Civics

Image of the Capitol building shown in a rearview mirror.
Macrocosm Photography/E+
Curriculum 6 Ways to Help Students Make Sense of the Capitol Siege
A week after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, teachers are helping students figure out how the country got to this point.
Sarah Schwartz & Madeline Will, January 13, 2021
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15 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Federal Opinion What the Assault on the Capitol Means for Educators
Last week's assault on the seat of the American government points to a larger civic challenge that we must address together.
Rick Hess, January 11, 2021
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4 min read
A sea of lit memorial candles is overlaid with a bright watercolor faceted screen
E+/iStock + Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion How to Support Your Students Following a Traumatic News Day
Educators and researchers share their advice and reflections on how to respond to tragic events at home and abroad.
January 7, 2021
Police hold back Trump supporters who tried to break through a police barrier on Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.
Police hold back pro-Trump rioters who tried to break through a police barrier Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol.
Julio Cortez/AP
Social Studies Insurgency at the U.S. Capitol: A Dreaded, Real-Life Lesson Facing Teachers
Classroom teachers have the difficult task this week of helping their students make sense of what happened at the Capitol.
Madeline Will & Stephen Sawchuk, January 6, 2021
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9 min read
Irene Sanchez, an educator in the Azusa Unified school district, stands outside her home in Riverside, Calif.
Irene Sanchez, an educator in the Azusa Unified school district, stands outside her home in Riverside, Calif.
Morgan Lieberman for Education Week
Social Studies Teachers of Color More Likely Than White Peers to Tackle 'Controversial' Civics Topics
They were also more likely to emphasize teaching the Bill of Rights and the responsibilities of citizenship, a recent survey found.

Sarah Schwartz, January 5, 2021
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7 min read
Photograph of T.C. Williams High School from King Street Facing North.
Students are involved in renaming T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va. The storied school was originally named for a former superintendent who was an avowed segregationist.
Photo by Addisnog – licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Teaching & Learning With Name Changes, Schools Transform Racial Reckoning Into Real-Life Civics Lessons
Educators and students find educational value in an effort to rename the school made famous by the movie “Remember the Titans.”
Corey Mitchell, December 18, 2020
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7 min read
President Donald Trump waves to supporters from his motorcade Nov. 14 in Washington.
President Donald Trump waves to supporters from his motorcade Nov. 14 in Washington.
Julio Cortez/AP
Social Studies Disinformation Is Rampant. Here's How Teachers Are Combatting It
Online spread of false information—like the recent claims of voter fraud—poses ongoing challenges for civics teachers.
Sarah Schwartz, November 25, 2020
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9 min read
Messed up puzzle pieces of an American flag on a dark blue background
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Social Studies Opinion We Americans Risk Losing the Ability to Govern Ourselves. Better Civics Education Can Help
The ability to discern fact from fiction and to recognize reliable news is fundamental, writes News Literacy Project's Charles Salter.
Charles Salter, November 24, 2020
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4 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Social Studies Opinion Post-Election Teaching Strategies
Four teachers share suggestions for post-election lessons, including focusing on local issues and practicing media literacy.

Larry Ferlazzo, November 19, 2020
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15 min read
Social Studies Opinion Trump Has Been Awful for Civic Education
The advent of a President Biden would offer a welcome opportunity for a reset when it comes to civics and civic education. The question will be whether we—on the left and right, together—are able to seize it.
Rick Hess, October 29, 2020
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3 min read
Social Studies Video Teaching About a Divisive Election—and What Comes Next
Five social studies teachers discuss their experiences teaching about the most crucial and controversial parts of a chaotic election season.
October 28, 2020
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4:18
Student Well-Being & Movement Briefly Stated Briefly Stated: Stories You May Have Missed
A collection of stories from the previous week that you may have missed.
October 26, 2020
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9 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Politics Belongs in the Classroom
Educators discuss bringing politics into the classroom, to help students develop skills in discourse and information literacy.
Larry Ferlazzo, October 12, 2020
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16 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Social Studies Opinion Six Ways to Prepare Students for Voting
Many educators discuss the importance of voting with our students, but that's not always enough, writes teacher Julie Rine Holderbaum.
Julie Rine Holderbaum, October 11, 2020
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4 min read
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