Jessica Zepik 
Table of Contents
This year marks my 21st year as an educator. During my tenure, I’ve witnessed the power of technology in the classroom to connect students with the wider world in ways that resonate with their own lives. My goal has always been to show students that what’s around us isn’t just a collection of dates and past events; our history is the foundation of the world, and to know history is to know yourself. When students realize their place in this grand story, something amazing happens – they start to see how their own voices and actions can shape the future.
According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, getting students involved in their civic duties can lead to increased academic performance and improved well-being, helping them build valuable skills and networking abilities that prepare them to thrive in the future. Involvement in civic activities also has major benefits for communities and the country as a whole, as they prepare students early to be part of the public dialogues that impact them and their families.
These connections must start in the classroom. Here are some great free resources to kickstart conversations around civic engagement in your own classroom:
Smithsonian Educator Resources
The Social Studies and Civic Engagement resources are tailored to curriculum standards for each grade level. The collection includes videos, online materials, primary source documents, hands-on activities, and multimedia content.
By utilizing the Smithsonian Learning Lab, a free and interactive platform that provides educators with access to a vast array of the museum’s collections, I can seamlessly integrate high-quality resources into my existing lesson plans. This content includes the 21 Smithsonian museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo!
My students appreciate it because the content is engaging and often incorporates different media styles, such as using comics to teach about complex pieces of history. I appreciate this resource because it allows me to tailor my teaching to students’ interests.
Regardless of what topic your class is tackling next, I’m confident you can find quality resources from the Smithsonian to integrate into your lessons.
America’s Field Trip
I love getting my students involved in bigger moments, and I recently introduced my students to America’s Field Trip, created with Discovery Education. This nationwide contest invites students in grades 3-12 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by submitting an original essay or artwork answering the question “What does America mean to you?”
Students who enter get the chance to earn a field trip experience at an iconic American landmark or cultural site, like the Kennedy Space Center, National Archives Museum, Yellowstone National Park, and more. While the prizes are pretty unique, in my opinion what makes this contest worth joining is the self-reflection and creativity it sparks.
As a social studies teacher, I always look for ways to connect the classroom to the wider world. Opportunities like America’s Field Trip do more than just offer fun prizes or encourage competition – they provide a chance for students to pause and think deeply about who they are and where they fit in the evolving story of our nation. My students’ submissions have been as varied as they are, from essays capturing cultural heritage to drawings that explore themes of hope.
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress offers an extensive digital collection of primary sources. I personally love to use the Congress, Civic Participation, and Primary Resources Project content. The program focuses on primary resources and was developed by different organizations using grants from the Library of Congress.
When I say there is something for everyone in these programs, I mean it! From a civics learning game about adapting US history into a musical to a game designed to evaluate the relationship between US Citizens and the government to an interactive learning tool designed to put students in the role of a journalist throughout history, these programs feature some of the more unique ways I’ve seen to get your students interested in civic engagement.
Whether you dedicate an entire lesson to exploring them or use them as supplementary resources for students to explore at home, I highly recommend incorporating them into your teaching.
Look Local
One last strategy I can’t recommend enough is to look to your own local history to inspire student curiosity. For example, the local historical society or library may offer primary documents and information about events created and impacting where students live. There’s something about seeing how national events ripple into your community that makes it all so real for students. Field trips, guest speakers, or even digital tours of nearby historic landmarks, museums, and more can help students uncover the stories right in their own backyard.
Each resource I’ve shared above recognizes the importance of connecting students to key historical events and engaging them in civic participation to empower them to make history themselves.
Each of the resources I’ve shared above recognizes that connecting today’s students to key historical events and helping them understand the importance of civic engagement is crucial for preparing the next generation to make history themselves. Caring about history is more important than ever, and these tools can help foster that relationship.
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