Instructor

EL/Civics Interactive Activities

An interactive site containing activities for ESL students and their role in the community...from tinkerbellchime.com in California

Websites featured in the Online EL/Civics Course

Click on the underlined link to view the site.

A visit to Lowell Mills: A Virtual Visit to Lowell Mills
An ESL class visited a cotton mill and then put their visit on the web. It is a good illustration both of project-based learning and of a student Web site.
Admitting the states to the Union: Online Map of territorial expansions...History
The map shows states coming into the union one by one
United States House of Representatives: U.S. House of Representatives
A state must be selected, a check placed next to a representative's name, and the Search box clicked to reveal information about that representative.
All About the Oregon Trail.url: The Oregon Trail Online Textbook....History
This is an entire webquest on the Oregon Trail with activities that would stretch across several classes.
American History Growth of a Nation: Growth of a Nation flash presentation..History
This great Flash presentation shows how America grew from the first settlements until all states had joined the union. Click the "Play" button on top of the page. The site also contains a detailed timeline.
American History Timeline 1780-2005: American History Timeline
A timeline depicting events in American history. The site also includes a ten minute movie depicting the geographic history of the United States from 1789.
The Oath of Allegiance (Citizenship): The Oath of Allegiance from Ben's Guide
Two parts of the Application for Naturalization, Form N-400 address the Oath of Allegiance that citizenship students take in order to become U.S. citizens. When teaching students how to discuss the information on their N-400, teachers must make sure students understand the Oath of Allegiance and that they are prepared to take it at the Naturalization Oath Ceremony. This page from Ben’s Guide to Government shows the complete Oath of Allegiance and has links to more resources about it.
Branches of Government: Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids...Naturalization
Although this site is for children, it has some good information in a format easy to understand. Especially helpful is the chart that shows what the three branches are and which government officials work in each.
Branches of Government: Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids...upper grades.
This is a well-laid out site with brief overviews of many functions of government. It is appropriate for teacher background knowledge and for direct use of advanced English language learners as well as English-speaking middle school students.
Blank Outline State Maps: Blank outline state maps for reproduction.

Project Based Learning: Project based learning from ESL Resources Digest
Project-based learning is an instructional approach that contextualizes learning by presenting learners with problems to solve or products to develop.
Social Identity of the ESL Learner: Social Identity and the Adult ESL Classroom from ESL Resources Digest; This digest will explore how theories of social identity and language learning have developed and discuss ways in which teachers might support students in the process of self re-creation, with the ultimate goal of making language learning more effective.

Center for Civic Education 9-12 Standards: National Standards for Civics and Government; The following are selected curricular materials available from the Center for Civic Education. All may be printed or downloaded.

Charters of Freedom - The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, The Bill of Rights: Charters of United States History
History and images of important papers of the United States.
Civic Participation and Citizenship Collection: Teaching Active Citizenship in an ESOL class...Government
Tom Smith, Community College of Vermont
Teachers are encouraged here to actively involve students studying government and citizenship in exploration and role playing.; New England Literacy Resource Center
Teachers looking for resources and imaginative lesson plans for U.S. government and other civic areas will find a nice collection at this site.
Civics Lessons and EL Civics Activities for ESL Students: Civics Lessons and EL Civics Activities for ESL Students; The following EL Civics units are now available: Statue of Liberty, Washington, D.C., American Bald Eagle, and Gateway Arch. English Language Civics provides an easy way to learn about American history, geography, and culture. New lessons, worksheets, PowerPoint presentations, and videos are added to elcivics.com almost every week. Free lessons for students and teachers

Color Landform Atlas of the United States: Atlas maps of the various states.; State maps illustrating various topics.

Cross-Cultural Issues in Adult ESL Literacy Classrooms. ERIC Digest: Cross-cultural issues in ESL education from ERIC Digest; This digest identifies some of the cultural factors that can influence learner and teacher behavior during classroom ESL literacy instruction.

Project Based Learning: Welcome to E-Square
A project-based learning collection of lessons contributed by programs in the greater Boston area are featured on this site. To access the collection, click on the Civic Center. The projects include visiting the statehouse, talking to representatives, and learning about budgets, taxes, and voting.
EL Civics Lesson Bank: EL civics lessons
Lesson plans from a program in California.
Equipped for the Future - EFF Fundamentals: Equipped for the Future Fundamentals:...Civics
Citizen/Community Member Role Map
Equipped for the Future looks at adult education through the lens of specific adult needs. This role map identifies reasons and ways that English language learners can become involved in their communities.
ESL Conversation Questions Politics & Government: Conversation Questions: Politics and Government
Karin's ESL Partyland
A printable handout of questions stimulates conversation about government in an ESL class

ESL Podcasts: Podcasts for ESL students.
A podcast is an audio file that you download from the Internet. After you download it, you can listen to it on your computer or on an MP3/portable music player. This site contains many topics.
ESL Role Playing - ESL Articles - ESL Playground ESL Games, Activities and Resources: ESL Role Playing
ESL Playground
There is helpful information in an online article on how to initiate role play and simulations in an adult ESL classroom.
GPO U.S. Government Bookstore Main Page: Bookstore of government issued reading material.

Student Projects: Worksheets for low level ESL classes
Low level ESL activities worksheets from Susan Angaer
ESL Civics Handbook: A staff handbook from Pennsylvania.
Teaching civics in a multlevel ESL classroom
Road Map Activities: Road maps and mileage tables.
Activities using a roadmap and a mileage table.
Function Levels for ABLE Students: Descriptions of functioning levels for ABLE students.

TESOL Standrds: TESOL standards.
TESOL's Standards for Adult Education ESL Programs answers this question by defining quality components from a national perspective.
Individual Biographies of the Delegates to the Constitutional Convention: Biographies of the writers of the constitution.

State Almanacs: State information and almanacs.
Information about any state in the Union.
Culture and Learning in the ESL Classroom: An essay on culture and learning.
Becoming a Cultural Insider: How Holidays Can Help ESL Students' Acculturation and Language Learning
National Archives and Records Administration: The National Archives.
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper.
National Constitution Center - Women's Right-To-Vote: Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Time line...Government
National Constitution Center
There is a well-constructed map on the site of the United States showing the progression of women's right-to-vote. The site covers many topics of U.S. history and government with pictures, charts, and data. The broadband version is especially interesting and attractive.
National Constitution Center: The National Constitution Center
This site has pictures, lesson plans, and facts from the Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Getting a Driver's License: New York BMV site.
Information on getting a driver's license,
Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.: The Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
The clerk manages the day-to-day operations of the House and oversees nine departments that employ more than 270 people.
Oral History Project for ABE Classes: A project of ESL classes involving a personal history.
The goals of this Oral History Project were to develop conversation and writing skills; to introduce the adult learners to the interview process; to help the students develop questions pertinent student
to the oral history process; to compare biographies and autobiographies; to help the learners share personal information and remembrances; to model interview techniques; and to create oral history
essays for publication in a class book.
Paul Revere, Messenger of the Revolution: A video about Paul Revere's ride.
Photographs of Signs: P J Chmiel: Signs.....Government
This Web site has photographs of signs taken all over the country. Some are very unusual; some are easily found.
State Recognition: A puzzle game.
An online drag and drop puzzle working with state's shape recognition.
Reading Signs in English: Reading Signs in English...Governemnt
This is a huge Web site of activities and resources for ESL teachers. The great selection of sign photographs is very useful for the classroom.
Register to Vote: A site of voter registration information.

THE NEW AMERICANS...PBS Series: Interactive site depicting new immigrants to the U.S.
Follow a diverse group of immigrants and refugees as they leave their home and families behind and learn what it means to be new Americans in the 21st century.
The Paul Revere House: A virtual reenactment of Paul Revere's ride.

The Tenement Museum Virtual Tour of the Tenement at 97 Orchard Street: A virtual tour of a tenement building.

Truman Library and Government Operations: Harry S. Truman Library and Museum....Naturalization
The education section of this Web site has comprehensive information and activities about the three branches of government. For each, it has an overview, a worksheet, and an online activity to help students look up their representatives or senators. It is also a nice review for teachers who need to brush up on information about the three branches.
U.S. Constitution Creating the U.S. Constitution: History of the U.S. Constitution
A history of the Constitution form World Book Encyclopedia.
U.S. Constitution Video Course: Video of the history of the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. Federal Government: USA.gov
This site provides an overview of the three branches and how they differ. Then it has links for all of the official Web sites of offices and agencies under each of the three branches.
U.S. Senate: The U.S. Senate
When the name of a state is entered, information on that state's senators pops up.
United States of America - Travel Photos: Photos from U.S. states; Travel photos from each state depicting famous landmarks.

United States — The World Almanac: Almanac for information on the United States.
It has an easy reading level containing many areas of information.
USA Geography - Map Game - Geography Online Game: Games involving state geography.
Interactive games involving various subject matter relating to states of the Union.
USCIS - A Guide to Naturalization: A guide to naturalization.; A Guide to Naturalization (M-476) provides information on the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship, an overview of the naturalization process, and eligibility requirementszation.

USCIS - New Naturalization Test: The new Naturalization Test
The revised test, with an emphasis on the fundamental concepts of American democracy and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, will help encourage citizenship applicants to learn and identify with the basic values we all share as Americans.
USCIS - Resources for New Immigrants: Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants...Civics
This resource, developed by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, provides a wide range of practical information to help immigrants settle into everyday life in the United States. It is available in thirteen languages - soon to be fourteen with the addition of Somali.
USCIS - U.S. Civics and Citizenship Online: An outline for covering citizenship preparation.
Its purpose is to provide a quick and easy path to resources to help instructors prepare students for naturalization and to incorporate civics into ESL instruction. U.S. Civics and Citizenship Online provides links to curricula, lesson plans, teacher assessments, and other instructional material on citizenship and civics.
Web Learning Projects: Web Learning Projects
This is an excellently-designed Web site with examples of many different English language learner projects

Welcome to the U.S. Bill of Right: The U.S. Bill of Rights
The site explains and illustrates the Bill of Rights.
WGBH American Experience -: PBS American Experience programs
The site for the PBS series. It allows you to view several of the offerings.
World Map, Online Maps, Satellite Maps - National Geographic: National Geographic maps.
View satellite, road atlas, and 3-D versions of maps of the world.

USCIS - Civics and Citizenship Study Materials

Civics Flash Cards for the New Naturalization Test....Naturalization

These USCIS flashcards are a big hit among teachers and students alike. The full-color cards show the question, answer, and a picture for each of the 100 Civics Questions. Educators and students can print the cards out from the USCIS website and then cut and fold them to make their own set. Alternatively, they can purchase sets from the U.S. Government Bookstore. Flashcard sets are sold individually or in packs of ten.