Civics in a Digital Republic: A Transformative Curriculum

Summary

This innovative curriculum book provides key materials, resources, and tools to help secondary educators prepare their students to be engaged citizens of their community, state, nation and world. Five complete units of instruction, based on West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives, provide meaningful lessons while being mindful of the transition from tangible text to more digital curricula:

• Rights of the Individual 
• Freedoms of the Individual 
• Responsibilities of the Individual 
• Beliefs Concerning Societal Conditions 
• Financial Literacy

Additional features of the curriculum include:

• 24 lessons that provide specific teaching and learning strategies.
• 4 culminating activities for enrichment opportunities. 
• A matrix illustrating the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives covered.
• A matrix illustrating compliance with the National Council for the Social Studies Standards.
• A curriculum toolbox that provides over 70 engaging web sites to visit and explore.

Published by the Center for Democracy and Citizenship Education.
 

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Introduction
Letter to the Student
Matrix of the National Council for Social Studies Standards
Matrix of West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives
Curriculum Toolbox

• Digital Resources
• Civic Resources
• Financial Literacy Resources
• Geography Resources

Civic Education Introduction

• Lesson

Unit A: Rights of the Individual

• Lesson 1: Media Literacy: Bill of Rights
• Lesson 2: Creating Effective Citizens: Civic Resources
• Lesson 3: Global Community: Human Rights Resources Center
• Lesson 4: Civic Virtue: What Has Value?
• Lesson 5: Service Learning: Volunteering and Reflection
• Culminating Activity: Rights of the Individual

Unit B: Freedoms of the Individual

• Lesson 1: Media Literacy: The First Amendment
• Lesson 2: Creating Effective Citizens: Web Resources
• Lesson 3: Global Community: Skype
• Lesson 4: Civic Virtue: Digital Artistic Expression of Civic Heroes
• Lesson 5: Service Learning: Online Safety and Voting
• Culminating Activity: Freedoms of the Individual: WV Tech Steps

Unit C: Responsibilities of the Individual

• Lesson 1: Media Literacy: State Officials
• Lesson 2: Creating Effective Citizens: Facing History and Project Citizens
• Lesson 3: Global Community: Digiteen Project
• Lesson 4: Civic Virtue: The “Good” Leader
• Lesson 5: Service Learning: Service as Responsibility
• Culminating Activity: Cyber Bullying

Unit D: Beliefs Concerning Societal Conditions and Governmental Responsibilities

• Lesson 1: Media Literacy: The Constitution
• Lesson 2: Creating Effective Citizens
• Lesson 3: Global Community
• Lesson 4: Civic Virtue: Community Civic Virtue
• Lesson 5: Service Learning: Our Community
• Culminating Activity: Emerging Democracies

Unit E: Financial Literacy

• Lesson 1: Council for Economic Education
• Lesson 2: The Mint
• Lesson 3: National Financial Capability Challenge
• Lesson 4: iCivics

Author

Robert Waterson is an Assistant Professor at the College of Human Resources and Education at West Virginia University. His research areas include citizenship, human rights, history, democratic theory, and controversial public issues.