The We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Program promotes civic competence and responsibility
among the nation’s upper elementary and secondary students. The We the People printed textbook's and Enhanced
Ebook's interactive strategies, relevant content and the simulated congressional hearing make teaching and learning
exciting for both students and teachers. The program enjoys active support from state bar associations and foundations,
and other educational, professional, business, and community organizations across the nation. Since its inception in 1987,
more than 28 million students and 75,000 educators have participated in the We the People Program.

Introduction to We the People

2015-2016 STATE HEARING QUESTIONS:
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Congressional Hearing Example
The primary goal of We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is to promote civic competence and responsibility among the nation’elementary and secondary students.  What makes the program so successful is the design of its instructional program, including its innovative culminating activity.


  
The instructional program enhances students understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy. At the same time, students discover the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. 

The culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. 

The Center provides free professional-development opportunities for elementary, middle, high school educators, university and college professors, members of the legal community, We the People Programsstate and congressional district coordinators, and youth organization leaders throughout the nation and in selected sites throughout the world.

Since the inception of the We the People program in 1987, more than 28 million students and 90 thousand educators have participated in this innovative course of study. Several studies by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Professor Richard Brody, Stanford University, indicate that students who used the curriculum "significantly outperformed comparison students" on every topic studied. The program enjoys the active participation of members of Congress, as well as support from professional, business, and community organizations across the nation.  Program participants can maintain contact with the Center and with one another through the We the People Alumni Network. 

Advanced Placement (AP) Government teachers can help prepare their students for the AP Exam by involving them in the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program. Government teachers from throughout the nation recommend We the People.

High School Level

The revised and updated fourth print edition of We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution features new text, images, exercises, and Supreme Court cases to ensure that the next generation of Americans has the intellectual tools they need to become informed and engaged citizens. We the People gives high school students a firm understanding of government and citizenship. Students explore the history and principles of constitutional democracy through critical-thinking exercises, cooperative-learning and participation in a simulated congressional hearing. The We the People student textbook contains six units and 39 lessons. The updated teacher's guide contains a step-by-step walkthrough of the student book as well as reproducible handouts and the end-of-course assessment. We the People is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies.  © 2016

Middle Grade Level 

The We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution textbook teaches middle school students about government and
active citizenship. The textbook, composed of 6 units and 29 lessons uses critical-thinking exercises, cooperative-learning
and a simulated congressional hearing culminating activity to teach the history and principles of constitutional democracy. We the People is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Reading and Writing and the National Standards for Civics and Government. © 2007

Elementary Level

The We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution textbook teaches upper elementary students about government
and active citizenship. Students explores the history and principles of American constitutional democracy through
critical-thinking, cooperative-learning and a simulated congressional hearing culminating activity. We the People is aligned with theCommon Core State Standards for English Language Arts (2010) Informational Text Strand for Grade 5 and the National Standards for Civics and Government. Third edition © 2011.