Bill of Rights Day Education Programs at the National Archives
By Mary C. Ryan | National Archives News
WASHINGTON, December 3, 2024 – In celebration of Bill of Rights Day on December 15, the National Archives will host a virtual teacher workshop for professional development on December 5 and three student webinars on December 13. These online programs will explore the rights of the people and limits on government as outlined in the Bill of Rights—the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution.
The Bill of Rights spells out Americans’ rights in relation to their government and guarantees civil rights and liberties like freedom of speech, press, and religion. The National Archives offers resources to support educators, including interactive Civics For All Of US distance learning programs, DocsTeach activities, and more.
In the teacher workshop, National Archives educators will explore how teachers can engage learners of all grade levels while studying the Bill of Rights. Participants will learn how to use primary sources to teach about the rights embodied in the Bill of Rights and will discover additional resources for teaching the Bill of Rights in the classroom.
The three student webinars are geared toward students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
In the Bill of Rights Day webinars, the youngest learners (kindergarten–2nd grade) will be introduced to the First Amendment in “Make Your Voice Count: Learning About the First Amendment.” Students in grades 3–5 will take a deeper dive into the First Amendment in “The First Amendment: Five Rights in One!” And middle school and high school students will explore the Bill of Rights and how it outlines both limits on government and the rights of the people in “The Bill of Rights Protects You.”
The webinars are inquiry-based, which means the Archives educators ask more questions than they give answers, and each program is tailored to engage a specific grade level audience.
The three student webinars are part of Civics for All of US, a National Archives education initiative to promote civic literacy and engagement through the use of U.S. Government records. Learn more about the initiative and its varied programs on the Civics for All of US website.
Learn more about each program and register through the links below.
| Thursday, December 5 |
7 p.m.–8 p.m. ET |
“Teaching the Bill of Rights for Educators”: Virtual Professional Development Workshop for K-12 Educators |
| Friday, December 13 | 2:15–2:45 p.m. ET |
“Make Your Voice Count: Learning About the First Amendment” Grades K–2 Virtual Webinar |
| Friday, December 13 | 1:15–2 p.m. ET |
“The First Amendment: Five Rights in One!” Grades 3–5 Virtual Webinar |
|
Friday, December 13 Monday, January 27 |
12:15–12:45 p.m. ET |
“The Bill of Rights Protects You”: Grades 6–12 Virtual Webinar |
The National Archives offers a myriad of distance-learning programs and in-person programs covering the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. For more information on all our education programs, resources, and to schedule a free virtual program or in-person visit for your classroom, visit the National Archives Education web page.
Educator Resources at the National Archives