Simulated Congressional Hearings

Parents

 

 

Key Quarterly Concepts (click here to view a larger copy)

Key Yearly Skills to Reinforce at Home

Key SS Concepts

  • Evaluate sources to support responses to inquiries

  • Source documents to determine reliability

  • Corroborate documents to identify similarities and differences

  • Contextualize events to better understand multiple perspectives and full impact of events

  • Closely read sources to determine author bias and viewpoint

  • Connect new learning to realistic situations (e.g. why groups start or end; factors that allow underdogs to succeed; current revolutions happening across the world; multiple perspectives about conflicts, etc.)

Supporting Activities

At Home

  • Discuss how current events in our local and global community in reference to the main ideas taught in 5th grade
  • Discuss the bias and reliability of news sources and advertisements that are encountered
  • Discuss how your child can responsibly excercise his/her rights
  • Watch documentaries about key topics and main ideas taught in 5th grade
  • Watch or listen to speeches and discuss what makes them effective or ineffective
  • Encourage your child to explore the resources found on the student page: http://sch.hcpss.org/resources

 

Family Field Trip Opportunities to Deepen Knowledge of 5th Grade Topics

NOTE: This is just a list to get you started, we are fortunate to live in an area filled with history. 

(Email Kimberly_Eggborn@hcpss.org if you have another place you would suggest we highlight.)

 

The official webpage of the Howard County Public School System's Simulated Congressional Hearings (SCH). During the SCH, students assume the roles of Constitutional experts and prepare speeches using supporting current events. They present these speeches before a panel of judges, followed by a question and answer session.