The We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Program promotes civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s upper elementary and secondary students. The interactive strategies, relevant content, and simulated congressional hearings in the We the People print textbooks and enhanced ebooks make teaching and learning exciting for both students and teachers. The We the People curriculum is an innovative course of instruction on the history and principles of the United States constitutional democratic republic. The program enjoys active support from state bar associations, foundations, and other educational, professional, business, and community organizations nationwide. Since its inception in 1987, more than 30 million students and 75,000 educators have participated in the We the People program.
Constitutional Literacy in Action
We the People engages students in simulated congressional hearings and deep constitutional learning.
Teachers
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We offer professional learning year-round to support the implementation of We the People
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Textbook Request
Are you using the We the People textbook in your classroom and participating in at least one level of Mock Congressional Hearings? If so, please fill out our textbook request form, and we will contact you with how we can support your materials request.
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Coaching requests coming soon
Families
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Follow along with your student's journey into understanding the US Constitution and Government with our Government 101 Course. It is filled with detailed information, essential vocabulary words, Landmark Cases, and additional resources to learn more about each topic.
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Why simulated Congressional Hearings?
Students
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Coming Soon
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We the People Student Skills Bootcamp.
Work with We the People judges, coaches, and teachers to prepare for the Nevada District Invitational. Students will have opportunities to engage with a We the People Judges panel and learn more about presentation skills and how to break down the hearing questions. Students will also be invited to work with We the People Coaches in their own unit.
Teachers will also be invited to a best practices session with other We the People teachers.
Volunteers
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Are you interested in judging, our volunteer system will be up and running soon. Check back for more details.
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Are you interested in coaching, our volunteer system will be up and running soon. Check back for more details.
A research team from Georgetown University has conducted independent studies of We the People that have been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse, which includes the highest standards for research scholarship. The team found that We the People students scored significantly higher on tests of both civic knowledge and civic dispositions than their peers. These dispositions include (1) respect for the rule of law, (2) political attentiveness, (3) civic duty, (4) community involvement, (5) commitment to government service, and (6) the norms of political efficacy and political tolerance. Additional information and studies can be found at www.civiced.org/research.
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We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution teaches upper elementary students about government and active citizenship. Students explore the history and principles of American constitutional democracy through critical thinking, cooperative learning, and a unique and engaging culminating activity: the simulated congressional hearing.
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We the People teaches middle school students about civics, government, and active citizenship. The textbook, composed of 6 units and 30 lessons uses critical-thinking exercises, cooperative-learning and a simulated congressional hearing culminating activity to teach the history and principles of constitutional democracy. We the People is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Reading and Writing and the National Standards for Civics and Government.
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From December to February, We the People high school classes compete at state competitions throughout the country. Each spring, the state winner and wild card classes are eligible to participate in the We the People National Finals in the Washington, D.C, area at the National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia. The competition culminates with a top-twelve final round to determine the national winner. In addition, the National Invitational is held at the National Conference Center, allowing middle schools to have the same rich academic experience of presenting prepared statements on constitutional topics and responding to questions from adult judges. The simulated congressional hearing not only deepens student knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, it also builds important 21st-century workplace skills and dispositions, such as working cooperatively as a team, public speaking, managing conflict, and reaching consensus.
Watch Citizen Nation
Citizen Nation is a powerful four-part series by Retro Report that follows students from across the country—including schools from Nevada—as they prepare for and compete in We the People, the nation’s premier civics competition. Against the backdrop of a divided political climate, the series offers an inspiring and hopeful look at the next generation—highlighting how young people from diverse backgrounds come together to engage with the Constitution, civil discourse, and their role in American democracy.
Become a Book Club Donor
All three levels of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution have a textbook that supports classroom learning. The middle and high school levels also have interactive online options. The Nevada Center for Civic Engagement strives to provide teachers who use the We the People program in their classroom with at least one classroom set of books. One classroom set can range from $488 for an elementary class, $599 for a middle school class, and $721 for a high school class. Individual books range from $20-30. We are in the process of working out options for digital textbooks as well.
