E.S.C.A.P.E. Junk News

Students learn a handy acronym to help them remember six key concepts for evaluating information, then test the concepts in teams.

Virtual Field Trips at Monticello

Monticello has partnered with Microsoft Skype in the classroom to bring FREE virtual field trips to your students, grades K-12. The virtual field trip lasts about 45 minutes, during which time a Monticello educator will talk to your class about Monticello using images, props, and an online virtual tour. Your students can ask the educator questions, and you can prepare your students with pre- and post-visit resources.

Constitution of the United States

The original U.S. Constitution is on permanent display at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Drafted in 1787 after a hard-won victory in the War for Independence, this document codified the spirit of the Revolution into an ingenious practical scheme of government to promote the welfare of all its citizens.

Teaching Six Big Ideas in the Constitution

This lesson engages students in a study of the Constitution to learn the significance of “Six Big Ideas” contained in it. Students analyze the text of the Constitution in a variety of ways, examine primary sources to identify their relationship to its central ideas, and debate the core constitutional principles as they relate to today’s political issues. (Duration: 45-minute segments, up to 4.5 hours.)