Bridging Civics and Curriculum: Engaging Students in Active Citizenship

Objective:

This professional learning activity aims to help teachers integrate civics education into their curriculum, equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to teach active citizenship to their students.

Approximate Time for Completion: 1.5 hours

Introduction:

As educators, it's essential to cultivate informed and engaged citizens who can participate actively in the democratic process. Integrating civics education into the curriculum can help students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills to prepare them for active citizenship. This professional learning activity will explore various ways to integrate civics education into the curriculum and provide resources to support effective instruction.

Activity Steps:

Step 1: Watch the Video "The State of Civics Education" (3 minutes)

Watch this video to understand the importance of civics education in today's society.

Link: https://youtu.be/kflmsTtxJDw

Step 2: Explore the Civics-Ed page on The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Website (30 minutes) Find civics education resources, including lesson plans, activities, and strategies that you can use in your classroom.

Link: https://www.pacourts.us/civics-ed

Step 3: Review the "Center for Civic Education" Website (30 minutes)

Note the available resources (many of which are free) and highlight any relevant ones.

Link: https://learn.civiced.org/

Step 4: Create a Lesson Plan or Activity to Integrate Civics Education into Your Curriculum (30 minutes)

Based on what you have learned, create a lesson plan or activity that integrates civics education into your curriculum. You may use the resources you explored in Steps 2 and 3 or any other relevant resources.

Step 5: Reflection Prompt (10 minutes)

Reflect on this professional learning activity and answer the following questions:

1. What are some of the benefits of integrating civics education into the curriculum?

2. What challenges might you face when integrating civics education into your curriculum, and how will you overcome them?

3. What new insights or strategies have you gained from this activity, and how will you apply them in your classroom?

Additional Resources:

PA Act 35 Civics Toolkit - PDE SAS Site - https://www.pdesas.org/Page/Viewer/ViewPage/48/

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