Welcome to Congress

Who represents us in Congress and where do they work?

Congress is made up of people who represent their community. We will explore how Congresswoman Patsy Mink began in her home community of Hawaii and traveled to join a new community in Washington, DC to serve as a member of Congress.

In this episode, children are introduced to Congress. To connect with primary grade students’ existing knowledge, they discover how a member of Congress is part of two communities- their home community that they serve, and the community of Congress.

Students analyze primary sources to explore how Congresswoman Patsy Mink began in her home community and traveled to a join a new community in Washington, DC where she worked in Congress.

Children observe the details of a photograph of Congresswoman Mink in Hawaii (See). Working with in-game character Ella, students generate and test hypotheses based on evidence, figuring out how Congresswoman Mink traveled from Hawaii to the Capitol (Think). Children explore the structure of the Capitol building and conclude the episode by reflecting on how other members of Congress represent different communities around the country (Wonder).

Recommended Citation:

Ledford, E., Maguregui, J., Ferguson, M., Gajievi, S., Snow, B., Berson, M.J., & Berson I.R. (2017). Welcome to Congress [App]. Amesbury, MA: Muzzy Lane Software. Retrieved from KidCitizen, a Congress, Civic Participation, and Primary Sources Project from the Library of Congress, https://www.kidcitizen.net/