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This Civic Learning Week, Small is Mighty

Posted on by icivics

In just a couple weeks, classrooms, libraries, museums, statehouses, and community centers across the country will light up with learning and engagement for Civic Learning Week (March 9–13). We are optimistic that this year’s Civic Learning Week will be another important “fluorescent moment for civics,” in which thousands of local activities across all 50 states paint a national picture of support for civic learning and engagement.

Educators and communities, by their everyday actions in and out of classrooms, have knit together our civic fabric since the inception of our country. Today—when trust in institutions is fragile, misinformation often travels faster than facts, and polarization continues to tear at that very civic fabric—education could not matter more. This is a powerful representation of the “small is mighty” ideal at the core of the American experiment. 

Co-hosted by iCivics and the Democratic Knowledge Project, this year’s Civic Learning Week will kick off with the National Forum on March 9 and 10 in Philadelphia. Gathering in the city where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed is a deliberate choice—Philadelphia is where the American experiment was fully articulated and, 250 years later, we ask and answer what it now requires of us. 

Under the theme Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250, the Forum will bring together educators, students, policymakers, researchers, and civic leaders from across sectors to confront the real questions facing constitutional democracy in the United States today:

  • How do we cultivate pluralism in polarized times?

     

  • How do we maintain the importance of human connection in civic learning and equip students to navigate the democracy and economy of the AI age?

     

  • How can states and districts move beyond minimum civics requirements to meaningful civic outcomes?

     

  • What would it look like to make civic learning as central to education as literacy and numeracy?

We will showcase state-level progress—33 states strengthening K–12 civic education over the past 5 years; 37 states now requiring civics course time for graduation; and 44 states offering civics-related professional development. And we will press forward on what remains unfinished.

We will highlight the growing body of evidence that civic learning strengthens not only a meaningful understanding of our history and civic infrastructure, but also the “four Cs” employers consistently demand: critical thinking; communication; collaboration; and creativity. Across the country, community partners are creating service-learning opportunities that connect young people to real-world problem-solving. Governors are spotlighting new legislation. Museums are hosting public readings of founding texts. District leaders are integrating the Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy into curriculum planning. 

This is not only activity, it is palpable momentum for a growing movement. Our nation recognizes the need to educate for citizenship. This is new and important. Local, community-oriented actions are mighty when it comes to civic engagement: A classroom discussion. A local forum. A new exhibit at a museum. A social media campaign to highlight the values of the Declaration. These moments build our civic strength and our commitment to democracy.

The semiquincentennial is not just a commemoration. It is a generational opportunity. 

Civic Learning Week is our chance to move from reflection to resolve. The kindergartners entering school today will graduate in 2038, the 250th anniversary of the Constitution’s ratification. What civic foundation will they stand on?

Democracy does not renew itself. It is taught. Practiced. Protected.

And it begins—again—in classrooms and communities across the United States.

iCivics is the managing partner of Civic Learning Week, which is further supported by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences; Bezos Family Foundation; Center for Revitalizing American Institutions at the Hoover Institution; Daniels Fund; Democratic Knowledge Project; Ibis Group; Jack Miller Center; MacArthur Foundation; Maher Charitable Foundation; Microsoft; More Perfect; National Council for the Social Studies; and Stuart Foundation.

Sam helps her students connect the founding documents to their daily lives for the Civic Star Challenge

Posted on by [email protected]

A few years ago, one of my colleagues invited Mary Beth Tinker to speak at our school—she was the student plaintiff in the landmark case Tinker v. Des Moines. It was an incredible experience to hear her calmly describe what it was like to participate in the case, recounting each choice she made without really knowing how important her actions would become for the whole nation.

She spoke to the students about the First Amendment in a way that was undeniably personal. But she described her legacy like this:

“My message is that when you find issues that you care about and that you want to change, then it’s a great way of life to use your First Amendment rights to speak up about those issues and to take action. You’re not going to win all the time, but it’s still a good way of life.”

My goal as an educator is to help my social studies students make this same connection between the text of the Constitution and their daily lives, their communities, and the real world. The Civic Star Challenge helped me create that bridge.

For example, it’s one thing to read the amendments; it’s another to use them to defend the rights of others. When students play the iCivics video game Do I Have a Right?, they take on the role of lawyers. Clients show up to their office with complaints; then the lawyers have to decide whether that grievance is covered by the Constitution and, if so, by which amendment. And the clients demand answers quickly! I love listening in as students check in with each other, discussing their tactics and understandings of the text. (“Oh no, I thought it was in the Fifth Amendment, but it was the Sixth!”) The game encourages critical thinking, creates community, and leaves students with a much richer understanding of their own rights. Plus, it serves as an informal assessment, with data coming at me in real time.

My class is often the first time students dive into content that asks them to reflect on human nature, current events, and who they are becoming. I emphasize that those who founded the country did not come up with these ideals and ideas themselves. Many of the founders were not much older than the students, and—like good students—when they looked for inspiration for a new government, they drew on their favorite thinkers, including Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau. The proof is right in the Declaration of Independence.

Mary Beth Tinker stressed the importance of knowing your rights and speaking up for yourself, no matter what age you are. Guided by her example, I tell my students that we are not studying history or civics, but rather that we’re living it. We study the past to navigate our present and to better understand what it means to have rights—not just for ourselves, but for everyone.

About Sam

  • Teaching experience: 14 years
  • Currently teaching: American Government, State & Local Government, Introduction to Political Science (all dual enrollment); African American Studies.

A recipient of the 2018 James Madison Fellowship for Colorado, Sam utilizes her Master’s degree in Political Science, teaching primarily 11th and 12th grade students the significance of civics, civic engagement, and the importance of making connections in the community.

We Can Teach Hard Things Like Civil Rights

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

Theodore Parker

That’s not a typo you see in the attribution above. While the oft-cited quote is chiefly credited to Martin Luther King, Jr., who did indeed speak those brilliant words during more than one speech, it was originally coined by 19th-century Unitarian minister and radical abolitionist from Boston, Theodore Parker.

Sources matter, especially in a blog post that promotes primary sources to teach civil rights. But first, why are we talking about civil rights in a series dedicated to “teaching hard things” — a series predicated on teaching traditional civics topics that have become controversial in this moment or in response to current events?

I’ll admit: civil rights wasn’t on my radar when we first conceived the “We Can Teach Hard Things” series. I was thinking more about the rule of law, due process, separation of powers, immigration, citizenship, and other government-related topics that have dominated recent news cycles. I wasn’t thinking about slavery, the rise of Twentieth-Century fascism, or the civil rights movement. But when we asked teachers, these topics kept being mentioned. Thus, here we are. Let’s talk about teaching civil rights.

We often teach history as eras, movements, or moments in time, and civil rights is no different. The phrase immediately conjures images of 1950s-60s America, and if you locate it in the index of a high school textbook, the page number will surely bring you to a chapter covering these decades. In other words, folks could be forgiven for mistakenly assigning it to a finite period in our nation’s history.

We know better. We know civil rights represents a tapestry we’ve been weaving since the very beginning of our nation, and we are certainly not done. In this way, civil rights is aspirational. It is also, I believe, inspirational. Nowhere is this truer than in the primary sources comprising the Americana canon.

WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.

Of all the great speeches, poems, letters, and more, the one that has always touched me the deepest is Frederick Douglass’ famous (and famously long-winded) What, to the slave, is the 4th of July?

In the opening sentence of his fourth of 71 (!!) paragraphs, he asks and answers his stinging question: “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. . . .”

He continues his speech. Oh, boy, does he continue. It is scathing. It is raw. It is unflinchingly honest. Douglass pulls no punches.

I know what you’re thinking, “How is that inspirational or even aspirational?”

Stay with me. Stay with Douglass. His hope emerges in stark relief in his closing:

[. . . .] the Constitution is a GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT. Read its preamble, consider its purposes. Is slavery among them . . . While I do not intend to argue this question on the present occasion, let me ask, if it be not somewhat singular that, if the Constitution were intended to be, by its framers and adopters, a slave-holding instrument, why neither slavery, slaveholding, nor slave can anywhere be found in it. . . . I hold that every American has a right to form an opinion of the constitution, and to propagate that opinion, and to use all honorable means to make his opinion the prevailing one. . . . 

Now, take the Constitution according to its plain reading, and I defy the presentation of a single proslavery clause in it. On the other hand it will be found to contain principles and purposes, entirely hostile to the existence of slavery…

Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country. There are forces in operation, which must inevitably work the downfall of slavery. ‘The arm of the Lord is not shortened,’ and the doom of slavery is certain. I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from the Declaration of Independence, the great principles it contains, and the genius of American institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age. . . .

When I think of Douglass’s speech in its entirety, I view it as the embodiment of what Alexis de Tocqueville referred to as “reflective patriotism.” In the Educating for American Democracy (EAD) report, reflective patriotism is described as “appreciation of the ideals of our political order, candid reckoning with the country’s failures to live up to those ideals, motivation to take responsibility for self-government, and deliberative skill to debate the challenges that face us in the present and future.”

Here are a few tips for making this speech, or any other source from the deep and wide library of American civil rights thought leadership:

  • As always, be sure to consult and follow your state standards, plan for a structured lesson with clear objectives tied to those standards, and communicate with stakeholders ahead of time if you have any reservations.
  • If you’re using Douglass’s speech or any other source from the 19th or 20th Century, you’re already following two pieces of guidance for teaching hard things: using primary sources as “grounding texts” and using historical examples instead of current ones. I would also suggest adopting an inquiry-based approach. A great focus for Douglass’s speech is the concept of distance. Perhaps you might ask, “How does Douglass use the concept of ‘distance’ to explain why he cannot join the Fourth of July celebrations?”
  • Don’t be afraid to “tamper with” the document — to alter it in ways that make it more accessible to students. Douglass’s speech is over 10,000 words long, and that’s only part of what makes it so daunting. I suggest following the advice of Sam Wineburg and Daisy Martin (2009)* and focusing, simplifying, and adjusting the presentation of the source. Shorten it. Cut or replace confusing words. Use a large font size, provide ample white space, and don’t be afraid to italicize critical points or provide a vocabulary legend. Sure, the purists may decry your “assault” on the original brilliance of the source, but between that and never showing it to students at all, I’m willing to face their criticism.

Something worth noting is that Douglass follows our guidance to focus on the office or institution rather than the person or party. He refers to lawmakers, the President, the Secretary of State, Congress, the Continental Congress — his is not an indictment of any person or politician so much as it is a nation struggling to live out one of its highest ideals: equality.

Our students deserve an education rich in this philosophy, and few topics in our discipline provide the seeds for this rich soil as much as civil rights. Yes, civil rights can be hard to teach, so lean into the primary sources that have paved the way toward our more perfect union. While many of their authors were surely not viewed as patriots in the 1850s or the 1950s, I challenge anyone today to tell me that Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglass, and Ida B. Wells were anything but.

iCivics has an entire unit dedicated to civil rights, but here are some of my favorite resources.

Admin Tip: It doesn’t take much to inspire and empower your weary history and civics teachers. A simple, “I’m really excited for our students to learn about civil rights from you,” would go further than you can imagine.

*Wineburg, S., and D. Martin. “Tampering with History: Adapting Primary Sources for Struggling Readers.” Social Education, September 2009. Accessed 12 February 2026 at www.socialstudies.org/social-education/73/5/tampering-history-adapting-primary-sources-struggling-readers

Laura uses pop culture to make the Declaration relevant to students for Civic Star Challenge

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

Sometimes teaching civics is as much about translation as it is about history.

As part of the Civic Star Challenge, I teamed up with my colleague, Laura McFarren. We wanted to come up with a way to help our students really plug into the Declaration of Independence. Our biggest challenge is making complex, old texts accessible to middle school students. We found that the best “way in” is to break it down for them—but first we have to grab their attention.

That’s where AI can be a help. We gave it grievances from the Declaration and asked it to paraphrase them in a style we knew would be familiar to the students. By catching their attention with pop culture icons and using language that is more familiar, students are able to better understand and, crucially, remember the original text.

Pop quiz! See if you can match the original grievance with the contemporary translation.

Note: We weren’t able to get the actual Taylor to give us an actual lyric, nor are the others direct quotes. But AI definitely channeled their voices!

  1. “For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.”
  2. “For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.”
  3.  “For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us.”
  4. “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.”
  5. “For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.”
  1. “They demanded our money without asking. Typical. Theft, disguised as law. Charming.” – Wednesday Addams
  2. “He wrecked our oceans, trashed the coasts, set our towns on fire, and straight-up ruined lives. Total villain behavior.” – a Gen Z-er
  3. “You took away our right to speak, to fight, to be heard — like justice was just another thing you burned.” – Taylor Swift
  4. “He blocked our hustle, cut the cords to the globe — no deals, no flows, just chains on the growth. This ain’t freedom, it’s control. And we see it.” – Kendrick Lamar
  5. “He basically let a bunch of angry army dudes crash at our place without asking… like, bro, this isn’t the Krusty Inn.” – SpongeBob SquarePants

The students really leaned in—this was vocabulary that made sense to them. When Kendrick Lamar is spinning rhymes about the Declaration, all middle school ears perk up!

We even challenged our students to abandon words altogether! For example, the students recently looked at primary sources for events leading up to the American Revolutionary War. Then they had to analyze how colonists might have reacted to each event and boil it down to emojis. (We saw lots of tea cups and thumbs down!)

No matter the language, it’s my goal for the ideas in these historic documents and scenarios to resonate with the students—and stick with them. With the help of Taylor, they do!

About Laura

  • Teaching experience: 11 years in education
  • Currently teaching: 8th grade social studies

Laura Bowersox believes collaboration with other educators is an integral part of education and loves to seek opportunities to learn from others. She strives to help her students become intelligent, informed, and involved citizens.

(Pop quiz answers: A4, B3, C5, D2, E1)

Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics Announce Second Round of Winners in Civic Star Challenge, a Nationwide A250 Initiative

Posted on by [email protected]

Sixty-three educators have been awarded $300 each for integrating themes from the Declaration of Independence into their teaching in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

WASHINGTON, DC [February 6, 2026] The Bill of Rights Institute and iCivics have named the second round of winners of the Civic Star Challenge, a nationwide initiative to inspire millions of acts of civic learning in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Civic Star Challenge makes the teaching of the Declaration of Independence digestible and relatable to today’s youth by providing educators with a repository of adaptable lesson plans and activities that teach the key themes of the founding document. The resources are available at civicstarchallenge.org. Once educators have taught at least one of 11 themes, they can submit a log of their activities for a chance to win from a cash prize pool totaling more than $200,000.

The Challenge includes four cycles of random drawings, each awarding $300 to selected teachers, and an essay contest that has a $10,000 grand prize for the winning teacher’s school district.

The Civic Star Challenge is made possible through generous support from Griffin Catalyst, civic engagement initiative of Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin; the Stand Together Trust; and The Pedersen Foundation.

Today, the 63 winners of the second round of drawings have been announced. The teachers represent more than 30 states.

“The Civic Star Challenge honors the educators who keep America’s founding principles alive in their classrooms,” said David Bobb, President and CEO of the Bill of Rights Institute. “Their work reminds us that civic knowledge and virtue are essential to sustaining liberty for the next generation and to helping students see their role in preserving a free society.”

“The celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is an incredible moment to engage in the teaching of our founding documents and in civic education in general – and this has never been more critical,” iCivics CEO Louise Dubé said. “We’re proud to be able to reward teachers for their efforts to connect the themes and ideals from the Declaration to the present.”

The winners are listed below:

Natalia Allen

Jon Barnes

Andrea Bauck

Jason Bennett

Sherry Blenman

Laura Brucato

Cady Burstein

Cindy Cantu

Avery Keese

Morrow Kerins

Steven Leavitt

Andrea Longstreet

Laura McFarren

Linda McGinness

Joseph McGuire

Sarah Mensinger

Lisabeth Mikolajczyk-Harper

Laura Mirt

Evangeline Mitchell

Stephanie Nichols

Stacey Clark

Melanie Claros-Rodriguez

Christopher Crawford

Artur Da Silva

Daniel Dawson

Lauren Feld

Brittany Ferguson

Thomas Fulbright

Charles Oliver

Beth Oswald

Amy Palo

Kristen Parise

John Phillips

Shine Ray

Kristal Reeves

Stephanie Richards

Richard Rineberg

Kara Robinson

Michele Rowley

Shannon Salter-Burghardt

Jamie Shannon

Randall Furash-Stewart

Nicole Gasparik

Jennifer Graham

Anne Hester

Jean Hiller

Kimberly Huffman

Kevin Jackson

Jaclyn Jecha

Dawn Skelton

Craig Specht

Molly Stanley

Tabby Talbourdet

Shelly Tanner

Michael Thomas

Brande Vogele

Anne Walker

Nadia Westen

Kymberli Wregglesworth

Blanche Wulfekoetter

Gregory Yarnall

Heather Yates

ABOUT iCIVICS

Founded in 2009 by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing civic learning by providing educators and students with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to embrace and engage in our civic life together. iCivics empowers educators and leads the movement to make civic education a nationwide priority so all young people have the confidence to shape the world around them and believe in our country’s future. To learn more, visit www.icivics.org.

 

ABOUT BILL OF RIGHTS INSTITUTE
The Bill of Rights Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to advance civic and history education through market-leading curricula and programs for educators and students. To learn more, visit www.mybri.org. 

 

ABOUT GRIFFIN CATALYST

Griffin Catalyst is the civic engagement initiative of Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, encompassing his philanthropic and community impact efforts. Tackling the world’s greatest challenges in innovative, action-oriented, and evidence-driven ways, Griffin Catalyst is dedicated to expanding opportunity and improving lives across six areas of focus: Education, Science & Medicine, Upward Mobility, Freedom & Democracy, Enterprise & Innovation, and Communities. For more information, visit griffincatalyst.org.

Play Brief the Chief this Presidents’ Day!

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

While we often associate Presidents’ Day with deals and discounts on electronics, furniture, and other goods, for most of American history, it was a day for commemorating the first president: George Washington. In fact, according to federal law, the holiday is still designated as “Washington’s Birthday,” even though it rarely falls on his actual birthday. After the Civil War, another February presidential holiday emerged: Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. The holidays were eventually consolidated, and Presidents’ Day became more inclusive of all U.S. presidents.

While celebrations for Presidents’ Day vary from wreath layings and concerts to formal dinners and balls, one of the best ways to involve students in the occasion is by learning about the presidents, the challenges they faced, and the choices they made, and contextualizing the circumstances and consequences of those decisions. Good news—there’s a game for that!

In 2024, the White House Historical Association partnered with iCivics to launch Brief the Chief, a history learning game that teaches evidence-based reasoning, decision making, and critical thinking. As of the end of 2025, the game has had more than 500,000 plays, with peak play months in November and—you guessed it—February!

Our initial framing for Brief the Chief called for three administrations to be featured in the game. We wanted to select ones that were consequential, as well as historical moments that are generally taught across different state standards. We settled on three administrations from very different time periods in American history: Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809), Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865), and Lyndon Johnson (1963–1969). We also wanted to highlight both a well-known and lesser-known historical episode for each president (Jefferson: Port of New Orleans and Trade with Haiti; Lincoln: Fort Sumter and Emancipation Proclamation; Johnson: Voting Rights Act and Decision to Run for Re-Election).

The personalities and politics of Jefferson, Lincoln, and Johnson varied extensively, as did those of the people around them—there are nearly 30 historical characters dispersed throughout the game! A student can encounter figures such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, as well as lesser-known individuals like Elizabeth Keckley and Zephyr Wright. This was part of our concerted effort to balance diverse perspectives and give learners more historical context for the times in which these people lived.

Beyond the characters, we also gave significant thought to the settings for every scenario. Using the presidential offices made sense because each president used a different workspace (Jefferson in today’s State Dining Room; Lincoln in today’s Lincoln Bedroom; and Johnson in the Oval Office). As a result, students also get to visually experience different historic spaces of the White House and see how those spaces have evolved and changed over time to meet the demands of the presidency as an institution.

While more modern spaces, such as President Lyndon Johnson’s Oval Office and the Second Floor Kitchen, are well documented and photographed, this was not the case with the interiors of the Jefferson and Lincoln White Houses. In fact, there are no known drawings or images from Jefferson’s time (aside from floor plans), and the only known photographs of the Lincoln White House are of his office. To overcome the lack of visual documentation, two scenarios are set outside, as there is an abundance of drawings, paintings, renderings, and other visuals of the White House exterior dating back to its very beginning.

It is important to note that we ultimately decided that students would play the role of advisor rather than president because it allows them to be a witness to history, ask good questions, and make recommendations based on the evidence they gather. It also adds nuance to the idea of presidential decision-making, as leaders often rely heavily on people around them for information, expertise, and advice. One of the key takeaways we hope students will learn is that they have a role to play in shaping history, both in the game and in civic life.

So, we hope you will consider playing Brief the Chief with your students this Presidents’ Day (or anytime really!) We thank iCivics for their partnership in helping make this resource available to educators nationwide.

Written by Dr. Matthew Costello

Dr. Matthew Costello is the Chief Education Officer and Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History, where he holds the Gerard B. Lambert Foundation Chair in White House History. In this role, he oversees the Association’s education programs, historical research, digital archives, public programming, and partnerships. Costello joined the Association in 2016 as the Senior Historian after completing his Ph.D. and M.A. in American history at Marquette University. He has published articles in academic journals and magazines, as well as two books. The first, The Property of the Nation: George Washington’s Tomb, Mount Vernon, and the Memory of the First President, was a finalist for the George Washington Book Prize. He also co-edited the volume Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture.

On the Educator Blog, multiple perspectives contribute to the public conversation about civic education in the United States. Each contributor represents their own opinion. We welcome this plurality of perspectives.

We Can Teach Hard Things, Like Executive Powers

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.

—The Constitution of the United States. Art. II Sect. 1 cl. 1

Teaching executive power can be daunting in any political climate. Its scope is contested, oftentimes along political lines, and the Constitution offers minimal explicit guidance. Moreover, the powers of the President have evolved—mostly by expanding—throughout history, rendering the office almost unrecognizable from the office of the 1800s and even into the 20th century.

While the powers of Congress are explicitly stated (with the exception of clause 18), presidential powers are not. In outlining the legislative branch, the Founders drew on examples of citizen councils and representative bodies from throughout history, even drawing on their own experience with the Articles of Confederation. They benefited from real-life examples of various models as they sought to determine the best system for our young nation.

The same cannot be said for the executive branch. Instead, the Founders’ preferences were shaped by their experiences during Shays’ Rebellion and other early challenges facing the Continental Congress, such as collecting taxes, regulating commerce, and enforcing treaties. That said, they knew what they didn’t want: an executive with unlimited power and authority, akin to a monarch or dictator.

To learn about executive powers in my classroom, students conduct a side-by-side comparison of Articles I and II, allowing them to identify critical differences. The contrasting language, length, and breadth across the two articles provide insight into the Founders’ understanding and expectations of executive power, and students often arrive at some common conclusions.

We discuss how the office of the President is unique in that it is shaped by custom and tradition, the voice of the people, and checks from the other branches. Many of the limitations on presidential power arise after a president has attempted to extend their power beyond that of their predecessors. The example I use with my students comes from the ratification of the 22nd Amendment in 1951. We discuss the unofficial precedent set by George Washington, who served only two terms, until F.D.R. ran and won the office four times. What was once a custom became codified in the 22nd Amendment when the people decided a president should be limited to two terms.

We also discuss the changing scope of presidential power throughout history. I use F.D.R.’s Executive Order #9066, which was the removal and relocation of Japanese Americans to internment camps. I usually lead a discussion on the content of the order and its effects on the population. My next question to my students is, “If this action is constitutional, why hasn’t another president used this power?” Inevitably, my students conclude that the president would not likely be able to enact this power at this moment in time. I always follow up with “why?” They discuss the idea that this particular action would not be popular with the general population. After that, we discuss Richard Neustadt’s famous phrase, “presidential power is the power to persuade”. We also discuss the evolution of executive orders from simple directives to having “law-like” significance, such as the Emancipation Proclamation.

My students and I study presidential powers from a neutral observer perspective with the analytical lens of a political scientist. By adopting this observational stance, students can set aside their personal feelings regarding a person, a party, and specific issues. They then become a class of political scientists. As Hamilton states, “the people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches of government hold their power” (Hamilton 1788, Federalist #49).

Resources to Use:

Written by Brittany Marrs

Brittany Marrs is a certified social studies educator with extensive experience teaching AP Government, AP Macroeconomics, Dual Credit Government, Dual Enrollment Microeconomics, and Economics at Magnolia High School in Texas. With a background in political science and law, she is passionate about empowering students to think critically, engage civically, and understand the institutions shaping their world.

Brittany is actively involved in numerous professional and community organizations and is currently pursuing National Board Certification in Social Studies. She is dedicated to developing meaningful assessments and creating inquiry-based classrooms. When she’s not teaching or writing, she is often collaborating with other educators to strengthen civic education and promote student voice. She has been a member of the iCivics Educator Network since 2021.

Through the We Can Teach Hard Things initiative, the perspectives of teachers across the country contribute to the public conversation about civic education in the United States. Each contributor represents their own opinion. We welcome this plurality of perspectives.

Paul’s students declare the Declaration for Civic Star Challenge

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

My approach to teaching has always been to prepare my students to be active, contributing members of their civil society. As I stated in my interview for my teaching position at Air Force Academy High School (AFAHS) years ago, the students of today are the Social Security payers of tomorrow—so I’d better make sure they’re taking care of me when I’m old!

In all seriousness, though, the majority of students at my school are Black or Brown, and many come into my classes not believing that they have a voice in our society. My mission is to change that. I work to make sure my students not only understand how they can participate in civil society, but why.

It’s not difficult for students to see how the civics lessons we cover in class impact them personally. They are watching tensions between our local and national governments play out on the news and in the streets. And they are drawing connections between their lived experience and the list of “injuries and usurpations” in the Declaration of Independence.

But it’s often challenging to get students comfortable with expressing their ideas and opinions in class. Students today are scared of being “wrong” or criticized for their beliefs. So, in my classroom, we spend a lot of time breaking that habit as I try to get students to understand that school is all about being wrong—that that’s generally how the learning process starts. I always tell students that we must debate the idea, not the person.

Recently, as part of the Civic Star Challenge, we did a deep dive into the Declaration. We started off by clarifying some key terms, such as “social contract,” “popular sovereignty,” and “natural rights.” I then asked students what Thomas Jefferson was trying to say in this “breakup letter” to King George III. What was his belief about the nature of government? As we talked, I watched the students put the pieces together in real time. One summed it up nicely:

“Governments exist to protect natural rights, like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those governments are legit because the people agree to them. When the government stops protecting those rights, or starts hurting them, the people should change or end the government.”

As the other students nodded their heads and snapped their fingers, I couldn’t help but grin. I thought: I think we can really get something done in this class! Jefferson would be proud.

At the time it was issued, the Declaration would actually be “declared”—that is, it would be read aloud for everyone to hear. The language works better when you can emphasize and emote through speech. Every year, I ask my students to read the Declaration out loud, each taking a small part. My students are often a little nervous about doing that. My classes have a wide range of reading levels and English language comprehension. But recently, I was really gratified to see everyone giving it a shot. It was really something to hear such a diverse group literally “declare” the Declaration.

About Paul

  • Teaching Experience: 14 years in education; 8 years teaching
  • Currently teaching: social studies

Paul, a Chicago Public Schools teacher, endeavors to help students become thoughtful, empowered, and active members of civil society. When not doing that, he brings engaging stories to life as an accomplished comic book writer.

We Can Teach Hard Things, like Foreign Policy

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

Note: This blog post covers the concept of foreign policy, both from a traditional perspective and a current event standpoint, in response to U.S. military operations in Venezuela.

On the morning of January 4, 2026 — about 36 hours after U.S. forces launched airstrikes and ground operations in Venezuela, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife — I was sitting in a coffee shop to get a little work done. Before popping in my earbuds and blasting Mozart Radio, as I typically do, I overheard a father speaking to his middle school-aged daughter about the news.

Which is to say that I waited to pop in my earbuds. Obviously.

I then spent the next three minutes, that’s all, listening to an honest, authentic, and humble conversation in which it was clear that the father’s only goal was to help his daughter understand what was happening. In fact, I wouldn’t even try to guess the father’s politics, who he voted for, or if he approved of the military action. Here’s how it went:

Dad: I want to tell you about something that happened yesterday. The United States sort of invaded the country of Venezuela, captured the President and his wife, and declared that we’re running the country now. Have you heard anything about it?

Daughter: Kind of, but I have no idea what’s going on. Why did we do it?

Dad: Well, the President, his name is Maduro, isn’t a great guy. He’s a bit of a dictator. Our government is accusing him of drug trafficking, corruption, and other bad things.

Daughter: So we’re running the country now? Has that ever happened before?

Dad: Um, well, yes. But not in my lifetime. At least I don’t think so. Not like this.

Now hear me out, because I know what you’re thinking: I could give way more specifics than that! Yeah, but you’re a social studies teacher. This Dad is either a banker, doctor, or firefighter (I have no idea what this Dad does). That said, I thought his approach was masterclass! He asked his daughter if she had heard anything about it, and he provided his best and honest answers, admitting when he wasn’t sure of something.

Of course, as social studies teachers, we have a lot more to work with, including history, executive power, and foreign policy. I’ll admit, despite the uncertainty of what happened and what lies ahead, the history nerd in me started licking my lips. There is a lot of good stuff here!

Others have already written solidly-substantive pieces on how to teach the event, rife with facts, wisdom, and practical approaches. Our friends at CFR provide ‘Three Ways to Teach About Venezuela in a Nonpartisan Way,’ which I easily endorse.

However, another question has arisen that I’d like to address directly: Should social studies teachers be teaching this at all? Doesn’t the decision to cover the military operation betray a teacher’s commitment to non-partisanship?

In short: Yes. No. At least not necessarily.

To the first question: Should social studies teachers be teaching this at all? Yes, yes, they should. It is timely, interesting, and relevant to most of the social studies disciplines we teach in school:

  • American History ✅
  • World History ✅
  • American Government ✅
  • Geography ✅
  • Economics ✅
  • Psychology (certainly not my area of expertise, but ✅)

And in this way, it is appropriate and prudent to cover in any of these classes, and therefore, the decision to teach it is not a partisan decision; it’s a professional and responsible one.

Let’s then discuss some approaches or frames for those very classes:

American History. This one depends on what period your American History course covers. Do you only teach through the Civil War or Reconstruction? Then perhaps you’ll want to spend a little time on the Monroe Doctrine (first articulated in 1832) or James Polk and the Mexican-American War (1846). If your course spans the 20th Century, then take your pick: Theodore Roosevelt and the Roosevelt Corollary (1904), Harry Truman’s use of the CIA in Guatemala (1948), or John F. Kennedy and the Bay of Pigs invasion (1961), among other historical examples.

American Government. Any U.S. Military action necessarily raises Constitutional questions related to the separation of powers, checks and balances, war powers, executive power, congressional oversight/approval, and more! I’ve written before about my suggestion to focus students’ attention on two places: the Constitution (including relevant legislation, such as the War Powers Act) and historical examples. Remember: the appropriate and timeless question is not, “What do you think about President Trump invading Venezuela?” but rather, “Should the president be able to conduct military operations without Congressional approval?” 

Geography. Where is Venezuela? Why would the United States have an interest there? (Encourage students to consider this question from a resource perspective, a national security perspective, a physical geography/settlement perspective, and a human geography/crisis perspective)

Does Venezuela feel too recent, too fraught, too political, too complex? Then skip it! Tell students that you are going to teach them about foreign policy, hoping that their stronger historical, political, and/or geographic understanding will help them make better sense of what is happening in the world at any point in time.

The first time I fell in love with foreign policy was when I learned about Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick Diplomacy” in high school. That’s not to say that I was enamored with the approach, so much as I was immediately intrigued by the simplicity, imagery, and, well, chutzpah of it all. And as easy as it was to turn Teddy into a caricature — what with the round glasses, epic stache, and storied strength and bravery — adding a giant stick and transposing him over map drawings of Latin America just added to the allure.

But TR wasn’t the only president with unique doctrines and/or diplomatic approaches. There are plenty more under many other presidents, all of which students find interesting (if not comical), and, most importantly, probably won’t inspire the type of emotional response that more current events and approaches are likely to evoke. Some of my favorites, in addition to Big Stick, include The Monroe Doctrine, Dollar Diplomacy, Containment, and Shuttle Diplomacy.

Or, you could stick to the fundamentals! Here are some great resources to get you started:

iCivics Resources

Step inside the White House Situation Room and make the tough choices as conflicts around the world escalate. In Convene the Council, your students will take on the role of president of the United States and discover why foreign policy matters. They will engage with members of the National Security Council to weigh the pros and cons of various policy options and make foreign policy decisions. They will address international crises through strategic action and work to improve core metrics of U.S. prosperity, values, security, and world health. Can your students make the tough choices as conflicts around the world escalate?

Objectives:

  • Explain the basics of foreign policy–making in the United States
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of various foreign policy options in a variety of situations
  • Distinguish among foreign policy tools such as aid, sanctions, and military force
  • Evaluate the potential effect of economic, military, and cultural influence on other countries

Admin Tip: Offer to sit in on a lesson plan or, better yet, co-teach it! Doing so signifies to the teacher, the students, and perhaps even parents/guardians (if you tell them or they otherwise find out about it) that you’re a champion for social studies and teaching hard things!

Jennifer expands civic education beyond her classroom with Civic Star Challenge

Posted on by Sophie Gordon

Election Day provides one of the most authentic learning opportunities of the year.

But what if it wasn’t just a single Tuesday in November?

What if Election Day were every Tuesday, all year round?

Through iCivics, I discovered On Tuesday We Vote, a biweekly initiative that invites students to engage with a thought-provoking question. Every other Tuesday, a new topic is presented for students to consider and cast their votes. I loved the approach of making civic participation a regular part of school life. So for the Civic Star Challenge, I decided to expand it beyond my classroom. By moving it into the hallway, all students, teachers, and staff members can take part.

My goal was to make voting and dialogue visible, accessible, and even routine. Civic education should be more than a class—it should be part of the culture of a school.

Between class periods, I loved watching students stop, talk about the topic with a friend, and then cast their votes. Some recent ballot measures included:

A pie graph showing the results to the question, "Should school start times be changed?" with 287 yes votes and 77 no votes.
The students voted overwhelmingly to start their school days later.
This question had students weighing personal freedom against the protections of oversight.
A pie graph showing the results to the question, "Should there be term limits for members of Congress?" with 103 yes votes and 13 no votes.
Despite the strong support for term limits, a few students made thoughtful arguments about experience and institutional knowledge.
A pie graph showing the results to the question, "Should the Constitution be amended to abolish or alter the Electoral College?" with 176 yes votes, 102 no votes, and 98 voters who instead indicated that they do not know what the Electoral College is.
This vote exposed a real blind spot for students.

But that kind of result actually excites me as a civics educator. I spotted a group of ninth grade boys who had left lunch early to vote and were asking each other what the Electoral College was. I pulled out an electoral college map and explained it to them—yes, I’ll admit it was a hallway impromptu lecture! Seeing them interact with the content and each other, and then make up their own minds, was so unexpectedly fun. Now, all of the boys vote weekly and stop to say hi to me.

And perhaps the most contentious of all:

Is pineapple an acceptable pizza topping?

As of writing this post, I don’t have the official vote total. But I’ll say that my informal exit poll suggests that pineapple is on the way out!

It’s incredibly rewarding to witness civic confidence develop in real time. Students who were once hesitant to share their opinions are now leading discussions, listening thoughtfully, and even bringing in outside sources to support their views. Watching them evolve from passive observers into active participants is the most gratifying part of teaching civics. It’s also great to see friends voting differently and yet still being friends. Whether the subject is term limits or pizza toppings, these discussions are a starting point for creating a more civil society.

About Jennifer

  • Teaching experience: 30 years
  • Currently teaching: AP U.S. Government and Politics

In addition to her long-standing work as a public school teacher in Pittsburgh, Jennifer also serves as a College Board Table Leader and Retro Report Teacher Ambassador, and is a member of the National Constitution Center’s Teacher Advisory Council.