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Spark Students' Political Imagination SimCity, part C-Span, President Forever 2008 + Primaries puts the fate of the nation in your students' hands. Are they ready to become the most powerful political leader in the world? Encourage them to prove they can succeed in this political game. Their campaign will be successful through writing speeches, running ads (including attack ads on their opponent) and holding a rally. The 2008 election or past elections can be simulated, with multiple players or a single player running against the computer.

A web site that uses free computer games to put a fun spin on learning about government. iCivics.org is a rebranded, expanded version of an earlier site called OurCourts.org. Games on iCivics include "Do I Have A Right," in which the player runs a virtual firm specializing in constitutional law; "Executive Command," which offers a chance to play president; "Supreme Decision," about the Supreme Court; "Branches of Power," which gives the player control of all three branches of government; and "LawCraft," in which the player is a member of Congress. The iCivics program is based at Georgetown University Law School.

A free online computer game from Cable in the Classroom lets students experience the pressure cooker of a presidential campaign, requiring players to manage campaign money, lobby interest groups, and make gut-wrenching decisions when scandal threatens their bid for the White House. First created during the 2004 campaign season, "eLECTIONS" was refined and reintroduced this year. Players can run for president as a Democrat, Republican, or third-party candidate and can choose their platform issues, ranging from taxes to national defense to education. Each player moves through a game board that includes pitfalls such as small-scale family or campaign scandals. As the 2008 presidential race heats up this summer and fall, the site's creators say eLECTIONS could be a valuable tool to help students understand the events driving the campaign. "eLECTIONS is an excellent resource for teachers and students who are trying to understand the events and decisions that shape voter contests," said Joanne Whe

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