If you have observed that democracy is under attack, you are not alone. A Google search of “democracy under attack” returns over 100 million results, most very recent, and from just about every news source, including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. Through disinformation, Russia is trying to sabotage the U.S. system of government, and it doesn’t help that some of our leaders exhibit confusion about the U.S. Constitution.
The good news is that there are a growing number of tools to teach students how to be informed citizens, which is crucial to our future. See the SpecialEdTech.net article, “Websites and games to teach media literacy.”
Also highly rated is iCivics.org, a set of games available to play for free on several platforms. iCivics.org was founded by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Annenberg Public Policy Center, and other reputable organizations.
iCivics learning games come with teacher guides and can be assigned through Google Classroom. Each game is about 15 to 30 minutes long. There are 21 games, including:
- Activate: Pick an issue, lead a campaign, grow a movement, and make a difference
- Cast Your Vote: Get ready for Election Day:
- Court Quest: Navigate our court system and guide citizens to the right place.
- Do I Have a Right?: Run a law firm and show off your knowledge of constitutional rights.
- Executive Command: Being the president is no easy task. Are you up to the challenge?
- Immigration Nation: Guide newcomers through the path to citizenship.
- LawCraft: Choose a state to represent and jump into the lawmaking process of Congress.
- NewsFeed Defenders: Fight hidden ads, viral deception, and false reporting as a NewsFeed Defender!
- Represent Me!: Balance the diverse needs of your constituents as you plan bills to sponsor in Congress.
- Win the White House: Run your presidential campaign — from the debates to the ads to the fundraising! (In elementary, middle school, and high school levels.)