Citizenship Resources for Constitution and Citizenship Day (September 17)

uscitizenpod: The U.S. Constitution

A basic introduction to the Constitution for ESL/Citizenship students. This video is based upon a ppt that I made in 2005 and modified in 2008. 

• US Constitution and Citizenship Day Resources from US Citizenship Podcast
• Summary of the US Constitution MP3 http://goo.gl/V93Twm (2016)
• Summary of the US Constitution PDF http://goo.gl/CVxDwZ (2015)
• A Quick Review of the Bill of Rights and the N-400 Part 12 plus Civics Questions (2017)
• pdf: https://goo.gl/XPCNgd
• mp3: https://goo.gl/s3b4Jd
• Constitution Slide Show http://goo.gl/QPFLIq
• Lan Thi Nguyen (Vietnam): Constitution and Citizenship Week Interview Quiz 2015 pdf
• Hao Thi Vu (Vietnam): A Quick Interview for US Constitution and Citizenship Day 2014 based on the new N-400r http://goo.gl/xoDSyl (2014)
• Fu-Chiu Chen (Taiwan): Quick N-400 Interview plus 10Qs about the Constitution http://goo.gl/D6FaZ6 (2011)
• Maria Teresa Garcia (Mexico): Twenty-seven N-400 and twenty-seven USCIS 100Qs http://goo.gl/YtJ2VV (2011)
• Preamble Puzzle pdf http://goo.gl/3Yt6IR
• The U.S. Constitution video http://youtu.be/Olo3ey9RPJQ
• US Constitution Quick Quiz http://goo.gl/fAj2wt (picture vocabulary)
• What is US Constitution and Citizenship Day? pptx https://goo.gl/S1lxaW
• What is US Constitution and Citizenship Day? handout pdf http://goo.gl/Sk4FYX
• Bill of Rights Day
• Bill of Rights pptx via Google Slides
• Bill of Rights Vocabulary Quiz 01  pdf
• Bill of Rights Vocabulary Quiz 02  pdf
• Bill of Rights Vocabulary Quiz 03  pdf
• Bill of Rights Vocabulary Quiz 04  pdf
• Bill of Rights Vocabulary Quiz 05  pdf
• Bill of Rights Citizenship Quiz  pdf
• Bill of Rights Dictation pdf

ConstitutionDay.com: Celebrate the Birthday of Our United States of America Government

digitalmediasomerset: Constitution Day 2015

Elizabeth Claire's Easy English News: US Constitution in Simple English
A free digital download of the US Constitution with a side-by-side translation in Simple English

ELCivics.com: U.S. Constitution

Learning Chocolate (for ESL Literacy level students)

• 
  U.S.Constitution
• 
  U.S.Constitution: Articles
  
  
• 
  U.S.Constitution: Bill of Rights
• 
  U.S.Constitution: the First Amendment
• 
  U.S.Constitution: Voting Rights

• U.S.Constitution (new 09/13/2016)
• U.S.Constitution: Articles
• U.S.Constitution: Bill of Rights
• U.S.Constitution: The First Amendment
• U.S.Constitution: Voting Rights

ListenAndReadAlong is an AWESOME resource that produces videos that highlights words as they are heard from VOA news reports and features.

• American History - Part 015 - Birth of the Constitution
• American History - Part 016 - Birth of the Constitution - Part 2
• American History - Part 017 - Birth of the Constitution - Part 3 - Making of a Nation
• American History - Part 018 - Birth of the Constitution - Part 4 - Executive Branch
• American History - Part 019 - Birth of the Constitution - Part 5 - Big State vs Small State
• American History - Part 020 - Birth of the Constitution - Part 6 - Slaves
• American History - Part 021 - Birth of the Constitution - Part 7 - States Ratify
• American History - Part 022 - Bill of Rights

National Constitution Center: Constitution Day - Lesson Plans and Activities

si.edu: Preparing for The Oath

• Writing the Constitution: Videos
• Writing the Constitution: Teacher's Guide
• Writing the Constitution: Transcript (page 5)
• Writing the Constitution: Dictation (based on the Transcript) (I need to correct the typos)

USCIS: 

• USCIS Celebrates Constitution Day and Citizenship Day 2016 with Federal Partners and Welcomes More Than 38,000 New Citizens during Constitution Week
• Oath of Allegiance - Constitution Week 2013 (video): The Oath of Allegiance recited by #newUSCitizens at Oath Ceremonies across America. Very inspirational!

USScourts: U.S. Courts: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day Live Coverage (video)
Live coverage of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, and Ellis Island in New York, NY, begins at 10:45 a.m. ET on 9/16. Watch new American citizens take the oath of allegiance at naturalization ceremonies.  Hint: This video is 1 hour 40 minutes.  It is very inspirational, but a bit too long for class.  Check out the US Courts' 40 seconds preview here.

VOA Learning English: What's So Important about Sept. 17?

Thanks for studying the U.S. Constitution--I know that you will be a great American citizen!

Check back for updates!

A Quick Review of the Bill of Rights and the N-400 Part 12 plus Civics Questions

A Quick Review of the Bill of Rights and the N-400 Part 12 plus Civics Questions

• pdf: https://goo.gl/XPCNgd
• mp3: https://goo.gl/s3b4Jd

More Citizenship Resources for Constitution and Citizenship Week http://bit.ly/USConstWeek


The Bill of Rights and the N-400 Part 12:

The 1st Amendment protects freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, right of peaceable assembly, and the right to petition the government.

• N-400 Part 12:12. Have you ever persecuted any person because of his race, religion, national origin, membership in a particular group, or political opinion?

The 2nd Amendment protects the right to bear arms in order to provide communal security.

• N-400 Part 12:48. If the law requires it, are you willing to bear arms on behalf of the US?

The 3rd Amendment protects the right of private property in times of peace and war.

• N-400 Part 12:17b. Did you ever help any group that used a weapon against any person or threatened to do so?

The 4th Amendment protects against illegal search, seizure, or arrest.

• N-400 Part 12:23. Have you ever been arrested, cited, or detained by any law enforcement officer?

The 5th Amendment protect the rights of a person accused of a crime.

• N-400 Part 12:24 Have you ever been charged with committing, attempting to commit, or assisting in committing a crime or offense?

The 6th Amendment protects the right to a fair trial.

• N-400 Part 12:25. Have you ever been convicted of a crime or offense?

The 7th Amendment protects the right to a trial by jury.

• USCIS 100:49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*

The 8th Amendment protects people from excessive fines and cruel or unusual punishment.

• N-400 Part 12:14c. Have you ever badly hurt, or trying to hurt, a person on purpose?

The 9th Amendment protects the rights of the people not listed in the Constitution.

• USCIS 100:09. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

The 10th Amendment protects the states’ powers.

• USCIS 100:42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?

The Bill of Rights and USCIS Civics Questions

Although it originally had twelve amendments, what do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

The Bill of Rights was added to the US Constitution on December 15, 1791. When was the Constitution written?

The Articles of the Constitution set up our plan of government. What does the Bill of Rights of the Constitution do?

The Bill of Rights protects the rights of everyone living in the United States including freedom of expression and the right to bear arms. What is one right or freedom from the First
Amendment?

The First Amendment also protects religious freedom and prohibits the establishment of a state religion. What is freedom of religion?

Immigrants and Refugees Revive Depressed Neighborhood

VOANews: Immigrants and Refugees Revive Depressed Neighborhood

A large influx of immigrants and refugees certainly helps boost the population of a region. But they can also have social and economic impacts. The northern part of Columbus, Ohio - an abandoned wasteland in the early 2000s - has been revitalized thanks to the new Americans. VOA’s June Soh takes you to the Morse road corridor where the city’s true entrepreneurial heart is.

U.S. Citizenship Class 08, Fall 2017, Milpitas Adult School

Hang's Citizenship Interview

Other interviews based on the "Casual" Interview:

• Tuy Kim's Citizenship Interview
• A "Casual" Citizenship Interview with Vanita

N-400

• A "Casual" Citizenship Interview Based on the USCIS N-400r (40qs, 2pgs) (updated 06/12/2016)
• pdf: http://goo.gl/3tQWXw
• ppt: https://goo.gl/pctBRb (corrected!)
• vocab pdf: https://goo.gl/kaekRV
• Citizenship: Ready for the Interview: Marriage and Children by Lynn Weintraub (publisher's website)
• n-400r-10    Marital History
• n-400r-11    Children

Civics

• Citizenship: Passing the Test: Recent History  by Lynn Weintraub (publisher's website)
• si.edu: Preparing the Oath: 1900s

Integration

• Citizenship Interview Quiz with Lê Thi Hiep pdf 

Homework

U.S. History Since 1900 - Beginning Level

The U.S. History Since 1900 lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 11, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 86, and 100.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 715 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 298 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 32 KB)

Equality and Freedom - Beginning Level

Equality and Freedom lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 6, 77, 84, 85, and 100.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 5.35 MB)

Download handouts (PDF, 287 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 46 KB)

U.S. History Since 1900 - Intermediate Level

The U.S. History Since 1900 lesson plan and handouts for low intermediate and intermediate learners covering civics test items 11, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, and 86.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 797 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 267 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 51 KB)

Equality and Freedom - Intermediate Level

The Equality and Freedom lesson plan and handouts for low intermediate and intermediate learners covering civics test items 6, 48, 60, 74, 77, 84, and 85.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 797 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 426 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 89 KB)

Preamble of the US Constitution

uscitizenpod: Preamble of the US Constitution

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Listen to the full podcast: Summary of the US Constitution MP3 http://goo.gl/V93Twm (2016) Summary of the US Constitution PDF http://goo.gl/CVxDwZ (2015) More Citizenship Resources for Constitution and Citizenship Week http://bit.ly/USConstWeek

U.S. Citizenship Class 07, Fall 2017, Milpitas Adult School

uscitizenpod: Do Van Nguyen's Citizenship Interview

• A Basic Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Revised N-400 (2pgs, 38 qs) (updated 06/12/2016)
• pdf: http://goo.gl/cFLBsA
• pptx  https://goo.gl/eh19Gh 
• video: https://youtu.be/DnD5GRf1oDI
• vocab ppt: https://goo.gl/uiOJJc
• pdf:   N-400r Basic Interview Quiz Part 01 to Part 11 http://goo.gl/e9NnSR (new url)
• pdf:   N-400r Basic Interview Quiz Part 12 http://goo.gl/U4cjDA (new url)

• Citizenship: Ready for the Interview: TRAVEL by Lynn Weintraub (publisher's website)
• n-400r-9     Travel outside the US plus mp3

Civics

• Citizenship: Passing the Test: Civil War  by Lynn Weintraub (publisher's website)
• si.edu: Preparing the Oath: 1800s

Integration

• Krestos Negasi's Citizenship interview (multiple-choice test based on the N-400 and 10 USCIS questions). (download pdf) (listen to mp3--new for 2016!)

Homework

Abraham Lincoln - Beginning Level

Abraham Lincoln lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 60, 72, 74, 75, and 100.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 594 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 713 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 384 KB)

Civil War - Beginning Level

The Civil War lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 48, 60, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 76.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 389 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 877 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 548 KB)

U.S. Wars in the 1800s - Beginning Level

The U.S. Wars in the 1800s lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 72, 73, 91, 98, and 100.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 926 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 1.35 MB)

Download answer key (PDF, 200 KB)

U.S. History in the 1800s - Intermediate Level

The U.S. History in the 1800s lesson plan and handouts for low intermediate and intermediate learners covering civics test items 60, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, and 76.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 1.37 MB)

Download handouts (PDF, 872 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 1.06 MB)

9/11

USCIS 100:86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

The History Channel: After 9/11: Fifteen Septembers Later

• How has the United States changed in the fifteen years since September 11, 2001? How will it continue to grow?

Newslea: A History of the 9/11 Attacks

• On September 11, 2001, 19 militants hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks in the United States.

si.edu: Preparing the Oath September 11, 2001 (video)

• USCIS 100:86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

VOANews: Vanished US Flag From Famous 9/11 Photo Returns to Ground Zero (2016)

• An American flag raised at ground zero on Sept. 11 in a defining moment of patriotic resolve took its place at the site Thursday after disappearing for over a decade.

VOANews: Pentagon Memorial Stands as Tribute 16 Years After Terror Attack (2017)

• Today, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial stands next to where the plane entered the building, honoring those lost on a day that forever changed America.

uscitizenpod: n-400r-12b   Affiliations

• USCIS N-400 practice questions about terrorism

VOANews: Ahead of 9/11 Anniversary, Washington Community Beautifies Veteran Housing (2017)

• People came together on Saturday to honor the country's veterans by renovating an outpatient clinic and housing facility for servicemen and women who’ve fallen on hard times. Arash Arabasadi reports from Southeast Washington.

VOA Learning English: Americans Remember September 11, 2001 (2017)

• Some people wrote about their own experiences that day. Others posted photos and videos of the memorials and memorial services.

USCIS 100:86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

• Terrorists attacked the United States.

200 New Citizens Take Oath At JFK Library

CBSBoston: 200 New Citizens Take Oath At JFK Library

Two hundred immigrants became American citizens at JFK Library in Boston. WBZ-TV's Ken MacLeod reports. Published on Feb 9, 2017.

California Admissions Day!

Today is California Admissions Day!

I have created and uploaded a simple .docx about the State of California. I included info about our local government officials for the students of Milpitas Adult School.  Edit the docx for your own officials.

• USCIS 100:20. Who is one of your state’s U.S. Senators now?*
• USCIS 100:23. Name your U.S. Representative.
• USCIS 100:43. Who is the Governor of your state now?
• USCIS 100:44. What is the capital of your state?*

US Congress Mulls Options for Dreamers

VOANews: US Congress Mulls Options for Dreamers

U.S. congressional leaders respond to President Donald Trump's challenge to pass legislation addressing the legal status of nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. VOA's Michael Bowman reports.
Originally published at - https://www.voanews.com/a/congress-daca/4018626.html

Also watch:

LATimes: What Is DACA?
On Aug. 31, senior White House officials said President Trump was still reviewing whether to end the Obama-era program that has protected people from deportation.

LATimes: A Dreamer Has To Tell His Mom About DACA
Juan Casas loaded produce trucks on the graveyard shift, working his way through college. He earned an electrical engineering degree at Cal State L.A. and now works for an aerospace company.

VOANews: DACA Repeal to Cost U.S. Businesses, Economy Billions
The White House's decision to repeal DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, carries enormous repercussions for the nearly 800,000 beneficiaries who arrived in the U.S. as children. Over the next two years, more than 700,000 employed recipients will find themselves without a job. And for their employers, laying off a qualified workforce carries not only moral implications, but billions in lost revenue and an overall reduction in U.S. economic growth. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

uscitizenpod: What Makes Us American? (President Barack Obama on DACA 09/05/2017)
WATCH: https://youtu.be/KY_RyoO2imc

uscitizenpod: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 2017 Announcement (podcast)
WATCH: https://youtu.be/WxX2ew9QkOk
LISTEN: http://traffic.libsyn.com/uscitizenpod/daca.mp3

uscitizenpod: DACA, DAPA, and Citizenship: an Interview with Kayla Ladd (rescue.org) (2016)
WATCH: https://youtu.be/BgC-cpns4Wc
LISTEN: http://traffic.libsyn.com/uscitizenpod/daca-dapa-and-citizenship.mp3

uscitizenpod: DREAMers, DACA, DAPA, and Undocumented Youth YouTube Playlist
WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtyN34w6H7y6SeR1YhMMboMxMNT5knnIw

U.S. Citizenship Class 06, Fall 2017, Milpitas Adult School

N-400

• Simple Interview based on the Revised N-400 (2pgs) (updated 04/18/2016)
• pdf: http://goo.gl/IY5Y87
• pptx: https://goo.gl/OhFxA4
• Citizenship: Ready for the Interview: WORK AND TRAVEL by Lynn Weintraub (publisher's website)
• n-400r-6     Parents
• n-400r-7     Biographic Info
• n-400r-8     Work and School
• n-400r-9     Travel outside the US plus mp3

Civics

• Citizenship: Passing the Test: Beginning of a New Nation  by Lynn Weintraub (publisher's website)
• si.edu: Preparing the Oath: Establishing Independence 
• The Founders Quiz

Integration

• uscitizenpod: Citizenship Interview Quiz for Mok Kit-Ching pdf 

Homework

George Washington - Beginning Level

George Washington lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 28, 69, 70, 93, 94, 100.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 137 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 514 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 193 KB)

Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence - Beginning Level

Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 8, 9, 61, 62, 69, 64, 71, 96, 97, 99, 100.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 587 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 564 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 435 KB)

Benjamin Franklin and the U.S. Constitution - Beginning Level

Benjamin Franklin and the U.S. Constitution lesson plan and handouts for literacy students and low beginners covering civics test items 1, 2, 3, 12, 13, 14, 65, 66, 67, and 68.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 256 KB)

Download handouts (PDF, 425 KB)

Download answer key (PDF, 211 KB)

Establishing Independence - Intermediate Level

The Establishing Independence lesson plan and handouts for low intermediate and intermediate learners covering civics test items 8, 9, 61, 62, 63, 64, 69, 70, and 99.

Download lesson plan (PDF, 2.41 MB)

Download handouts (PDF, 1.57 MB)

Download answer key (PDF, 46 KB)