• Civic Knowledge: Understand the roles, responsibilities, and actions of congressional representatives.
• Critical Thinking: Analyze how a representative's actions or inactions impact the community.
• Research Skills: Use reliable resources to gather and consolidate information about representatives and issues.
• Civic Engagement: Develop a personal plan to stay informed, engage with officials, and take action on issues.

• Device with internet access
• Large sticky pads or poster paper
• Markers of pens

1. Setting Up the Paper (2 min)

• Have students draw a horizontal line a few inches below the top of the paper.
• Have students draw a vertical line from the middle of the horizontal line to the bottom of the paper.
• The paper should now be divided into three sections: top, left, and right boxes.

2. Defining the Role of a Congressional Representative (5 min)

• In the top box, students will write a brief definition of what a congress member’s role and responsibilities are. Example questions to guide them:
  • What does a congress member have the authority to do?
  • What responsibilities do they have toward their district and constituents?

3. Selecting an Issue and Identifying a Representative (2 min)

• Using the Youth Civic Hub issue-based guides, students will select one issue from the guides.
• Then head to Ballot Ready through the Youth Civic Hub Election Portal to find the name of the congress member who represents their district.

4. Evaluating the Representatives Stance (10 min)

• In the left box, students will use their representative's issue-based guide on the Youth Civic Hub to write down their findings about their stance and initiatives they’ve taken on the issue they chose. Example guiding questions:
  • What is their position (support, oppose, neutral)?
  • Have they taken any specific actions (e.g., sponsored bills, public statements, votes)?

5. Assessing the Impact (10 min)

• In the right box, students will assess how their representative’s action or inaction on the issue has impacted their district or community. Example guiding questions:
  • What challenges or changes has their stance created in the community?
  • How has the community benefited or been harmed by their actions?

6. Creating a Civic Action Plan (5 min)

• After completing their analysis, students will reflect and create a personal Civic Action Plan to strengthen their civic engagement. Write down:
  • One way they’ll stay informed.
  • One action they’ll take to engage with their representative
  • One issue they’ll continue to follow.
  • Using the Youth Civic Hub to pre-register to vote
  • Encourage students to think critically about how their plan can be realistic and actionable.

7. Sharing and Discussion (15 min)

• Class Discussion discussing common themes from the action plans. As well as highlighting creative or impactful ideas for staying engaged and informed