This week is Civic Learning Week. In the words of its founders at iCivics, this week is a time to “highlight the importance of civic education in sustaining and strengthening constitutional democracy in the United States.” This is a mission that we believe in strongly here at Core Knowledge. One important goal of our curriculum is the creation of literate citizens that are able to contribute to a democratic society.
One way we fulfill that mission is through the Pathway to Citizenship, a thread that runs through the Core Knowledge History & Geography (CKHG) units in Grades 3–6. Each American history unit in those grades includes questions, activities, and support notes related to the history, laws, and the structure of the American government. These questions, activities, and notes are identified in the Teacher Guides with an American flag icon.
The Pathway to Citizenship continues in the Core Knowledge middle school U.S. History program. These volumes also include Civics in Action prompts and activities that are intended to encourage students to develop civic awareness and civic participation.
CKHG also includes optional civics units. These units provide student-friendly direct instruction in civic ideals, civic participation, and the history of our political system. These units can be implemented in conjunction with the Core Knowledge Sequence and History & Geography units or used independently. The Grade 1 unit, Lessons in Civics, can be used in Grades K–2. The Grade 4 unit, Understanding Civics, can be used in Grades 3–6. The middle school level curriculum includes Civics and Economics in U.S. History and Civics and Economics in World History. Both can be used in either Grade 7 or Grade 8.
We hope you will join us in our efforts to support and prioritize civic education across the country.