News from the Center for Civic Education
Civic Education Summit to Take Place During We the People National Finals, Apply for the American History and Civic Academies, Presidents' Day Lessons, and More in This Month's Newsletter.
Save the Date! We the People National Finals to Feature Civic Education Summit on April 23
The We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals this year will include a civic education summit, taking place online on Friday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. We the People: A Leadership Summit on Civic Education will feature a discussion on the present and future of civic education with speakers from sister organizations such as iCivics, the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Facing History and Ourselves, the National Constitution Center, the Bill of Rights Institute, and Generation Citizen. Save the date! Registration opens in March. The We the People National Finals will take place online again this year, with competition taking place from April 24 to 26. The winners of the national competition will be announced in a recorded awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 27. The Center will be releasing additional exciting news about the We the People National Finals in the coming weeks.
Apply by April 1 for the American History and Civics Academies
This summer, from July 5 to 23, 2021, the American History and Civics Academies will provide teachers and students with free, high-quality educational engagement. The Presidential Academy for secondary school teachers and the Congressional Academy for high-need students will immerse participants in the study of constitutional history and principles following the intellectual framework of the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution curriculum. This year we are taking this immersive experience into a virtual setting! Academies participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers and participate in highly interactive discussions and activities, including a simulated congressional hearing. Learning will be enhanced with virtual field trips to National Park Service and other historical sites. Applications are now being accepted! The deadline to apply is April 1, 2021.
More We the People State Championship Winners Announced
The roster of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution classes competing in this year's National Finals is quickly filling up as states complete their We the People state finals competitions. Twenty-three state finals competitions have taken place since our last newsletter, and the Center expects 48 schools to compete in this year's National Finals, which will be conducted online again this year. To view all of this year's competing schools, visit our National Finals webpage.
We the People National Invitational to Be Held May 1-2
The We the People National Invitational will once again be held virtually on Zoom May 1-2, 2021. The National Invitational is a showcase/competition for middle school classes that have completed the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution course of study. The hearing questions can be found on our National Invitational website for 2021. Given our current situation, we have included two questions per unit rather than the traditional three for students to prepare. There is still time to join us! Please contact Maria Gallo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested or have additional questions.
Teach Civics This Presidents' Day
Teach your students about the constitutional legacy of George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan this Presidents' Day with free, ready-to-use lessons that will engage your students in learning about executive power and how presidents have shaped our history and Constitution. For grades 4-12.
Maria Gallo to Present at California Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference
The California Council for the Social Studies will hold its sixtieth annual conference March 5-7. This will be the first time the event is being held virtually. The theme this year is Cultivating Global Citizens for the 21st Century. The Center will present on Sunday, March 7. The presentation will explore We the People: The Citizen & Democracy, a new textbook for grades 3-5. We the People: The Citizen & Democracy helps students gain an understanding of the foundational ideas essential to preserving our free society and furthering its ideals. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as we participate in this exciting conference.
Teach Black History Month with Lesson Plans and Daily Podcasts
The Center for Civic Education is celebrating Black History Month with a special 60-Second Civics podcast series dedicated to the expansion of civil rights since the nation's founding era and the confrontation of modern challenges to full equality. In addition, a variety of free lesson plans on nonviolence and civil rights are available. In March, 60-Second Civics will feature a new Women's History Month podcast and video every day, including interviews with women who have made a difference in American society. Mark your calendars!
Quick Quiz! What is the name of the creole language still spoken in some parts of Georgia and South Carolina?
A. Akan
B. Congo
C. Gullah
D. Yoruba
Read on to learn the answer!
We the People National Finals Questions Available
The 2021 We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals questions are now available. This year's competition will feature two questions rather than the traditional three. The We the People National Finals will be held online April 24-26. Good luck to all competitors as you prepare for this lifechanging event!
Quiz Answer!
C. Gullah (see episode 4245)
For more quizzes and learning opportunities, check out the 60-Second Civics podcast and daily civics quiz!
Slavery in the Colonial North Summer Institute
In July 2021, Historic Hudson Valley presents a National Endowment for the Humanities Landmarks of American History Workshop for K-12 teachers, exploring slavery in the colonial North through historic sites of the Hudson River Valley and New York City. Participants in the workshop will examine the decisions that institutions (historic sites, museums, archives, and municipalities) have made about preservation and interpretation, and consider what this means for how we understand the history and legacy of slavery in America today.
