* Deadline: April 15, 2009 *

Congress in the Classroom is a national, award-winning education
program now in its 17th year. Developed and sponsored by The Dirksen
Congressional Center, the workshop is dedicated to the exchange of
ideas and information on teaching about Congress.

We designed Congress in the Classroom for high school or middle school
teachers who teach U.S. history, government, civics, political
science, or social studies. Forty teachers will be selected in 2009 to
take part in the program. All online applications must be received by
no later than April 15, 2009. We will notify individuals of our
decisions by April 30, 2009.

Although the workshop will feature a variety of sessions, the 2009
program will focus on two themes:  (1) developments in the 111th
Congress, and (2) new resources for teaching about Congress. The
workshop consists of two types of sessions: those that focus on recent
research and scholarship about Congress (and don't always have an
immediate application in the classroom) and those geared to specific
ways to teach students about the federal legislature.

Throughout the program, you will work with subject matter experts as
well as colleagues from across the nation. This combination of
firsthand knowledge and peer-to-peer interaction will give you new
ideas, materials, and a professionally enriching experience.

"Until now so much of what I did in my class on Congress was straight
theory-this is what the Constitution says," noted one of our teachers.
"Now I can use these activities and illustrations to help get my
students involved in the class and at the very least their community
but hopefully in the federal government. This workshop has given me a
way to help them see how relevant my class is and what they can do to
help make changes in society."

The 2009 workshop will be held Monday, July 27 - Thursday, July 30, at
Embassy Suites, East Peoria, Illinois.

The program is certified by the Illinois State Board of Education for
up to 22 Continuing Education Units. The program also is endorsed by
the National Council for the Social Studies.

Participants are responsible for (1) a non-refundable $155
registration fee (required to confirm acceptance after notice of
selection) and (2) transportation to and from Peoria, Illinois. Many
school districts will pay all or a portion of these costs.

The Center pays for three nights lodging at the headquarters hotel
(providing a single room for each participant), workshop materials,
local transportation, all but three meals, and presenter honoraria and
expenses. The Center spends between $30,000 and $35,000 to host the
program each year.

What follows are the sessions planned for the 2009 edition of Congress
in the Classroom®. Please re-visit the site for changes as the program
develops.

* The View from Capitol Hill
Aaron Schock, freshman member of the House of Representatives from
Illinois's 18th congressional district INVITED

* Congressional Insight
A team-oriented, highly interactive simulation of a Congress member's
first term CONFIRMED

* The Ten Most Important Things to Know About the U.S. House of
Representatives
Raymond Smock, Director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative
Studies, Shepherd University and former Historian of the House
CONFIRMED

* The Ten Most Important Things to Know About the U.S. Senate
Betty K. Koed, Assistant Historian, U.S. Senate Historical Office
CONFIRMED

* How We Developed the Art and History Sections of the New Capitol
Visitor Center
Maria Marable-Bunch and Carol Beebe, Public Programs Division, Capitol
Visitor Center CONFIRMED

* Resources for Teachers from the House of Representatives
Kathleen Johnson, Historical Publications Specialist, Office of
History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of
Representatives CONFIRMED

* Teaching with Primary Sources:  The Library of Congress's Teaching
with Primary Sources (TPS) program
Cindy Rich, Project Director, Teaching with Primary Sources, Eastern
Illinois University CONFIRMED

* What Do Our Students See When They Look at Congress?
Jeffrey Bernstein, Department of Political Science, Eastern Michigan
University CONFIRMED

* The Congressional Glossary Project
Michael Kirby, FedNet CONFIRMED

* Evaluating the New President:  What Factors Account for Success in
the Oval Office?
Frank H. Mackaman, The Dirksen Congressional Center CONFIRMED

* How to Get Your Point Across to Congress Members
Stephanie Vance, Advocacy Associates, Washington, DC CONFIRMED

* The Influence of the Internet on Political Information and
Engagement
Julie Barko Germany, Director, Institute for Politics, Democracy & the
Internet, The George Washington University's Graduate School of
Political Management CONFIRMED

* Setting Up a Congressional Office
Congressional Management Foundation INVITED

Take a look at The Dirksen Center Web site -
http://www.dirksencenter.org/print_programs_CongressClassroom.htm --
to see what participants say about the program.

* Registration *

If you are interested in registering for the Congress in the
Classroom® 2009 workshop, you can complete an online registration form
found at: http://www.dirksencenter.org/programs_CiCapplication.htm.

Cindy Koeppel
[email address]