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.

View Unit

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.

View Unit

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 - Now Available!

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.

Coming soon:

Lesson 3.3: Lawmaking Process
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

View Unit

Lesson 3.1

Checks & Balances, Separation of Powers

Lesson 3.2

Structure and Powers of the Legislative Branch

Lesson 3.4

Structure and Powers of the Executive Branch

Lesson 3.6

Structure and Powers of the Judicial Branch

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.

Coming soon:

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

View Unit

Unit 5

The Judicial System & Rule of Law

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

Coming soon:

Lesson 5.1: Due Process
Lesson 5.2: Criminal & Civil Courts
Lesson 5.3: Rule of Law

View Unit

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.

Coming Soon:

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

View Unit

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.

View Unit

7.1

Political Parties

7.2

Campaigning and Finance

7.3

Voting History & Rights

7.4

The Electoral College

Unit 8 — Now Available!

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.

Coming soon:

Lesson 8.3: Evaluating & Analyzing Media

View Unit

8.1

What is Media?

8.2

Recognizing Bias in Media

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.

Coming soon:

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

View Unit

Unit 10 - Now Available!

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.

Coming Soon:

Lesson 10.1: Identifying Human Capital
Lesson 10.3: Preparing for Success

View Unit

10.2

Personal Finance

Unit 8 — Now Available! | 8.2

Recognizing Bias in Media

How does one know if an article, source, or media outlet is biased in its reporting? How can claims made on social media be verified?

2023 Standards of Learning (SOL)

CE.9 a,e

Lesson Outline

Download Outline

8.2 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

8.2 Bellringer

8.2 Stand Up, Sit Down

8.2 Positive or Negative Connotations

8.2 Make Me (Dis)Like It

8.2 Create Your Own Propaganda

8.2 Reflection Journaling

Additional Resources

8.2 Vocabulary

8.2 Exit Ticket

What is the role of the media in reporting on politics?

Join Sofia, a student and aspiring diplomat, on her exploration of politics and media. Sofia visits Virginia Public Media (VPM), Central Virginia's Public Broadcasting System (PBS) affiliate, where she meets Keyris Manzanares, a VPM multimedia journalist. Sofia follows Manzanares' coverage of state and local issues in Virginia and Richmond and visits a Richmond City Council meeting to explore how the media covers important community issues.

This video is produced for Unit 8 of Civics Connects, a comprehensive, classroom-ready resource for Virginia’s middle grades. In this unit, Media & Politics, students will explore whether or not the media has an impact on the way we engage with our government. Sofia asks, "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.

Education Level

Middle School