AAPI Heritage Month: Lesson Plans and Resources for the Classroom

Posted on May 12, 2022February 14, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

Updated for May 2023

The month of May honors the generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) who have enriched the history of the United States and continue to ensure its success. In celebration of this month that presents an opportunity to introduce classroom discussions and reflections about the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to our collective history, we are sharing resources from iCivics to support learning and conversations in the classroom.

Four iCivics Resources to Use This Month

VIDEO: Patsy Mink: Changing the Rules

In this video, students meet Patsy Takemoto Mink, a third-generation Japanese American born and raised in Hawaii, who was the first woman of color elected to Congress.

LESSON: United States v. Wong Kim Ark

This mini-lesson introduces students to Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco, California, to Chinese immigrant parent. He sued the United States to be recognized as a citizen, and his case led the Supreme Court to establish that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted citizenship to almost everyone born in the United States.

LESSON: Korematsu v. United States

Students will meet Fred Korematsu, a U.S. citizen born in the United States to Japanese parents who refused to relocate to an internment camp during World War II. This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court’s decision that the government acted constitutionally in interning Japanese Americans, and explores the effects of this decision.

LESSON: Lau v. Nichols

In this mini-lesson, students learn about Kenney Kimmon Lau who, when the schools in San Francisco were integrated, was one of the 1,800 students of Chinese ancestry who did not speak English but were placed into classes taught only in English. His case resulted in the Supreme Court decision that required public schools to provide language supports to English and multilingual learners.

A Touch of SCOTUS: 9 New Cases Added to Landmark Library

Posted on March 28, 2022April 28, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

I’ve always loved teaching cases from the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) in my U.S. History or Government classes. They’re engaging, they can foster informed discussions, and they can demonstrate what a branch of the government actually does. And for students, they can really hit home, which is what can make SCOTUS cases the secret sauce for your curriculum.

I remember teaching Loving v. Virginia (1967) to my sophomores one year. That’s the case that outlawed bans on interracial marriage. While the class was reading the case summary, one of my biracial students looked up and said, “Hey, this is me,” as he pointed to his paper. “This case is about me and my family.” I confirmed that it was indeed. As we started to review the case details and Virginia’s argument in particular, the room filled with guffaws, tsks, and sounds of tooth sucking. Students were not happy.

I didn’t reveal the Court’s decision just yet. Instead, with some carefully planned questions, I led the class in a discussion. It got a little heated, but not in a bad way. Rather, the class as a whole was “ticked off” that the government could say who you were allowed to marry. When I finally revealed the Court’s decision, the room exploded in applause, high fives, and pumped fists. The biracial student who had spoken earlier crossed his arms across his chest and nodded with a confident pride. “I like this case,” he said.

As educators, we all know if a student sees themselves in a lesson, they are far more likely to engage and learn. That was one of the goals behind iCivics adding nine new SCOTUS mini-lessons to our Landmark Library. We wanted to include voices that often don’t get heard, give students the opportunity to see how the government affects lives, and provide stories of people students can relate to.

With the range of topics these cases cover, it’s not hard to find a place to weave them into your curriculum, even if they’re not listed in your state standards. If you’re teaching U.S. History, U.S. Government, or civics, these cases can bring depth and context to a given time period. Whether you’re studying post-Civil War westward expansion [Elk v. Wilkins (1884)], the Chinese Exclusion Act [U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark (1898)], or civil rights [Loving v. Virginia (1967)], these cases open the door for discussions about discrimination and inequality and demonstrate how laws and government decisions directly affect people’s lives and choices.

These cases also help you bring some of our most important federal laws to life by showing students how they protect them in everyday situations. Illustrate how amazing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is by exploring how it helped make English language learner supports a requirement in public schools [Lau v. Nichols (1974)], and protected a teenager’s right to get a job when a company refused to hire her because she wore a hijab [EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch (2015)]. Or show how powerful the Americans with Disabilities Act is that even the Professional Golf Association must comply [PGA Tour, Inc. v. Martin (2001)].

And, of course, what’s old is new again, and these cases allow you to make great connections to contemporary issues. When I taught current events, I spent a lot of time searching for student resources that would provide them with informed arguments about a topic. These SCOTUS cases do just that. Having taught in a diverse classroom, I would have loved to see my students become impassioned while exploring issues of women’s equality [U.S. v. Virginia (1996)], religious freedom [Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association (1988)], and gay marriage [Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)].

I hope you will dig into our Landmark Library and explore these new cases. They help students learn about their rights, hear different perspectives, and realize that there are always (at least) two sides to an issue. More importantly, these cases let students see themselves in the story and, in most, observe an example of the government working for them. I can’t think of anything more empowering or rewarding than that.

Written by Lora De Salvo

Lora De Salvo is a Curriculum Associate at iCivics. She has 16 years of experience teaching U.S. history and U.S. government courses at the two-year college and high school levels. She has also worked as a training specialist with the Anti-Defamation League facilitating anti-bias and anti-bullying programs with middle and high school students.

New Curriculum Unit: The Legal Reference Library

Posted on March 9, 2022April 28, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

Sometimes the textbook definition isn’t enough. Our new Legal Reference Library consists of eight mini-lessons that provide students with a deep understanding of important laws, rights, and legal concepts in a flash.

How well do your students understand the USA Patriot Act of 2001, the Equal Protection Clause, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965? Do these important legal concepts even get a paragraph in your textbook? We won’t be surprised if your answer is no. And yet, these laws — along with many others — are critical for understanding what our rights are. Our Legal Reference Library will help your students explore why these laws or legal concepts were created and how they are used today.

Part infographic and part written text, these mini-lessons present difficult concepts in a digestible way and provide the foundation for informed classroom discussions. Each lesson consists of a one-page reading and a page of activities to reinforce the concepts learned. You can use the mini-lessons to:

Expand on concepts introduced in student textbooks.
Enhance an existing lesson or compliment the study of a Supreme Court case from our Landmark Library.
Use it as a stand-alone lesson or assign it as homework.
Prompt rich, informed discussions about current events.

Dive into the Legal Reference Library and discover new ways to get students engaged in learning about their rights.

iCivics partners with Teacher Created Materials on new book, Teaching Civics Today

Posted on February 4, 2022April 28, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

Developed in partnership with Teacher Created Materials, Teaching Civics Today: The iCivics Approach to Classroom Innovation and Student Engagement is a professional resource that shows teachers how to bring civics into their social studies classrooms in an engaging, meaningful way.

“We don’t teach civics like we used to, and thank goodness for that! Our students now benefit from a renaissance in civics instruction – an innovative revitalization of the frameworks, methods, and materials we use to prepare students for their critical role in our constitutional democracy,” said Emma Humphries, Chief Education Officer of iCivics. “All of this and more is succinctly captured in Teaching Civics Today.”

This book, written by John Larmer, explores key civics topics and provides teaching strategies that build content knowledge, develop 21st century skills, and engage students in practice and action. The book:

Explains why civic education is important
Supports teachers by outlining best practices for civics instruction
Helps teachers integrate literacy and civics
Includes useful implementation tools such as project and lesson examples

Whether used with the exciting iCivics Readers or by itself, this resource is the perfect tool to help teachers develop tomorrow’s leaders today by guiding students to understand the value of civic engagement.

2 New Infographics on Congressional Leadership

Posted on December 14, 2021April 28, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

A picture is worth a thousand words which is why our infographics are so popular with students. Our newest set of Leadership & The Agenda infographics shows how party leaders shape the congressional agenda in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

These two infographics pair perfectly with our Congressional Leadership mini-lesson or can be used as a stand-alone lesson with the help of our downloadable Teacher’s Guide. The guide includes base knowledge, emphasizes visual literacy skills, and provides conversation starters and activities for students.

Looking for More Infographics to Spark Conversation?

We have a whole library of them! From how a bill becomes a law to ranked-choice voting and the roles of the president, our downloadable and printable infographics provide visually appealing, graphically concise, and substantive overviews of key civic concepts.

iCivics & History’s Mysteries Partner to Expand Innovative History and Civics Curriculum for Grades K-5

Posted on December 6, 2021February 14, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

iCivics acquired History’s Mysteries’ elementary curriculum, and will continue to work in partnership with the creators to further develop the product, making it available to K-5 students nationwide.

iCivics is partnering with History’s Mysteries to integrate its K-5 learning offerings into the iCivics suite of educational materials. This marks a significant investment for iCivics in elementary civic education, which has historically been underserved by the field.

The partnership with History’s Mysteries will allow iCivics to address this fieldwide deficit, and provide a full library of learning materials for every grade level K-12, giving elementary educators an accessible way to engage younger learners in history and civics during the most foundational years of their education.

Founded in 2009, iCivics reaches more than 145,000 teachers and 9 million students annually through free, nonpartisan games and interactive lesson plans that teach the fundamentals of civic education by putting students at the center of learning.

Similarly, History’s Mysteries places young learners in grades K-5 in the center of the action by challenging them to act as history detectives. Its curriculum asks students a “Big Question” such as “What does it mean to be a citizen?” and then guides them through a discussion with teachers in which students use primary sources such as images, videos and texts to form conclusions.

Over the next few years, iCivics will expand History’s Mysteries’ K-5 content and make materials easier for teachers to use by aligning the content to standards in all 50 states. As part of the partnership, History’s Mysteries will be rebranded as Private “i”: History Detectives. The new, upgraded History’s Mysteries content will be available at iCivics.org in time for the 2022-2023 school year.

Of the partnership, Kelley Brown and Laurie Risler, who created History’s Mysteries, said, “History’s Mysteries originated from educators asking for accessible primary sources, inquiry-based learning, and engaging materials. We developed a foundation of historical mysteries that will undoubtedly grow and improve with such an incredibly respected and knowledgeable organization. iCivics’ long track record of creating quality, balanced, and engaging materials for learners makes me so excited for the future of our partnership and the new Private “i” History Detectives in elementary classrooms all across the country.”

“iCivics has wanted to expand into elementary curriculum for quite some time. The building blocks of lifelong civic learning can and should be laid in the earliest grades. We’re incredibly excited about History’s Mysteries and what it will bring to our youngest learners,” iCivics Director of Curriculum and Content Taylor Davis said. “We already know that K-5 students are eager to learn more about civics. What better way to do that than by building on young students’ natural curiosity and asking them to take on the role of history detectives in search of civic knowledge and skills through the close-reading of primary sources and critical thinking.”

This collaboration grew out of the Library of Congress’s Teaching With Primary Sources (TPS) initiative, which provides grants for organizations to build materials and tools that teach key concepts using the Library’s digitized primary sources and other online resources. iCivics and History’s Mysteries are both grantee organizations and members of the TPS Consortium.

Ethel Payne: First Lady of the Black Press

Do students see their communities and the issues they care about covered in the news? More inclusive coverage of national and world events is due in part to Ethel Payne, the second Black woman to become a member of the White House Press Corps. In her position, she asked leaders tough questions and wrote hard-hitting news stories. Her persistence brought civil rights issues to a national audience and put Black people’s experiences on the front page.

Patsy Mink: Changing the Rules

Does your school have a women’s soccer team? And do your students aspire to careers in law, science, or engineering, regardless of their gender? Patsy Mink helped make that possible as the co-author of Title IX, the landmark legislation that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal money. Mink was the first woman of color elected to Congress and in her 24 years as a Representative battled inequality by changing the laws.

Rachel Carson’s Fight for the Environment

The United Nations Climate Change Conference starts this weekend in Glasgow, Scotland. Many of the issues world leaders will be discussing and taking action on were first brought to light in Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking book, Silent Spring.

Looking for more lessons about how women have impacted history? Our suffrage resources will help you teach about the importance of voting and how women have had to fight for their right to vote.

5 iCivics Election Day Activities

Posted on November 2, 2021February 14, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

Happy Election Day! Today, important local elections will be held around the country. These races and ballot measures are a great way to introduce students to voting, explore how the process works, and talk about the impact casting a ballot can have right in their local communities. If you’re searching for fun Election Day activities for your class, look no further! Check out some of our top resources.

1. Cast Your Vote Game

Cast Your Vote demonstrates the value of becoming an informed voter. In this game, students will research candidates, identify issues important to them, and then participate in a simulated local election.

The Extension Pack explains concepts and vocabulary that may be new to students and turns many parts of the game into teachable moments. The game offers English language learner (ELL) support and a pre/post-game assessment quiz, which will help you gain insight into what students learned during gameplay.

2. Voting Rights Lesson Plan

Even though your students may not be old enough to vote, they still can have major influence on elections. From registering voters to contacting elected officials, young people have many opportunities to participate in this democratic process. This resource guide – designed to be used independently – gives students tools, ideas, and guidance for engaging in elections outside the ballot box.

4. The Spectrum of State Election Laws Infographic

The rules for voting can vary greatly from one state to another. Keeping track of the differences can be difficult, but this interactive infographic lays out the various options and allows students to pinpoint which laws apply to their state. From registration to IDs to recounts, this infographic truly covers the election law spectrum.

5. Got Ballot? Lesson Plan

One of the best ways for students to understand how voting works is to see a ballot themselves! This lesson takes students to the voting booth and explains what they could see on a ballot. From referendums to recalls, students will get a better understanding of how voters have the opportunity to initiate change in state and local government.

These just scratch the surface of iCivics’ options for Election Day activities. Check out our Election Headquarters and Politics and Public Policy curriculum unit for more!

How Iconic! A New Way to Find The Best iCivics Resource for Your Unique Classroom

Posted on October 6, 2021April 28, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

Our “teach” page search is built to help you find iCivics resources with as few clicks as possible, saving you valuable time when lesson planning. The search view displays all of our resources (hint, hint: we have more than just games!). As shown below, you can use filters such as “middle school,” “game,” “curriculum unit,” “state standards,” and more to sort. View this training video for a walkthrough of all of the filters available.

Introducing the Icons

We have added icons to the search view on the “teach” page that will help you quickly understand what each lesson or activity offers. The icons indicate:

Grade Level: Easily search for middle or high school resources.

Pedagogy: We call these “Tags.” Think strategies and modes of learning, such as “inquiry-based,” “ELL,” and cross-curricular connections.

Technology Requirements: Whether you’re looking for no-tech or tech-specific activities, we have them at iCivics.

Resources: What resources are included with a lesson or game? Icons like “PDF” and “PPT” can tell you. Icons also note when a lesson includes a Nearpod, Kahoot, or interactive Google Slides deck.

To help you get more familiar, we have created a handy icon menu. So many options, right?! To utilize the iconography when searching, simply hover your mouse over the icons and the title will appear.

Want to see an example?

Let’s assume you’re looking to use our game Win the White House and find activities to teach around the game. Below is how the icons on the extension pack resource card illustrate what is offered and will help you think about how you might use the resource with students.

A Sneak Peek of the Icon Menu

Below is a quick look at some of the icons related to pedagogy, such as “inquiry-based” and “project-based” to give you an idea for filtering down your search! We bet you didn’t know we had all of these options?! Explore the menu to see more.

	Assessment: Resources that include assessments. This may include quizzes or instructions in the resources’s teacher guide.
	ELA/Literacy: Resources that support literacy.
	Inquiry-Based: Resources that center an inquiry-based approach to learning.
	Project-Based: Resources that include project-based learning (PBL) activities and instructional approaches.

We also have a stellar line-up of partners, whose interactive tools and technology offer you the ability to use iCivics lessons in any classroom environment. Explore some of our featured partners below. The icon menu offers a complete list.

	Boost student creativity with iCivics lessons by using our built-in Kami integration!
	Try iCivics lessons with the student-paced or live participation features on Nearpod.
	Test student knowledge with ready-to-play Kahoot quizzes for iCivics lessons.

Enter to Win a Civics Book Bundle from Penguin Young Readers!

Posted on October 4, 2021April 28, 2025 by Luke O'Connor

We have teamed up with our partners at Penguin Young Readers to give five lucky teachers a themed Who HQ book bundle, ideal for elementary and middle school students! You could win one of five unique book bundles that contains 10-11 Who HQ books and 50 iCivics pencils and stickers for your classroom

Here is a sneak peek of one of the themed bundles you could win:

Entering this giveaway is easy! To enter:

Complete a Who HQ For You Civics activity (found under the October Theme) with your students between Monday, October 4 to Friday, October 15, 2021.
Submit samples of the completed activity along with a short write-up of top takeaways and memorable moments.

The Who HQ Civics Book Bundle Giveaway is open now through October 15, 2021. Visit the official giveaway page to learn more.

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