Civics is one of the most important topics on the GED social studies test.  An excellent set of resources for teaching students about civics in a very engaging way are the downloadable units on the Word Generation website.  The Word Gen Social Studies units raise controversial issues and help students acquire background knowledge, practice reading, data interpretation, and vocabulary skills.  Each unit begins with a Readers Theatre to build fluency and help students see how the issue impacts people in every day life.  Students then build background knowledge, debate, and write persuasively about the questions that have been raised.  Readings are short, accessible to middle-school-level readers, and designed to recycle the same target vocabulary words again and again so that students have rich exposure to the words.  

 What is Government Good For? engages students in the question:  How much should government encroach on the lives of citizens?  Students also learn about different governments, consider laws in Singapore as well as Stop and Frisk in New York City and the U.S. Patriot Act.

 Pathways to Citizenship teaches students about pathways to citizenship and the rights of citizens while raising the question of whether acquiring U.S. citizenship should be easier or harder.

 When is a Crime not a Crime? explores the concept of law through the lens of current events.  Students consider Jim Crow laws, the Trayvon Martin case, Ferguson, MO, drunk driving, marijuana possession and Loving v. Virginia.

 Where is the Justice in our Justice System? leads students through a consideration of mass incarceration while teaching the Bill of Rights and its intents with regard to the courts.  Students learn about Miranda rights, read case studies, and look at data on race and income as it pertains to incarceration.

 How Do we Right the Wrongs of the Past? leads students to consider Jim Crow laws, the GI Bill and redlining, and Native American genocide as it connects to the U.S. government.