In 2016, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law requiring Minnesota students in public schools to pass a civics test. Passing this test is not required Read More
Civically Speaking
A digest of civic education updates, announcements, and news you can use
2018 Update
2018 Update: Summer Institute in Civics and Law-Related Education Get Updated Before School Starts! August 7-9, 2018 Room 230 Minnesota Judicial Center St. Paul, MN Read More
Aug
7-9
Shaping America’s Elections Workshop
During an election year, Americans are bombarded by various messages and images from candidates. Discuss political media through the lens of shared American values and Read More
Nov
5
Minnesota We the People Competition and Showcase
December 13, 2016 Minnesota Judicial Center, St. Paul, Minnesota More information
Dec
13
James Madison Legacy Project: Summer Institute U of W Madison June 24-28, 2018
Professional Development opportunity for Minnesota and Wisconsin teachers. All costs paid by this 4-year federally funded nation-wide initiative to address needs of students in high Read More
Jun
25
New! James Madison Legacy Project
Professional Development opportunity for Minnesota teachers. All costs paid by this 3-year federally funded nation-wide initiative. Cohort 1 meeting dates: May 17 and 18, June Read More
May
17
UPDATE 2016: Summer Institute in Civics and Law-Related Education
Get Updated Before School Starts! 9:00-3:00 Room 230 Minnesota Judicial Center St. Paul, Minnesota Agenda (draft) http://bit.ly/2a0CvDu It has been an interesting year for Read More
Aug
9-11
Build better citizens with 3 programs for MN high school students!
Help your students build deeper content knowledge and polish their skills with three Civics and Government opportunities. Follow the links for more information or get Read More
Dec
11
Celebrate Magna Carta on Constitution Day!
A collection of lessons and supporting materials to teach Magna Carta! Take time this Constitution Day, September 17, to highlight enduring themes of liberty, freedom, Read More
Sep
17
Project Citizen State Showcase goes to the Judicial Center May 12
Learn more and register now!
May
12
We the People Competition and Showcase
Minnesota We the People Competition and Showcase December 11, 2015, Minnesota Judicial Center, St. Paul, Minnesota More information
Dec
11
US Senate Passes Cardin, Grassley Resolution Prioritizing Civics Education
April 30, 2014 – 9:27 pm
Senate Passes Cardin, Grassley Resolution Prioritizing Civics Education Understanding the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship is Essential to the Future Prosperity of Our Nation WASHINGTON Read More
MCSS Workshop Powerpoint and Website Favorites
MCSS Workshop, March 3, 2014 Bring civics and government to life with trusted online resources! MCSS workshop powerpoint Go To Websites Principles of Democracy in Read More
Mar
3
Interested in evaluating your school’s civic education program?
October 2, 2013 – 9:37 pm
See how well your school is doing. Take the voluntary Minnesota Civic Education Self Assessment 2013. You won’t get a grade but you will see Read More
Constitution Day Classroom Resources
September 9, 2013 – 3:00 pm
Interesting Resources for Constitution Day! Technology-based lessons to energize your Constitution Day activities! Also, lessons for every grade level to help you meet the requirements Read More
Constitution USA
May 5, 2013 – 9:07 pm
Does the Constitution have what it takes to keep up with modern America? Join Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! as he hits the Read More
Law Day Art Contest for U.S. Students Grades 9 through 12
2013 Theme: Realizing the Dream: Equality for All. Submission: Students should create an art piece that can be represented in two dimensions (including, but not limited to, drawings, Read More
Apr
1
4th Annual First Amendment Cartoon Contest
Open to students nationwide: high school, middle school, and elementary school. Join us in celebrating the Bill of Rights with the 4th Annual First Amendment Read More
Mar
15
The real history of the NRA and gun control in America – Short Video
January 3, 2013 – 6:15 pm
In the wake of the Sandy Hook school massacre, legislators have returned to the debate over gun rights. Adam Winkler, a professor of constitutional law Read More
New game from iCivics
December 11, 2012 – 4:03 pm
Can jury duty be fun? In We the Jury, it is. In the latest game from iCivics, you decide a tough case and discover what jurors Read More
We the People State Showcase and Competition Dec. 6
November 5, 2012 – 8:36 pm
At the State Capitol, participation expenses supported through Legacy Grant, and announcing new pilot program for elementary and middle school students! Find out more!
Last-minute presidential election guide – top five links worth sharing
November 2, 2012 – 4:13 pm
From ProCon.org Top five links includes Presidential Candidate Match Quiz, Candidate Summary Chart, and other important resources for the final days!
Teaching Electoral College
October 29, 2012 – 6:49 pm
As focus turns to the Electoral College in the last week of the too-close-to-call campaign, explore these lessons on this news-breaking topic: PBS NewsHour includes Read More
Lessons for Minnesota Constitutional Amendments
October 24, 2012 – 2:03 pm
Minnesota voters face two constitutional amendment questions: marriage and voter ID. New lessons tackle these controversial topics. Minnesota Marriage Amendment Minnesota Voter ID Amendment New Read More
Advancing civic learning
October 11, 2012 – 3:07 pm
Opportunity to voice your thoughts. . . From the US Department of Education : At a White House event this past January, the Obama Administration Read More
Looking for lessons on Presidential Debates and Elections?
October 3, 2012 – 6:33 pm
Links to ideas for teaching the upcoming Presidential Debates. Use a scorecard or bingo game!
Essay Contest for Minnesota High School Seniors –$500 scholarships to be awarded. Register by Sept. 15
The Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society launches second annual essay contest. The contest is open to all Minnesota high school seniors and is sponsored in Read More
Sep
15
New Free Workshop Offering from Humanities Center, April, 28 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Based on the curriculum for the PBS documentary, Slavery by Another Name, learn best practices for using storytelling, including digital storytelling, as an effective teaching tool Read More
Apr
28
Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration
November 16, 2011 – 9:36 pm
Popular, entertaining video that depicts the Founding Fathers as they perform “Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZfRaWAtBVg
iCivics launches new game!
November 4, 2011 – 7:25 pm
“Win the White House” allows players to run for president from the primaries through Election Day. As part of the Politics and Public Policy curriculum Read More
Street Law Supreme Court Institute Application Available
Street Law, Inc. is now accepting online applications for the 2012 Supreme Court Summer Institute for Teachers. The application deadline is March 12, 2012. http://www.streetlaw.org/en/Article.266.aspx
Mar
12
Supreme Court Teaching Resources
October 4, 2011 – 8:02 pm
Tuesday, October 04, 2011 The Supreme Court of the United States began the 2011-12 Term on Monday, October 3. Street Law, Inc. is celebrating the beginning of the Read More
Cases lining up to ask Supreme Court to clarify Second Amendment rights
August 16, 2011 – 3:03 pm
A funny thing has happened in the three years since gun-rights activists won their biggest victory at the Supreme Court. They’ve been on a losing Read More
We the People Update Washington, DC Institute REGISTRATION CLOSED
May 20, 2011 – 6:14 pm
We the People/Update goes to Washington! THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY AND THE MEDIA IN A DEMOCRACY Sunday, June 26 (starting around 5 pm) to Read More
NAEP Civics Test Points to Crisis
May 5, 2011 – 3:33 pm
Only a tiny percentage of American students achieved superior performance in civics on the 2010 NAEP test known as the “nation’s report card.” From the Read More
Updated Lesson: Islamist Terrorism: From 1945 to the Death of bin Laden
May 3, 2011 – 2:50 am
On May 1, 2011, President Barak Obama announced to the nation and the world that Osama bin Laden, the head of the Al Qaeda terrorism Read More
Rock the Vote & the National Education Association Announce Democracy Day!
March 17, 2011 – 3:19 pm
Forty years ago, educators and students worked together to lower the voting age to 18. In doing so, they amended the Constitution and empowered millions Read More
Comment on First Draft of MN Social Studies Standards by March 14
March 10, 2011 – 1:46 pm
The first draft of the revised standards was posted online on Feb. 25. Members of the public are invited to view the draft and make Read More
Project Citizen Summer Institutes-registration deadline soon!
February 10, 2011 – 9:30 am
The early registration deadline for the 2011 Project Citizen Summer Institutes is quickly approaching! Once again the Center for Civic Education is offering five national Read More
New Lesson on presidential powers for Ronald Reagan’s Birthday
February 10, 2011 – 9:22 am
Ronald Reagan Lesson On the occasion of the one-hundredth anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth, the Center for Civic Education and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Read More
A column about Supreme Court of the United States histories that made me smile
February 9, 2011 – 10:26 am
Hope you enjoy it too! Mark A. Graber, “The Supreme Court Justices’ Guide to the Supreme Court” http://umlaw.typepad.com/quoth/2010/09/the-supreme-court-justices-guide-to-the-supreme-court.html
Declaration of Independence You Tube Video
October 19, 2010 – 3:05 pm
This might be a useful online video resource for teachers: This is an excerpt from a July 1997 CBS News Sunday Morning broadcast (the episode Read More