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Finding Government Information Useful for Teaching Social Studies

The Founding Fathers believed that a true democracy was grounded in an informed populace and early on attempted to print publications documenting the work of the federal government and distribute them to the public. For nearly one hundred years information was distributed through a depository library program whose 1.400 libraries located across the United States offered citizens access to government information. Unfortunately, in spite of such efforts, government information remained difficult to locate and underutlized. This changed with the development and evolution of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Beginning in the early 1990's, the federal government began to publish information on the Internet, and by the early years of the 21st century, 60% of all information available depository libraries can be found on the Internet within a few months of publication, and some information is only available on the Web.  Today government information is more available to the public than ever before.

Government agencies and bureaus are rich sources of information on nearly every topic imaginable and can be provide valuable background information for educators. In addition, many agencies have as a part of their mission statements the dissemination of educational information.   While in the past educators found such materials through clearinghouses such as ERIC and by getting on mailing lists for agencies or by other means, the Internet allows them better access than ever before. The following sites are just a few of the hundreds of government web sites which provide valuable background and curricular information for educators in the Social Sciences.

Starting Points

Ask ERIC http://www.askeric.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Social_Studies

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids - http://bensguide.gpo.gov/

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)

Federal Websites for Students.

FirstGov for Kids - http://www.kids.gov/

International Government Documents for Children  http://susanthelibrarian.tripod.com/world.html

St Louis Public Library Kids' Zone--Government Information- http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/kidzone/links/STUDY.HTM

U. S. Government Web Sites for Kids - http://bensguide.gpo.gov/subject.html

U.S. Historical Documents Archive http://www.ushda.org  

Subject Areas:

Civics

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids - http://bensguide.gpo.gov/

            Symbols of the U.S. Government             

            State versus National Government

            Branches of Govenment

U.S. Laws & Legislation

            House of Representatives                       

            Senate

            Thomas - http://thomas.loc.gov/

            How are laws are made

                http://bensguide.gpo.gov/6-8/lawmaking/index.html

                http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/lawmaking/index.html  

Environment 

Environmental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov

            Educational Resources   

            teacher resources                                             

            kids activities

Department of Energy - http://www.energy.gov

            School

            Teachers' Lounge

            Classroom Connection

            DOE's KidzZone

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection-- http:// www.dep.state.pa.us/educators/    

Geography 

Census Bureau - http://www.census.gov/

            Census in Schools - http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/teachers.html

            Educational Resources at the Census Bureau

CIA Kid's Page - http://www.cia.gov/cia/ciakids/index.html

            Geography Trivia Quiz

             CIA World Factbook

State Department - http://www.state.gov/

            Background Notes

            Geographic Learning Site

History 

Government Printing Office--Core Documents of U.S. Democracy - http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/locators/coredocs/index.html

Library of Congress American Memory Project - http://memory.loc.gov/     

            America's Story

            The Collection Finder

            The Learning Page

National Archives - http://www.archives.gov

            Free materials

             Kid's Page

National Park Service -- http://www.nps.gov/

Patent and Trademark Office - http://www.uspto.gov

             search page

            Kid's Page

Smithsonian National Museum of American History - http://americanhistory.si.edu/

            Not Just for Kids

Social Security Administration Home Page - http://www.ssa.gov

State Department - http://www.state.gov

            State's Kid's Page

            Social Studies

            Timeline of U.S. Diplomatic History.

Welcome to the White House - http://www.whitehouse.gov

 Labor

Dept. of Labor - Mine Safety and Health Administration - http://www.msha.gov/

             Kid's Page

            The Little Miners