U.S. Citizenship Resources for the Hanukkah

uscitizenpod: Two Citizenship Questions for Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

Emma Lazarus (1849-1887) was a Jewish-American poet and activist who used the image of America as a light to the nations when she wrote "The New Colossus" (1883). This poem, which is engraved inside of the Statue of Liberty, talks about the millions of immigrants who came to the United States many of whom came through Ellis Island at the port of New York. The final lines say:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Manfred Anson (1922-2012), a survivor of the Holocaust, designed this Hanukkah lamp for the centennial of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Anson used a souvenir figurines to cast the statuettes for the lamp, and the Statue of Liberty torch was transformed into a candle holder. The lamp is surmounted by an American eagle, and the base of each statuette is inscribed with significant dates in Jewish history. This Statue of Liberty Menorah is currently displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington DC.

USCIS 100:95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?*

USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?

Learn more:

A closer look at our Statue of Liberty Hanukkah lamp blog post

A Menorah That Honors an Immigrant’s Story: After escaping the Holocaust, Manfred Anson paid tribute to his new home article

Emma Lazarus: Poet Of Exiles post

Statue of Liberty National Monument website

She Wrote a Nation’s Welcome article

This One-of-a-Kind Menorah Represents the True Spirit of Thanksgivukkah: A Hanukkah tradition melds with an icon of Americana article

U.S. Postal Service and Israel Post Jointly Issue Hanukkah Stamps blogpost

Winter Holidays Citizenship Quiz

uscitizenpod: Winter Holidays Citizenship Quiz

Celebrate the Winter Holidays with 15 Civics Questions.  I ask, you answer.

Download a PDF or MP3 of this quiz.

For more Citizenship Resources for the Winter Holidays, click here.

For more info on Inauguration Day, including the Oath of Office, visit https://www.usa.gov/inauguration

Even during the holidays, study a little bit every day.  I know that you will be a GREAT American citizen!

The White House Transforms into a Season of Peace & Light for the 2024 Holidays

 wh.gov: The White House Transforms into a Season of Peace and Light for the 2024 Holidays 

Each room and design element throughout the White House holiday display are guided by the peace and light of the holiday season.

Learn more: Citizenship Resources for the Winter Holidays

New musical project tells 1800s story of US transcontinental railroad

VOA News: New musical project tells 1800s story of US transcontinental railroad

Rhiannon Giddens is an award-winning artist whose new project tells the story of the U.S. transcontinental railroad — a story told through the eyes of its builders, including African American, Chinese, Japanese, Irish and Native American workers. Nina Vishneva has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Read more.

Listen to "American Railroad" by Silkwood Ensemble and Rhiannon Giddens.  Also check out the American Railroad Podcast!

Lean more about the Transcontinental Railroad

The Transcontinental Railroad was built across the United States, starting after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Act in 1862 during the Civil War.

Much of the railroad was built on land taken from Native American tribes.  The Central Pacific Railroad built east from Sacramento, California, while the Union Pacific Railroad built west from Omaha, Nebraska.  The two railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869. Workers from China and Ireland, played a big role in its construction.

The railroad reduced travel across the U.S. from months to weeks or days. At the time, it was one of the longest railroads in the world, and more railroads were built later.

POP QUIZ:

• USCIS 100:89.  What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States?
• USCIS 100:59.  Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
• USCIS 100:44.  What is the capital of your state?
• Bonus: Sacramento is the capital of California.  What is the capital of Nebraska?
• USCIS 100:75.  What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
• USCIS 100:33.  Who signs bills to become laws?

Winter Solstice

 

Share America: Celebrating Brighter Days on Yalda with Pomegranates 

Why a pomegranate, and how do you cut one? Tonight, on Shabe Yalda or the Winter Solstice, families in Iran and across the wider region gather together to celebrate the beginning of winter and brighter days ahead.

2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 14

USCIS: Oath of Allegiance

Classroom:

• 10 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
• Holiday Stamps and Religious Freedom  pdf
• A Citizenship Quiz for Christmas  (2021) mp3 / pdf / video
• Voices of Freedom: Ch 12: Citizens Rights and Responsibilities
• Preparing for the Oath:  Responsibilities (homework)
• n-400r-18    Oath of Allegiance
• Civic Responsibilities pdf

A Quick Review of the Bill of Rights and the N-400 (2024) Part 9 plus Civics Questions

 

uscitizenpod: A Quick Review of the Bill of Rights and the N-400 (2024) Part 9 plus Civics Questions | pdf  | mp3

After a long hiatus, we are back with regular podcasts that feature questions from the new USCIS N-400 Application for Naturalization.  In honor of the Bill of Rights Day, December 15, we are pairing the first ten amendments with some questions from the new N-400 Part 9 and some Civics questions.  pdf 

Before we begin, there are three news items:

1)     On September 20, USCIS released their new “One Nation, One People: Civics Test Textbook” for adults preparing to naturalize.  In support of their commitment 2gen civic literacy, USCIS also released “Color Me Civics: U.S. Landmarks and Symbols Coloring Book” in English and Spanish.  You can download these free resources from USCIS.

 2) Two new N-400 (2024) Part 9 resources:

·        Pearson ELT USA Team just release a free pdf of the UPDATED Naturalization Speaking Test from Voices of Freedom by Bill Bliss.  Download the test practice. 

·        New Readers Press has just posted a new “Tricky Vocabulary” handout (for explaining vocabulary in the new N-400 part 9):  .  This resource complements Citizenship: Passing the Test Ready for the Interview Student Book 4th Edition by Lynn Weintraub

3)     On December 13, LINCS.ed.gov The 2024 Naturalization Fee Reduction Webinar with Shawn Chakrabarti, a former Education Specialist with the office of Citizenship, USCIS.  Mr. Chakrabarti explained the USCIS naturalization fee structure, highlighting that 9.2 million people are eligible for citizenship, with 4 million likely having limited English proficiency. He detailed the new fee waiver and reduction rules, noting that 80% of LPRs may qualify for fee reductions. Mr. Chakrabarti emphasized the importance of detailed student intakes, partnering with legal service providers, and leveraging digital literacy to navigate the new fee rules. He also encouraged commenting on Federal Register notices to influence future policies.  Although this webinar was not recorded, detailed notes and resources are available on LINCS.ed.gov Civics Education and Citizenship Group under the “FOLLOW UP: 12/13 The 2024 Naturalization Fee Reduction Webinar.”

4)     Finally, a petition titled, Call to Codify Improvements to U.S. Naturalization Test, hosted on the TESOL Advocacy Action Center.  The petition asks USCIS to codify two items in the Federal Register:

·        Intermediate low level of English is the fair and appropriate level for the civics and speaking test.

·        The speaking test which is based on eligibility interview with an USCIS officer should be limited to basic questions. For complex questions, applicants may use interpreters.

With just one click, you can virtually sign the petition, which is immediately sent to your US representative and both senators.  Please sign this petition immediately to protect the fairness of the Naturalization interview.

2024 Bill of Rights Day Naturalization Ceremony at the National Archives

National Archives: 2024 Bill of Rights Day Naturalization Ceremony at the National Archives 

WASHINGTON, December 17, 2024 – On Friday, December 13, 25 people from 25 nations were sworn in as U.S. citizens in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. The petitioners took the oath of allegiance in front of the nation’s Founding Documents: the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence. (read more)

What is Bill of Rights Day?

National Archives: What is Bill of Rights Day?

On December 15, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued a proclamation dedicating December 15 as Bill of Rights Day. This date marks the anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Join the National Archives for student programs on the Bill of Rights: civics.archives.gov

Biden memorializes painful past of Native Americans

VOA News: Biden memorializes painful past of Native Americans 

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday presided over his final White House Tribal Nations Summit by establishing a national monument to honor the suffering of thousands of Native children and their families in federal boarding schools. VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington.

Learn more:

NPS: The Carlisle Indian Industrial School: Assimilation with Education after the Indian Wars (Teaching with Historic Places)

Dickinson.edu:  Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center

POP QUIZ:

USCIS 100:59.  Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

USCIS 100:87.  Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.

Madre Sin Fronteras

Virgen de Tepeyac,


Patroness of the Americas,


Madre sin fronteras,


PRAY FOR US!

2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 13

uscitizenpod: A Quick Guide to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

Classroom:

• 09 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
• A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the UDHR and Human Rights Day mp3 and pdf 
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Word Search Puzzle pdf 
• Voices of Freedom: Ch 11: Presidents and Holidays
• Preparing for the Oath: Famous Citizens (homework)
• A Quick Review of the Bill of Rights and the N-400 Part 12 plus Civics Questions mp3 and pdf and video (2017)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Share America: 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Learn more:

• LINCS: Civic Resources for Human Rights Day (Dec 10) and Bill of Rights Day (Dec 15)  links
• TED-ed: The rights you might not realize you have - Shannon Odell
• uscitizenpod: Resources for Human Rights Day links
• uscitizenpod: A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of the UDHR and Human Rights Day mp3 and pdf 
• uscitizenpod: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Word Search Puzzle pdf 

National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception located in Washington, D.C., honors Mary, the mother of Jesus, as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the United States and celebrates the diversity of the American Catholicism. (take a virtual tour)

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is usually celebrated on December 8th.  This year, the Roman Catholic Church is observing the second Sunday of Advent on Sunday, December 8th and celebrating the Immaculate Conception on Monday, December 9th.  

As a Roman Catholic, I am proud to share my religious and cultural heritage that informs my work as an ESL/Citizenship teacher.  I also want to honor my Catholic brothers and sisters working tirelessly for justice on behalf on the immigrant community.

USCIS 100:10. What is freedom of religion?

▪ You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.

City of Dallas welcomes 30 new US citizens with naturalization oath ceremony

FOX 4: City of Dallas welcomes 30 new US citizens with naturalization oath ceremony 

30 Dallas residents from 19 different countries officially became U.S. citizens in the city's fourth naturalization ceremony.

How South Asian Muslims and Mexican Americans United in the 1920s

PBS: American Muslims: How South Asian Muslims and Mexican Americans United in the 1920s 

Asma Khalid travels to Sacramento and Phoenix to piece together the story of a man named Mir Dad, a South Asian Muslim who arrived in the United States in 1917 and made a home in the American Southwest. Asma discovers the prejudice faced by South Asians of all religions traveling to America in the early part of the 20th century and the race-based naturalization and immigration laws that shaped their lives. She also discovers how Mir Dad joined a growing number of South Asian and Mexican American couples who built their lives together in the 1920s and 30s, forming blended communities whose descendants still treasure their mixed heritage today. Includes readings from actors Kamal Khan and David Rasche.

Learn more:

• PBS: American Muslims: A History Revealed
• A series of six short documentary films that reveal and explore the early history of Muslims in America. The series is hosted by three leading American Muslim journalists: Malika Bilal, Aymann Ismail, and Asma Khalid. Over the course of the series, they travel the country to piece together stories spanning over 200 years. from the first Muslims to arrive as enslaved people from Africa to the establishment of early South Asian, Syrian-Lebanese, and Black American Muslim communities. The series weaves key moments in U.S. history with the unexpected but essential story threads of Muslims whose lived experiences offer us new insight into how race, religion, and nationality are intertwined in the American fabric. Actors reading the part of historical characters include Hiam Abbas, David Rasche, Kamal Khan, and Faarshad Farahat.
• PBS: Is This One of America’s First Mosques? video
• PBS: From Slavery to Freedom: The Untold Story of America's First Muslims video
• PBS: Fighting for Freedom: The Little-Known Story of Muslims and the Civil War video
• uscitizenpod: A Citizenship Quiz for the Month of Ramadan pdf  mp3  video
• uscitizenpod: A Citizenship Quiz in Honor of India and Pakistan Independence Day pdf
• uscitizenpod: Citizenship Quiz in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 to Oct 15) Part 1 (pdf) (mp3)

Two Resources for USCIS N-400 Part 9

 

Created with MS Image Designer AI 12/05/2024 3:30 PM PT

Pearson ELT USA Team just release a free pdf of the UPDATED Naturalization Speaking Test from Voices of Freedom by Bill Bliss.  Download the test practice. 

New Readers Press has just posted a new “Tricky Vocabulary” handout (for explaining vocabulary in the new N-400 part 9):  https://www.newreaderspress.com/site/Additional%20Resources/CitizenshipRFTI-VocabularySheet-2024.pdf .  This resource complements Citizenship: Passing the Test Ready for the Interview Student Book 4th Edition by Lynn Weintraub

Manhattan artist invites Americans to write postcards to US president

VOA News: Manhattan artist invites Americans to write postcards to US president 

Since 2004, artist Sheryl Oring has been giving Americans a chance to speak their truth to the world. Dressed in 1950s attire, she invites the public to speak their mind and records it on her typewriter as part of a project called, “I Wish To Say.” Elena Wolf has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.

Contact the President 

online | guidelines to send a letter

Address: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W, Washington, DC 20500

Phone Numbers: Comments: 202-456-1111 | Switchboard: 202-456-1414

TTY/TTD Comments: 202-456-6213

2024-2025 MAE Citizenship Class 12

New York Historical: World War II // The Citizenship Project [E06]

Classroom:

• 08 Practice Citizenship Interview based on the USCIS Form N-400 (2024)
• Coin Quiz
• Voices of Freedom: Ch 10: 20th century
• Preparing for the Oath: The 1900s (homework)
• Citizenship Interview Quiz: América Griselda Ayes (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) pdf

Secretary Blinken Visits Emma's Torch

Share America: Secretary Blinken Visits Emma's Torch 

Everyday, we celebrate innovative businesses like Emma's Torch which teaches refugees culinary skills and helps with job placement in the U.S. Local businesses help drive the global economy and address the needs of neighborhoods and communities. The work Emma’s Torch does exemplifies the best of America, with successive generations coming from somewhere else and becoming part of the story of our country and carrying it forward.

POP QUIZ

USCIS 100:11.  What is the economic system in the United States?*

USCIS 100:36.  What are two Cabinet-level positions?

President Biden invites HSI leaders to the Oval Office

wh: President Biden invites HSI leaders to the Oval Office 

And our historic President’s Advisory Board on Hispanic-Serving Institutions means more students than ever will have that shot at the American dream.

POP QUIZ:

USCIS 100:15.  Who is in charge of the executive branch?

USCIS 100:28.  What is the name of the President of the United States now?*

USCIS 100:35.  What does the President’s Cabinet do?

Rosa Parks Day

What does it mean to stand up for something?
How do you show your support for causes you believe in?

TED-ED: The hidden life of Rosa Parks - Riché D. Richardson

Learn about the life of civil rights activist Rosa Parks— her work with the NAACP, bus boycotts, and her lifelong fight against racial inequality.

Throughout her life, Rosa Parks repeatedly challenged racial violence and the prejudiced systems protecting its perpetrators. Her refusal to move to the back of a segregated bus ignited a boycott that lasted 381 days and helped transform civil rights activism into a national movement. But this work came at an enormous risk— and a personal price. Riché D. Richardson details the life of Rosa Parks.

Lesson by Riché D. Richardson, directed by Eido.

Learn more:

Rosa Parks Day is a U.S observance that celebrates the famous civil rights leader Rosa Parks. In different parts of the United States, this day is celebrated on different days. In some areas, it’s celebrated on Rosa Park’s birthday—which is February 4th, and in other areas, it’s celebrated on December 1st. No matter what day it’s observed, however, it’s a good day to learn about the civil rights movement or to take part in activities that support the civil rights movement.

• LOC: Today in History: Dec 1: Rosa Parks Arrested
• NPS: Places of Rosa Parks

POP QUIZ:

12. What is the “rule of law”?

42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states? 

55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy?

84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

37. What does the judicial branch do?

23. Name your U.S. Representative.