A responsible citizen is an informed citizen. Knowledge is power. Let’s teach our children and grandchildren to be powerful. We hope you find the following sites and information useful.
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AND SYMBOLS
Know the three United States of America foundation documents:
The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and The Bill of Rights. This beautifully designed site displays the other charters that laid the groundwork for the founding documents of the United States of America. Meet the signers. View the originals starting with the Declaration of Independence and download the texts.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html
To learn more about the Constitution, visit the site of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Located on Independence Mall, it teaches about the history of the constitution and what it means today in a series of interactive and highly engaging exhibits.
http://constitutioncenter.org
To learn about the American Flag go to this official Federal site. There are other interesting sites but this one is reliable, comprehensive and easy to navigate—a fine place to start http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/ourflag/titlepage.htm
Want to know more about the Statue of Liberty, a world heritage site, and one of the most photographed statues in the world? This iconic figure symbolizes American freedom and has greeted millions on their entry into America since she was created by a Frenchman and presented to the US as a centennial gift. This entry and Ellis Island are National Park Service sites but we think they deserve their own listings. http://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm
ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENT
This great primer on our government, packed with facts and content, helps you find out about our president, the first family, the White House, our administration and how our government works. http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/
Ever wondered how to find Congressional current legislation and the debates around it, Supreme Court decisions, executive orders and our federal budget? Follow the current work of our three branches of government and past records as well. This is the official site of the government printing office. http://www.gpoaccess.gov
US HISTORY RESOURCES
Explore dozens of remarkable exhibits from our national archives ranging from our nations human and civil rights history, to the 1918 influenza epidemic to eyewitness accounts of dramatic moments in US history to New Deal Federal Art to exceptional panoramic US photos and much more.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits
Discover a treasure trove of multi-media historical resources from explanations of national holidays, to footage of Presidential elections,to clips from speeches by great figures in American history. http://www.history.com
What sets us apart from all other nations? Our National Parks. Go on a virtual tour, encounter beauty and learn some history. For starters, check out: Gettysburg, Fort McHenry, Antietam, Yosemite and the one that started them all—Yellowstone. When you’re finished your virtual visit, plan a family trip. This is our history and inheritance; if you take them there, they’ll know you care
http://www.nps.gov/index.htm
Our founding documents set a standard of aspiration. We often fell short and sometimes still do. It took centuries to free our slaves and then another century to grant black Americans their full civil rights. The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis is adjacent to the Lorraine Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Learn about his life, the movement he re-invigorated as well as the continuing civil rights struggle here and elsewhere. http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org
STORY-TELLING
Part of raising great citizens is telling them what we (their parents and grandparents) think is important. Not all of us are born storytellers. Get help here. 50,000 Americans have recorded theirstories at Story Corps studios for the Library of Congress, or you can do it yourself. This non-profit project of NPR, CPB, and The Library of Congress wants the day after Thanksgiving to become a national day of listening. We agree! For the full story visit: http://www.storycorps.org. Or to do it yourself click on http://www.storycorps.org/diy/.
A much edgier New York based story telling site, but with great demos from ex-cons to writers and celebs, it also gives tips on how to create your own story-telling groups and become a great story-teller. Why the moth? Go to the site and find out. It makes perfect sense. http://www.themoth.org
Another way to teach your kids what matters to you is to write it down. This site has the reflections of thousands of people, ordinary and famous, who have been writing 500 word essays (or less) on their core beliefs since the 1950s. The brilliant broadcaster, Edward R. Murrow, helped create the concept in 1951 at a time when he said his “own beliefs were in flux, and opinions can be picked up cheap in the marketplace, while such commodities as courage and fortitude and faith are in alarmingly short supply.” http://thisibelieve.org
Yes, its television but its PBS. Sesame Street got its start over thirty years ago through PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). PBS keeps churning out stories that challenge viewers to pay attention to life. Click on PBS Parents on the home page for a world of helpful insights and resources. How about a PBS Grandparents for those who are grand-parenting the offspring of the first generation of adults who get along better in a diverse world because of Sesame Street? http://www.pbs.org
IMMIGRATION
Ellis Island was the first gateway into America for millions of immigrants. If your family entered America here you may be able to use their excellent search engine to find the official entry document, ship register listing your ancestor(s) and a picture of the ship they came in on.
http://www.nps.gov/elis
Can you pass the naturalization exam? What every new citizen has to know: http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/100q.pdf
To learn more about immigration look at the statistics and other information provided by the Department of Homeland Security. If we aren’t Native Americans or descended from African slaves we were all immigrants at some point in our American story. The Yearbook of Immigration Statistics has an immigration table from 1820 to 2008. It’s a history lesson in itself.
http://www.dhs.gov/files/statistics/immigration.shtm
CIVICS
Civics education is no longer taught in most of our schools. Since 1969, The Center for Civic Education has worked in all 50 states to raise the standards and presence of civic learning for all of our children in all of our schools. This dense site full of excellent resources is regularly revised. If you care about civics education you should check it out. http://www.civiced.org
Civics is not taught in our colleges either. Since 1953, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute has been working to improve civic literacy on our college campuses. In 2007, only 54% of 14,000 graduating seniors from 50 schools nationwide could pass a 60 question multi-choice civics exam on basic American heritage knowledge. 2508 adults did worse on a 33 question exam. 71% failed with an average score of 49%. What to do about it? Watch less TV. Read more and have conversations about history and current events. Take the test and see how you dohttp://www.americancivicliteracy.org
Freedoms Feast encourages civic engagement. We are also politically neutral. This site is provocative but not mean-spirited. The creators of True Patriot, a pamphlet, are Democrats but they’re not partisans. They claim that America and its purpose from our beginning was inherently progressive. When we live that way our laws, our choices, our use of resources reflect that understanding. That’s what true patriotism is about. Do you agree?
http://truepat.org
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering with your children and grandchildren is one of the best ways to show them what you care about and why. How else will we raise the next generation of citizen caretakers and stewards? These great sites help you to match your passions with your family’s location and capabilities.
http://www.volunteermatch.org
http://www.createthegood.org
http://www.serve.gov
http://www.dosomething.org
http://www.familycares.org
http://www.networkforgood.org
http://www.rootsandshoots.org
FOOD AND CELEBRATION IDEAS
Some of our most lasting memories come from the meals we share together and the time we spend gathered around a table. Research tells us that family dinners benefit children and teens in many ways. They also help to build families. Make great meals and families might stay at the table longer. Check out these sites for holiday celebration suggestions and recipes.
http://www.realsimple.com
http://www.epicurious.com
http://www.marthastewart.com/holidays
Look forThe Family Dinner, a great book by Laurie David filled with family-friendly recipes, helpful tips and support for the modern family at your local library or online at http://thefamilydinnerbook.com
Visit this new grassroots family dinner site with wonderful resources for enriching and encouraging great conversations, healthy meals and lasting memories: http://thefamilydinnerproject.org
SPECIAL THANKSGIVING RESOURCES
PILGRIMS AND AMERICAN INDIANS
Pilgrim Hall, our nations oldest continuously operating public museum at the Smithsonian Institute. Home to over 800,000 artifacts and 300,000 images, the museum is committed to telling the story of the Native cultures of the western hemisphere. This includes our own country’s shameful and difficult history of encounters with Native American Indians. http://www.pilgrimhall.org
Check out a comprehensive guide to Native American histories and Native American facts.
http://www.kidinfo.com/American_History/Native_Americans.html
Visit the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institute. Home to over 800,000 artifacts and 300,000 images, the museum is committed to telling the story of the Native cultures of the western hemisphere. This includes our own country’s shameful and difficult history of encounters with Native American Indians.
http://www.nmai.si.edu
Designed for teachers, parents and kids this reliable vendor of educational content offers quality info for anyone who wants to learn more about the first Thanksgiving and early life in America. Start your journey there and see where your explorations will take you!
http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/
Tammy Payne, a social studies teacher at Leonardtown Middle Schoolin Leonardtown, Maryland started using Freedom's Feast: Thanksgiving with her students in fall of 2003. She created a lesson plan based on her experience with the full version as her resource. http://freedomsfeast.us/files/TammyPayneLessonPlan.pdf
