Grade 8 United States and Massachusetts Government and Civic Life
Topic: History of the Constitution
iCivics game Race to Ratify and Extension Pack lessons and other resources, play a role in the debate over ratification of the Constitution
Democratic Knowledge Project - Portrait of a Tyrant, a six-episode online adventure game (in pilot version) co-developed by the Democratic Knowledge Project and Amplify, Inc. for students to learn about the Declaration of Independence, its historical context, and contemporary relevance.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Lessons on the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution - Students learn about the Articles of Confederation and the Constitutional Convention. They learn about some of the delegates at the Convention and explore various historical perspectives and dilemmas involved in the creation of the Constitution.
Topic: Federalism
Library of Congress Worksheets:
What is the definition of federalism?
Why is federalism an important civic concept to understand?
To what extent has the definition of federalism changed throughout history?
Khan Academy Video
Democratic Knowledge Project - Lesson on Federalism, Separation of Powers, and Checks and Balances In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of federalism and its role in the separation and checking of power in the U.S. Constitution.
Topic: Bill of Rights / Amendments to the Constitution
iCivics game Do I Have a Right? and Extension Pack lessons, on the Bill of Rights and other amendments; includes Spanish version and supports for English Language Learners
Reimagining Migration - Wong Kim Ark a Chinese American, who was detained after returning to the US from a trip to China, used the 14th amendment to win the right of birthright citizenship.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Lessons on Exploration of the Bill of Rights Students are introduced to and examine the language of the amendments in the Bill of Rights, and explore three rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights in depth
Democratic Knowledge Project - Lessons on Amendments as a Lever of Change Students learn about amendments and the federal constitutional amendment process. They also explore how amendments have been used as a lever of change by the Women’s Rights Movement.
Topic: Elections
iCivics game Win the White House and Extension Pack lessons; run your own presidential campaign; includes Spanish version and supports for English Language Learners
iCivics game Cast Your Vote, and Extension Pack lessons, on local elections; includes Spanish version and supports for English Language Learners
Generation Citizen - Election Resources This curated set of election-related lesson plans and resources helps educators and caregivers learn and teach about the history of our democracy, voting rights, election fundamentals, political representation, voter registration, poll workers, and debates.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Elections Module Provides lessons and other resources to teach concepts about elections.
Topic: Branches of Government / Checks and Balances
iCivics game Branches of Power and Extension Pack lessons, to learn about all three branches of government; includes Spanish version and supports for English Language Learners
iCivics game Executive Command and Extension Pack lessons; take on the role of President
iCivics WebQuest Three Branches: Laws in Action, follow a law from start to finish; students conduct their own research using the questions, pre-vetted websites and guiding tools provided.
iCivics WebQuest Three Branches: Checks and Balances; students conduct their own research using the questions, pre-vetted websites and guiding tools provided.
iCivics WebQuest Being President, the role and responsibilities of the President; students conduct their own research using the questions, pre-vetted websites and guiding tools provided.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Unit on the Powers of Government; Students explore the key concepts of separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism. They learn about the Articles of Confederation and the creation of the Constitution, including the dilemmas around the balance of power that the Convention tried to address. They build knowledge about the three branches of government and gather information about how the role of the executive has evolved since the ratification of the Constitution.
Topic: Global Citizenship
Model UN for Remote Learning UNAGB MUN Modules - current global issues (2-4 week program, daily lessons)
Topic: News and Media Literacy
News Literacy Project - provides tools to address misinformation about the current health crisis as well as free access to Checkology, an online platform to help students develop media literacy skills
iCivics game NewsFeed Defenders and Extension Pack lessons and other resources; take on the role of curating a social media site to learn media literacy
YouthLearn Media Literacy Toolbox offers an array of activities, handouts, and curricular resources to support media literacy education. These include a media literacy activity, photo zoom and media mashup hands-on activities, news literacy prompts, and a media gallery of student work for inspiration. Most of these can be easily adapted for remote learning.
Facing History and Ourselves -“Where Do We Get Our News and Why Does It Matter?”, “How to Read the News Like a Fact Checker”, and News Literacy in a Digital Age include lessons with a number of videos and other materials
New England First Amendment Coalition Experts and journalists available for classroom presentations.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Media Literacy Module The Media Literacy module is a set of activities to support teaching and learning about media literacy, digital citizenship, and free press.
Topic: Current Events
Facing History and Ourselves - Teaching with Current Events provides resources and teaching ideas for a wide range of current events topics, including Coronavirus. This lesson on the common good includes slides.
Newsela - provides current and differentiated content in multiple subject areas. Currently offering free access to all of their resources to individual teachers.
CNN 10 (formerly CNN Student News) - news of the day in 10 minutes
Educators 4SC - compilations of resources, including lesson plans, on teaching major current events and topics
Generation Citizen - Talking About Cens-US: Learn how to engage students in the 2020 Census in a culturally responsive way
Democratic Knowledge Project - Current Events Toolkit - The elections module is a set of activities to support teaching and learning about elections in the United States. The range of activities is designed to be usable any year, whether candidates on the ballot are at the local level, the state level, or the federal level.
Topic: Massachusetts State and Local Government / Civic Participation
iCivics game Cast Your Vote and Extension Pack lessons, on local elections; includes Spanish version and supports for English Language Learners
iCivics game Responsibility Launcher and Extension Pack lessons, on civic duties and responsibilities
iCivics WebQuest Civic Heroism, on civic duties and acts of civic courage; students conduct their own research using questions, pre-vetted websites and guiding tools provided.
iCivics WebQuest Who Represents Me?, investigate who represents you at the local, state and federal level; students conduct their own research using the questions, pre-vetted websites and guiding tools provided.
iCivics lesson plan on Comparing Constitutions
iCivics lesson plan on Local Government in Massachusetts
Democratic Knowledge Project - Policy Change: Political Processes and Decision-Makers Students will review and use what they know about the structures of the federal and state governments to help them investigate the structure of the local government. As a class, they will create a guide to the government of the community in which their school is located and the important decision-makers in it. This lesson is intended to strengthen students’ civic self-confidence and ensure that they have the necessary knowledge to take informed policy-oriented action at the local level.
Topic: Civics Projects / Action Civics
Education Development Center - Supporting Readiness through Vital Civic Empowerment (SRVCE) - Free civics curriculum blends inquiry-based civic learning, media literacy education, and exploration of public service careers to prepare students to be active citizens and thrive in the workforce.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Unit on Student Led Civics Project - Students conduct a civics project and strengthen their own skills as changemakers. They look back on their work this year around identity and values in order to identify a topic and an issue that matters to them. They research the issue and propose a direction for action. They plan and take action on that issue, using skills and knowledge they’ve gained throughout the year.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Read Changemaker biographies from history and write your own biography, as studied in Unit 1 that students can complete at home.
Facing History and Ourselves - From Reflection to Action: A Choosing to Participate Toolkit, readings and activities designed to support student-led civic action projects at middle and high school levels
Generation Citizen - Democracy Doesn’t Pause, lesson plans and family activities to create change in the community
Generation Citizen -Take Action: Lobby a Legislator: If you're leading a virtual classroom, we have developed a lesson you can teach to connect this moment to civic action for your students. As your students engage in their reflections about everything happening around them through this lesson, please encourage them to post their thoughts and experiences using the hashtags in the plan, and be sure to @generationcitizen on Instagram and @gencitizen on Twitter, in order to connect with other young people sharing their voice across the country.
Generation Citizen - Family Activity: Encourage families and students to post their experience and reflections on Instagram and Twitter!
Generation Citizen - Beyond the Ballot: Provides strategies for teachers and parents to take civic action in the community. A 2-lesson curriculum draws students’ attention to their local governments, systems and services, students will gain appreciation for the potential power of their actions at the local level. Students work together to choose an issue in their community they feel needs to be solved, and then seek out a local elected official to address it.
Generation Citizen - Kick Start Action Civics Bring the classroom to life for your students by learning how to teach Action Civics through this online course.
CIRCLE Data Tool offers a unique way to explore the relationships between voting and other forms of civic participation, and some of the conditions that shape such engagement. It features more than 40 unique indicators and includes data at the national, state, congressional district, and county levels. The classroom companion illustrates examples for teachers from many disciplines to use the data in inquiries and other projects.
Constitutional Rights Foundation - Civic Action Projects Student Discussions. Students can discuss issues with other student leaders from across the U.S.
iCivics Resources for the Six Stages of Civics Projects Resources for the Six Stages of Civics Projects
Students 4SC: online writing course and internship hybrid on current events
Reimagining Migration - Somos Mas Americanos: Music and Civic Action This lesson explores the music of Los Tigres del Notre to explore how music can shape the way we think about ourselves, our civic identities, our histories.
Reimagining Migration - Quinceaneras at the Capitol is a lesson exploring the strategic civic choices made by 15, 15 year olds who sought to bring attention to what they saw as anti-immigrant legislation in Texas.
Reimagining Migration - When does poetry become civic action? This mini unit exploring Emma Lazarus's The New Colossus ends with a call to action for young people to write their own civic poetry.
Multiple Topics/Instructional Strategies
Education Development Center’s Zoom In! -a research-based online tool, offers 18 free US History units that build students’ literacy skills by helping them develop arguments on important social questions. Students delve into compelling human conflicts throughout history, and argue with evidence about what the past means and why it matters.
We the People / Project Citizen - middle school lesson plans
Emerging America’s Accessible Lessons incorporate Disability History into 8th Grade Civics.
Reimagining Migration - Thinking Routines promote Civic Action in a World on the Move. These routines are designed to help young people reflect on a repertoire of civic engagement tools to take informed and compassionate action to create more welcoming, inclusive, and sustainable communities.
Reimagining Migration - Re-Imagining Migration Student Civic Inquiries These easy to implement inquiries lessons and resources can be used to promote civic knowledge, understanding, and dispositions.
Reimagining Migration - Joe Maddon and the Hazelton Integration Project How a white baseball manager built support for immigrants in a community that had seemingly forgotten its immigrant roots.
Democratic Knowledge Project - Civic Engagement in Our Democracy - a year-long eighth grade civics curriculum, which seeks to help students identify what they value, deepen what they understand, and develop what they can do to be self-caring, reciprocal, and self-confident changemakers.