Kids and computers go together. But, parents know it is important to monitor where kids get their Internet information. The Library can help. Each month, Josephine Nolfi, Manager of Children’s Services, will feature websites that parents can trust. She also refers parents to The Library’s website for children – LibraryKidsville.org – for links to websites that are safe and reliable
Helping kids grasp the complex workings of our government can be a challenging task for parents and teachers. Leave it to Ben Franklin, our plain-spoken Founding Father, to host a tutorial kids of all ages can understand. “Ben’s Guide to Government for Kids,” http://bensguide.gpo.gov/index.html, offers information and activities specifically tailored to educators, parents, and students in kindergarten through twelfth grades.
As Ben greets us, he is flying a kite divided into four sections for grades kindergarten through second, third through fifth, sixth through eighth, and ninth through twelfth. Clicking on a section leads to age-appropriate information, games and activities that help kids learn how their government works. Throughout the site, students are referred to other government websites that offer a wealth of up-to-date information for kids. Even more age-appropriate websites are available by clicking on the final category in each grade range, “U.S. Government Web Sites for Kids.”
Kindergarten Through Second Grades
For kindergarteners through second-graders, Ben’s explanations of “Our Nation,” “Our Government” and “Your Neighborhood” are straightforward and uncomplicated. To clarify concepts that could prove difficult to understand, he draws an analogy with experiences in children’s lives. For example, Ben asks kids to consider the chaos that would occur in their school if no one was in charge, then correlates this to the need for government. Kids discover words about government and politics at “Ben’s ABC’s,” as well as a simple but precise definition for each term. Eight common U.S. symbols are defined and explained in “Symbols of U.S. Government.” Printable and interactive games and activities challenge kids to place a state in its correct location, connect the dots to create a symbol, color a symbol or help Ben find his way back to Independence Hall.
Third Through Fifth Grades
More detail is provided in the overview of “Our Nation” and “Your Neighborhood and Beyond” for grades three through five, and because the reading introduces unfamiliar terms, a glossary can be accessed by clicking on a highlighted word or by going to the “Glossary.” More than 25 “Symbols of U.S. Government” are highlighted, including buildings, statues and memorials, traditional symbols, and songs and oaths. Age-appropriate printable and interactive “Games and Activities” help reinforce concepts from the narrative. With the fundamentals covered, Ben is ready to explain how our government is structured. He begins by providing information about and, in some instances, full text of the “Historical Documents” that helped shape our government. He then proceeds with a step-by-step explanation of the “Branches of Government,” “How Laws Are Made,” the role of “National versus State Government,” the “Election Process” and American “Citizenship.”
Sixth Through Twelfth Grades
Ben provides the most comprehensive information for kids in junior high and high school. In some cases, the same topic synopsis is repeated for both grade ranges, but unique information is also included in each range. New links to websites for high school students lead to more sophisticated information. The interactive “Games and Activities” are repeats of those for grades kindergarten through five. But the printable games and activities are new, designed to reinforce facts about significant historical figures, documents and concepts.
Parents and Teachers
A final section for parents and teachers explains how adults can take advantage of government resources to help educate kids. The site index found in “Use Ben’s Guide as a Learning Tool” gives an alphabetical outline of topics covered throughout the website, with links to each grade range. This makes it easy to search the entire site at a glance and select needed information. A brief biography of Ben Franklin is also available on the site index. Links to government websites related to certain curricula are listed at “Curriculum Links.” Also, useful government websites for parents and teachers, organized by agency and subject, are found at “U.S. Government Websites for Parents and Educators.”
Learn More With the Library
Understanding our government and rights and responsibilities as citizens is fundamental to maintaining a democratic way of life. Check out “Ben’s Guide to Government for Kids” at “Kidsville,” http://www.librarykidsville.org/society_government.htm, for this and other websites that help make the process understandable for kids of all ages. |
