Students Testify as Constitutional Experts

In this session, you will witness two teams from two schools who competed this year at the We the People High School Massachusetts State Competition in January. Participants will witness how the We the People program offers students the opportunity to display their learning through the mock congressional hearing process. Prior to the competition, students first work together to research to answer questions on complex constitutional topics they are studying in the course. During the competition, students “testify” before a panel of judges to present their research, and take questions from the judges. The hearing process is used as an authentic assessment model at the end of each unit. The hearing model allows students to demonstrate their learning while developing soft skills in public speaking, collaboration, critical thinking and evidence-based writing and editing.