Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill brings the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government alive by asking students to role-play as members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, debate timely national issues, and simulate the passage of laws in a non-partisan format.
This optional curriculum is designed to complement what students learn from their textbooks and other reliable sources about the workings of our nation’s representative democracy. It does not replicate the actual process used in Congress to enact laws due to time limitations, nor does it ask students to identify with a political party.
Capitol Hill can be taught safely online or onsite, and offers flexible options and time frames that you can choose to best meet your goals and schedule.
We encourage students to use the U.S. Constitution as a moral compass to guide them toward policies that deliver equal justice for all. Students explore the topics using reliable sources and conduct in-class debates while practicing the art of civil discourse. After becoming informed of the pros and cons of both sides of the issue, they cast their vote.
Each topic in the Capitol Hill poll will be active for three weeks. Licensed educators and students also have access to blended lesson plans that provide all the instructions necessary to role-play as members of Congress in their classrooms – either onsite or online. To further enrich each lesson, educators also have the option to ask their students to engage in service-learning by participating in a National Polling Project and documenting these projects in video.
Note: Anyone above the age of 13 can sign in and vote in our weekly polls. Students will need to register with an active link from a licensed Educator to gain access to all classroom resources. Learn more >
