The Press Series of the Robert H. Michel Papers consists largely of documents which contain legislative issue information given by Michel's office to the public or other congressional offices. 30 linear feet accumulates clippings, memoranda, newsletters, constituent questionnaires, remarks and releases, files of the Republican Press Secretary, and an extensive subject file. The bulk of the materials date from 1965 to 1994.

The Dirksen Center cropped these documents to allow search capabilities for each individual box number.  This will allow users to go directly to the correct box number using their search query rather than scrolling through the entire 71 pages.  All you have to do is enter a keyword in the search box found at http://www.dirksencenter.org/findingaids/index.htm.  For example, entering “organization” in the search box will pull up a list of documents in the Robert H. Michel Collection that include this word.  To find this word in the Press Series collection, the search results would appear like this: Robert H. Michel Collection: Press Series, 1965-94: Box 12

Find the complete index page for the Robert H. Michel Collection: Press Series, 1965-94, including all box numbers and a brief listing of the contents for each at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/findingaids/rhm_pressseries.htm

Cindy Koeppel
The Dirksen Congressional Center

Just checking to see if my messages post.



                                  Thank You!!

* NEW * "FACING THE POST-WAR WORLD: EVERETT M. DIRKSEN ABROAD, 1945"

On February 21, 1945, then Congressman Dirksen set out on a world trip that
would take him to twenty-one countries, logging 32,000 miles.  This was not an
ordinary junket.  Dirksen traveled on behalf of the House Committee on
Appropriations to inspect American embassies, reconstruction agencies,
intelligence services, and the armed forces.  He had a bird's-eye view of Europe
and the Middle East as World War II neared its end.

His stops included London, Algiers, Tunis, Cairo, Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi,
Karachi, Teheran, Baghdad, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Palestine, Beirut, Damascus,
Ankara, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Florence, Paris, Rheims, Augsburg, Dachau,
Wiesbaden, and Leipzig, among many others.
The Dirksen Center has created a Web-based feature that will give you an idea of
what Dirksen's trip was like and how it affected his thinking about the state of
the world in 1945.  This Web presentation consists of the introduction, a
timeline of Dirksen's trip with links to selective, digitized trip log entries
and letters home, and a set of seven "anchor" documents with accompanying study
questions.  The historical documents are drawn from The Dirksen Congressional
Center's archival holdings.

Our multi-media timeline about Everett Dirksen's trip abroad has been made
possible by a grant from The Fontaine Earle Fund of the Community Foundation of
Central Illinois.  Additional financial support was received from Pekin
Community Bank, Herget Bank, and CEFCU.
Find "Facing The Post-War World: Everett M. Dirksen Abroad, 1945" at:
http://www.dirksencenter.org/1945trip/index.htm

I have a new email address.   Please contact me at jchiavacci@...

* NEW LESSON PLAN * Noncompetitive Elections for Congress

During The Dirksen Center's annual Congress in the Classroom® workshop --
http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm --
participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques
that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms. A
2008 participant, Misty LeClerc, Wando High School, Mt. Pleasant, SC, presented
a lesson entitled, "Noncompetitive Elections for Congress."

American democracy faces a crisis - the crisis of noncompetitive elections. 
More and more, American elections consist of incumbents cruising to victory. In
this lesson, students will be able to explain why congressional elections are
noncompetitive, analyze the pros and cons of electing incumbents to Congress,
and analyze the need for congressional term limits.

Find "Noncompetitive Elections for Congress" at:
http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_noncompelections.htm

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
309.347.6432
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

Hi.  I've made my very first webquest.  Will you critique it for me?

 Thanks,

Mary

* NEW * Dirksen Center Special Projects

Over the years, The Dirksen Center has developed a series of multi-media
projects rich in Web-based resources on a variety of topics from civil rights to
editorial cartoons.  We have posted them where it makes sense within our Web
suite.  But as the suite has grown, we suspect it has become more difficult to
find these special projects.

To make them stand out, we have created this Dirksen Center Project web site to
host links to all our special projects.  Find The Dirksen Center Projects Web
site at: http://www.dirksencenterprojects.org/

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
309.347.6432
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

* NEW * TheCongressBlog: News About Congress for Teachers and Students

We at The Dirksen Congressional Center look forward to entering the blogosphere
world.  TheCongressBlog presents information about the House and the Senate,
both current news and historical tidbits.  We compile information from major
newspapers, political blogs, and the official sites of the U.S. House and
Senate.  This is our first blog, so think of it as a work in progress.

Find TheCongressBlog at: http://www.thecongressblog.org/

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadyway
Pekin, IL 61554
309.347.7113

Mary,
    I like the look and feel of your webquest.  I do have a few comments below. 
Please feel free to email me directly if you have any questions or concerns.

Process
Please go here with a partner.

I don't understand the direction to go here on the process page.  Is there
something missing?  A link maybe?


Evaluation.
There is no rubric on this page.

Everyone has a different way of doing things.  I feel your directions on the
evaluation page could be more positive.  Focus on what they should be doing,
level of completion and less on what they shouldn't be doing.  Everyone has
their own way and this just happens to be my thing.  For example:
You will be graded on the following:
1. Use of class time to complete your poster.
2. Focus on your project the entire time.
3. If classmates talk to you encourage them to complete their poster.
4. All questions need to be answered on your poster.
5. Your poster needs to include 7 facts you learned about internet safety.

My only other concern is the reading level.  It seems higher than a second grade
class would be reading.  Do you really want all your students printing the
rubric for you to use?  It is more cost effective to print one and copy the
rest.  Hope this helps.

Sabrina



--- On Thu, 9/18/08, swimmy_z <mczimmerman@...> wrote:

> From: swimmy_z <mczimmerman@...>
> Subject: [webquest] first webquest
> To: webquest@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Thursday, September 18, 2008, 8:05 AM
> Hi.  I've made my very first webquest.  Will you
> critique it for me?
>
> 2nd Grade Tech Webquest
>
>
> <http://204.185.84.102/hunt/heber%20and%20zimmerman/ZimmermanandDow/webq\
> uest%20tech%20main.htm>  Thanks,
>
> Mary
>
> Zimmerman & Dow
>
>
> <http://204.185.84.102/hunt/heber%20and%20zimmerman/ZimmermanandDow/inde\
> x.html>

* Online Course: Congress in the Classroom Online *

September 12, 2007, marked the official debut of The Dirksen Congressional
Center's new online version of Congress in the Classroom® -
http://moodle.congressclass.org - an award-winning course for teachers. This
improved version of the course uses a more interactive approach, featuring many
options to engage you (and the instructor) in the course materials.

Congress in the Classroom® Online will help you understand today's Congress and
suggest ways to teach about it. The self-paced online course is organized around
the twin responsibilities of Congress members: representation and lawmaking.
There are twenty individual units on such topics as "What Makes for Effective
Members of Congress?" "How Representative is the Membership of Congress?" and
"Lawmaking: Understanding the Basics."

Do you teach social studies, American government, American history, or civics?
Are your lessons about the U.S. Congress out of date? Is it hard to engage your
students in learning about the House and Senate? If you answered "yes" to any of
these questions, then Congress in the Classroom® Online is the course for you!

If you need help or have any questions about getting into the course, please
contact one of the following:

Instructor: Frank Mackaman fmackaman@...

Moodle Admin: Cindy Koeppel ckoeppel@... or
moodle@...

Since the debut of the course, we have 662 participants and the list is growing
daily.  We welcome you to take a look - http://moodle.congressclass.org!

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
309.347.6432
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

* NEW LESSON PLAN * Elect me! Creating a Campaign Platform and Advertisement

During The Dirksen Congressional Center's annual Congress in the Classroom®
workshop - http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm -
participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques
that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms. A
2008 participant, Jan Loyd, Cabot Junior High South, Cabot, AR, presented a
lesson entitled, "Elect Me! Creating a Campaign Platform and Advertisement."

Students will be a candidate for an election as a United States Representative
or Senator in the upcoming election. They will need to decide which party fits
their political views best. Next, they will plan and present a 3-5 minute
campaign commercial about them as a candidate, their platform, and why the
voters should vote for them.

Questions students should be able to answer prior to creating their campaign
commercials:

1. Which office are they running for and why?
2. Which party fits their political views the best?
3. Which platform and plank?
4. Why are they better than other candidates?
5. Which type of voter are they appealing to?
6. How are they going to attract the voters’ attention?
7. Which propaganda method will they use and why?

Find "Elect Me! Creating a Campaign Platform and Advertisement" at:
http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_electme.htm

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

That's the topic of a webinar sponsored by Discovery Education tonight
(4pm Eastern Time). Here's the description:

The WebQuest model has been around since ancient times: 1995. The web
has fundamentally changed since then with the invention of blogs,
wikis, podcasts and social tools of every stripe. Has the model kept
up, or are WebQuests a relic of the 20th century? In this webinar
Bernie Dodge will describe how WebQuests and Web 2.0 go together like
chocolate and peanut butter. He'll show examples of how the latest web-
based tools can be embedded in a solid pedagogical structure to make
good lessons great.

You have to register to attend by going to
https://discoveryed.webex.com/ec0600l/eventcenter/enroll/join.do?siteurl=discove\
ryed&confId=234607552

Hope to see you there!
::: Bernie :::
--
Bernie Dodge, PhD - Professor of Educational Technology
San Diego State University. 619.594.7401
Blog - http://webquest.org/bdodge/
The WebQuest Page - http://webquest.org

"Hell is other people's ringtones."  - Jean Paul Sartre

Thanks for allowing me to join. I'm a newbie when it comes
to webquests but have heard lots of good things about them.

The Dirksen Center's site for kids -- Congress for Kids --
http://www.congressforkids.net -- gives you access to interactive, fun-filled
experiences designed to help you learn about the foundation of our federal
government and how its actions affect you. Although designed for students in
grades fourth through high school, other students, teachers, parents, and
interested citizens will find helpful, engaging activities, too.

Using appealing, full-color illustrations, and engaging activities, this site
will extend your learning in the basics about the American federal government.
Uncle Sam is the guide through Congress for Kids. He will introduce you to a new
skill or bit of knowledge, or review a skill you already have, or even test your
knowledge.



* NEW * IT'S MY PARTY, GETTING READY TO VOTE, & TRIVIA

> It's My Party <

Are you a Democrat, Republican, or Independent? Take the quiz to find out. Find
"It's My Party" at:
http://www.congressforkids.net/games/Elections_politicalparties/2_politicalparti\
es.htm

> Getting Ready to Vote <

Get a lesson plan for your class and bring the election into your classroom. 
Find "Getting Ready to Vote" at:
http://www.congressforkids.net/games/elections_voting/2_voting.htm

Are you a political junkie? Do you watch C-SPAN for hours at a time? Let's see
how much you know about the major-party 2008 United States presidential
candidates, both former and current!

Trivia:  Both major parties saw their fields of presidential contenders shrink
in advance of the first nominating contests in 2008. Identify the correct
chronological order of pre-2008 GOP drop-outs.

A) Jim Gilmore, Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo, Tommy Thompson
B) Tom Tancredo, Tommy Thompson, Duncan Hunter, Jim Gilmore, Sam Brownback
C) Jim Gilmore, Tommy Thompson, Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter
D) Jim Gilmore, Tommy Thompson, Sam Brownback, Tom Tancredo

*Find the answer in next month's issue of our monthly e-newsletter.

Answer to September's Fun, Facts, and Trivia:
http://www.webcommunicator.org/classroomresources/funfactstrivia_ans0908.htm



* NEW * COMPLETE CONVENTION COVERAGE & YOUR TURN: ASK A CANDIDATE

> Complete Convention Coverage <

Have your students watch and read videos and speeches from the Democratic and
GOP conventions.

Find "Complete Convention Coverage" at:
http://www.congressforkids.net/games/Elections_convent_in/2_Elections_convent_in\
.htm

> Your Turn: Ask a Candidate <

Ever wanted the chance to sit down with the president?  Would you ask about
immigration? Religion? Health Insurance? Their favorite ice cream flavors?

If you could meet the candidates, what question would you ask?  What would you
want to tell them?

Ask your question and then explain why it's important to you in the text box
provided.  Find "Your Turn: Ask a Candidate" at:
http://www.congressforkids.net/games/Elections_candidates/2_candidates.htm


Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

Does anyone have or know where some good examples of student-designed
webquests are? I am doing an assignment on constructionist use of
WebQuests ie. having students construct their own webquests to publish
or have peers complete.

Have any high-school teachers done this?

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the web.

These WebQuests are designed to be interesting and challenging. Students will encounter language that is above their level but the aim is to foster a sense of achievement, as they will manage to find most of the answers by browsing.

The skills which are required involve reading and listening principally, there are also communicative speaking exercises. Teachers will notice that the exercises we have written can easily be expanded upon. We mean these WebQuests to be a starting point for teachers.

Hi everyone! I've been an English teacher for 16 years and I've just
heard of webquest. I'm veeeeeeeeeeeeeery interested in learning more
about it. Hope we can share lots of great experiences. Cheers!

* GRANTS: CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH AWARDS *

DEADLINE: All proposals must be received no later than February 1, 2009.

The Dirksen Congressional Center invites applications for grants to fund
research on congressional leadership and the U.S. Congress. A total of up to
$30,000 will be available in 2009. Awards range from a few hundred dollars to
$3,500.

The competition is open to individuals with a serious interest in studying
Congress.  Political scientists, historians, biographers, scholars of public
administration or American studies, and journalists are among those eligible. 
The Center encourages graduate students who have successfully defended their
dissertation prospectus to apply and awards a significant portion of the funds
for dissertation research.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside in the
United States.

The awards program does not fund undergraduate or pre-Ph.D. study. 
Organizations are not eligible.  Research teams of two or more individuals are
eligible.  No institutional overhead or indirect costs may be claimed against a
Congressional Research Award.

There is no standard application form. Applicants are responsible for showing
the relationship between their work and the awards program guidelines.
Applications are accepted at any time. Applications which exceed the page limit
and incomplete applications will NOT be forwarded to the screening committee for
consideration.

All application materials must be received on or before February 1, 2009. Awards
will be announced in March 2009.

Complete information about eligibility and application procedures may be found
at The Center's Web site: http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_grants_CRAs.htm.
PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY.  Frank Mackaman is the program officer --
fmackaman@....

The Center, named for the late Senate Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen, is a
private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization devoted to
the study of Congress and its leaders. Since 1978, the Congressional Research
Awards (formerly the Congressional Research Grants) program has paid out
$747,465 to support 369 projects.

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

* NEW LESSON PLAN * EXPERIENCING CHANGE

During our annual Congress in the Classroom® workshop --
http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm --
participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques
that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms.  A
2006 participant, Marcie Adam McBride, Saint Michael High School, Baton Rouge,
LA, presented a lesson entitled, "Experiencing Change."

After successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to understand
civil service reform under President Rutherford B. Hayes.  They will be able to
explain why President James Garfield was assassinated and to describe how
President Chester Arthur ended the spoils system.  Students will be able to
recall the main points concerning the presidential election of 1884 and describe
Coxey's "army" marching on Washington in 1894.

Find "Experiencing Change" at:
http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_experiencechange.htm

* NEW LESSON PLAN * Standing Committee Chest: Understanding the Standing
Committees of Congress

During The Dirksen Center's annual Congress in the Classroom® workshop -
http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm - participants
are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques that have
proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms.  A 2008
participant, Sara Piotrowski, Plainfield Central High School, Plainfield, IL,
presented a lesson entitled, "Standing Committee Chest: Understanding the
Standing Committees of Congress."

This lesson will address the role of standing committees in Congress. Students
will learn how to depict the standing committees in Congress kinesthetically and
visually. They will be able to explain why each committee is important to
Congress and analyze the difference between standing and select committees.

Find "Standing Committee Chest: Understanding the Standing Committees of
Congress" at: http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_standingcommittee.htm.

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

'Designing activities for the 2.0 Language Classroom'
(A Comenius professional development course)

In conjunction with the Utrecht University Summer School the Faculties of Education of Heidelberg and Utrecht Universities of Applied Sciences offer a 7-day, international course exploring WEB 2.0 applications such as Wiki and Weblogging, real-time communication (Videoconferencing and 3D Virtual Worlds) and the LanguageQuest format for integrating the World Wide Web into classroom teaching.

Besides, the course location in the brand-new building of the Faculty of Education in Utrecht, the Netherlands, allows for demonstration of good practices of and personal training in the use of Interactive Whiteboards.

Intended participants are practising (student) language teachers, teacher trainers and materials developers. Persons eligible for EU Comenius Grants can apply at their National Agency for compensation of costs for travel, accommodation and fees for this course.
The deadline for grant applications is January 14, but please confirm with your National Agency for country-specific deadlines.

More information and registration at:
http://www.utrechtsummerschool.nl/index.php?type=courses&code=S5 

N.B.
Teachers who would prefer a course exclusively on the use of Interactive Whiteboards in (language) teaching are advised to register for the course:
`Using Interactive Whiteboards to support discipline-specific pedagogies'

More info here:
http://www.utrechtsummerschool.nl/index.php?type=courses&code=S10   

Ton Koenraad, Course Director
Apologies for possible cross-posting.

This grant announcement is being re-sent to inform all list members of the
upcoming deadline.  Thank you!


* GRANTS: CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH AWARDS *

DEADLINE: All proposals must be received no later than February 1, 2009.

The Dirksen Congressional Center invites applications for grants to fund
research on congressional leadership and the U.S. Congress. A total of up to
$30,000 will be available in 2009. Awards range from a few hundred dollars to
$3,500.

The competition is open to individuals with a serious interest in studying
Congress.  Political scientists, historians, biographers, scholars of public
administration or American studies, and journalists are among those eligible. 
The Center encourages graduate students who have successfully defended their
dissertation prospectus to apply and awards a significant portion of the funds
for dissertation research.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside in the
United States.

The awards program does not fund undergraduate or pre-Ph.D. study. 
Organizations are not eligible.  Research teams of two or more individuals are
eligible.  No institutional overhead or indirect costs may be claimed against a
Congressional Research Award.

There is no standard application form. Applicants are responsible for showing
the relationship between their work and the awards program guidelines.
Applications are accepted at any time. Applications which exceed the page limit
and incomplete applications will NOT be forwarded to the screening committee for
consideration.

All application materials must be received on or before February 1, 2009. Awards
will be announced in March 2009.

Complete information about eligibility and application procedures may be found
at The Center's Web site: http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_grants_CRAs.htm.
PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY.  Frank Mackaman is the program officer --
fmackaman@....

The Center, named for the late Senate Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen, is a
private, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational organization devoted to
the study of Congress and its leaders. Since 1978, the Congressional Research
Awards (formerly the Congressional Research Grants) program has paid out
$747,465 to support 369 projects.

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

* NEW LESSON PLAN * THE SAGA OF THE MONEY TRAIL: DEVELOPING THE FEDERAL BUDGET

During The Dirksen Congressional Center's annual Congress in the Classroom®
workshop -- http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm --
participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques
that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms.  A
2005 participant, Lori Dumerer, R.L. Turner High School, Carrollton, TX,
presented a lesson entitled, "The Saga of the Money Trail: Developing the
Federal Budget."

In this lesson, students will trace the steps in the federal budget-making
process.  They will recognize the complexity involved in the budget process,
including the competing demands for funds.  Students will all analyze how
compromise leads to the final budget.

Find "The Saga of the Money Trail: Developing the Federal Budget" at:
http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_federalbudget.htm.

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

The Dirksen Congressional Center of Pekin, Il --
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org --  has partnered with Federal
Network, Inc. of Washington, DC -- http://www.fednet.net/  -- to develop a
website geared to secondary teachers of Government and Social Studies. Our
initial idea is this: the teacher in the classroom, when teaching concepts and
terms relevant to the legislative branch, will be able to show sample footage
from the House and Senate organized in a glossary format. If, for example, you
are teaching about a filibuster, you will be able to click on "filibuster" and
see digitized video of senators filibustering.

We are very excited by the prospects for this cutting-edge offering. In order to
make this conceptual product a success, we seek your feedback and commentary.
The product is for teachers, so we appreciate your thoughtful input. The survey
will take less than five minutes to complete.

Thank you for participating. Your feedback is important.

SURVEY:    http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228RNXYEBSU


Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: CONGRESS IN THE CLASSROOM 2009

* Deadline: April 15, 2009 *

Congress in the Classroom is a national, award-winning education program now in
its 17th year. Developed and sponsored by The Dirksen Congressional Center, the
workshop is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and information on teaching about
Congress.

We designed Congress in the Classroom for high school or middle school teachers
who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political science, or social
studies. Forty teachers will be selected in 2009 to take part in the program.
All online applications must be received by no later than April 15, 2009. We
will notify individuals of our decisions by April 30, 2009.

Although the workshop will feature a variety of sessions, the 2009 program will
focus on two themes:  (1) developments in the 111th Congress, and (2) new
resources for teaching about Congress. The workshop consists of two types of
sessions: those that focus on recent research and scholarship about Congress
(and don't always have an immediate application in the classroom) and those
geared to specific ways to teach students about the federal legislature.

Throughout the program, you will work with subject matter experts as well as
colleagues from across the nation. This combination of firsthand knowledge and
peer-to-peer interaction will give you new ideas, materials, and a
professionally enriching experience.

"Until now so much of what I did in my class on Congress was straight
theory-this is what the Constitution says," noted one of our teachers. "Now I
can use these activities and illustrations to help get my students involved in
the class and at the very least their community but hopefully in the federal
government. This workshop has given me a way to help them see how relevant my
class is and what they can do to help make changes in society."

The 2009 workshop will be held Monday, July 27 - Thursday, July 30, at Embassy
Suites, East Peoria, Illinois.

The program is certified by the Illinois State Board of Education for up to 22
Continuing Education Units. The program also is endorsed by the National Council
for the Social Studies.

Participants are responsible for (1) a non-refundable $155 registration fee
(required to confirm acceptance after notice of selection) and (2)
transportation to and from Peoria, Illinois. Many school districts will pay all
or a portion of these costs.

The Center pays for three nights lodging at the headquarters hotel (providing a
single room for each participant), workshop materials, local transportation, all
but three meals, and presenter honoraria and expenses. The Center spends between
$30,000 and $35,000 to host the program each year.

What follows are the sessions planned for the 2009 edition of Congress in the
Classroom®. Please re-visit the site for changes as the program develops.

* The View from Capitol Hill
Aaron Schock, freshman member of the House of Representatives from Illinois's
18th congressional district INVITED


* Congressional Insight
A team-oriented, highly interactive simulation of a Congress member's first term
CONFIRMED


* The Ten Most Important Things to Know About the U.S. House of Representatives
Raymond Smock, Director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies,
Shepherd University and former Historian of the House CONFIRMED


* The Ten Most Important Things to Know About the U.S. Senate
Betty K. Koed, Assistant Historian, U.S. Senate Historical Office CONFIRMED


* How We Developed the Art and History Sections of the New Capitol Visitor
Center
Maria Marable-Bunch and Carol Beebe, Public Programs Division, Capitol Visitor
Center CONFIRMED


* Resources for Teachers from the House of Representatives
Kathleen Johnson, Historical Publications Specialist, Office of History and
Preservation, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives CONFIRMED


* Teaching with Primary Sources:  The Library of Congress's Teaching with
Primary Sources (TPS) program
Cindy Rich, Project Director, Teaching with Primary Sources, Eastern Illinois
University CONFIRMED


* What Do Our Students See When They Look at Congress?
Jeffrey Bernstein, Department of Political Science, Eastern Michigan University
CONFIRMED


* The Congressional Glossary Project
Michael Kirby, FedNet CONFIRMED


* Evaluating the New President:  What Factors Account for Success in the Oval
Office?
Frank H. Mackaman, The Dirksen Congressional Center CONFIRMED


* How to Get Your Point Across to Congress Members
Stephanie Vance, Advocacy Associates, Washington, DC CONFIRMED


* The Influence of the Internet on Political Information and Engagement
Julie Barko Germany, Director, Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet,
The George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management
CONFIRMED


* Setting Up a Congressional Office
Congressional Management Foundation INVITED

Take a look at The Dirksen Center Web site -
http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm -- to see what
participants say about the program.

* Registration *

If you are interested in registering for the Congress in the Classroom® 2009
workshop, you can complete an online registration form found at:
http://www.dirksencenter.org/programs_CiCapplication.htm.


Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

* NEW * SIMULATING CONGRESSIONAL ACTION IN THE CLASSROOM

During The Dirksen Center's annual Congress in the Classroom® workshop --
http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm ---
participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques
that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms. A
2009 participant, Dennis J. Duffy, Libertyville High School, Libertyville,
Illinois, presented a lesson entitled, Simulating Congressional Action in the
Classroom.

After completing this lesson, students will have a practical understanding of
the congressional system of committees and floor action. Students also will have
engaged directly in informal negotiations with fellow student-legislators in
order to get legislation passed.

Find Simulating Congressional Action in the Classroom at:
http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_simulatecongaction.htm

Cindy Koeppel
ckoeppel@...

The Dirksen Congressional Center
2815 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
http://www.dirksencongressionalcenter.org

INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSTITUTION & TRIVIA

This section of Congress for Kids covers the history of the Constitution of the
United States. It includes information about the writing the Constitution, the
Great Compromise, the Constitution’s signers, the Bill of Rights, the Amendments
to the Constitution and what they mean to Americans, and much more. Let's get
started...click on Learn About The Constitution at:
http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_index.htm

* Celebrate the Constitution *

Do you know your rights? After starting the game, drag each statement that
appears on your screen to the document where it belongs.  Place one correct
statement in each of the four documents.  Get all four right and you’re a
Constitution Whiz Kid!  If you don’t want to play, click on any of the links on
the page to learn more about the Constitution.

Find Celebrate the Constitution at:
http://www.congressforkids.net/games/signingconstitution/2_signingconstitution.h\
tm

* Trivia *

Thanks to a legal "fiction" developed by courts in response to the breadth of
the state sovereign immunity doctrine, many suits which might otherwise be
barred by the Eleventh Amendment are allowed in federal court. Generally, what
feature do these cases share that allows them to avoid the immunity problem?

A) They are based entirely on state law
B) They only ask for injunctive relief
C) They seek more than $75,000 in damages
D) They are filed by corporations

*Find the answer in next month's issue of Communicator --
http://www.webcommunicator.org

Computer Resources for Language Learning (CORELL) http://www.ucam.edu/corell is an international, peer reviewed e-journal which releases annual issues on all aspects of research on computer resources in foreign language learning. An editorial team supported by Ton Koenraad as guest-editor is preparing a monographic issue of CORELL on LanguageQuests, to be published December 2009

More details here: http://www.koenraad.info/call/call-for-papers-for-monographic-issue-of-corell-on.html

http://www.lquest.net/

* NEW LESSON PLAN * THE PUBLIC’S VIEW OF CONGRESS: A STUDY IN CONTRASTS THROUGH
FILM

During The Dirksen Center's annual Congress in the Classroom® workshop --
http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm --
participants are asked to introduce the lesson plans, resources, and techniques
that have proven successful in teaching about Congress in their classrooms. A
2009 participant, René M. Lafayette, Northbridge High School, Whitinsville, MA,
presented a lesson entitled, "The Public’s View of Congress: a Study in
Contrasts through Film."

After completing this lesson, students will (1) gain an understanding of the
public’s perception of Congress over time as represented in film, and (2) see
how film-makers depict Congress.

Find "The Public’s View Of Congress: A Study In Contrasts Through Film" at:
http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_publicviewofcongress.htm

Cindy Koeppel
The Dirksen Congressional Center