Passion for Social Studies

MARCH 31, 2024

While working on this project, students will learn about ALL of the required cases for the AP US Government exam! By joining the email list, you will receive freebies for blog exclusive subscribers! Students will even analyze how the case impacts the U.S., future law, and related cases. Nominating Judges Lesson $ 6.00

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Teaching Lesson Plan Government US Government 130

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 29, 2016

Thanks to Brian Wittington on the Facebook AP US Government page for the great two minute clip above on how the Iowa caucus works.

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US Government Government 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 24, 2016

I was just asked the difference between procedural and substantive due process which is fair game for both AP US Government and AP Comparative. The video above answers it in less than a minute and gives and example as well.

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US Government Government 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 14, 2016

In Virginia we have to teach state and local government in addition to the US government. Well what we call the General Assembly (used to be called the House of Burgesses) is the longest serving legislature in the world dating back to 1619.

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US Government Government Teaching 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 6, 2016

How have front-running political outsiders fared in previous presidential primaries? Not well (at least for the past two presidential campaigns), according to this feature from the Wall Street Journal, which analyzes trends from 2008 and 2012 nationally and in Iowa and New Hampshire. Will that pattern continue during this year's contests?

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 12, 2016

At tonight's State of the Union, Obama will feature several people as he goes through his speech. It is a technique that was started by Reagan when he highlight Lenny Skuknik (above). Here are some of the people who will be at the speech. Thanks to Doug Zywiol for this very recent interview with Skuknik.

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 12, 2016

Yeah, no student ever asked that question. But, if one ever does, an answer might look like this video (3:51) from CNN.

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Tradition 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 13, 2016

Above is a short NYTimes analysis of the State of the Union speech. Here is a fact checker for the major claims he made in the speech. Below is a three minute highlight of the speech from the WashPost and here it is in its entirety.

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 13, 2016

This fun interactive feature in the Washington Post looks at the lines in President Obama's eight State of the Union Addresses that produced the most applause. What drew the greatest applause? When President Obama referred to the military. Overall it appeared that his congressional audience tired of his appeals, as this graph demonstrates:

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 16, 2016

The event, sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education, is designed to showcase successful digital teaching and learning in our classrooms, and encourage all teachers to use innovative instructional technology to improve student outcomes. Digital Learning Day 2016 is Wednesday, 17 February.

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Teaching Education 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 18, 2016

The League of Women Voters has published a fantastic resource for understanding the presidential electoral process. Its brochure (" Electing the President: A Guide to the Election Process ") includes information about how the U.S.

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 22, 2016

So I love this Iowa Caucus video explanation as well as this lesson plan on it which has 30, 60 and 90 minute plans.

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Lesson Plan 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 22, 2016

It also does a great job of explaining differences between the American model of government (president as head of state and government) and the British model (monarch as head of state, Prime Minister as head of the government) and differences in elections (U.S.

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Government 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 23, 2016

Is another billionaire thinking about running for president? Former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg retired from public life after leaving office in January 2014. Today, he runs the Bloomberg Philanthropies , where he works to encourage progress in a wide-range of fields such as the environment, public health, education, and the arts.

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Education 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 23, 2016

If you are of the same belief or if you want to use slate of them, then here is my AP Comparative playlist. I have come to the belief that most textbooks are boring and one can do a better job with videos - not to forget that students prefer learning through videos.

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 25, 2016

Thanks to Rich Hoppock for this one. The Prime Minister of Great Britain has to go before the House of Commons and answer their questions.

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 28, 2016

It's easy if you use these tools. Before I had settled on Google Calendar I had tried to use the calendar on a previous version of Blackboard. We've missed lots of school because of the blizzard, which means that I've had to make changes to my schedule. How do I inform my students of these changes?

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US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 29, 2016

The Learning Network section of the The New York Times has an excellent review of the difference between caucuses and primaries including a couple of video clips. The clip below explains the Iowa caucuses and the clip below that explains the primary process.

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US Government Teachers Blog

FEBRUARY 1, 2016

When you discuss the Iowa Caucuses tomorrow with your students, you might want to look back on previous results.

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US Government Teachers Blog

FEBRUARY 1, 2016

This site has every political advertisement so far from the 2016 campaign and breaks it down by candidate, super PAC, etc. Really quite amazing.

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US Government Teachers Blog

JULY 27, 2023

Have you tried the new AI app called Diffit. I love it—you can take primary sources that you find on the internet, paste in the URL and the program will generate the source with questions, both multiple choice and short answer. You can adjust the length of the source. If it looks too long, just click "shorten."

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Primary Sources 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 6, 2016

Thanks to Rebecca Small for these two great videos, the top of which defines executive orders and the bottom of which describes what Obama's recent executive order is all about.

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Passion for Social Studies

MAY 31, 2024

Honestly, this same situation can occur within the US Government. By joining the email list, you will receive freebies for blog-exclusive subscribers! Add to cart Government Review Games $ 10.00 For instance, both want the toy, but there is only one, so they must share. Checks and Balances Lesson $ 6.00

Lesson Plan 130

Lesson Plan Government US Government Social Studies 130

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 12, 2016

We can all read, listen to, and watch President Obama's State of the Union Address. But to really understand the historical context of that address, we need to compare it to other Addresses by former presidents. This site allows you to do that. On the left half of the page is the text of President Obama's address.

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Research 40

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 18, 2016

So it might be fun and a good way to tie in your review of Great Britain in AP Comparative Government by looking at today's debate in the House of Commons in London (the entire debate is on the top video). First off you have a short overview above, but a much better one here from the Guardian which includes an article on it.

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Government 52

US Government Teachers Blog

JANUARY 23, 2016

The Des Moines Register announced its Iowa Caucus endorsements earlier this evening.

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Research 52