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice, this site features sections on Internet do's and don'ts, getting involved in crime prevention, facts about drugs, a message from Attorney General Janet Reno on hateful acts against children, information for teachers and parents, and information about the U.S. Attorneys.
       
    • Kids in the House (Office of the Clerk)
      Activities, games, and information for teaching about the Office of the Clerk.
       
    • Kids Voting USA
      This project aims to work with schools and communities to "enhance civic education and provide youth a voting experience at official polls on election day." The site provides samples of the Civics Alive! curriculum developed by Kids Voting USA and online activities for students.
       
    • Legal Information Institute's Selected Historic Decisions of the Supreme Court
      This collection includes the 1997 copyright case involving the movie Amistad as well as the case arising out of the 1841 slave revolt aboard the Amistad. Also featured are sections dedicated to administrative law, patent law, and copyright law.
       
    • National Constitution Center
      The National Constitution Center was established by Congress through the Constitution Heritage Act of 1988 as an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. Its Web site features basic information about the Constitution, including the document itself, its history, current Constitution news, a kids' section, and teacher resources.
       
    • Street Law Online
      Law-related education (LRE) teaching resources, books, conferences, etc.
       
    • The Supreme Court Historical Society
      This organization, founded in 1974, aims to expand public awareness of the history and heritage of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Society's site provides the text of significant Supreme Court arguments from 1955 to 1993, schedules of C-SPAN broadcasts of Society events, and a list of the current justices.
       
    • The Timetable of World Legal History
       
    • Titanic Virtual Trial
      Created by a law firm as part of Take Our Daughters to Work Day, this site features a mock trial based on actual events surrounding the sinking of the Titanic, and introduction to the judicial process, a glossary, a teacher's guide, and links to more information about the U.S. judicial system.
       
    • A User's Guide to the Declaration of Independence
      History and analysis of the Declaration of Independence, discussion of hot topics and issues pertaining to the Declaration, primary documents, and other resources.
       
    • Youth Leadership Initiative
       According to its Web site, the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) is "a national citizenship education and engagement program designed to involve students in the American electoral and policymaking process." They develop "classroom resources and social studies course units that are specifically linked to each state's unique academic curriculum standards." The Web site includes learning resources such as YLI Classroom, YLI Mock Election, and YLI e-Congress (registration required for participation).

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