National Civics Teacher Of The Year

Apply For Our Teacher Fellowship

Have Your Students Think The Vote!

Our last Think The Vote question of the 2023-24 school year looks at the topic of homelessness, which is on the rise nationwide. Some local jurisdictions passed laws that ban sleeping or camping on public property under the threat of fines or jail time.

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case following a lawsuit in Oregon that alleged those types of laws violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Supporters of those laws claim the Eighth Amendment was not designed to protect a right to sleep in public.

Students can share their responses to this Think The Vote question until Thursday, May 9.

Educator Spotlight

Meet Marcos Munoz!

When asked to name his favorite historical figure, rather than name a person, Marcos Munoz went the symbolic route and named an animal. 

“My favorite historical symbol is the buffalo, especially in its connection to America, Native Americans, and the expansive American West,” Munoz said. “The buffalo’s historical significance as a provider of sustenance and materials, coupled with its deep symbolism in indigenous cultures, makes it a powerful representation of resilience and harmony with the environment."

Read more about Munoz's journey into teaching in this Educator Spotlight.

BOE: Bottom of Email

Dear John:

The Bill of Rights Institute is staying active this year and introducing some new classroom resources! This spring, we are releasing 10 inquiry-based lessons that support U.S. History instruction for educators in grades 3-5. The lessons will focus on America’s Founding Principles and teaching literacy through history, with an emphasis on developing paragraphs, drawing conclusions, identifying text structures and more!

Later this year, BRI will release the first lessons from our new digital textbook, Government and Politics. This resource will examine how and why the United States government was first formed, as well as topics like federalism, the legislative branch of government, the U.S. Supreme Court, participation in politics and elections, civil rights and civil liberties, and the office of the U.S. President.