Unit 1 - Now Available!

Civics Skills

What skills are required to be a member of our civic society? In this unit, students will learn to distinguish between different types of sources, evaluate information to identify fact and opinion, and model civil discussion in the face of conflict and disagreement.

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1.1

Understanding Different Types of Sources

Unit 2 - Now Available!

Foundations of  American Government

In this unit, students will explore the Constitution, our nation’s rulebook. They will learn about the documents that inspired founders as they drafted the Constitution, unpack the founding principles that underpin its structure, and model the amendment process.

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Lesson 2.1

Fundamental Principles

Lesson 2.2

Founding Documents

Lesson 2.3

Constitutional Convention

Lesson 2.4

What's in the Constitution

Lesson 2.5

Amending the Consitution

Unit 3

Government at the National Level

How does our national government operate? What processes are important to the smooth operation of our federal system? In this unit, students will explore the way in which the federal government works and examine how the three branches of government interact with one another.

Lessons Available January 20, 2025:

Lesson 3.1: Checks & Balances, Separation of Powers
Lesson 3.2: Structure & Powers of the Legislative Branch
Lesson 3.3: Lawmaking Process
Lesson 3.4: Structures & Powers of the Executive Branch
Lesson 3.5: Roles of the President
Lesson 3.6: Structure & Powers of the Judicial Branch
Lesson 3.7: Judicial Review
Lesson 3.8: Federalism

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Unit 4

Government at the State and Local Level

How does Virginia’s government differ from the federal government? Are there any similarities between local, state, and national systems? In this unit, students will dive into Virginia’s local and state governments, learning how the judiciary, executive, and legislative branches function at those levels.

Lessons Available February 28, 2025:

Lesson 4.1: Structure of State Government
Lesson 4.2: General Assembly
Lesson 4.3: Governor & Regulatory Boards
Lesson 4.4: Virginia’s Judicial System
Lesson 4.5: Local Government Structure
Lesson 4.6: Local Decision Making
Lesson 4.7: Three Levels of Government

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Unit 5

The Judicial System

What is the purpose of the courts system? Why does the judiciary have the power to review actions of the executive and legislative branches? This unit examines the role of the justice system at the national level and includes a review of civil and criminal court structures.

Lessons Available February 28, 2025:

Lesson 5.1: Due Process
Lesson 5.2: Criminal & Civil Courts

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Unit 6

Citizenship

How do people become citizens of the United States? What does it mean to be a U.S. citizen, naturalized or native-born? In this unit, students will learn about the processes by which candidates pursue U.S. citizenship, examine the history of immigration in our nation, and review the ways citizens are expected to contribute to the common good.

Available December 6, 2024

Lesson 6.1: Becoming a Citizen
Lesson 6.2: Immigration
Lesson 6.3: Rights & Privileges of Citizenship
Lesson 6.4: Duties & Responsibility of Citizenship

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Unit 7 - Now Available!

The Political Process

What is the purpose of a political party? Who decides which groups of people should have the right to vote? This unit delves into the nuances of the American political process, helping students better understand the role of the Electoral College, campaign finance, and political parties in our elections.

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7.1

Political Parties

7.2

Campaigning and Finance

7.3

Voting History & Rights

7.4

The Electoral College

Unit 8

Media and Politics

Does media have an impact on the way we engage with our government? How do we determine whether the information we consume has bias or is fact-based? This unit will inform students on how to evaluate and analyze the media they consume with an emphasis on identifying bias.

Lessons Available January 20, 2025:

Lesson 8.1: What is Media?
Lesson 8.2: Recognizing Bias in Media
Lesson 8.3: Evaluating & Analyzing Media

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Unit 9

Economics

What exactly is the U.S. economy? What financial institutions make up our economic systems? This unit provides students with an outline of the basic functions of the U.S. economy and how the government interacts with it.

Lessons Available February 28, 2025:

Lesson 9.1: Basics of Economics
Lesson 9.2: Types of Economies
Lesson 9.3: U.S. Economy
Lesson 9.4: Supply & Demand
Lesson 9.5: Business & Competition
Lesson 9.6: Money
Lesson 9.7: Financial Institutions & Federal Reserve
Lesson 9.8: Role of Government in the U.S. Economy
Lesson 9.9: Taxes, Public Goods & Services
Lesson 9.10: Global Economy

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Unit 10

The Economy and You

What is your role in the economy? How can your skills and talents help the community in which you live? This unit makes the connection between students’ lives and the economy, highlighting how their personal contributions can have an impact on their communities.

Lessons Available February 28, 2025:

Lesson 10.1: Identifying Human Capital
Lesson 10.2: Personal Finance
Lesson 10.3: Preparing for Success

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Unit 2 - Now Available! | Lesson 2.1

Fundamental Principles

What essential ideas guided the founders as they outlined a structure for the American government? In this lesson, students will explore the fundamental principles that helped shape our national government.

2023 Standards of Learning (SOL)

CE.1ae

2015 Standards of Learning (SOL)

CE.2a

Lesson Outline

Download Outline

Lesson 2.1 Slide Deck

The interactive slides in this lesson can be used in multiple ways:

teachers can direct all students to generate their own copies of the Google Slides on a tablet or laptop, allowing the students to interact directly with the prompts individually.
teachers can use the deck as a presentation, guiding the entire classroom through the content as a large group.
by creating their own Google Slides copy, teachers may rearrange or edit the content to suit their own pacing or adaptation needs.

Copy Google Slides

Games & Activities

2.1 Bellringer: Predict

2.1 Gallery Walk

2.1 Headlines

2.1 Matching Sets

7.1 Webquest: Real World Connections

2.1 Build the Foundation

2.1 Create the Nation

Additional Resources

2.1 Vocabulary

2.1 Exit Ticket

How should we think about the Constitution today?

Join Samuel, a student and aspiring judge, on a journey to learn more about America's founding documents. Samuel visits the National Archives in Washington, DC, where he meets historian Jessie Kratz and sees the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution firsthand. He then visits the Virginia Museum of History and Culture to speak with Judge John Charles Thomas about his interpretation of the founding documents today.

Education Level

Middle School

Civics Connects

Civics Connects

Fundamental Principles

Lesson 2.1 Slide Deck

2.1 Bellringer: Predict

2.1 Gallery Walk

2.1 Headlines

2.1 Matching Sets

7.1 Webquest: Real World Connections

2.1 Build the Foundation

2.1 Create the Nation

2.1 Vocabulary

2.1 Exit Ticket

How should we think about the Constitution today?