New citizens sworn in at naturalization ceremony

ABC 10 News: New citizens sworn in at naturalization ceremony


New citizens were sworn in at a naturalization ceremony in San Diego Wednesday.

Azucena Guevara’s First Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview

uscitizenpod: Azucena Guevara’s First Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview

First Votes in 2020 US Presidential Campaign About to be Cast

VOANews: First Votes in 2020 US Presidential Campaign About to be Cast

The first votes of the 2020 U.S. presidential election will be cast Monday, February 3, when the state of Iowa holds its first-in-the-nation caucuses. For the last 50 years, America’s political parties have used a series of caucuses and primary elections to determine their presidential nominee. VOA’s Steve Redisch explains the process.

U.S. Citizenship Class 06, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School

uscitizenpod: A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the Lunar New Year Part 2

N-400: (5:45-6:30)

• Mix and Match Interview C2 (20qs) pdf
• A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the Lunar New Year Part 2 pdf
• model the interview with a student volunteer, then pair-up students to practice
• check in with practicing pairs
• as they are ending their interviews, distribute red flash cards to allow them practice 5 -10 more minutes

Civics (6:30-7:30)

• si: Preparing the Oath: Establishing Independence
• Citizenship Passing the Test by Lynn Weintraub
• quick review Ch 3 13 Colonies 
• round-robin read aloud Ch 4: A New Nation
• give students time to complete handout, then discuss and correct
• The Founders Quiz

Integration (7:45-8:30)

• 8:10 Mei-Lin Chen: A Quick Interview for Lunar New Year 2015 pdf
• give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
• 8:30-8:45 Ask the students if they want to practice with you one-on-one and use this quiz to ask them the questions

They Also Count: A Listening Activity for Beginning ESL Students

They Also Count: A Listening Activity for Beginning ESL students

• direct link to the Google form
• Google form embedded in a blog post
• direct link to the video on YouTube

U.S. Citizenship Class 05, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School

N-400: (5:45-6:30)

• Elementary Interview based on the Revised N-400 (21qs) (updated 04/18/2016)
• pdf: http://goo.gl/ZfO3W9
• pptx: https://goo.gl/8kd5vB
• Colonial Quiz
• model the interview with a student volunteer, then pair-up students to practice
• check in with practicing pairs
• as they are ending their interviews, distribute red flash cards to allow them practice 5 -10 more minutes

Civics (6:30-7:30)

• si: Preparing the Oath: A Growing Nation 
• Citizenship Passing the Test by Lynn Weintraub
• review Ch 3 13 Colonies 
• give students time to complete handout, then discuss and correct

Integration (7:45-8:30)

• 8:10 Elementary Interview Quiz pdf
• A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the Lunar New Year Part 1 pdf 
• give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
• 8:30-8:45 Ask the students if they want to practice with you one-on-one and use this quiz to ask them the questions

SMAS Census Ambassador Team: Calming Fears about the Census: A Listening Activity for Intermediate ESL Students

SMAS Census Ambassador Team: Calming Fears about the Census: A Listening Activity for Intermediate ESL students

• video only 
• EdPuzzle quiz direct link
• EdPuzzle quiz embedded in a blog post

Butte welcomes 25 new American citizens in naturalization ceremony

KRTV NEWS: Butte welcomes 25 new American citizens in naturalization ceremony

Citizenship Resources for Lunar New Year

During 2019-2020, we posted over 40 Citizenship videos from Vietnamese, Chinese, and Taiwanese!  We look forward to posting even more during the Year of the Ox 2021.

• Lunar New Year Citizens video playlist (over 40 video!)
• 黎潔芳談她的美國公民資格考試 video
• 2020 U.S. Citizenship Interview with Yinghong Xu video
• A Quick Citizenship Interview for Two October Birthday Girls video
• Candy Tran’s First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Candy Tran's Second Practice Citizenship Interview video 
• Candy Tran's Third Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Candy Tran Talks About Her U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Candy Tran nói về cuộc phỏng vấn thi công dân Hoa Kỳ của cô video
• Chengyu Wang’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Chengyu Wang Practices the N-400 Part 12 video
• Chúng tôi đã phỏng vấn đậu quốc tịch Mỹ video
• Hieu Thanh Nguyen’s First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Hieu Thanh Nguyen’s Second Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Hung Do talks about his U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Hùng Đỗ nói về cuộc Phỏng vấn Quốc tịch Hoa Kỳ của mình video
• Huong Nguyen's Fourth Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Huong Nguyen Talks about her U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Mayor of Milpitas, Rich Tran, Visits the MAE Citizenship Class video
• Minh Nhu Nguyen’s First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• My Ngoc Thi Thach Practices for her U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• N-400 Part 12 Vocabulary Review PLUS Clarification Questions video
• Nga Tran's U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Nhung Thi Hong Tran's Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Oanh Thi Kim Do's First Practice Citizenship Interview video video
• Oanh Thi Kim Do's Second Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Oanh Thi Kim Do Practices the USCIS N400 Part 12 video
• Oanh Thi Kim Do Talks about Her U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Phuong Thi Le's First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Phuong Thi Le’s Second Practice Citizenship Interview video video
• Tam Thanh Thai's 1st U.S. Citizenship Practice Interview video
• Tam Thanh Thai's 2nd U.S. Citizenship Practice Interview video
• Tam Thanh Thai's 3rd U.S. Citizenship Practice Interview video
• Tao Guangfang’s First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Thanh Dinh's First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Thi Nhung Phan's 1st Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Thi Nhung Phan's 2nd Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Thien Thi Kim Phan--New Citizen!  video 
• Thoa Dao's Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Thuan Thi Dieu Vo's Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Thuan nói về cuộc phỏng vấn thi công dân Hoa Kỳ của cô video
• Thuong Phan's First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Thuy Thu Pham’s First Practice Citizenship Interview video
• Thuy Thu Pham’s Second Practice Citizenship Interview video video
• Trick or Treat! A Halloween Citizenship Interview video
• Van Thi Bach Thach Practices for her U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Van's Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video
• Xiao Mei Cen’s Practice U.S. Citizenship Interview video

PLUS

• A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the Lunar New Year Part 1 pdf / video
• A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the Lunar New Year Part 2 mp3 / video / pdf
• Mei-Lin Chen's Quick Interview Based on the N-400r for Lunar New Year  pdf
• More N-400 and Civics quizzes

Updated 02/10/2021

Step Up to 2020: Census, Civics, Citizenship

Step Up to 2020: Census, Civics, Citizenship
2020 EL CIVICS CONFERENCE
1/24/20 Pasadena City College
3035 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena

Jennifer Gagliardi
OTAN.us
jgagliar@musd.org

CASAS Assessments for Citizenship Preparation

CASAS Assessments for Citizenship Preparation
2020 EL CIVICS CONFERENCE
1/24/20 Pasadena City College
3035 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena

Jennifer Gagliardi
OTAN.us
jgagliar@musd.org

U.S. Citizenship Class 04, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School

uscitizenpod: Interview Based on the N 400r for Lunar New Year

N-400: (5:45-6:30)

• Warm-up with Easy Vocab Quiz pdf: http://goo.gl/50NyZu
• give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
• Second Easy Interview
• model the interview with a student volunteer, then pair-up students to practice
• check in with practicing pairs
• as they are ending their interviews, distribute red flash cards to allow them practice 5 -10 more minutes

Civics (6:30-7:30)

• Citizenship Passing the Test by Lynn Weintraub
• The "Brown Books" are in the back of the classroom
• quick review Ch 2 American Places pg 23-30
• give students USCIS 100:88-95: Geography Quiz (Or “How to Study for Your Citizenship Test Outside of Class!” Part 1) 
• give students time to complete, then discuss and correct
• round-robin read aloud Ch 3 13 Colonies pg 36-44
• give students time to complete handout of pg 45 -47, then discuss and correct

• USCIS Early America Intermediate Level Citizenship Lesson Handout 
• round-robin read aloud page by page
• Check for understanding, and explain vocabulary/concepts
• this story is basically a repeat of Ch 3 but at a higher vocabulary/concept level
• give students time to complete handout exercises on the page
• move on to the next page

Integration (7:45-8:30)

• 7:45-8:10 Finish civics discussion
• EXTRA: If you have already completed the civics material, pass out ESLLibrary: Columbus
• read, discuss, complete, correct
• stop civics discussion by 8:10 and move to the next task
• 8:10 Mei-Lin Chen: A Quick Interview for Lunar New Year 2015 pdf
• give students time to complete the quiz, then discuss and correct
• 8:30-8:45 Ask the students if they want to practice with you one-on-one and use this quiz to ask them the questions

2020 U.S. Citizenship Interview with Maya Gomes via Guatemala Part 2

uscitizenpod: 2020 U.S. Citizenship Interview with Maya Gomes via Guatemala Part 2

This is Maya's second practice US Citizenship Interview. Includes civics questions and dictation sentence.

U.S. Citizenship Class 03, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School

uscitizenpod: Summer School Citizenship Interview with Huong Nguyet Diep

N-400

• Easy Interview based on the Revised N-400 (1 pg, 15 qs) (updated 04/18/2016)
• pdf http://goo.gl/4FVFO4
• pptx: https://goo.gl/b2BMT1
• Mix and Match Interviews Civics Quiz: Ones 

Civics

• Preparing for the Oath: Geography
• Citizenship Passing the Test by Lynn Weintraub
• Review Ch 1 pg 20; Discuss ch 2 American Places

Integration

• USCIS 100:88-95: Geography Quiz (Or “How to Study for Your Citizenship Test Outside of Class!” Part 1) 
• NEW: N-400 Easy Interview Quiz

Citizenship Resources for Martin Luther King, Jr Day

updated 01-15-2021

uscitizenpod: Three Questions for MLK Day
Three Citizenship Questions for MLK Day focused on the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.  Read/listen to the whole quiz below.

14 USCIS Questions in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This quiz matches 14 USCIS civics questions with speeches and events from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who worked for equality for all Americans and for all those who thirst for peace and justice throughout the world mp3 and pdf




Interview with Krestos Negasi (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) on MLK Day mp3 and pdf





A Quick Interview Based on the N-400r of Juah Sarwee from Fish Town, Liberia plus 10qs about US Geography and Symbols (2017) pdf  

A Citizenship Interview Quiz for Paulette Poujol-Oriol (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) (2018) pdf

Kahoot: Citizenship Questions in Honor of Martin Luther King, Dr Day! 

Learning Chocolate: Martin Luther King Jr Day

MLK Day Special mp3

uscitizenpod: US Citizenship Resources for African-American History Month
During the month of February, we explore the connection between the USCIS History and Civics questions and African American History. We also include Citizenship, Immigration, and Gov't Resources in African Languages! 

VOA Learning English: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

VOA The King Legacy Marching Forward series:

• US Honors Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. 
• Contributions of Civil Rights Workers Recognized 
• Young People Look at the Legacy of Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr 
• Southern Communities Rebound From Racial Barriers 
• African American Remember Discrimination of the Past 
• King's Role in Obama's Rise to Power
• Search for much more at VOANews and VOA Learning English

Also check out:

• American English at State: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• BingoMaker: Martin Luther King, J. Bingo Cards
• Census.gov "I Have a Dream" – Learning About Martin Luther King Jr.
• Census.gov: Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday and Day of Service: January 20, 2020
• ELCivics.com: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Lesson
• ESLHolidayLessons.com: MLK Day
• ESLlibrary.com: Martin Luther King Jr
• ESOL Courses: A Reading about Martin Luther King Jr 
• ESLVideo.com: Martin Luther King
• ESLVideo.com: Martin Luther King Jr
• FIS.edu: Correct a MLK essay
• ListenAndReadAlong: Biography - Martin Luther King, Junior, Part 1 of 2 - Legacy of a Leader
• ListenAndReadAlong: Biography - Martin Luther King, Junior, Part 1 of 2 - Legacy of a Leader 
• MLK Institute @ Stanford: Liberation Curriculum (lesson plans and resources)
• A TIME TO BREAK SILENCE: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students (free pdf)
• PBS: The American Experience: Citizen King
• NPG.si.edu: One Life Martin Luther King, Jr
• NPS.gov: Martin Luther King Day--Plan Your Visit to a National Park!
• NPS.gov: Martin Luther King Jr National Historical site, Georgia
NPS.gov: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (U.S. National Park Service, Washington DC)
• si: Preparing the Oath: USCIS 100:84. 100:85
• ThingLink: "Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." Advanced ESL 
• UrbanIntellecturals: Stories, News, Lesson Plans, and more.  Check out their new Flash cards.
• USCIS: Fighting for Our Rights
• USCIS: Equality and Freedom 
  
• wh.gov (Obama): Participating in a Service Project for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

See and hear 41 New Americans take their oath

NJ.com: See and hear 41 New Americans take their oath

Friday, January 3, 2020 - - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Mount Laurel Field Office Director Ya-Mei Chen administers the Oath of Allegiance to 41 citizenship candidates during a naturalization ceremony at the Trenton City Council Chambers on Tuesday. Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com (NJ Fife and Drums music)

Explainer: Impeachment Managers

VOANews: Explainer: Impeachment Managers

What role do the managers play in the impeachment trial? VOA explains the process.
–––––––––
READ MORE: U.S. President Donald Trump violated the country's spending law last year when he temporarily withheld $391 million in congressionally approved military aid to Ukraine while at the same pressing Kyiv to launch investigations to benefit himself politically, a government watchdog agency concluded Thursday in a decision that is at the heart of the impeachment case against the U.S. leader.

Trump released the assistance that Ukraine wanted to help fight pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country in September after a 55-day delay without Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy opening an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, one of Trump's top 2020 Democratic challengers, and his son Hunter Biden's lucrative work for a Ukrainian natural gas company.

But after an investigation, the Government Accountability Office ruled that "Faithful execution of the law does not permit the president to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law." It said that the Trump-controlled U.S. budget agency blocked release of the money "for a policy reason," which is not allowable under U.S. law.

Learn more at VOANews Special Report: Impeachment

2020 U.S. Citizenship Interview with Maya Gomes via Guatemala

uscitizenpod: 2020 U.S. Citizenship Interview with Maya Gomes via Guatemala

Maya is getting ready for her US Citizenship Interview next. This video was uploaded earlier in the week, but has been edited and includes new information. Includes civics questions and dictation sentence. Check back in a day or two for correct captions.

U.S. Citizenship Class 02, Spring 2020, Milpitas Adult School

uscitizenpod: What makes us American?

Preparing for Naturalization (updated 04/18/2016)

• PPTX http://goo.gl/p6kNWH
• Vocabulary Quiz http://goo.gl/w86kWi

N-400

• Understanding Commands for the Naturalization Interview.

• Download Self-Study Flash Cards (PDF, 2.41 MB)
• Download Practice Exercise (PDF, 730 KB)
• n-400r-0     Before the Interview plus mp3
• Ready for the Interview by Lynn Weintraub pg 14-34

Civics

• Citizenship Passing the Test by Lynn Weintraub
• Review Ch 1 pg 20; Discuss ch 2 American Places

Integration

• USCIS 100:88-95: Geography Quiz (Or “How to Study for Your Citizenship Test Outside of Class!” Part 1) 

Jan 15 is National Religious Freedom Day

Introduced in 1779, Thomas Jefferson’s bill became law in 1786. (source)

National Religious Freedom Day commemorates the Virginia General Assembly's adoption of Thomas Jefferson's landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on January 16, 1786. That statute became the basis for the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and led to freedom of religion for all Americans.

Religious Freedom Day has been officially proclaimed on January 16 in an annual statement by the President of the United States since 1993.

--source: Wikipedia

Learn more about Jefferson's bill for Religious Freedom:

• Colonial Williamsburg: A BILL FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

POP QUIZ:

1. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*
2. What is freedom of religion?
3. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
4. What is one reason colonists came to America?
5. There were 13 original states. Name three.
6. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?