April 28, 2025 • 31 mins
Four experienced teachers from diverse grade levels share how they collaborated to create a comprehensive civic literacy curriculum that equips students with essential knowledge and skills for democratic participation. Their teacher-created lessons span from kindergarten through high school, providing developmentally appropriate activities that make civic education accessible and engaging for all learners.
• Civic studies often get "put on the back burner" despite its critical importance for developing engaged citizens
• The curriculum provides standalone lessons that don't need to be awkwardly incorporated into existing frameworks
• Materials are differentiated for various age bands, and some are available in Spanish to support language diversity
• Lessons incorporate primary source documents, discussion questions, and hands-on activities
• The curriculum helps students develop critical thinking skills and practice civil discourse across polarized viewpoints
• Teachers emphasize that civic literacy creates a "ripple effect" when students bring discussions home
• Materials also include adult learner resources that can assist those studying for citizenship tests
• Democracy requires ongoing work to maintain, and civic education prepares students for that responsibility
Check out the free Civic Literacy Curriculum created by teachers for teachers.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the podcast, everyone.
I am so lucky.
First of I got to work withsuch diverse educators and I
learned so much myself.
So I am going to have mywonderful guest introduce
(00:42):
themselves.
And actually, josie, I willstart with you.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hi everyone.
My name is Josie McLean and Iam a second grade teacher in
rural Arizona.
I'm originally from Michigan,so I traded the snow for the sun
and I have been teaching since2016.
I usually say how many yearsI've been teaching, but it just
(01:14):
depends when you're listening tothis.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
So I have been teaching since 2016.
Hi everyone, my name is RachelDeChristina.
I teach at a Title I school ina very populated area of Arizona
.
I have been teaching for over20 years.
Currently I'm teachingkindergarten, but I have lots of
other years of experience.
But I have to say that, of allthe grades I've taught.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
kindergarten is my very favorite.
Hi everyone, my name is BelindaCambry.
I am currently teaching at ahigh school in Baton Rouge,
louisiana.
This is my 25th year ofteaching, but I have started in
kindergarten, made my way up tothe big kids and currently teach
AP government in US history tosophomores and juniors.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Hello, my name is America Rainey and I am a
teacher here in ULIS, texas.
I currently teach sixth gradeworld cultures and I've been
teaching for 14 years and Istarted in third grade and have
moved up all the way to sixthgrade.
But I think that's as far as Iwant to go.
I just want to stick with themiddle school kids Awesome,
(02:21):
thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
So in this episode we're going to highlight the
importance of civic literacy andkind of explore how the civic
literacy curriculum that all ofthese teachers worked on equips
students with knowledge andskills needed for participation
in democracy, critical analysisof information and meaning civic
engagement.
So our first question for ourwonderful teachers here why is
(02:45):
civic literacy essential forpreparing students to
participate in democracy and howdoes the curriculum that we
made, the civic literacycurriculum kind of help support
this goal?
And, josie, I will start withyou.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Thank you.
I think that there's so muchtalk around the literacy crisis
in America in general and Ithink that usually civics and
social studies in general getskind of put on the back burner
or they try to seamlessseamlessly I'm putting air
(03:22):
quotes fitted into thecurriculums we have for English
language arts because they don'twant to take away time from
other subjects.
But the beauty of this literacycurriculum is that it's a
designated curriculum, that youdon't have to use bits and
(03:44):
pieces that are input into acurriculum designed for English
language arts and it will, forsure, touch on the skills and
the information our studentsneed to know to become
incredible, informedparticipants in our society and
(04:05):
the democratic process.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Piggybacking off of what Josie said, I'm going to
agree.
Civics is so set to the sideand there's so many things that
take over in our educationalworld and I teach kindergarten
and this civics literacycurriculum is just beautiful and
so easy to use within ourclassrooms and really I made it
(04:30):
easy to add it within my day,where I didn't have to extra
think a step.
The lessons were just so easilycreated by us as educators and
my students have really enjoyedthem.
They ask for them because it'sthey're they're just all
different and and and it'sallowed them to have a better
(04:51):
understanding of how our, ourAmerica works.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
I'm going to add to what both Josie and Rachel
mentioned, since I have highschool kids.
I have kids who are about toformally enter practicing the
project, you know, registeringto vote, becoming voting
citizens and so I think one ofthe biggest things that we find
is that people need tounderstand how government works
(05:17):
and what is their role in thisprocess, and having students see
the efficacy of that, or theability for them to see that
they can make a difference andthey really, I think, engaged
kids to get them excited aboutparticipating in the whole
(05:51):
process of civics and life.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
What I want to add to what everyone else said is also
, while creating the lessons andalso teaching at the same time,
I was noticing how easily Icould incorporate the diversity
of perspectives that my sixthgraders have, as we all do, and
being able to teach them thatthere is some sort of respect
(06:16):
for the diversity and being ableto have a discussion and maybe
just being respectful of thedialogue, how to have
constructive conversations, andit helped me as a teacher to
also lead these, you know.
You know constructedconversations so that they could
(06:37):
all get what they had to getout, and then, at the end, you
know how to learn how to berespectful of everybody's
perspectives.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And I do want to point out to America created
lessons that are also in Spanish.
So if you look at the civicliteracy curriculum, it will say
Spanish lessons available, andI think that that is so
important to acknowledge thediversity and to acknowledge
that there are students who Imean I'm in Arizona there are
students whose first language isSpanish and they're going to
(07:10):
get more out of that lessonreading it in their first
language.
So I do want to call that outAmerica, because I think that
can be such a very powerfulthing for, you know, citizens of
our nation.
So just thank you very much andfor all of our listeners.
They are marked in our civicliteracy curriculum as Spanish
(07:31):
lessons available.
So thank you so much, america.
You're amazing and all of youare amazing.
You know they're talking aboutthis curriculum, but I do want
to say it's because they are theones that created it.
The lessons that were createdare by teachers who are
practicing, who are doing thesethings with their students.
I have not been in theclassroom in five years.
I have two decades ofexperience.
(07:53):
I don't want to negate that,but I think that the best
lessons always come from peoplewho are in the classroom, who
are with kids.
So, as these teachers talk aboutthese lessons, I do want to
point that out, because for me,to review them and to look at
them and put them up on ourwebsite was so.
(08:13):
It just filled me with so muchhope and so much joy, because
this is what's going out toteachers and to students and it
genuinely I mean and I willprobably say it for the rest of
my career, but this was probablyone of the most satisfying
projects because of that.
So I do want to put that outthere.
(08:33):
So our next question is if I'man educator so whether I am a
veteran educator or maybe abrand new teacher how can I
effectively use the civicliteracy curriculum to engage
students in meaningfuldiscussions about government and
citizenship?
And, rachel, I'm going to startwith you you have the
kindergartner, so what does thatlook like for you?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
So the civic literacy curriculum that we created is
different age bands and somine's like the K, through two
age band and back when we werevoting on president there.
I didn't want to get into allthat with five-year-olds and
they hear enough at home fromtheir parents.
There was a lesson that wascreated in our band about voting
(09:21):
and it was a story and thenthey had to vote on what they
thought it was and we had somuch meaningful conversation
from that that they could takehome and then talk about with
their families.
But later on, like six weekslater, we voted in our cafeteria
over the new food that wouldget introduced and my
(09:44):
five-year-olds were able to takethat lesson that we'd done six
weeks before, relate it to that,talk about how their vote
mattered, and it was just reallya really engaging, cool
experience, Because at five weforget things very easily and
they didn't.
So I hope that teachers usethis resource because it's been
(10:05):
really good for my kids.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
And adding to that, so I have the other end of the
spectrum, the high school kids,and so for some of them they are
you want to say that they cometo school wanting to learn every
single day and so happy aboutit.
But we just went through thewhole March Madness time in
basketball, and so some of theselessons that we've created are
(10:30):
kind of similar to that, usingthose same ideas.
So I think what and you know tothe point of the whole project
of having classroom teacherscreate this is we have tried to
tap into how students learn,what are the best ways to engage
them and to get them to get tothat meaningful thinking and
(10:51):
even to trick them even intothinking and participating and
such, and so I think theselessons really do reflect that.
And on a side note, another wayI personally use the curriculum
.
I had a colleague who wasstudying for the citizenship
test, and so we use thequestions and some of the
lessons and activities, and so Ithink you know that, aside from
(11:15):
participating with this, thatreally was one of the most
meaningful things I've ever done, because I helped another adult
get her citizenship and sofinally, like, overcome that
hurdle, and so that to me kindof reinvigorated everything that
I've been doing too.
So just another aside it alsoworks with adults.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
I wanted to tell Belinda that that sounded
amazing.
We often have parents that askthat question of us as teachers,
like how can we get you know,how can we get practice or how
can you help us, and so I reallylike that we can use these
lessons to give to our parentsas well.
But, as an educator, toeffectively use this curriculum,
(11:57):
I found that in my curriculumagenda, whenever I come up with
a topic, I can just go to thecurriculum, look and see what's
available on the website andwhat's been created for whatever
grade band.
So if we're talking aboutEurope or the Cold War, there's
(12:36):
like a lesson there with all thesteps that you can use to
engage a discussion, to gethands on student centered
activities started and then evenhave a very good discussion at
the end, and so it's all laidout there for you.
I think that it is a very easything, a very easy resource to
access and to use, and I thinkthat it's incredible that it's
available and that you were ableto work this and have it
available for everybody.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
What everyone said was just incredible and really
drives the point home.
What I wanted to end thisquestion with is kids are
interested in these topics asyoung as five years old, and a
lot of the things go withcurrent events and the news that
(13:10):
they may have questions aboutand want to have a safe,
confident discussion with theirclassmates and teacher.
And teachers like us don't haveto scramble looking for
something.
We don't need to come up withsomething on our own and these
lessons have all been vetted.
(13:31):
So I just encourage everyeducator to use these, even if I
am teaching a second gradeclass but I'm using a
kindergarten lesson Like well,that's the same grade band, it
is designed for K-2 and youmodify it to your students'
needs.
But maybe I'm teaching a fifthgrade class and need to start
(13:52):
with a K-2 band lesson to reallyget back to the basics.
And we've looked at eachother's lessons.
We didn't just look at our ownand forget about it.
And so I see the quality of thelessons from kindergarten on
the same topic all the way to12th grade, and they do hit the
(14:16):
citizenship test questions andstandards that are required and
important for us to teach.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
My face hurts because I'm smiling so hard.
So there are adult lessons onthis, because one of the things
that we noticed is so I am Gen X, I didn't really get a lot of
civic education in schoolbecause there was such a focus
on STEM, and so what we'renoticing is a lot of civic
education in school becausethere was such a focus on STEM,
and so what we're noticing is alot of students are bringing
these lessons home to theirparents and we do have people
(14:48):
who want to take the citizenshiptest, and if those people want
to take the test, I want them tohave everything available for
free, right?
It is hard enough to go throughthat process and if you are
teaching, or even if you're justinterested, I know that for me,
I always like to have a littlebit of background knowledge,
because I'm afraid that the kidsare going to ask a question I
(15:09):
don't know.
Our faculty has created abackground and it's short.
It's a couple paragraphs justto kind of get you in that mind
frame and you can utilize it inclass or you can just use it for
yourself.
Belinda, I love that you broughtthat up, because when we talk
about K-12 curriculum, sometimesI think people don't think it's
for adults.
We have adult learner lessons.
(15:31):
So even if you see somethingyou know on the news and you're
like I wonder, I wonder whatthat is, there is a lesson,
there's discussion questions.
What that is, there is a lesson, there's discussion questions.
We tried to make it as broad aswe possibly could.
So my next question is reallylooking at what role does civic
literacy play in helpingstudents critically analyze
(15:54):
information and engage in civildiscourse, and how can
curriculum design support theseskills?
And all of you have just driventhe point home that it doesn't
matter if they're thekindergartners, it doesn't
matter if they're the highschoolers.
This is something that all kidsshould be looking at and should
be doing.
So, belinda, I'm gonna startwith you on this one.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And that's the big question, right Is, how do we do
all of this?
As an AP government teacher, Ican't write the script any
easier with what's going onevery day.
I mean, even the most obscureconstitutional facts and pieces
are coming up in the news, andwe've really done a lot more
(16:38):
with current events in class.
But, like you said, the bigpiece here is civil discourse.
How do we really do it so thatkids are knowledgeable, they're
respectful, they understand, andI think one of the things we
have seen is that in ourpolitics it's either black or
white.
We have so many people who areeither for or against.
(17:01):
We've lost that middle ground.
So also trying to get kids toeven stop and listen, what is
the other side saying?
What is it that the other sidevalues or wants?
And so some of that reallybegins from civic literacy.
How do we teach kids just, youknow what is the skill?
If it's critical thinking, ifit is that value of just being
(17:24):
able to identify what the otherside is thinking or wanting or
believes, and then how do wenegotiate from that point?
And so I think it is one ofthose things that I'm so
grateful that actually ourkindergarten friends and all of
this is really beginning at ayounger age, that I'm so
grateful that actually ourkindergarten friends and all of
this is really beginning at ayounger age, because I'm hopeful
(17:46):
that by the time those kids getto me in high school we can
have so much deeper and greaterdiscussions, because they are
familiar and they've seen that alot, and that's what I think
the joy of this curriculum istoo, if people are using it at
younger grades and my state justrevamped our standards to do
that, to make our, you know,social studies is getting real
(18:09):
for elementary now, and so ifthat is the case, by the time
they get to me we should be ableto have a great discourse in
class.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
What I want to add to this question and it's mostly
on the part of the curriculum isthat there are a lot of primary
source documents that areincluded in when you're learning
anything in history, especiallyin world cultures.
We want to look at developingcountries and wars and things
(18:41):
that have happened, but thereare primary documents that are
included.
I know that sometimes they'redifficult to read, you know,
depending on the grade level orgrade band that you're teaching.
I found that the primary sourcedocuments can be taken.
You can adapt it to the gradelevel that you teach, and so I
(19:03):
just love that they're availableand that we could use those in
order to teach our students tobe able to analyze something,
read it, have a discussion aboutit, and it's okay.
If you don't agree, it's okay.
It's just a way to resolve aconflict.
(19:24):
It's happened before.
Is it happening today?
What happened in the past?
How did we use the knowledge orthe documents that we have
available in order to?
How can we apply it?
And so I just I just built astudent that is able to
critically think and can beappreciative of what you can go
(19:48):
through in order to come to aresolution on something.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
I keep thinking of the quote that's like those who
don't understand the past aredoomed to repeat it, and so much
of civics and government.
And these lessons and standardsand questions go back in history
and they are history lessons,and every single person in our
(20:12):
country makes our country whatit is and amazing.
And to start young and buildthat foundation so that when
they get to 12th grade, likeBelinda said, they are confident
and they have a well-roundedbackground.
And the beauty of thiscurriculum is that the lessons
(20:33):
are created at developmentallyappropriate levels that don't go
too deep or too shallow andreally drive the point home of
the specific question that thelesson was written for, and so I
think everyone had amazinganswers once again so far.
(20:54):
I think everyone had amazinganswers once again so far.
And not only are we teachingcritical thinkers, which goes
and seeps into all the otherareas of math and reading and
science and social studies andtheir social, emotional health,
and we're also trying toencourage and teach students to
(21:15):
be active listeners too, andthen you can have a solid and
respectful conversation aboutbig topics that are not black
and white.
They are more gray white, theyare more gray.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
I think all my colleagues did a really good job
of summing it up, and what Iwould like to add is I see a lot
of hope for our future becauseI do teach the little, so I'm
(22:05):
excited.
I would love to see my kids endup in Belinda's 12th grade AP
class and have that reallymeaningful, engaging
conversation where we can allget along and disagree, because
we are missing that in the worldright now, and so I think that
the curriculum we've createdopens those opportunities for
teachers, opens thoseopportunities for teachers.
We have a lot of meaningfulquestions that you can ask and
ways that you can go about itand activities and using it in
my room.
This year it's really helped mysocial emotional learning, so
(22:26):
I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I and this is obviously going to be audio, but
I wish everybody could see.
Every time somebody's talking,we're all shaking our heads and
we're smiling, it's just it is.
This is the stuff that gives mehope, no matter, and I think
that, regardless of theadministration, there's always
things that sometimes feelhopeless, but doing this kind of
(22:51):
work it it fills me with somuch hope and like genuine joy,
because I like look at you guysand I'm like all of these kids
are so lucky to have you asteachers, and I would you're
right, rachel Like I would loveif my daughter had all of you as
teachers and I just I can'twords are just failing me right
(23:14):
now because I'm just so proud ofeverything that you've all done
.
So our last question how canschools and communities and I
think that the term community,too, means something different
to everyone, and it meanssomething different within, like
different states or differenttowns, but it also means
something different inelementary school versus a
middle school versus a highschool so how can schools and
(23:36):
communities work together toimplement and strengthen civic
literacy for long-term impactand America?
I'm going to start with you onthis one.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Thank you.
I just want to say that schoolsand communities I mean if they
get to work together, I mean,isn't that what democracy is
about?
Having really good, informedcitizens, engaged citizens,
responsible to vote I think thatwe need to use the curriculum
(24:08):
to, you know, activate thisknowledge in our students so
that they can bring theirfamilies in.
And I just, I just we don'thave a student council in our,
in our, in our campus right now.
We're we're an elementaryschool with a sixth grade middle
school inside of the elementaryschool, and so I just see so
(24:30):
many big things happening forour sixth grade students right
now, like PT student council,having our community leaders
come in and having them go govisit a local town, meeting Like
there's a lot of things goingon in our neighborhood.
I just think that there's somuch of a thing that we can do
(24:52):
in order to get us together.
And so I'm really hopeful andI'm thankful that I have the
curriculum and and that I wasengaged in this opportunity,
because now I feel like I've gotthe little energy that I can, I
can use to get something goingfor our campus.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
A strong civics curriculum makes a strong
community, because it's kind ofnot the trickle down effect,
it's almost the trickle upeffect as the kids are growing
older and older and I heard aquote once by a speaker that you
(25:30):
know you did well as a teacherif that lesson makes it home to
the dinner table.
And earlier in the conversationwe were talking about engaging
the families and adults usingthese lessons and kids bringing
them home.
But these lessons can have veryfun components to them that the
(25:53):
kids will remember that it'snot just textbooks or reading,
reading, reading, reading.
They're hands-on and they arevaried and that will make it
home to the dinner table and itwill have that effect that
ripples out into the community.
And I think a big way that itcan be successful is if the
(26:17):
school and the community havebuy-in and we just make the
school and the community awareand share out about this
resource that's available andfree and accessible, so that
maybe it will spread tosurrounding schools and other
communities and word of mouthand families telling other
(26:40):
families, because I do have manyfamilies that would benefit
from this.
Everyone benefits from it.
But to be able to talk about itat the dinner table, then we
know we did well, and then it'sgoing out into the community.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
To kind of piggyback off what Josie said, if just we
do the lessons, then the nextgrade and the next grade isn't
going to be able to continuethat.
So personally I next year I'mgoing to teach my staff,
hopefully, about this and we'regoing to get the buy in my
principal's already bought inand so our school and our
community are going to try tostart using these, because we
have so many new teachers at ourschool that just don't have the
(27:26):
time to do these kind of thingsand so it's going to be right
there at their fingertips andthen they can easily use them.
So that's one way, personally,that I'm going to, and then I'm
part of a larger communitynational board teacher, so I've
been talking about it, sharingit.
So those are my two goals totry to get it out and get more
(27:47):
people seeing it and using it.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Okay, josie, you made me feel good, because that's
the one response I always getfrom parents is that their kids
want to talk politics at dinner.
So maybe I might be doingsomething right.
And the big thing and also kindof going off of what Rachel said
too I think the biggest thingfor us, especially during this
time, this time that we'reliving in, is people are afraid.
(28:11):
They're afraid of what inquiryis, they're afraid of what this
deeper they're afraid of whatthis deeper understanding and
discussion and civil discourseabout civics is, and so I think
if the more we can kind of sharethat information with our
communities to see it's notscary, it's not anything.
We're just teaching them howgovernment works and we're
teaching them in a way thatshows democracy is hard, you
(28:35):
have to work at it, to keep it,and so that's all that's really.
You know, that we're trying toaccomplish is to get people to
understand how government works,what citizenship is and what it
looks like, so that we can keepit going, so that we can have
it in the future, so that thosekindergartners can still be able
(28:55):
to participate by the time theyturn 18 and such, and so I
think some of it is just gettingthe word out so that people see
that it's not so scary.
It is actually quite enjoyableand you know there's lots, lots
of work to do, but this is agreat place to kind of start.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
It reminds me of the Benjamin Franklin quote after
you know, they came out and shesaid well, what kind of
government do we have?
And he said a republic.
If you can keep it, rachelJosie, america, belinda, this
genuinely has been the highpoint of my day, of my week.
The ability to work with youhas again.
(29:36):
It's just such an honor and Ithank you so much for what you
do for students, for what you dofor other teachers and for what
you do for civics.
So thank you so much for yourtime today.
Welcome back to the podcast, everyone.
I am so lucky.
First of I got to work withsuch diverse educators and I
learned so much myself.
So I am going to have mywonderful guest introduce
(00:42):
themselves.
And actually, josie, I willstart with you.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hi everyone.
My name is Josie McLean and Iam a second grade teacher in
rural Arizona.
I'm originally from Michigan,so I traded the snow for the sun
and I have been teaching since2016.
I usually say how many yearsI've been teaching, but it just
(01:14):
depends when you're listening tothis.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
So I have been teaching since 2016.
Hi everyone, my name is RachelDeChristina.
I teach at a Title I school ina very populated area of Arizona
.
I have been teaching for over20 years.
Currently I'm teachingkindergarten, but I have lots of
other years of experience.
But I have to say that, of allthe grades I've taught.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
kindergarten is my very favorite.
Hi everyone, my name is BelindaCambry.
I am currently teaching at ahigh school in Baton Rouge,
louisiana.
This is my 25th year ofteaching, but I have started in
kindergarten, made my way up tothe big kids and currently teach
AP government in US history tosophomores and juniors.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Hello, my name is America Rainey and I am a
teacher here in ULIS, texas.
I currently teach sixth gradeworld cultures and I've been
teaching for 14 years and Istarted in third grade and have
moved up all the way to sixthgrade.
But I think that's as far as Iwant to go.
I just want to stick with themiddle school kids Awesome,
(02:21):
thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
So in this episode we're going to highlight the
importance of civic literacy andkind of explore how the civic
literacy curriculum that all ofthese teachers worked on equips
students with knowledge andskills needed for participation
in democracy, critical analysisof information and meaning civic
engagement.
So our first question for ourwonderful teachers here why is
(02:45):
civic literacy essential forpreparing students to
participate in democracy and howdoes the curriculum that we
made, the civic literacycurriculum kind of help support
this goal?
And, josie, I will start withyou.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Thank you.
I think that there's so muchtalk around the literacy crisis
in America in general and Ithink that usually civics and
social studies in general getskind of put on the back burner
or they try to seamlessseamlessly I'm putting air
(03:22):
quotes fitted into thecurriculums we have for English
language arts because they don'twant to take away time from
other subjects.
But the beauty of this literacycurriculum is that it's a
designated curriculum, that youdon't have to use bits and
(03:44):
pieces that are input into acurriculum designed for English
language arts and it will, forsure, touch on the skills and
the information our studentsneed to know to become
incredible, informedparticipants in our society and
(04:05):
the democratic process.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Piggybacking off of what Josie said, I'm going to
agree.
Civics is so set to the sideand there's so many things that
take over in our educationalworld and I teach kindergarten
and this civics literacycurriculum is just beautiful and
so easy to use within ourclassrooms and really I made it
(04:30):
easy to add it within my day,where I didn't have to extra
think a step.
The lessons were just so easilycreated by us as educators and
my students have really enjoyedthem.
They ask for them because it'sthey're they're just all
different and and and it'sallowed them to have a better
(04:51):
understanding of how our, ourAmerica works.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
I'm going to add to what both Josie and Rachel
mentioned, since I have highschool kids.
I have kids who are about toformally enter practicing the
project, you know, registeringto vote, becoming voting
citizens and so I think one ofthe biggest things that we find
is that people need tounderstand how government works
(05:17):
and what is their role in thisprocess, and having students see
the efficacy of that, or theability for them to see that
they can make a difference andthey really, I think, engaged
kids to get them excited aboutparticipating in the whole
(05:51):
process of civics and life.
Speaker 5 (05:54):
What I want to add to what everyone else said is also
, while creating the lessons andalso teaching at the same time,
I was noticing how easily Icould incorporate the diversity
of perspectives that my sixthgraders have, as we all do, and
being able to teach them thatthere is some sort of respect
(06:16):
for the diversity and being ableto have a discussion and maybe
just being respectful of thedialogue, how to have
constructive conversations, andit helped me as a teacher to
also lead these, you know.
You know constructedconversations so that they could
(06:37):
all get what they had to getout, and then, at the end, you
know how to learn how to berespectful of everybody's
perspectives.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
And I do want to point out to America created
lessons that are also in Spanish.
So if you look at the civicliteracy curriculum, it will say
Spanish lessons available, andI think that that is so
important to acknowledge thediversity and to acknowledge
that there are students who Imean I'm in Arizona there are
students whose first language isSpanish and they're going to
(07:10):
get more out of that lessonreading it in their first
language.
So I do want to call that outAmerica, because I think that
can be such a very powerfulthing for, you know, citizens of
our nation.
So just thank you very much andfor all of our listeners.
They are marked in our civicliteracy curriculum as Spanish
(07:31):
lessons available.
So thank you so much, america.
You're amazing and all of youare amazing.
You know they're talking aboutthis curriculum, but I do want
to say it's because they are theones that created it.
The lessons that were createdare by teachers who are
practicing, who are doing thesethings with their students.
I have not been in theclassroom in five years.
I have two decades ofexperience.
(07:53):
I don't want to negate that,but I think that the best
lessons always come from peoplewho are in the classroom, who
are with kids.
So, as these teachers talk aboutthese lessons, I do want to
point that out, because for me,to review them and to look at
them and put them up on ourwebsite was so.
(08:13):
It just filled me with so muchhope and so much joy, because
this is what's going out toteachers and to students and it
genuinely I mean and I willprobably say it for the rest of
my career, but this was probablyone of the most satisfying
projects because of that.
So I do want to put that outthere.
(08:33):
So our next question is if I'man educator so whether I am a
veteran educator or maybe abrand new teacher how can I
effectively use the civicliteracy curriculum to engage
students in meaningfuldiscussions about government and
citizenship?
And, rachel, I'm going to startwith you you have the
kindergartner, so what does thatlook like for you?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
So the civic literacy curriculum that we created is
different age bands and somine's like the K, through two
age band and back when we werevoting on president there.
I didn't want to get into allthat with five-year-olds and
they hear enough at home fromtheir parents.
There was a lesson that wascreated in our band about voting
(09:21):
and it was a story and thenthey had to vote on what they
thought it was and we had somuch meaningful conversation
from that that they could takehome and then talk about with
their families.
But later on, like six weekslater, we voted in our cafeteria
over the new food that wouldget introduced and my
(09:44):
five-year-olds were able to takethat lesson that we'd done six
weeks before, relate it to that,talk about how their vote
mattered, and it was just reallya really engaging, cool
experience, Because at five weforget things very easily and
they didn't.
So I hope that teachers usethis resource because it's been
(10:05):
really good for my kids.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
And adding to that, so I have the other end of the
spectrum, the high school kids,and so for some of them they are
you want to say that they cometo school wanting to learn every
single day and so happy aboutit.
But we just went through thewhole March Madness time in
basketball, and so some of theselessons that we've created are
(10:30):
kind of similar to that, usingthose same ideas.
So I think what and you know tothe point of the whole project
of having classroom teacherscreate this is we have tried to
tap into how students learn,what are the best ways to engage
them and to get them to get tothat meaningful thinking and
(10:51):
even to trick them even intothinking and participating and
such, and so I think theselessons really do reflect that.
And on a side note, another wayI personally use the curriculum
.
I had a colleague who wasstudying for the citizenship
test, and so we use thequestions and some of the
lessons and activities, and so Ithink you know that, aside from
(11:15):
participating with this, thatreally was one of the most
meaningful things I've ever done, because I helped another adult
get her citizenship and sofinally, like, overcome that
hurdle, and so that to me kindof reinvigorated everything that
I've been doing too.
So just another aside it alsoworks with adults.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
I wanted to tell Belinda that that sounded
amazing.
We often have parents that askthat question of us as teachers,
like how can we get you know,how can we get practice or how
can you help us, and so I reallylike that we can use these
lessons to give to our parentsas well.
But, as an educator, toeffectively use this curriculum,
(11:57):
I found that in my curriculumagenda, whenever I come up with
a topic, I can just go to thecurriculum, look and see what's
available on the website andwhat's been created for whatever
grade band.
So if we're talking aboutEurope or the Cold War, there's
(12:36):
like a lesson there with all thesteps that you can use to
engage a discussion, to gethands on student centered
activities started and then evenhave a very good discussion at
the end, and so it's all laidout there for you.
I think that it is a very easything, a very easy resource to
access and to use, and I thinkthat it's incredible that it's
available and that you were ableto work this and have it
available for everybody.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
What everyone said was just incredible and really
drives the point home.
What I wanted to end thisquestion with is kids are
interested in these topics asyoung as five years old, and a
lot of the things go withcurrent events and the news that
(13:10):
they may have questions aboutand want to have a safe,
confident discussion with theirclassmates and teacher.
And teachers like us don't haveto scramble looking for
something.
We don't need to come up withsomething on our own and these
lessons have all been vetted.
(13:31):
So I just encourage everyeducator to use these, even if I
am teaching a second gradeclass but I'm using a
kindergarten lesson Like well,that's the same grade band, it
is designed for K-2 and youmodify it to your students'
needs.
But maybe I'm teaching a fifthgrade class and need to start
(13:52):
with a K-2 band lesson to reallyget back to the basics.
And we've looked at eachother's lessons.
We didn't just look at our ownand forget about it.
And so I see the quality of thelessons from kindergarten on
the same topic all the way to12th grade, and they do hit the
(14:16):
citizenship test questions andstandards that are required and
important for us to teach.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
My face hurts because I'm smiling so hard.
So there are adult lessons onthis, because one of the things
that we noticed is so I am Gen X, I didn't really get a lot of
civic education in schoolbecause there was such a focus
on STEM, and so what we'renoticing is a lot of civic
education in school becausethere was such a focus on STEM,
and so what we're noticing is alot of students are bringing
these lessons home to theirparents and we do have people
(14:48):
who want to take the citizenshiptest, and if those people want
to take the test, I want them tohave everything available for
free, right?
It is hard enough to go throughthat process and if you are
teaching, or even if you're justinterested, I know that for me,
I always like to have a littlebit of background knowledge,
because I'm afraid that the kidsare going to ask a question I
(15:09):
don't know.
Our faculty has created abackground and it's short.
It's a couple paragraphs justto kind of get you in that mind
frame and you can utilize it inclass or you can just use it for
yourself.
Belinda, I love that you broughtthat up, because when we talk
about K-12 curriculum, sometimesI think people don't think it's
for adults.
We have adult learner lessons.
(15:31):
So even if you see somethingyou know on the news and you're
like I wonder, I wonder whatthat is, there is a lesson,
there's discussion questions.
What that is, there is a lesson, there's discussion questions.
We tried to make it as broad aswe possibly could.
So my next question is reallylooking at what role does civic
literacy play in helpingstudents critically analyze
(15:54):
information and engage in civildiscourse, and how can
curriculum design support theseskills?
And all of you have just driventhe point home that it doesn't
matter if they're thekindergartners, it doesn't
matter if they're the highschoolers.
This is something that all kidsshould be looking at and should
be doing.
So, belinda, I'm gonna startwith you on this one.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And that's the big question, right Is, how do we do
all of this?
As an AP government teacher, Ican't write the script any
easier with what's going onevery day.
I mean, even the most obscureconstitutional facts and pieces
are coming up in the news, andwe've really done a lot more
(16:38):
with current events in class.
But, like you said, the bigpiece here is civil discourse.
How do we really do it so thatkids are knowledgeable, they're
respectful, they understand, andI think one of the things we
have seen is that in ourpolitics it's either black or
white.
We have so many people who areeither for or against.
(17:01):
We've lost that middle ground.
So also trying to get kids toeven stop and listen, what is
the other side saying?
What is it that the other sidevalues or wants?
And so some of that reallybegins from civic literacy.
How do we teach kids just, youknow what is the skill?
If it's critical thinking, ifit is that value of just being
(17:24):
able to identify what the otherside is thinking or wanting or
believes, and then how do wenegotiate from that point?
And so I think it is one ofthose things that I'm so
grateful that actually ourkindergarten friends and all of
this is really beginning at ayounger age, that I'm so
grateful that actually ourkindergarten friends and all of
this is really beginning at ayounger age, because I'm hopeful
(17:46):
that by the time those kids getto me in high school we can
have so much deeper and greaterdiscussions, because they are
familiar and they've seen that alot, and that's what I think
the joy of this curriculum istoo, if people are using it at
younger grades and my state justrevamped our standards to do
that, to make our, you know,social studies is getting real
(18:09):
for elementary now, and so ifthat is the case, by the time
they get to me we should be ableto have a great discourse in
class.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
What I want to add to this question and it's mostly
on the part of the curriculum isthat there are a lot of primary
source documents that areincluded in when you're learning
anything in history, especiallyin world cultures.
We want to look at developingcountries and wars and things
(18:41):
that have happened, but thereare primary documents that are
included.
I know that sometimes they'redifficult to read, you know,
depending on the grade level orgrade band that you're teaching.
I found that the primary sourcedocuments can be taken.
You can adapt it to the gradelevel that you teach, and so I
(19:03):
just love that they're availableand that we could use those in
order to teach our students tobe able to analyze something,
read it, have a discussion aboutit, and it's okay.
If you don't agree, it's okay.
It's just a way to resolve aconflict.
(19:24):
It's happened before.
Is it happening today?
What happened in the past?
How did we use the knowledge orthe documents that we have
available in order to?
How can we apply it?
And so I just I just built astudent that is able to
critically think and can beappreciative of what you can go
(19:48):
through in order to come to aresolution on something.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
I keep thinking of the quote that's like those who
don't understand the past aredoomed to repeat it, and so much
of civics and government.
And these lessons and standardsand questions go back in history
and they are history lessons,and every single person in our
(20:12):
country makes our country whatit is and amazing.
And to start young and buildthat foundation so that when
they get to 12th grade, likeBelinda said, they are confident
and they have a well-roundedbackground.
And the beauty of thiscurriculum is that the lessons
(20:33):
are created at developmentallyappropriate levels that don't go
too deep or too shallow andreally drive the point home of
the specific question that thelesson was written for, and so I
think everyone had amazinganswers once again so far.
(20:54):
I think everyone had amazinganswers once again so far.
And not only are we teachingcritical thinkers, which goes
and seeps into all the otherareas of math and reading and
science and social studies andtheir social, emotional health,
and we're also trying toencourage and teach students to
(21:15):
be active listeners too, andthen you can have a solid and
respectful conversation aboutbig topics that are not black
and white.
They are more gray white, theyare more gray.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
I think all my colleagues did a really good job
of summing it up, and what Iwould like to add is I see a lot
of hope for our future becauseI do teach the little, so I'm
(22:05):
excited.
I would love to see my kids endup in Belinda's 12th grade AP
class and have that reallymeaningful, engaging
conversation where we can allget along and disagree, because
we are missing that in the worldright now, and so I think that
the curriculum we've createdopens those opportunities for
teachers, opens thoseopportunities for teachers.
We have a lot of meaningfulquestions that you can ask and
ways that you can go about itand activities and using it in
my room.
This year it's really helped mysocial emotional learning, so
(22:26):
I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
I and this is obviously going to be audio, but
I wish everybody could see.
Every time somebody's talking,we're all shaking our heads and
we're smiling, it's just it is.
This is the stuff that gives mehope, no matter, and I think
that, regardless of theadministration, there's always
things that sometimes feelhopeless, but doing this kind of
(22:51):
work it it fills me with somuch hope and like genuine joy,
because I like look at you guysand I'm like all of these kids
are so lucky to have you asteachers, and I would you're
right, rachel Like I would loveif my daughter had all of you as
teachers and I just I can'twords are just failing me right
(23:14):
now because I'm just so proud ofeverything that you've all done
.
So our last question how canschools and communities and I
think that the term community,too, means something different
to everyone, and it meanssomething different within, like
different states or differenttowns, but it also means
something different inelementary school versus a
middle school versus a highschool so how can schools and
(23:36):
communities work together toimplement and strengthen civic
literacy for long-term impactand America?
I'm going to start with you onthis one.
Speaker 5 (23:46):
Thank you.
I just want to say that schoolsand communities I mean if they
get to work together, I mean,isn't that what democracy is
about?
Having really good, informedcitizens, engaged citizens,
responsible to vote I think thatwe need to use the curriculum
(24:08):
to, you know, activate thisknowledge in our students so
that they can bring theirfamilies in.
And I just, I just we don'thave a student council in our,
in our, in our campus right now.
We're we're an elementaryschool with a sixth grade middle
school inside of the elementaryschool, and so I just see so
(24:30):
many big things happening forour sixth grade students right
now, like PT student council,having our community leaders
come in and having them go govisit a local town, meeting Like
there's a lot of things goingon in our neighborhood.
I just think that there's somuch of a thing that we can do
(24:52):
in order to get us together.
And so I'm really hopeful andI'm thankful that I have the
curriculum and and that I wasengaged in this opportunity,
because now I feel like I've gotthe little energy that I can, I
can use to get something goingfor our campus.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
A strong civics curriculum makes a strong
community, because it's kind ofnot the trickle down effect,
it's almost the trickle upeffect as the kids are growing
older and older and I heard aquote once by a speaker that you
(25:30):
know you did well as a teacherif that lesson makes it home to
the dinner table.
And earlier in the conversationwe were talking about engaging
the families and adults usingthese lessons and kids bringing
them home.
But these lessons can have veryfun components to them that the
(25:53):
kids will remember that it'snot just textbooks or reading,
reading, reading, reading.
They're hands-on and they arevaried and that will make it
home to the dinner table and itwill have that effect that
ripples out into the community.
And I think a big way that itcan be successful is if the
(26:17):
school and the community havebuy-in and we just make the
school and the community awareand share out about this
resource that's available andfree and accessible, so that
maybe it will spread tosurrounding schools and other
communities and word of mouthand families telling other
(26:40):
families, because I do have manyfamilies that would benefit
from this.
Everyone benefits from it.
But to be able to talk about itat the dinner table, then we
know we did well, and then it'sgoing out into the community.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
To kind of piggyback off what Josie said, if just we
do the lessons, then the nextgrade and the next grade isn't
going to be able to continuethat.
So personally I next year I'mgoing to teach my staff,
hopefully, about this and we'regoing to get the buy in my
principal's already bought inand so our school and our
community are going to try tostart using these, because we
have so many new teachers at ourschool that just don't have the
(27:26):
time to do these kind of thingsand so it's going to be right
there at their fingertips andthen they can easily use them.
So that's one way, personally,that I'm going to, and then I'm
part of a larger communitynational board teacher, so I've
been talking about it, sharingit.
So those are my two goals totry to get it out and get more
(27:47):
people seeing it and using it.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Okay, josie, you made me feel good, because that's
the one response I always getfrom parents is that their kids
want to talk politics at dinner.
So maybe I might be doingsomething right.
And the big thing and also kindof going off of what Rachel said
too I think the biggest thingfor us, especially during this
time, this time that we'reliving in, is people are afraid.
(28:11):
They're afraid of what inquiryis, they're afraid of what this
deeper they're afraid of whatthis deeper understanding and
discussion and civil discourseabout civics is, and so I think
if the more we can kind of sharethat information with our
communities to see it's notscary, it's not anything.
We're just teaching them howgovernment works and we're
teaching them in a way thatshows democracy is hard, you
(28:35):
have to work at it, to keep it,and so that's all that's really.
You know, that we're trying toaccomplish is to get people to
understand how government works,what citizenship is and what it
looks like, so that we can keepit going, so that we can have
it in the future, so that thosekindergartners can still be able
(28:55):
to participate by the time theyturn 18 and such, and so I
think some of it is just gettingthe word out so that people see
that it's not so scary.
It is actually quite enjoyableand you know there's lots, lots
of work to do, but this is agreat place to kind of start.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
It reminds me of the Benjamin Franklin quote after
you know, they came out and shesaid well, what kind of
government do we have?
And he said a republic.
If you can keep it, rachelJosie, america, belinda, this
genuinely has been the highpoint of my day, of my week.
The ability to work with youhas again.
(29:36):
It's just such an honor and Ithank you so much for what you
do for students, for what you dofor other teachers and for what
you do for civics.
So thank you so much for yourtime today.
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