14 Examples of High-Quality Civic Learning Opportunities (2023)

I'm a social studies teacher at San Marino High School (CA), best known for teaching the 12th grade US Government course (aka the Civics course).

As a government professor, my job is to provide quality citizenship learning opportunities to the students in my class. Is there nothing he or she can do?

The teacher of mathematics, science, drama, language arts or special education, for example? And you? Are you the PTA school secretary, counselor or parent?

At first glance it seems like a hopeless case, although there is actually a lot they can do.

For example, you can:

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QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR STATE LEARNING

The following are options that I am aware of. I'm sure there are others out there that are just as good and I look forward to hearing what the Edutopia community has to offer.

CAP, according to the CRF website, is "a project-based citizenship learning opportunity designed to give students the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the real world and make an impact on an issue important to them."

CAP is currently being implemented in more than 700 secondary schools across the country.

2. OYMCAsYouth and Government Program

This program enables high school students to serve in model governments at the local, state, national and international levels and currently operates in 38 states and Washington, DC.

Model government programs include the judiciary, legislature, and executive branches of government, run by teachers, volunteers, or youth government staff.

3. Student Research Worker Program

This program allows eligible high school seniors to serve as poll workers on Election Day. Student election workers learn first-hand how elections work and provide the necessary support at the polling stations. You'll end the day with a better understanding of the importance of voting and the important role poll workers play in the smooth running of our elections.

The district election officials can appoint up to five seniors as poll workers in each constituency. Students work under the direct supervision of appointed adult elected officials.

The Student Poll Worker Program is currently active in 33 states and Washington, DC.

To serve as a high school electoral officer, a student typically must:

In addition to learning firsthand how elections are conducted, student poll workers can receive a stipend, typically ranging from $65 to $150 depending on the district.

To encourage high school students in California to serve as campaign workers, the California Secretary of State invites students, teachers, school activities directors and others to mail, email, or distribute the high school campaign worker recruitment flyer.

4. MyVote student mock election in California

The MyVote Mock Student Election, led by Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson to encourage students to become active voters once they are old enough to vote, invites middle-school students, teachers and principals and high school a Vote in the MyVote California sham student election held this year on Tuesday, October 28, 2014, just a week before the November 4th general election in California.

A mock trial is a mock or mock trial. It is similar to a mock courtroom, but the mock trials simulate trials in lower courts while the mock court simulates appeal hearings.

The CRF Mock Trial Competition is a simulation of a criminal trial in which students portray each of the main characters in the courtroom (lawyers, witnesses, bailiffs, bailiffs, etc.).

To enter the simulated competition, simple

The first task - finding a trainer - should be relatively easy. History shows that as soon as a school shows interest in entering the competition, one or more local lawyers step forward to be trained.

On the other hand, it is not necessary to have a legal coach. I'm not an attorney and I coached the San Marino High School's sham team for years. We do it well enough.

For information on how to obtain a copy of the annual case pack, go to: http://www.crf-usa.org/materials-catalog/mock-trials-cases.html

To find enough students to form a team, I suggest putting a flyer out in the school hallways. I also recommend starting with 12 students. . . one student in the role of

The SMHS Civic Learning Meet and Greet Program is a program that offers students the opportunity to listen to and learn from individuals who appear in textbooks or newspapers and are related to the subjects of government, law, history, politics and education.

A typical meet and greet is designed to last no longer than 50 minutes. It's in a format similar to a television talk show, where the host, sometimes a student, sometimes the editor of our local home newspaper, and sometimes a teacher, opens the meet and greet with a series of introductory questions before asking the students give them the opportunity to ask their own questions.

Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, or other multilateral body that introduces students to the world of diplomacy, negotiation, and decision-making.

At Model UN, students take on the role of ambassadors for UN member countries from Argentina to Zimbabwe. The students, better known as 'delegates', discuss topical issues on the organisation's extensive agenda. They prepare draft resolutions, develop strategies, negotiate with supporters and opponents, resolve conflicts and follow UN rules of procedure - all with the aim of solving problems affecting the world.

Before assuming their duties as Model UN Ambassadors, students research the specific global issue to be addressed. The problems are drawn from today's headlines. Exemplary UN delegates learn how the international community works on peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and hunger, economic development and globalization.

The Constitutional Rights Foundation's Expanding Horizons Internships (EHI) is a rigorous program that places high school students in professional settings as paid interns. EHI offers students the opportunity to gain work experience by helping employees in companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies. In addition, students participate in interactive seminars designed to help them prepare for college, careers, and community life.

9. The senior citizen project with a civic component

A senior project, also known as a culmination project, is a project written by a senior (or in some cases, a junior) student that will be completed sometime during the student's senior year and that attempts to lead the student to the following to challenge:

10th Annual LegiSchool Writing/Photography/Visual Art Competition

LegiSchool is a civic education collaboration between California State University, Sacramento, and the California State Legislature and is administered by the Center for California Studies. Its mission is to engage youth in issues of public policy and state government and to provide opportunities for students and heads of state to meet and exchange ideas on issues affecting Californians.

Organized by the Judicial Council and the California Courts Administration Office, in partnership with the Constitutional Rights Foundation and the California State PTA, the National 1st How to help young people about the role of the justice and their role as future jurors.

Judging criteria are based on students' understanding of the First Amendment, their creativity, and their artistic merit.

There were 783 entries for the 2014 competition.

Icivics is a web-based educational project that offers a variety of free, high-quality, interactive educational games and activities for students.

iCivics was founded by US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Judge O'Connor initiated the web-based education project because she feared that students' low scores in civics were due to insufficient information and tools needed for civic participation and that civics teachers needed better materials and support.

To date, iCivics has released twenty-one different computer games.

do i have a right

in Do I have a right? the player controls a law firm specializing in constitutional law. The player must decide if potential clients have a right guaranteed by the US Constitution, and if so, put them in touch with the right attorney. The more clients we look after, the faster the law firm grows.

Argumentative wars

Argument Wars is a simulation of a courtroom argument. Players will test their persuasive skills by representing real Supreme Court cases and convincing a judge that the law is on their side.

supreme decision

In Supreme Decision, the player is a Supreme Court clerk for a fictional judge who detains him on his way to a hearing in a case involving a student's right to wear a banned band shirt. The court splits 4 to 4. The game breaks the First Amendment case into four questions, which are explained through the conversations of the other eight judges. The player compiles the necessary legal analysis to decide the case.

This annual competition gives students the opportunity to simulate a congressional hearing.

The contest judges are professors of history, political science, law and education, members of the legal community and others with knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

In preparation for the competition, whole classes of students learn about government and study the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The necessary teaching materials were developed by the Center for Civic Education.

A good place to learn more about additional quality policy learning opportunities.

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WHAT IS STATE LEARNING?

Citizenship learning is anything that provides students with the knowledge, skills and values ​​they need to be informed and engaged participants in our democracy.

Research supports the effectiveness of the six best practices in citizenship learning: