New CM Library Resources!
While the Civic Mirror Library – a space for educators to share their customized and CM-related assignments, activities, and modifications – has been alive for several years, only recently did our development team cleaned it up for easy use. Ms. Amber Rainke, a social studies superstar from Frank Hurt Secondary in Surrey, BC, has created and shared no less than 5 resources … making this space even more awesome!
Amber uses the Canadian version of Civic Mirror and several of the resources she created help scaffold the content and CM experience for students.
Charter of Rights and Freedoms Aides
For Canadian educators who don’t have time to run the two-lesson Constitution Jigsaw activity but still want to cover this important information (after all, when the game starts, students use their own real-world country’s constitution as their book of law), Amber created and uploaded a Teen Version of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and an accompanying slide show.
House of Commons Primer
When students participate in their first Government Event in the Civic Mirror, it can be overwhelming to say the least. Not only are students trying to push their hidden agendas and ensure the laws and policies passed will benefit their simulated families, but they are learning how the rules, roles, and procedures of the legislative process work! Amber created a fantastic “House of Commons Intro” slideshow and an accompanying fill-in-the worksheet that teachers can to ensure their students write a record of the important content as they work through the slideshow. Awesome!
Election Debate Prep Sheet
Finally, Amber also created a worksheet titled Preparing for the Debate which can be used by both U.S. and Canadian teachers. She has her students use this well-structured sheet of important issues to better prepare their positions and arguments for their first election debates. To quote Amber:
I used this with my class to help them plan their strategies for the debate. I listed some guiding questions to help them frame an arguement or position on a topic that students often have questions about and will affect their hidden agendas.
On behalf of all the educators in the CM Community, thank you Amber! We appreciate your creations and sharing of them!
