A Citizen's Guide to Preserving Democracy

Thirteen: A Citizen's Guide to Preserving Democracy | Full Documentary on PBS | Thirteen/On the Brink playlist

American democracy is under threat. Do you have what it takes to be a good citizen? Preserving Democracy digs into the 10 habits of good citizens in the series, A Citizen’s Guide to Preserving Democracy. Explore real-life examples of Americans who are striving to build a healthier democracy and who embody the spirit of a more informed and engaged citizenry… one person at a time.  Based on Richard Haass’ best-selling book “The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.”

The Life and Legacy of Jimmy Carter

VOA News: The Inside Story | The Life and Legacy of Jimmy Carter 

Join us this week on The Inside Story as we honor the remarkable life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100. From his humble beginnings to his impactful presidency and tireless humanitarian work, we reflect on the life of a leader dedicated to peace and service. That's this week on The Inside Story: The Life and Legacy of Jimmy Carter.

Rest in Power, Rest in Peace: President Jimmy Carter

 

 

VOA News: 39th US President Jimmy Carter laid to rest in his Georgia hometown

Carter died last week at 100 

Washington Post: Visitors pay their respects to Carter 

As former president Jimmy Carter lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 7, hundreds of visitors came to honor his legacy as a role model and humanitarian. 

Time: In Memoriam Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old.

POP Quiz:

USCIS 100:10.  What is freedom of religion?

USCIS 100:15.  Who is in charge of the executive branch?

USCIS 100:26.  We elect a President for how many years?

USCIS 100:28.  What is the name of the President of the United States now?*

USCIS 100:32.  Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

USCIS 100:41.   Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government.  What is one power of the federal government?

USCIS 100:43.  Who is the Governor of your state now?

USCIS 100:55.  What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

USCIS 100:84.  What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

USCIS 100:94.  What is the capital of the United States?*

2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 15

 

uscitizenpod: USCIS N-400 Part 12:45 The U.S. Constitution and Form of Government

Classroom:

• Pearson ELT USA Team: UPDATED Naturalization Speaking Test from Voices of Freedom by Bill Bliss.  pg 227-233
• Voices of Freedom: Ch 12: Citizens Rights and Responsibilities
• Preparing for the Oath:  Responsibilities (homework)
• American History and Integrated Civics Questions (USCIS 100:58-100) for the Naturalization Test

Know Your Rights Training and "I Speak" Resources

c

An example of a "Know Your Rights" Red Card and "I Speak" Language Identification Card

During the CATESOL 2024 Adult-Level Rap, participants expressed interest in Know Your Your Rights (KYR) cards and training. I encourage State TESOL International Association and COABE  affiliates as well school districts and consortiums to host a KYR training event or sharing "I Speak" a minority language cards (see below). Invite a immigrant legal service group or police/sheriff outreach representative to speak to your students.  Thanks to ILRC.org for everything that you do!

ILRC: Immigration Know Your Rights and Advocate Training
January 16, 2025
Two Sessions Available: Spanish and English
Are you an advocate wanting to train others on their rights when they encounter ICE? Are you a community member wanting to know what your rights are and how you can assert them in different settings? In this webinar we will first provide a Know Your Rights (KYR) overview, covering the rights that all individuals have, regardless of status, and what they can do to proactively prepare and protect themselves and their families. The second half of the webinar will outline how advocates can plan and conduct their own KYR training to help spread the word. This training does not offer MCLE credits.

ILRC is offering two sessions of this training on January 16th. The first session will be in Spanish, and the second session will be in English. Please use the links below to register. 

• January 16, 2025 10:00 am - 11:00 am Pacific Standard Time Online via Zoom Language: Spanish
  
• Register: https://pardot.ilrc.org/e/806863/9wSg6tR06eO5I6XQ--registration/q7jm7/708714573/h/8nr0NjlR6Cn-UaM6rt4ktCydANzKIxdnbyzvMW45vKs
• January 16, 2025 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Pacific Standard Time Online via Zoom Language: English
• Register: https://pardot.ilrc.org/e/806863/kqQfCPAXFwvy-E8g--registration/q7jmb/708714573/h/8nr0NjlR6Cn-UaM6rt4ktCydANzKIxdnbyzvMW45vKs

More Know Your Rights / I Speak resources

• https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards 
• https://www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/resources/red_cards-how_to-culture_strike_illustrated_0.pdf
• https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights
• https://www.atask.org/resources/help-cards/ 
• https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Indigent%20Languages%20Sticker.pdf
• https://www.cliniclegal.org/resources/protecting-your-community/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-card
• https://www.fns.usda.gov/civil-rights/ispeak
• https://iamerica.org/know-your-rights/
• https://iibayarea.org/services/know-your-rights/
• https://www.justdigit.org/wallet-cards/
• https://www.lep.gov/translation
• https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Know-Your-Rights-No-Matter-Who-Is-President-2024.pdf
• https://www.nyic.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Website-English-Comic-reduced-file.pdf
• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Example-of-Know-Your-Rights-wallet-card_fig1_265179572
• https://refugees.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Know-Your-Rights_final.pdf

A Quick Update of New Resources for U.S. Citizenship Prep

Created with MS Image Designer 01/06/2025

A quick update of new resources for U.S. Citizenship prep plus directions on how to print out USCIS One Nation, One People.  

Dollar General Grant page

Looking for Adult Ed program funding? The Dollar General Grant is one of the easiest grants to get for small programs.

ESL Video: Study for the US Citizenship Civics Test page

ESL Video looking for teachers/classes to beta test their new USCIS Officer Chattybot.  Contact Ryan Detwiler ryandetwiler@eslvideo.com more class codes.  Mega congrats to ESL Video for their 12-part series based on the USCIS One Nation, One People textbook.

LINCS: Top 10 U.S. Citizenship Preparation Resources for 2025 post

List of citizenship resources for 2025.

USA Learns: Access America Unit 5: Settling In 5.2 Rights and Responsibilities website

USA Learns Access completed a course update Fall 2024, an awesome intro to EL Civics topics.  They built out Unit 5.2 to include sections about becoming a Citizenship and immigration which includes activities for the videos below.  Look for updates to USA Learn’s Citizenship course in 2025.  To make suggestions or comments, contact help@usalearns.org.

• Becoming a U.S. Citizen
• Getting Help – Citizenship

USCIS Tech Talks: Supporting our Valued Stakeholders (Dec 10, 2024) video

During this engagement, on December 10, 2024, USCIS presented on the use of an Online Access Code by applicants and legal representatives, updating legal representatives, including filing a stand-alone form G-28, in online accounts.

USCIS Office of Citizenship ALL DAY Teach Training Sessions 2025 page

Coming soon to a city near you, the USCIS Office of Citizenship Training Team! 

uscitizenpod: Winter Holidays Citizenship Quiz 2024   video | PDF | MP3   

Include religious, secular, and civic holidays.

uscitizenpod: USCIS One Nation, One People PRINTING DIRECTIONS

Note: If you want the pdf already reformatted, click https://bit.ly/1n1px

Create main text

1. Download pdf from https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/brochures/OOC_M-1175_CivicsTextbook_8.5x11_V7_RGB_English_508.pdf
2.  Open pdd in Adobe Acrobat
3. File > Print. Printer: Adobe PDF
4.  Pages to Print > Pages: 3 to 44
5. Page Scaling: Tile Large Pages
6. Tile Scale: 100% Overlap: 0 in.
7. Orientation: Portrait
8. OK to create the PDF. (another pop-up will open--click the prompt--I saved the new file as "1n1p")

With this method, you do not have to manually reorder the pages.

Add Cover and Back

A. Open the Original PDF

1. Tool > Organize Pages > check Extract as Separate File > Extract (save as Cover)
2. Tool > Organize Pages >check Extract as Separate File > Extract (save as Back)

B. Open the Newly-created PDF

1. Tools > Organize Pages > check Insert File > Select Cover > Click open
2. Insert Pages Pop-up: Location > Before > First > Ok
3. Tools > Organize Pages > check Insert File > Select Back > Click open
4. Insert Pages Pop-up: Location > After > Last > Ok

100 new citizens for Jimmy Carter's 100th

 

Fox 5 Atlanta: 100 new citizens for Jimmy Carter's 100th

Former President Jimmy Carter's 100th birthday is a milestone for a number of reasons. For one, 100 people became U.S. citizens on his birthday in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Carter is also the only president to reach a centennial.

Also watch:

USA Today: Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at hometown church

WMAZ13: Jimmy Carter's pastor shares how Carter is still making a difference at 100 years old

Jimmy Carter

 

PBS American Experience: Jimmy Carter (full documentary)

Jimmy Carter's story is one of the greatest dramas in American politics. In 1980, he was overwhelmingly voted out of office in a humiliating defeat. But over the subsequent two decades, he became one of the most admired statesmen and humanitarians in America and the world. 

Through interviews with the people who knew him best, JIMMY CARTER traces his rapid ascent in politics, dramatic fall from grace and unexpected resurrection, including Carter family home movies and a rare film sequence of Carter's final hours in the Oval Office, when he and his advisors waited in vain for the release of the Americans who had been held hostage in Tehran for 444 days.

Top 10 U.S. Citizenship Preparation Resources for 2025

LINCS: Top 10 U.S. Citizenship Preparation Resources for 2025

Get ready to teach U.S. Citizenship Preparation and support adult students' goal to naturalize in 2025.  Add you resources below!

USCIS: Factsheet Form N-400, Application for Naturalization Filing Fees outlines the changes in fees, eligibility for fee waivers, and reduced fees for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization (2024).  For more info, see the LINCS 12/13/2024 USCIS Fees Webinar Follow Up post.

USCIS: One Nation, One People: The USCIS Civics Test Textbook and Color Me Civics: U.S. Landmarks and Symbols Coloring Book (English and Spanish) support applicants and their families preparing for the civics test.  For more info, see the LINCS 10/21/2024 One Nation Follow Up post.

ESL Video: Study for the US Citizenship Civics Test.  12 short videos based on One Nation, One People. Each video is paired with a multiple-choice listening quiz to check understanding.  Also check out the Civics Speaking Test with AI with USCIS Officer Chattybot.  

ILRC: New N-400 Annotated Version Explains the questions, why they are asked, how to answer them, and which ones may require help from experienced attorneys or Department of Justice-accredited representatives.

Justice.gov: EOIR Recognized Organizations and Accredited Representatives Roster by State and City List of organizations and representatives accredited to practice immigration law and represent petitioners in U.S. Immigration Court.  Updated monthly.

Literacy Volunteers Charlottesville / Albemarle: English for the Interview Video Playlist.  Twenty-seven videos focused on the entire N-400 (2024).

New Readers Press: Tricky vocabulary in Part 9 of the N-400 Application complements “Citizenship: Passing the Test Ready for the Interview Student Book 4th Edition” by Lynn Weintraub AND ProLiteracy’s Citizenship Collection of free online activities.

Pearson ELT USA Team: UPDATED Naturalization Speaking Test from Voices of Freedom by Bill Bliss.  

Preparing for the Oath: videos and activities for each one of the 2008 USCIS History and Civics Test.  Pair with the new One Nation, One People textbook!

uscitizenpod: N-400 Scripts based on the N-400 (2024). Ten progressive scripts of increasing difficulty for Citizenship and English Language Learners to help them prepare for their naturalization interviews.  The pdfs are fillable (to encourage digital literacy and support distance learning).   Additionally, every effort has been made to make the pdfs accessible to people of all abilities.  More scripts soon!

Upcoming: updated citizenship content and resources for Cambridge Ventures Arcade Citizenship, USA Learns Citizenship, USA Hello Citizenship (available in multiple languages).

USCIS Tech Talks: Supporting our Valued Stakeholders

USCIS Tech Talks: Supporting our Valued Stakeholders (Dec 10, 2024) 

During this engagement, on December 10, 2024, USCIS presented on the use of an Online Access Code by applicants and legal representatives, updating legal representatives, including filing a stand-alone form G-28, in online accounts.

New Year, New Citizen!

New Year's Day

• A Citizenship Quiz for New Year’s Day (2015/2016) mp3 / pdf
• Light Up 2022: New Year, New US Citizen! (2022) video
• New Year, New US Citizen (2018) audiogram
• New Year, New Citizen with Dr. Patricia Hernandez (2021) video
• New Year, New Citizenship Interview with Teacher Lisa Lau (2013) video
• wh.gov: A New Year's Message from President Biden (2022) video
• VOA Learning English: Words and Their Stories: What Does 'Auld Lang Syne' Mean? (New Year's Eve song) (2019)

The US National Anthem

NHL: Pentatonix sings U.S. National Anthem at Lake Tahoe

The Pentatonix sing the National anthem before a special hockey game between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers in Lake Tahoe, California.

USCIS 100:98. What is the name of the national anthem?

USCIS 100:53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? 

Make the resolution to become a U.S. citizen in the upcoming New Year!

Rest in Power, President Jimmy Carter!

 

VOA News: Looking back at Jimmy Carter's life and legacy

Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh extensively covered the former president’s life and post-presidential career promoting global health and democracy and has more on the legacy of the 39th president of the United States.

Also see:

• Army.mil: Official State Funeral Schedule for President Jimmy Carter
• Carter Center: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: A Remarkable Post-Presidency (annotated timeline)
• PBS American Experience: Jimmy Carter | Full Documentary 
• PBS News: A look at Carter's accomplishments as president and his legacy as a human rights champion
• VOA Learning English: Jimmy Carter, Outsider
• VOA News: Americans remember Jimmy Carter
• WH: President Biden Delivers Remarks on the Passing of Former President Jimmy Carter

Happy Birthday President Andrew Johnson!

 VOA Learning English: America's President--Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) was the 17th President of the United States (1865-1869).  He grew up in a poor family and did not learn how to read or do math until he was an adult. Johnson served as governor of Tennessee and represented his state in both houses of Congress.  Although Johnson was from the opposition party, he went on to serve as Abraham Lincoln's vice-president and succeeded him after Lincoln's assassination. He was the first president to be impeached, but he was not removed from office. The impeachment happened because he fired the Secretary of War after Congress had made it illegal. This was unusual because a president usually appoints his cabinet secretaries. 

Learn more:

• ESL Library: Andrew Johnson (subscription required; teacher discretion advised!)
• VOA Learning English: Andrew Johnson

POP QUIZ:

USCIS 100:17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*

USCIS 100:28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?*

USCIS 100:29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?

USCIS 100:30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

USCIS 100:35. What does the President’s Cabinet do?

USCIS 100:36. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

USCIS 100:43. Who is the Governor of your state now?

USCIS 100:45. What are the two major political parties in the United States?*

USCIS 100:74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.

USCIS 100:75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*

Happy Birthday President Woodrow Wilson!

VOA Learning English: America's Presidents - Woodrow Wilson 

Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States between 1913 and 1921. He was born in Virginia, grew up in Georgia, and became preside of Princeton University in New Jersey. Although Wilson supported peace, the United States entered World War I in 1917.  After the war, Wilson helped start the League of Nations. In 1919, he won the Nobel Prize for Peace.  In 1920, women gained the right to vote in America.

Learn More

• C-SPAN Classroom: Woodrow Wilson
• ESL Library: Woodrow Wilson (subscription required)
• Smithsonian: Woodrow Wilson (collection)
• VOA Learning English: Woodrow Wilson

POP QUIZ

100:15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

100:26. We elect a President for how many years?

100:64. There were 13 original states. Name three.

100:41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?

100:32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?

100:78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*

100:79. Who was President during World War I?

100:48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

Kwanzaa

uscitizenpod: Two Citizenship Questions for a Joyous Kwanzaa! | pdf

Kwanzaa is a week long celebration (Dec 25 to Jan 1) held in the United States to honor universal African heritage and culture. 

Kwanzaa is a celebration that came out of the black nationalist movement of the 1960s. 

It was created as a way to help African Americans reconnect with their African cultural and historical heritage.

Every night, people light a candle on a kinara (candle holder) which represent Kwanzaa's principles: 

Unity, Self-determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. (source)

Also checkout

• uscitizenpod: US Citizenship Resources for African-American History Month and Citizenship, Immigration, and Government Resources in African Languages 
• ESL Library: Kwanzaa
• Google Arts and Culture: Sharing the Timeless Principles of Kwanzaa through Stamps and Buttons
• NMAAHC: Kwanzaa
• Share America: American celebrate African Heritage during Kwanzaa
• uscitizenpod: Citizenship Quiz for Kwanzaa mp3 | pdf
• VOA News: African Americans Celebrate Kwanzaa
• 

Boxing Day

USCIS 100:55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

uscitizenpod: Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a secular holiday that is traditionally celebrated on December 26, the day after Christmas Day in England and its former colonies. December 26 is also the feast day of St. Stephen who collected food and clothing and gave them to the poor.  On Boxing Day, workers would received boxes of food and small gifts from their employers.  Frequently, there were used  clothing or blankets in the boxes.

Recently, Boxing Day has gained popularity in America.  Many families "box up" unused clothes, electronics, and furniture and donate them to charitable organizations such as Goodwill.

Goodwill was started in 1902 by the Reverend Edgar J. Helms of Morgan Methodist Chapel in Boston. Helms and his congregation collected used household goods and clothing being discarded in wealthier areas of the city, then trained and hired the unemployed or poor to repair them. The products were then redistributed to those in need.

Today, Goodwill has become an international nonprofit that is funded by thrift stores and provides more than 300,000 people with job training and community services each year.  Goodwill also offers free online job skills and technology courses--learn more at gcflearnfree.org 

In the spirit of Boxing Day, we encourage you to donate your unused goods or volunteer with your local civic or community groups.

Boxing Day Resources

• EnglishClass101: Boxing Day
• ESL Holiday Lessons: Boxing Day
• ESL Library: Boxing Day

Goodwill Industries

• Goodwill
• GFCLearnFree
• GCFLearnFree YouTube Channel
• GCFAprendeLibre YouTube Channel

More organizations in San Jose/Milpitas that accept household goods donations and need volunteers--check your local area for similar organizations!

• American Cancer Society Discovery Shop
• Habitat for Humanity
• Hope Services
• Humane Society
• Resource Area For Teaching: RAFT
• Sacred Heart Community Service
• Salvation Army
• Second Harvest Food Bank
• Santa Clara County Library District

US Citizenship Resources for Christmas

A Citizenship Quiz for Christmas  (2021) mp3 / pdf / video

More Citizenship Resources for Christmas

• George Washington's Mount Vernon: George Washington Remembers Crossing The Delaware (2018)
• Share America: White House decorations cheer visitors, especially children 2024
• Share America: U.S. towns named for Christmas 2024
• US Dept of Interior: Happy Holidays from Interior! 2024
• US Postal Museum: The Art of Christmas Stamps 
• VOA News: Pennsylvania's Bethlehem, founded by Moravians on Christmas eve, keeps its traditions alive 2024
• VOA News: A 400-Year-Old Mexican Tradition, Pinatas Are Not Child's Play 2023
• VOA News: How Did America’s Founding Father Celebrate the Holidays? 2023
• VOA News: Poinsettia's Origins, Namesake’s Checkered History Get New Attention 2023
• VOA News: Volunteers Join Annual Christmas Bird Count 2023
• VOA Learning English: 'Tis the Season!
• VOA Learning English Presents 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' 2023
• VOA Learning English: Everyday Grammar TV: Open-ended Questions about Gifts 2024
• WH: White House Holidays Throughout the Years 2024
• WH: The 2024 Holidays at the White House: A Season of Peace and Light 2024
• WH: The White House Transforms into Magic, Wonder, and Joy for the 2023 Holidays

uscitizenpod

• Winter Holidays Citizenship Quiz 2024   video | PDF | MP3   
• USCIS M-638 plus100:10. What is freedom of religion? plus Holiday Stamps (2011) mp3 / pdf
• Preparing for the Oath: USCIS 100:100 plus Holiday Stamps 2021 EN | SP
• Washington Crossing the Delaware, Christmas Night 1776 (2012) pdf
• A Citizenship Quiz for Christmas  (2021) mp3 / pdf / video
• Two Citizenship Questions for Christmas (2017) video
• O. Henry, author of "Gift of the Magi," Bio, Practice N-400, and Civics Quiz (2017) pdf (fixed!)

U.S. Citizenship Resources for the Hanukkah

uscitizenpod: Two Citizenship Questions for Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) was a Jewish-American poet and activist who used the image of America as a light to the nations when she wrote "The New Colossus" (1883). This poem, which is engraved inside of the Statue of Liberty, talks about the millions of immigrants who came to the United States many of whom came through Ellis Island at the port of New York. The final lines say:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Manfred Anson (1922-2012), a survivor of the Holocaust, designed this Hanukkah lamp for the centennial of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Anson used a souvenir figurines to cast the statuettes for the lamp, and the Statue of Liberty torch was transformed into a candle holder. The lamp is surmounted by an American eagle, and the base of each statuette is inscribed with significant dates in Jewish history. This Statue of Liberty Menorah is currently displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington DC.

USCIS 100:95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*

USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?

Learn more:

A closer look at our Statue of Liberty Hanukkah lamp blog post

A Menorah That Honors an Immigrant’s Story: After escaping the Holocaust, Manfred Anson paid tribute to his new home article

Emma Lazarus: Poet Of Exiles post

National Menorah: Chanukkah on the National Mall

Statue of Liberty National Monument website

She Wrote a Nation’s Welcome article

This One-of-a-Kind Menorah Represents the True Spirit of Thanksgivukkah: A Hanukkah tradition melds with an icon of Americana article

U.S. Postal Service and Israel Post Jointly Issue Hanukkah Stamps blogpost

Winter Holidays Citizenship Quiz

uscitizenpod: Winter Holidays Citizenship Quiz

Celebrate the Winter Holidays with 15 Civics Questions.  I ask, you answer.

Download a PDF or MP3 of this quiz.

For more Citizenship Resources for the Winter Holidays, click here.

For more info on Inauguration Day, including the Oath of Office, visit https://www.usa.gov/inauguration

Even during the holidays, study a little bit every day.  I know that you will be a GREAT American citizen!