June 2015 Newsletter

We the People's long-awaited fourth edition to be released, U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions visits a We the People class, James Gemma Honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and more in this month's issue.


New book

New Edition of We the People High School Textbook Coming This Summer

The Center for Civic Education is pleased to announce that a new, fourth edition of We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution high school student text and teacher's guide will be released in mid-August. The acclaimed civics and government student book will feature updated content, images, exercises, and Supreme Court cases to ensure that the next generation of Americans has the intellectual tools they need to become informed and engaged citizens. Sign up today to receive updates on the new textbook and teacher's guide. Pre-order your copies or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Learn more.

U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions Visits We the People Class

Amy Maddox's We the People class at Vestavia Hills High School in Alabama received a visit recently from U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, who spent about an hour with the students discussing the Constitution and answering questions about constitutional law and working in Congress. "I'm proud of what you're doing," said Sessions. "Any of you could be a governor or president or a senator. All of you are smart enough to do that." The class finished fifth in the nation at the recent We the People National Finals. Learn more.


Art of Questioning Webinar Available through Share My Lesson

Maria Gallo's webinar, "The Art of Questioning," is available on demand from Share My Lesson. The free webinar is part of Share My Lesson's Summer of Learning professional development series and can be taken for credit. The webinar focuses on the creation of "essential" questions: questions that are used at the beginning of a unit to spark student interest and inquiry. Participants are guided through examples of how to create and use these questions and learn how to link them to questions developed for the lessons within the unit. Techniques are adaptable across disciplines and grades. Learn more.

showcase

2015 Report on Civic Education in Latin America Available

The Civitas International Programs partner in Chile, Abraham Magendzo, and Rafael Andrés Arias Albañil developed a report on the regional status of civic education and teacher training in Latin American countries. A link to the full report in Spanish is available on the Civitas International Programs' Partner-Developed Materials webpage.

Students Showcase Projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Three hundred elementary and high school students in Bosnia and Herzegovina presented Project Citizen public policy portfolios at the 2015 national showcase in Sarajevo. Learn more.

We the People Teachers Honored by American Lawyers Alliance

Two We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution teachers are among the winners of the 2015 Teacher of the Year award presented by annually by the American Lawyers Alliance. Award winners are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the field of law-related education. The Teachers of the Year award winners are Robert Priest of Van Wert High School in Van Wert, Ohio, Jill Baisinger of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Indiana and Robert Ames of Oyster-Adams Bilingual School in Washington, D.C. Baisinger's class won the Central States Regional Award at the 2015 We the People National Finals. Priest's class has been the state runner-up in the We the People competition for the past three years. The ALA will honor the three teachers on July 31 in Chicago. Learn more.

An Easy Way to Support We the People

Do you shop on Amazon? Use this link to benefit We the People and the Center's other civic education programs. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the Center for Civic Education. You pay the same price for your purchases, but you have the satisfaction of knowing you've helped students receive the high-quality civic education they deserve. Bookmark the link and keep giving all year with every purchase. AmazonSmile.

Apply by June 26 for the NCSS Outstanding Social Studies Teacher of the Year Awards

Social studies teachers should apply by June 26 for the National Council for the Social Studies Outstanding Teacher of the Year Awards. The annual awards recognize exceptional classroom social studies teachers for grades K-6, 5-8 and 7-12 who teach social studies regularly and systematically in elementary school settings, and at least half-time in middle or junior high and high school settings. Award winners receive $2,500, a complimentary one-year membership in NCSS and the opportunity to present a session on their work at the NCSS Annual Conference. Learn more.

2015 Robert H. Jackson Center National Award for Teaching Justice

The The Robert H. Jackson Center and the National Council for the Social Studies are accepting nominations for the third annual Robert H. Jackson Center Award for Teaching Justice. The award honors an educator who teaches the concept of justice in creative, inspiring ways, which may include teaching about civil liberties, human rights, international humanitarian law, the Holocaust, genocide studies or local issues of justice. Nominations are due by June 26, 2015. Learn more.

This newsletter is a brief bulletin designed to keep you informed about some of the Center for Civic Education's news and events. Information presented includes news from around the country, news from other countries in the Center's Civitas International network, grant and award opportunities, and program updates and clarifications. If you have pertinent material that you would like to include in future newsletters, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


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