Overview: During the 2025 session, Legislative Pages (students ages 14-16) had the opportunity to interview legislators from both the Majority party and the Minority party about issues of interest. In this lesson, students will learn about where the Majority Party, currently the Democrats, and the Minority Party, currently the Republicans, stand on three important policies regarding Housing. Essential Questions: The House Housing Committee considers issues relating to: A broad array of issues relating to housing, including accessibility, affordability, assistance, and supply; land use and zoning primarily related to residential uses; landlord-tenant law; homelessness; homeownership; farmworker housing; manufactured housing; housing authorities; and the Housing Finance Commission.
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Overview: During the 2025 session, Legislative Pages (students ages 14-16) had the opportunity to interview legislators from both the Majority party and the Minority party about issues of interest. In this lesson, students will learn about where the Majority Party, currently the Democrats, and the Minority Party, currently the Republicans, stand on two important policies regarding Early Learning and K-12 Education. Essential Questions: Senate & House Education Committees (2025) Overview: The Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee considers issues relating to: House Education Committee considers issues relating to: The House Education Committee considers issues relating to kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12) education.
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The State Government writes laws that affect the daily lives of all Washingtonians. Yet, most people do not understand how the laws are made, what goes into the legislation, or how that legislation is enacted. In this lesson, students will discover what the state legislature is doing in regards to issues they care about. Overview Students in this lesson will choose one bill to follow as it makes its way through the 2025 Legislative Session. While doing this, they will learn how a bill becomes a law, from the birth of an idea to the signing of the bill by the governor. By using short videos, replete with interviews with elected officials, to explain the process, students will identify places to get involved in the legislative process. They will analyze public testimonies, both for style and content. Students will watch speeches given by legislators on the floor of the House and Senate, examining amendments offered by both Democrats and Republicans. Finally, they will watch the governor sign the legislation into law, and identify further ways to stay engaged in the future. Essential Questions: Objectives: Lesson Plan for Civics and Government: Middle and High School – 9 to 10 class periods
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By using this lesson plan, in 2 to 3 class periods students learn not only how legislation is passed in Washington State but also how they can become involved and engage in issues they care about. There are suggested discussion questions, classroom activities, and options for summative assessments that engage students in their local community by examining the effects of new legislation. Essential Questions: Objectives:
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Students begin to see how government policy is shaped and informed through the legislative process and public input. Students get familiarized with the legislative process and who their representatives are. They learn the structures of government, get a legislative process overview, a tour of leg.wa.gov, and learn how to look up their representatives online. Essential Questions: Objectives:
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This video collection follows two real Washington State bills focused on technology and youth—AI chatbots and social media feeds—as they move through the full legislative process. From public hearings and stakeholder advocacy to amendments, floor debate, and final decisions, viewers see how lawmakers, the public, and state leaders shape policy in real time. Along the way, the series highlights key concepts like committee work, bill cutoffs, lobbying, and the governor’s role, helping teachers, students, and the general public connect civics concepts to current issues in Olympia. Essential Questions
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OVERVIEW Every two years, political parties hold statewide conventions focused on unifying the party under a set of values, known as the party platform. While the National Convention focuses on nominating presidential candidates and is held every four years, state conventions are equally as important for endorsements and nominations for statewide candidates like governor or local candidates like state legislators. This lesson focuses on the little known state conventions that showcase political parties’ and organizations’ support for statewide candidates. In Washington State, conventions happen before the Top Two Primary, signaling to the electorate who to vote for in the primary election. Additionally, state conventions cement the state party’s platform, which states their values and views on important issues of the day. Students will view four mini-documentaries from the 2024 Election Season: Washington State Republican Party Convention, Washington State Democratic Party Convention, Washington State Labor Union Political Convention, and Mainstream Republican Cascade Conference. In this jigsawed activity, students will compare and contrast the conventions, determining who is involved in each event and investigating the candidates who were endorsed in statewide elections. Essential Questions:
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In this lesson, students will learn about the role and responsibilities of the Precinct Committee Officer. A Precinct Committee Officer is a partisan position that is elected or appointed every two years. In their examination of the role, students will also investigate their own political viewpoints, and determine how they wish to become more involved in local politics. Essential Questions:
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Overview: During the 2025 session, Legislative Pages (students ages 14-16) had the opportunity to interview legislators from both the Majority party and the Minority party about issues of interest. In this lesson, students will learn about where the Majority Party, currently the Democrats, and the Minority Party, currently the Republicans stand on two important policies regarding partisanship and elections. Essential Questions: Senate State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections Committee (2025) Overview: The Senate State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee considers issues relating to:
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Overview: During the 2025 session, Legislative Pages (students ages 14-16) had the opportunity to interview legislators from both the Majority party and the Minority party about issues of interest. In this 20 minute lesson plan, students will learn about where the Majority Party, currently the Democrats, and the Minority Party, currently the Republicans, stand on three important policies regarding the environment and energy. Essential Questions: House Environment & Energy Committee (2025) Overview: The House Environment & Energy Committee considers issues relating to air quality; aquatic lands; oil spill prevention; solid waste; hazardous waste; toxics; climate change; energy; Puget Sound; the State Environmental Policy Act and the Shoreline Management Act; state parks; and outdoor recreation.
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