Use this planning template to consider how you will engage before, during, and after Civic Learning Week.
Looking for ways to engage your community? Check out these sample activity boards for various audiences in addition to students.
Download posters, banners, and other graphics to use for school displays highlighting Civic Learning Week. View sample elements below.
Engaging Students
Civic Learning Week is the perfect opportunity to engage students in meaningful and exploratory civic activities. Youth civic engagement can increase academic performance and improve well-being. It helps young people build skills and networks that empower them to create positive change in their communities. Communities are stronger and more resilient when youth participate. Use our Civic Learning Week Activity Boards to engage your students!
- Determine if you can allocate class time to provide students with an opportunity to make a plan to complete their activity board.
- Introduce the activity board at the beginning of Civic Learning Week so that students can complete activities in a timely manner.
- Explore whether it makes sense to have students complete activity boards as individuals, pairs, or groups.
- Consider having students share their completed activities at the end of the week and reflect on their civic growth
Sample Messages for Getting Others on Board
Different localities rightfully approach civic education differently, reflecting local context, goals, and priorities. In addition to the following sample messages that can be used as a starting point for getting others on board with Civic Learning Week, some of these slides from a Civic Learning Week webinar may prove useful. In addition to giving a general overview and some ideas for Civic Learning Week, there are also slides with data on the importance of civic learning and the broad-based support for high-quality civic education in the schools, including the need for more time and funding given to the subject.
Sample Message #1 from Educator to Administrator
I wanted to make you aware of Civic Learning Week happening nationwide from March 9–13, 2026. This seems like an exciting opportunity to build on the civic learning we’re obviously doing throughout the year, but also be part of this larger movement to prioritize civic education.
To this end, I wanted to explore the possibility of making this a larger schoolwide effort. I look forward to talking with you further about what this might look like. In the meantime, I’m enclosing a one-pager with some basic information about Civic Learning Week.
Sample Message #2 from Educator to Administrator
I wanted to make you aware of Civic Learning Week happening nationwide from March 9–13, 2026. This seems like an exciting opportunity to not only highlight civic learning across the school, but also connect with the larger community.
With the nation’s 250th in 2026, there is perhaps no better time to lift up civic learning in our schools and as a lifelong endeavor. And what’s more, the importance of civic learning is something on which the vast majority of people agree—across the political spectrum and any number of other demographics.
To this end, I wanted to explore the possibility of making this a larger schoolwide effort. I look forward to talking with you further about what this might look like. In the meantime, I’m enclosing a one-pager with some basic information about Civic Learning Week.
Determine Activities for the Week
- 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.
