Learning by Hearings - Download Page
We want to inspire students to value fact-finding, good governance, and bipartisan cooperation as well as to sharpen their investigative skills and their ability to engage in public policy debates with civility.
- General St. Clair’s Defeat
- The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments – Congress Investigates the KKK
- Welcome to the Jungle
- The Teapot Dome Scandal
- Ferdinand Pecora and the 1929 Stock Market Crash
- NEW! The Truman Committee
- NEW! The Lavender Scare
- McCarthy’s Oversight Abuses
- The Watergate Investigation
- Fulbright Investigates the Vietnam War
- NEW! September 11
- Congressional Simulation
- Our signature 4-day lesson where students participate in a simulation of a state-level oversight investigation
- Defining Congressional Oversight
- Enumerated vs. Implied Powers
- How the Media Connects Oversight to the Public
- NEW! Bipartisanship and our Democratic Values
U.S. History Materials
General St. Clair's Defeat
With these materials, students will learn about Congress’s first investigation in 1792. General St. Clair had just suffered a terrible military defeat, and President Washington demanded to know why.
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments – Congress Investigates the KKK
Use these materials to teach students about the groundbreaking work of the congressional investigation into the Ku Klux Klan conducted during Reconstruction.
Welcome to the Jungle
These materials review two concurrent investigations which led to the birth of food safety regulations during the Progressive Era.
The Teapot Dome Scandal
This video discusses one of the most infamous political scandals of the twentieth century: the Teapot Dome scandal.
Ferdinand Pecora and the 1929 Stock Market Crash
With these materials, students work together to analyze the findings of Ferdinand Pecora’s investigation into the stock market crash of ‘29.
The Truman Committee
These materials introduce students to a historic investigation into waste, fraud, and abuse during World War II.
The Lavender Scare
This lesson helps students explore a time in history when our government relied on fear instead of facts to make policy decisions.
McCarthy's Oversight Abuses
This snapshot explores the dangers of unchecked power and political fearmongering through the lens of Senator Joseph McCarthy’s infamous anti-communist crusade in the 1950s.
The Watergate Investigation
This snapshot delves into the Senate’s investigation into when the Watergate scandal shook the nation.
Fulbright Investigates the Vietnam War
With these materials, students will explore the importance of trust in the relationship between Congress and the Presidency.
Congress Investigates 9/11
This snapshot summarizes the bicameral and bipartisan intelligence investigation that was conducted after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Civics Materials
Congressional Simulation
Our Congressional investigation simulation is a 4-day lesson where students will participate in a simulation of a state-level oversight investigation about a scandal or problem in Michigan.
Defining Congressional Oversight
These materials will introduce students to the concept of congressional oversight.
Enumerated vs. Implied Powers
With this lesson, students will understand the ways in which Congress’ power extends beyond its enumerated powers.
How the Media Connects Oversight to the Public
In this lesson, students will investigate the relationship between the media and oversight investigations.
Bipartisanship and our Democratic Values
In this lesson, students will use the lens of congressional oversight to evaluate how bipartisanship brings us closer to our Democratic Values.
