Incorporating Digital Literacy in an Adult Citizenship Curriculum

Incorporating Digital Literacy in an Adult Citizenship Curriculum: Life, Citizenship, the Pursuit of Digital Literacy google slides | pdf

CCAE Bay Area

San Mateo Adult School, 2026-02-22

JENNIFER GAGLIARDI

OTAN SME

jgagliardi@scoe.net

Based on original presentation by

SHAWN CHAKRABARTI

Topics for Citizenship Prep 2026

Topics for Citizenship Prep 2026 google slides | pdf
CCAE Bay Area Conference 
San Mateo Adult School 2/22/2026 
Jennifer Gagliardi jgagliardi@scoe.net 
Teaching U.S. Citizenship Prep 2026 bit.ly/uscit-padlet

USCIS 128:33. Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?

OpenAI. (2026).    Who does a member of the House of Representatives represent?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

A member of the House of Representatives represents the people who live in their congressional district. A congressional district is a specific area inside a state. Each state is divided into districts based on population. People who live in each district vote to choose one person to represent them in the House.

The representative speaks and acts for the people in that district. They listen to their concerns, support laws that help their community, and vote on bills in Congress. Their job is to make sure the voices of the people in their district are heard in the federal government.

USCIS 128:32. Who elects U.S. senators?

OpenAI. (2026).   Who elects U.S. senators?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

U.S. senators are elected by the citizens of their state. This means that people who are registered to vote in a state choose their two senators during an election. Every state has two senators, and voters decide who will represent them in the U.S. Senate.

Before 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. However, the 17th Amendment to the Constitution changed this process. Now, citizens vote directly for their senators. This gives the people more power and allows them to choose leaders who represent their interests at the national level.

USCIS 128:31. Who does a U.S. senator represent?

OpenAI. (2026).   Who does a U.S. senator represent?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

A U.S. senator represents the people of their entire state. This means a senator speaks for everyone who lives in that state, not just one city or one area.

Each state has two senators, and they work in Washington, D.C. Senators help write laws, vote on important issues, and represent their state’s interests in the federal government.

Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff represent the state of California in the U.S. Senate.  Find your state's senators at senate.gov.

USCIS 128:30. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?

OpenAI. (2026).  What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

The Speaker of the House is an important government leader who helps manage the work of the House and leads the majority party.

Because the Speaker can change over time, the correct answer may be different depending on the year. To find the most current answer, you should visit uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates. This page provides the updated name of the Speaker of the House for the civics test.

As of February 17, 2026, Mike Johnson (R LA-4) is the Speaker of the House.

USCIS 128:29. Name your U.S. representative.

OpenAI. (2026).  Name your U.S. representative.  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

Your U.S. House of Representative is elected to speak for your community and help make federal laws.

The correct answer depends on where you live, so answers will vary. To find your representative, you can visit house.gov and enter your ZIP code. The website will show the name of your current U.S. representative.

USCIS 128: Why does each state have two senators?

OpenAI. (2026).  Why does each state have two senators?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

 Each state has two U.S. senators so that all states have equal representation in the Senate. This means small states and large states have the same number of senators. For example, a small state like Vermont has two senators, and a large state like California also has two senators. This system helps protect the voices of smaller states.

This idea comes from the Great Compromise, also called the Connecticut Compromise, made during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The compromise created two parts of Congress: the Senate, where each state has equal representation, and the House of Representatives, where representation is based on population.

US Citizenship Resources for Presidents' Day post 

USCIS 128:27. How many senators does each state have?

OpenAI. (2026).  How many senators does each state have?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

Each state has two U.S. senators. It does not matter if the state is large or small. Every state gets the same number of senators.

This system helps make representation fair in the Senate. Since there are 50 states, there are 100 senators total in the United States Senate.

USCIS 128:26. Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?

OpenAI. (2026).  Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?  [AI-generated infographic]. OpenAI.  Edited by Jennifer Gagliardi

U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators because they are meant to stay closely connected to the people. A representative serves for two years, so voters can choose new representatives more often if they want change.

U.S. senators serve six-year terms, which are longer. The longer term helps senators focus on long-term national issues. The shorter term in the House makes the House of Representatives more responsive to the public and current events.