In another example of my PLN helping me improve my lessons, Diana Laufenberg shared a great resource with me via Twitter. Diana shared Vote Easy which I immediately knew that I could use in my Civics class. Vote Easy is an interactive map designed to help voters identify the Congressional candidate that most closely aligned with their views on a selection of twelve issues. Answer each question then specify how important that issue is to you. Based on those responses Vote Easy will indicate which candidate in your Congressional district is most closely aligned to your views.

I used Vote Easy in my Civics class this afternoon as a tool to get my students thinking about the twelve issues (including Afghanistan, Health Care, and Education) presented to them. After my students answered all of the questions and found out which candidate was most closely aligned to their views, I had my students take it again to see what type of answers it would take to be aligned with the other candidates.

Here are some related items that may be of interest to you:The History of Credit Cards in the United States
9 Resources for Learning About US Presidents
How to Use C-Span’s Video Library in Your Classroom