"We the People..." is a nationally acclaimed program focused on the history and principles of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights for upper elementary, middle, and high school students. We the People has given students across the country the chance to gain knowledge on these subjects and allows students to apply such knowledge outside of the classroom, making them better citizens and leaders.
The We the People curriculum not only enhances students' understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy, it also helps them to identify the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Critical thinking exercises, problem-solving activities, and cooperative learning techniques help develop participatory skills necessary for students to become active, responsible citizens.
The program's culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing wherein students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge while they evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. The hearings, whether competitive or noncompetitive, provide the classroom teacher with an excellent means of motivating and assessing student performance.
A survey in 2009 revealed that:
The We the People curriculum not only enhances students' understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy, it also helps them to identify the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Critical thinking exercises, problem-solving activities, and cooperative learning techniques help develop participatory skills necessary for students to become active, responsible citizens.
The program's culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing wherein students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge while they evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. The hearings, whether competitive or noncompetitive, provide the classroom teacher with an excellent means of motivating and assessing student performance.
A survey in 2009 revealed that:
• National finalists of the We the People program possess significantly greater knowledge of American democratic institutions and processes than the average American.
• National finalists scored better in every category and on every question of civic knowledge compared to the national sample tested by the 2006 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) civics assessment. • The average proportion of correct responses from We the People students was 85%, whereas the correct responses from the NAEP assessment averaged 52%. • We the People finalists were more likely to register to vote and work on a political campaign than a national sample of high school seniors. • Male and female students benefit equally from participation in the We the People program. • The results of a nationwide research study affirmed that students in history, social studies, civics, and government courses using the We the People curriculum display significantly greater "political tolerance" and commitment to principles and values of the Constitution and Bill of Rights than do students using traditional textbooks and approaches. |