E-Congress

=Hi **CP US History I** students!!=

=**CIVIC EDUCATION IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT -** Student participation in simulations of democratic processes. E ngaging students in simulations of voting, trials, legislative deliberation, and diplomacy can lead to heightened political knowledge and interest.=

TODAY: WRITING A BUDGET http://www.youthleadership.net/econgress/students/writing_fiscal_impacts?_yli_session=05f9d7644eb1c1eeb51dd20286b0d192 = = =TODAY:= 1) **WRITE BILL** with all parts addressed Log-in using username and password created on the first day. http://www.youthleadership.net/ FIND REPRESENTATIVE NAMES BY STATE http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/olm112.html

2) **WRITE ONE LETTER** to someone who SUPPORTS YOUR IDEA (must research this person on internet)
 * Must include one research fact to support why your idea is needed and/or important
 * Must include the point of view of the person you are writing to and/or any work they have done in the area under consideration (ex: Joe Pitts already supported bills against abortion or Secretary of State Hillary Clinton already supported ideas in education) To get the full points in this category -you MUST be specific about what they did - give a name of a law passed or bill authored or activity completed.

3) **WRITE ONE LETTER** to someone who DISAGREES with YOUR IDEA - ask them to reconsider (research)
 * Must include one research fact to support why your idea is needed and/or important
 * Must include the point of view of the person you are writing to and/or any work they have done in the area under consideration: Argue why their ideas and/or specific actions have been bad for the country - in a respectful and polite way.

= = =DAY 2-3 WRITING A BILL TO BE PROPOSED INTO LAW=

1. Log-in using username and password created on the first day. http://www.youthleadership.net/ (Absent students see Ms. Vita) 2. Complete the PHASE 1 study guide. Use Introduction and press continue. You will be prompted to take an ideological survey in the middle of this introduction. Please redo this quiz if you completed it previously. You will know that you are done with Phase I when you take a QUIZ. 3. Then move onto the RESEARCH PHASE. During this phase you will research one of the many issues facing our country. Your goal is to select a topic for research and agree on one with your teammates. Your topic must be national in scope: People in Texas may not care about details of Lancaster County. Also, your idea must not be unconstitutional as these types of bills are less likely to be passed. Your idea should also be original and not a law that already exists. 4. To see current bills being passed into law... http://www.opencongress.org/bill/all http://thomas.loc.gov/home/LegislativeData.php?n=Browse

=DAY 1-SIGN UP=

Are you ready and excited to be part of a national program to initiate civic engagement at the high-school level?
1. Click on E-Congress Registration

2. Enter teacher code. //Teacher Code:// PA0232-002

3. Select your class from the list - =[|PM, CP US HIST I, BLK 2]=

4. Enter your information, create a username and password. Your username must contain your first name and part of last name if there are others with the same name as you.

=IDEOLOGICAL SURVEY - WHAT POLITICAL PARTY ARE YOU ALIGNED MOST CLOSELY TO?= Ms. Vita is selection Option 2, which will allow us to work in groups. You will each be assigned a bill based on the groups we identify in class. Every person must be assigned a bill. Ms. Vita must have groups and bills assigned by Tuesday, February 1st.