Our high school lessons challenge students to be engaged citizens in their democracy. Through project-based and hands-on learning activities, students learn important leadership skills, such as empathy, balancing conflicting interests, and creative problem-solving.
Pricing: FREE
DocuMadness! (World History II)
Time: 1.5 hours
Location: Morven Park, in the classroom, or virtual
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs: World History II. (1a, e), English (10.1, 10.4)
How can we determine which documents have had the biggest impact on society? Through civic discussion and healthy debate, students navigate a bracket-style game board to find group wide consensus. Students will practice deliberation, cooperation, and discussion skills, to decide the most influential documents of history from 1500 to modern day.
The Advocacy Game (U.S. History)
Time: 4 hours
Location: Morven Park, or virtual
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs: VUS.1 (a, e, f, i), VUS.8 (b, d), English 11.2 (a-d), English 11.6 (a-e)
Advocacy is one of the most powerful tools for affecting change. In this lesson, students travel back in time to the Progressive Era and examine challenging public issues of the time. Working in teams, students deliberate the issue, create their own solution, and present a period-inspired advocacy campaign.
Balancing Act (Government)
Time: 2 hours
Location: Morven Park, in the classroom, or virtual
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs: EPF.1 (a-c), EPF.7 (c), GOVT.1 (f-j), GOVT.8 (b-d)
How do leaders make responsible decisions when faced with a range of different interests, ideas, concerns, and hopes? In this lesson, students take on the role of County Commissioner and work as a team to make decisions affecting their constituents, taking into consideration zoning, taxes, and citizen concerns. This lesson is a great fit for teaching students about local government, city planning, economics and collaborative problem-solving! This is a great opportunity for summer youth camps and leadership programs.
Agenda Setters (Government)
Location: Morven Park, in the classroom, or virtual
PBL: 6 lessons
This lesson aligns to the following Virginia SOLs GOVT.1 (a, c-e, g-j), GOVT.8 (d-e), GOVT.9 (g), GOVT.16 (d-g)
In this interactive and real-world project, students become advocates for public causes that they want to solve. Throughout this learning experience, students examine what it means to be an advocate, how to identify an issue or idea that they feel passionate about, how they can share their voice with their community to engage decision makers and inspire their peers, and the steps to take action and implement solutions to real-world problems.
