| Resource | Description | Appropriate Grade(s) |
|---|---|---|
| A Citizenâs Guide to Preserving Democracy | eMediaVA From WHRO Education  | Do you have what it takes to be a good citizen? Join Preserving Democracy as we dig into the ten habits of good citizens in a new digital series, A Citizenâs Guide to Preserving Democracy. Explore real-life examples of Americans who are striving to build a healthier democracy and who embody the spirit of a more informed and engaged citizenryâone person at a time. The series is based on The Bill of Obligations: Ten Habits of Good Citizens by author and diplomat Richard Haass and the feature-length PBS documentary A Citizenâs Guide to Preserving Democracy from the WNET Groupâs Preserving Democracy initiative. | Grades 6 - 12 |
| A More or Less Perfect Union From Free To Choose Network Judge Ginsburg  | A More or Less Perfect Union Community Engagement Campaign is drawn from the groundbreaking, three-part public television series coming to PBS in early 2020. The goal of these activities is to engage people across the country in constructive conversations via community forums and panels, online and in classrooms, as well as any place where people gather or turn to discuss critical issues that affect us all such as amending the Constitution, the Second Amendment, government overreach and more. | Grade 12 |
| A Starting Point | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | Explore new resources from A Starting Point, a video-based civic engagement tool that helps voters better understand the issues of the day. The collection covers topics such as energy, environment, and conservation policies, minimum wage laws, student loan debt, the Electoral College, and congressional term limits, among others. | Grades 6 - 12 |
| America from Scratch | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | Educators can use America From Scratch (and its discussion guides) to engage the most important issues of the day, and to encourage critical thinking and promote civic engagement with their students. | Grade 9 - 12 |
| American Battle Monuments Commission - Analyzing Primary Sources From American Battle Monuments Commission | Students will read the New York Times coverage of President Woodrow Wilsonâs address to Congress on April 2, 1917. Students will analyze the New York Times coverage using a document analysis tool called SOAPSTone. | Middle School High School |
| Analyzing a Visual Metaphor for the American Revolution From National Archives Education Team | In this activity, students will analyze a visual metaphor created to explain the causes, major events, battles and leaders of the American Revolution. This visual chart was compiled by the George Washington Bicentennial Commission, which was created to plan and celebrate the birth and accomplishments of George Washington and to collect, collate, preserve, and publish writings, artworks, and photographs pertinent to his life and times. | Grades 11 - 12 |
| Analyzing Documents From National Archives | Teach students the process of document analysis, the foundation for working with primary sources: Meet the document. Observe its parts. Try to make sense of it. Use it as historical evidence. | Grades 4 - 12 |
| Analyzing the Adoption of the Lee Resolution (July 2, 1776) From National Archives Education Team | In this activity, students will carefully analyze the Adoption of the Lee Resolution from July 2, 1776 that stated that "these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states." | Grades 4, 5 & 7 |
| Argument Wars - Supreme Court Simulation Game From iCivics | Have your students ever tried to win a disagreement? Put their persuasive abilities to the test by arguing a real Supreme Court case. In Argument Wars, your students will practice their argumentation and persuasion skills with a real case that made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Theyâll pick a side to represent, identify the Constitutional basis for the case, and dive in. The other lawyer is the competition, and whoever has the strongest arguments wins! | Middle School & High School |
| Bill of Rights Institute Classroom Ready Resources From the Bill of Rights Institute | The Bill of Rights Institute has produced classroom-ready content for over 20 years. Our library of 4,000+ resources, includes 650 lessons, 300 essays, more than 300 videos, and much more. Each lesson and activity developed by the Bill of Rights Institute explores how the Founding principles built into the Constitution allowed the American people to protect and advance freedom and opportunity for all. | Grades 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, and 12 |
| Branches of Power - Checks and Balances Game From iCivics | Do something that no one else canâcontrol all three branches of the U.S. government! Each branch plays a specific role in turning an idea into a law. In Branches of Power, your students will practice their decision-making skills as they take on the roles and responsibilities of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches and turn as many bills into laws as possible. Through the game, players will introduce a presidential agenda, communicate with the public, write legislation, sign or veto bills, and even judge passed laws. | Grades 7 and 12 |
| Brief and Incomplete: Votes for Women From National Museum of American History, Julie Garner and Billie Krishawn | National Museum of American History (NMAH) Museum Educator Julie Garner and activist Billie Krishawn explore this history and its relevance to modern-day voting rights. Billie Krishawn is a Washington, D.C., resident who gives time, energy, and resources to help her community, focusing especially on issues around voting rights. She is one of many concerned citizens who, inspired by history, take action to make positive change in their communities. | Grades 6, 7, 11, and 12 |
| Citizen Better | PBS Digital Studios | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | This show will follow KJ Kearney as he finds the âinformalâ ways to be civically engaged in everyday life so that viewers can feel empowered to make a meaningful impact on the reg rather than just on election days. Like shoes, one size does not fit all, âtrying onâ various types of informal civic engagement, KJ will find what pairs suit him to make a footprint in our democracy. | Grades 6 â 12 |
| Citizen Nation: Civic Skills | Retro Report | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | This collection is designed to empower students to participate confidently in civic life. In these lessons, high school students teach essential skills and strategies for civic engagement, critical thinking and respectful communications: Learn how to make an argument with civility and respect. Discover effective research and fact-checking techniques to use online. Explore ways to become an engaged citizen. Sharpen discussion skills using practical tips and strategies. | Grades 6 - 12 |
| Civic Friendship and Compromise From George Washington's Mount Vernon | This learning experience is inquiry-based and built on the 5E model. Students will engage by reading and researching individual cabinet members. Students will then explore and explain their cabinet members biographies and views while presenting their findings to others, based on the primary and secondary sources given. They will play the Be Washington game to discuss and evaluate their understanding of the content. Finally, learning can extend as students apply civic friendship to other presidential cabinets and todayâs political leaders. | Grades 5 - 7 |
| Civics 101 | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | NET presents a series of interstitial segments aimed at helping students understand the basic concepts of local and national government. From the branches of Federal government to the process of how an idea becomes a law through the legislative process, Civics 101 is a collection of short video segments produced to remind viewers how our government foundations came to be and how they continue to shape the operation of local and national government. | Grades 3 - 8 |
| Civics Collection | Foundations of American Constitutional Democracy | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | The founders established a new form of government, based on the core principles of liberty, equality, justice, rule of law, and the social contract. They embodied these principles in our founding documentsâthe Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Yet at the time, enslaved people, women, Indigenous people, and others were excluded from these rights and protections. Over time, through civic and government action, the application of these principles has evolved. | Grades 6 - 12 |
| Civics Connects⢠From John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics (JMC) at the VMHC | Civics Connectsâ˘, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, classroom-ready resource for Virginia students, is born from years of related work by the VMHC and its John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics (JMC). The program offers a robust array of best-in-class educational tools designed with significant input from Virginia educators at every level and includes lesson plans, interactive slides, classroom activities, and the opportunity for onsite educators, subject matter experts, and special museum experiences. | Middle School |
| Civics for Kids: Building Tomorrow Together | eMediaVA From WHRO Education, WQED | Welcome to Civics for Kids: Building Tomorrow Together, a program designed to teach you about the power of democracy, community, and responsible citizenship. Just as our nation's Constitution was written "to ourselves and our posterity," this project is designed to help you understand how the actions we take today help shape a better world for the generations that follow. This collection features 10 lessons that empower K-5 learners, elementary students, and educators to foster community connections and increase civic awareness and engagement. | Grades: K - 5 |
| Civics Fundamentals â A project of izzit.org From Judge Douglas Ginsburg | Civics Fundamentals is a free program crafted with care and expertise to promote informed citizenship by meaningfully engaging, educating, and empowering all learners to enhance their civics education. The course comprises a series of professionally produced two-minute videos from the host of the PBS series A More or Less Perfect Union with Judge Douglas Ginsburg. Each of the 100 video lessons is crafted to accompany the 100 questions from the U.S. Citizenship Test to gauge and improve your knowledge of the concepts presented. These videos go beyond rote memorization, encouraging learners to discover the meaning and importance of the questions by exploring the âWhy?â of U.S. civics. The course enables educators to easily incorporate the videos and lessons into their existing curriculum and track student progress. | Grades 4, 5, 7, and 12 |
| Compact Civics | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | Compact Civics is a series of non-partisan shorts to help citizens gain a better understanding of how government works. Host Cory McCants explains broad civics concepts in a fun and entertaining way. With just the right dose of humor, levity and visual intrigue, the series explores topics related to voting, branches of governance, and local civic responsibility. | Grades 9 - 12 |
| Cultivating Civic Discourse in Your Middle School Classroom From Betty Nordengren, Sphere | This lesson plan is intended to fit within any middle school learning unit in a variety of classes. This lesson should be included as a routine or method to be used repeatedly throughout the year, rather than as a stand-alone lesson to be taught once and forgotten. To help students improve their oracy skills they need frequent practice and scaffolding to be able to state their ideas with strong reasoning while respecting othersâ viewpoints, self regulate their own behavior, and develop metacognition of their own thought process. | Grades 5 - 8 |
| Deborah Sampson Gannett: A Woman Soldier in the Revolutionary War From National Archives Education Team | In this activity, students will analyze a legal document for clues about the experience of a woman serving in the Revolutionary War disguised as a man. | Grade 11 |
| Declaration of Independence, 1776 ¡ Document Bank of Virginia From Library of Virginia | On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee, a delegate from Virginia, introduced a resolution before the Continental Congress declaring the colonies free and independent of Great Britain. The draft declaration was reported to Congress on July 2, 1776. That day Congress approved Lee's resolution and voted to declare independence. On July 4, Congress ratified the text of the Declaration of Independence. This resource provides Preview Activities, Post-Activities, and access to other founding documents available in the Document Bank of Virginia. | Grades 5, 7, 11, & 12 |
| Democracy Minute | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | Democracy Minute explains topics and constructs important to civil discourse and a healthy democracy. Produced by The Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy, each episode challenges assumptions and unpacks misconceptions about civic issues through facts and evidence. Segments are written and presented by Vanderbilt University professors who bring their expertise to this topic from a range of fields including history, communications, political science, and philosophy. | Grades 9 - 12 |
| Digital Field Trips - Monticello From The Thomas Jefferson Foundation | On these 45-minute FREE digital field trips, a Monticello Guide takes students on a 360° virtual tour of Monticello and presents primary sources such as documents and objects using a PowerPoint presentation. Students will have the opportunity to engage with their guide, ask questions, learn more about the historical process, and deepen their critical thinking skills. Digital Field Trips can be customized to fit your curriculum and students' needs. | Grades 4, 7, & 12 |
| Founders Online: National Archives From National Archives, National Archives Publications and Records Commission | Through this website, you can read and search through thousands of records from George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison and see firsthand the growth of democracy and the birth of the Republic. Founders Online also includes transcriptions of thousands of documents that have not yet appeared in the published volumes, provided via our Early Access program. | Middle School & High School |
| Founding Principles: American Governance in Action | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | Founding Principles: American Governance in Action is an online series produced by Bowdoin College and narrated by Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige that provides an introductory overview of American government and politics. Each resource includes a breakdown of enduring understandings, an overview of content, a list of covered foundational documents and Supreme Court cases, ideas for extending learning, suggested classroom activities, related vocabulary words, and student viewing guides with comprehension and critical thinking questions. With a rich study of primary sources such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers, and an emphasis on promoting civic engagement and participation, students explore the foundation of our democracy and the importance of citizenship. | Grades 9 - 12 |
| George Washington's Mount Vernon Education Videos and Podcasts From George Washington's Mount Vernon | Explore all of the wonderful videos and podcasts that Mount Vernon has to offer! | Grades 4, 5, 7, 11, & 12 |
| Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation From the Virginia Museum of History and Culture | This multi-season podcast offers a fresh examination of the origins and impacts of the American Revolution. Produced as part of the VMHCâs 250th Initiative and as a companion to its marquee exhibition, Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation, this podcast is a must-listen resource as part of Americaâs milestone anniversary. Subscribe on your preferred podcast platform and join us for a captivating journey through the American Revolution! Revolution Revisitedâ˘Â is made possible by the generous support of William & Karen Fralin. Š 2025 Virginia Museum of History & Culture | Middle School & High School |
| Happy 250th Birthday, America! From the National Archives Education Team | Students will learn about Americaâs national holiday and birthday â Independence Day! Students will explore artwork and primary sources about the American Revolution and the Founders and investigate copies of the Declaration of Independence from the National Archives. This Civics for All of US distance learning program is available for groups of 10 or more students free of charge. | Grade K - 3 |
| iCivics | From educational games and short-form, just-in-time materials to comprehensive inquiry-based curricula, iCivics resources encourage students to interact with complex concepts in ways they can understand and relate to. iCivics offers opportunities for engagement in classroom activity, understanding how our system of government and the rule of law works, and building classroom discussion skills. | All Grades |
| John Marshall: Patriot, Statesman, Chief Justice â Google Arts & Culture From National Constitution Center | Explore the character and constitutional legacy of John Marshallâthe nationâs fourth chief justiceâfrom the Virginia frontier all the way to the Supreme Court. | Grades 11 - 12 |
| Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness From National Archives Education Team | Students will learn about the Declaration of Independence, its important sections, and some of the American ideals it contains. Students will explore primary sources about the American Revolution and the Founders and investigate copies of the Declaration of Independence from the National Archives. Each program will be led by one of our educators located at National Archives sites, the Center for Legislative Archives, and Presidential Libraries across the country. After submitting your program request, you will be connected to an available National Archives educator to confirm your reservation. | Grades 3 - 5 |
| Meaningful Service: Identifying Genuine Needs From National Youth Leadership Council | How might you ensure students engage in learning that is meaningful for them and for the community? This lesson helps you explore the assets and needs in your community as you and your students develop and plan service-learning experiences. | Grades 5 - 12 |
| Milestone Documents -American Revolution From National Archives Education Team | Revolution and the New Nation - The primary source documents on this page highlight pivotal moments in the course of American history or government. They are some of the most-viewed and sought-out documents in the holdings of the National Archives. | Grades 4, 5, 7, 11, & 12 |
| My County Works From iCivics National Association of Counties | The National Association of Counties and iCivics have developed a collection of civic education resources to help young people learn about county government. | Grades K â 7 |
| Philosophical Foundations One-Pagers From an initiative of the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University, Democratic Knowledge Project | A resource from âCivic Engagement in Our Democracyâ developed, in collaboration with educators, by the Democratic Knowledge Project, an initiative of the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. These one page summaries of fundamental foundations for American constitutional government provides an easy read for students. Foundations such as Aristotle and the âCommon Goodâ, Cicero, John Locke and Natural Rights, Rousseau and the Social Contract, the Magna Carta, The Great Law of Peace, and John Locke's Purpose of Governments. | Grades 11 - 12 |
| Podcast - Revolution Revisited: The Road to Revolution From the Virginia Museum of History and Culture | It isnât just a recounting of datesâit is a fascinating look at the people, ideas, and events that changed the world. Beyond familiar figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Revolution Revisited⢠will uncover the pivotal roles of lesser-known individuals, like Clementina Rind, in the burgeoning nation's quest for independence. Go behind the scenes with leading historians, authors, and other experts and learn about key artifacts at the VMHC that connect the ideals of the past with our world today. Subscribe on your preferred podcast platform and join us for a captivating journey through the American Revolution! | High School |
| Podcast â What If The British Won The Revolution? From Frontier Culture Museum | Have you ever wondered about how some events in history could have turned out differently? In this episode, we introduce a counterfactual, or according to the Cambridge Dictionary, âa mental simulation where you think about something that happened, and then imagine an alternate ending.â Just in time for the Fourth of July, our guests, Sam McGinty and Davis Tierney, discuss how the British could have won and what could have been the result. | Grades 10 - 12 |
| Prequel to Independence - Sequencing Events From National Archives Education Team | In this activity, students sequence key events leading to the Declaration of Independence by placing documents in chronological order. | Grades 4, 5, & 7 |
| Preserving Democracy: Pursuing a More Perfect Union | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | Learn about the pursuit of democracy from the Revolutionary War through recurring cycles of civil rights progress and backlash, the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and beyond. Using video and supporting educational materials, students explore the impact of extreme partisanship, white nationalism, social media, voter rights, and the importance of a civics curriculum on engaged and informed citizens. | Grades 9 - 12 |
| Primary Source Collections From George Washington's Mount Vernon | Explore the hundreds of online artifacts, documents, and objects from Mount Vernon! These primary sources range from archaeological finds to famous letters and maps and can be incredibly useful for classroom instruction or project work. | Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, & 12 |
| Revolution and the New Nation Document Bank of Virginia | Primary Sources of the American Revolution Era: This is considered one of the most crucial times of United States history to study, as it lays the groundwork for all political history following it. Not only did it end the colonial relationship with England, but it brought about political change that shaped our lives and served as an example for other nations. It also called into question social and political relationships, raising questions regarding freedom and inalienable rights. Some of Americaâs most important documents and greatest political minds come from this era. The war itself also was revolutionary, with successful guerilla-style fighting and the defeat by colonials of well-trained British military forces. | Grades 4, 5, 7, 11, & 12 |
| Sail250ÂŽ Virginia From Sail Norfolk, the maritime division of Norfolk Festevents, Ltd. (501C3), based in Norfolk, VA. | Sail250 provides educators with the resources they need to participate in the Sail250ÂŽ Virginia events â as part of our Adopt-A-Ship program, with more than 200 maritime themed online educational links, or with ideas for maritime themed projects to engage their students. We hope you enjoy this material and look forward to you being part of the Sail250ÂŽ Virginia events! | Grades K - 12 |
| Simple Civics | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | You probably took a government or civics class, but many of us still have questions about how it all works. WFYIâs âSimple Civicsâ is here to help! In each episode, Butler University Professor of Political Science Terri Jett tackles a specific question in just a couple minutes â breaking down the history behind an issue and how it affects us today. | Grades 6 - 12 |
| Social Studies Shorts | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | Social Studies Shorts is a new series from KET that explores social studies and civics topics, from Kentucky to the nation and the world. Episodes are accompanied by discussion prompts, activity ideas, vocabulary and a short printable quiz. | Grades 4 - 8 |
| Supplies in the Revolutionl From George Mason's Gunston Hall | Join Gunston Hall and Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation as they roll the dice to learn more about what soldiers in the American Revolution required and how George Mason contributed. | Middle School & High School |
| The Bill of Rights in Real Life From the National Archives Education Team | Students will focus on the rights and limitations within the Bill of Rights. They will identify Bill of Rights issues using historical scenarios from the holdings of the National Archives and learn why it is important for citizens to know their rights. This Civics for All of US distance learning program is available for groups of 10 or more students free of charge. Each program will be led by one of our educators located at National Archives sites, the Center for Legislative Archives, and Presidential Libraries across the country. After submitting your program request, you will be connected to an available National Archives educator to confirm your reservation. We require that the requesting educator or another educator from your institution be present during the student distance learning program to observe the session and support classroom management. | Grades 5 - 8 |
| The Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson From The Thomas Jefferson Foundation | An introduction to Jefferson's role in drafting the Declaration by Monticello historians. | Grades 4, 5, 7, 11, & 12 |
| The Interactive U.S. Constitution From National Constitution Center | Beginning with the words âWe the People,â the U.S. Constitution is composed of the Preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. In our Interactive Constitution, learn about the text, history, and meaning of the U.S. Constitution from leading scholars of diverse legal and philosophical perspectives. | Grades 4, 5, 7, 11, & 12 |
| VA250 Mobile Museum Experience: Out of One Many, One From VA250 | A hands-on, interactive, and immersive âmuseum on wheels,â the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience titled âOut of Many, Oneâ is housed in a quad-expandable tractor trailer that is traveling throughout Virginia and beyond. The mobile museum brings key stories of Virginiaâs rich history to schools, museums, local events, fairs, and more, highlighting every region of the state. | Grades K - 12 |
| We Hold These Truths From National Archives Education Team | Students will explore the Declaration of Independence as an artifact, a primary source, and a persuasive text. Students explore the documentâs important sections, and evaluate the persuasive elements of the Declaration of Independence. This Civics for All of US distance learning program is available for groups of 10 or more students free of charge. We require that the requesting educator or another educator from your institution be present during the student distance learning program to observe the session and support classroom management. | Grades 11 - 12 |
| We Hold These Truths: The Global Quest for Liberty From Free To Choose Network | In We Hold These Truths, Federal Judge Douglas Ginsburg explores the enduring influence of Americaâs Declaration of Independence. This promissory note for liberty inspired over 100 nations seeking their independence. In the United States, it influenced the abolitionist movement, the Womenâs Suffrage movement, and iconic civil rights figures Frederick Douglass and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | Grades 4, 5, 7, 11, & 12 |
| You, Me, & Community | Civics & Government | eMediaVA From WHRO Education | No student is too young to learn how to become civically engaged! Introduce your young learners to basic civics conceptsâincluding making their voice heard and exploring the process of voting. This robust collection will help to spark new conversations in your classroom. Some resources are available in Spanish. | Pre- K, Kindergarten, & Grade 1 |