Getting Started

Given the fact that civics covers such a wide array of subjects, picking a theme can help focus your planned activities for the week. 

• Use the national theme of “Liberty and Learning: Civic Education at 250” or come up with your own.
• Determine if you’ll use a schoolwide theme approach or something more specific to grade bands, grades, or even individual classes.
• Explore whether it makes sense to have a completely distinct theme or link it to what students have been learning already.

• What are your learning objectives for Civic Learning Week? 
• How much time will be set aside for Civic Learning Week activities during the week?
• Will students be working on a big project or a series of smaller projects?
• How will you display the learning around the school?
  • Make sure you keep a sample of the work for display on bulletin boards (noting any size restriction that would be helpful ahead of time…consider photographing larger-sized projects for display instead).
• How will you share the learning with the larger school community (and beyond)? 
  • Plan opportunities to celebrate learning (e.g., an assembly at the end of the week or a Civic Learning Week exhibition in which activities/projects are set out for parents/caregivers and other classes to see).
  • Consider ways to engage with the community and/or neighboring schools.

• Check out our resources page for possible classroom activities. (Have a suggestion for an activity to include? Submit your resource online or email us at clw@icivics.org.) 
• Consider collaboration opportunities, such as teaming up with a neighboring classroom, school, or district to connect and explore different perspectives. Connect with libraries, museums, historical societies and other local institutions to discover educational opportunities to bring to your classroom. 
• Identify interdisciplinary connections that can spark civic learning across content areas. 
• Decide on any in-person or virtual field trips that might be included in the week’s activities and get out the appropriate notice/permission slips.
• Consider inviting community leaders/civic officials to participate in activities during the week such as classroom conversations, panel discussions, parent forums, or celebrations of civic learning.
  • These lend themselves well to media coverage and photo opportunities.
  • Check out our sample emails to help offer nonpartisan ways for public officials to engage.
• Display books connected to civic engagement in your classroom or school library. Ask your librarian for suggestions and/or explore this booklist from the Boston Public Library for some ideas!
• Host a student voter registration drive for students to learn about elections and the process of voting; for younger learners, consider hosting a mock election.
• Check with your state department of education for additional opportunities.
• Involve parents and caregivers. Remember, civic participation in our self-governing society includes each and every person in different ways. Spread the word about your week and you’ll likely find volunteers willing to talk with your class about different facets of civics. (Be sure to lay groundwork around staying nonpartisan when planning such activities.) This is also a great way for students to see themselves as civic actors, even if they don’t hold public office.