Civics teaching resources for the new school year

With the new school year just a few weeks away, the Committee of Seventy wants educators to have updated civic education materials for your classroom.

In this edition, we'll direct you to our updated Youth Civics website, which features FREE, nonpartisan, experiential programs for kindergarteners through college students.

We'll be at professional development sessions throughout the month, sharing teacher-created and vetted resources to help you develop engaged citizens. We are even sponsoring some of our own; see below.

Enjoy the rest your summer!

There are elections in 2023! We have lesson plans for them.

The eyes of the political world will be focused on Pennsylvania in 2024, but our elections this November will be just as important. An election for the State Supreme Court headlines numerous judicial races, and local offices throughout the Commonwealth that will be decided have significant impacts on our daily lives.

We've updated our free, nonpartisan Elections & Voting curriculum for the new school year. It is applicable for both new and future voters. It reviews the history of American voting rights, builds skills in media literacy and puncturing their own filter bubbles, and shows how to research candidates. It also includes a Mock Election, where your students can gain hands-on experience learning about who is on the ballot, researching who they would support, and then casting their vote. Learn more and sign up.

We are also launching two new programs.

Our Can We Talk? initiative teaches skills in productive dialogue across difference, to combat the polarization that plagues our nation. We have still have several spaces for high schools to pilot this program in 2023-24.

And why should civics be confined to high schoolers? Our Democracy for Kids program teaches basic civic skills to young people in elementary and middle school. Connect with us and we'll send you resources for your classrooms.

C70 is an Act 48-certified professional development provider

Educators can sign up for free one-hour sessions to get trained on providing our youth civics resources in your classroom.

The sessions, starting Aug. 23, will cover our Elections & Voting curriculum, the PA Youth Vote Mock Election, our new Can We Talk? productive dialogue pilot, how to encourage your students to serve as poll workers, and other programs from C70 and our partners.

Click here for dates and to register.

Partner Spotlight - PA Youth Vote

Our friends at PA Youth Vote are hiring!

PA Youth Vote does fantastic work elevating the voices of high school and college students in Pennsylvania. They are hiring a Regional Director for Allegheny County. If you know anyone who is interested, make sure they check out the posting.

PA Youth Vote is a new member of the PA Civics coalition, a growing network of community organizations, former members of Congress, and educators that are working to support civics education in Pennsylvania.