On November 5, 2024, American voters will cast ballots for the next president of the United States, as well as other officials at the national, state, and local levels. Such elections are a vital part of our democratic system, and it is part of the Core Knowledge mission to prepare students to participate in that system.
One way we do that 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 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 into the Core Knowledge middle school U.S. History program. The middle school U.S. History volumes also include Civics in Action prompts and activities that are intended to encourage students to develop civic awareness and civic participation.
Recently, CKHG added focused civics units to its offerings. These units provide student-friendly direct instruction in civic ideals, civic participation, and the history of our political system. There are four units, which 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.
It is our hope and our goal that these materials will help today’s students become literate citizens able to contribute to our democratic society.