Indiana University Center on Representative Government - iCivics: Exploring Primary Sources

Preparing the next generation of citizens

6-89-12

Engaging Congress

An interactive learning tool using primary sources to explore how our government works. Help students understand separation of powers, voting rights, federal budget, state’s rights, and more.

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Engaging Congress

6-89-1231+ min

An interactive learning tool using primary sources to explore how our government works. Help students understand separation of powers, voting rights, federal budget, state’s rights, and more.

Engaging Congress teaches students the key concepts of representative government and citizenship. In each module, students focus on different civics concepts by analyzing a variety of primary sources. Each component of this learning tool, primary sources, content videos, mini-games, can be used on its own or as a part of a thematic module. The variety of primary sources (maps, charts, photos, documents) can be adjusted to meet the needs of all learners. Use Engaging Congress for in-person, hybrid, or remote learning. Students can play individually or in groups. Help prepare your students to be engaged and informed citizens.

Topics

Documents
Images
Video
African American History
America at War
Citizenship
Civics & Government
Civil Rights
Economics
Founding Documents
Human Enslavement
Journalism
Voting & Suffrage
Women in History

Alignments

NCSS Standards
C3 Framework
State and Common Core standards information at engagingcongress.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

YouTube Playlist

Learning Objectives

Analyze primary sources
Participate in our representative government as informed citizens
Identify varying perspectives/bias
Increase content knowledge in U.S. History, Government, and Civics

Teacher Experience

Develop critical thinking skills through primary source analysis—no background knowledge needed.
Use components of the game—primary sources, mini-games, content videos—individually or as an entire module.
Assess students with trivial challenges, knowledge checks, and compelling questions that can be used as essay prompts.
Request free giveaways on the Engaging Congress website which includes a Teacher Toolbox and alignment to standards.

Student Experience

Choose any part of the interactive as the entry point: video, mini-game, primary sources, or trivia challenge.
Watch a short introductory video in each module to help build content knowledge.
Play mini-games to reinforce and extend content.
Zoom in on the primary source to get close-up views of the primary sources being analyzed.

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