We the People

About We the People

We the People...The Cit­i­zen and the Con­sti­tu­tion is an in­struc­tional pro­gram for High School and Middle School students which teaches the his­tory and prin­ci­ples of the Amer­i­can con­sti­tu­tional democ­racy while enhancing students' understanding of government. Students discover the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights at the same time. The program is based on materials developed by the Center for Civic Education and is nationally acclaimed by educators. We the People is aligned to the Ohio Learning Standards for So­cial Stud­ies and Eng­lish Lan­guage Arts.

We the People has a built-in authentic performance assessment: simulated congressional hearings. The simulated hearings allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues.

Format of Simulated Congressional Hearings

• Students act as expert witnesses and "testify" their constitutional knowledge in the format of simulated congressional hearings. A volunteer judging panel- comprised of constitutional scholars, attorneys, and policymakers- evaluate students' responses. 

Preparation

• A class is divided into six groups, based on the six units of the curriculum.  Each group has 3-6 students, depending on the size of the class
• Each group works collaboratively to prepare answers to all the questions for the unit.
• Students review materials in the We the People textbook and research other materials, preparing a four-minute response to the question for each unit and to get ready to answer follow up questions related to the initial question.

Hearing (10 minutes per question)

• Groups of students orally respond to questions for four minutes (notes can be used)
• The judging panel asks students follow-up questions and students respond (no notes allowed) for six minutes.
• The judging panel members assess the prepared oral presentation and the responses to the follow-up questions using a scoring rubric.

For more information and details about We the People program, please contact Ryan Suskey (rsuskey@oclre.org) or call (614) 485-3506

Textbooks

We the Peo­ple text­books are avail­able for the el­e­men­tary, mid­dle, and high school lev­els to aid in the teach­ing of the cur­ricu­lum.  Visit store.civiced.org for the full se­lec­tion of books avail­able, in­clud­ing or­der­ing en­tire class sets of text­books.

The We the Peo­ple text­book is also avail­able in mul­ti­ple dig­i­tal for­mats, in­clud­ing an en­hanced e-book.  Visit www.civiced.org/resources/publications/ebooks to learn more.  For ad­di­tional in­for­ma­tion re­gard­ing print or e-books, con­tact the Cen­ter for Civic Ed­u­ca­tion at (818) 591-9321

High School - We the People State Competition & Invitational

2024 State Competition & Invitational

The 2024 High School We the People State Competition and Invitational will take place on Friday February 2, 2024 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. More information will be released soon.

Cost   

Members: $55 (per class)

Non-members: $80 (per class)

(OCLRE membership is $30 per academic year) 

2023-2024 Hearing Questions

The 2023-2024 High School We the People Hearing Questions have been released! Students will prepare two questions per unit, and will be asked both questions by the judges at the State hearings in February. The Ohio Question will be part of Unit 1 and will be released, along with a lesson plan, at a later date.

 2024 Ohio State Tournament Hearing Questions

State Competition:

• Only classes rostered in the competition are eligible to be the state champion
• The state champion has the opportunity to represent Ohio at the National Finals
• In order to be eligible for the competition, schools/teams must meet rules set forth by the Center for Civic Education, including registering an entire rostered class that has studied all six units of the curriculum

State Invitational:

• Open to any group of students, including groups that have not studied all six units, are not a complete rostered class, or otherwise, need accommodation
• While scores are earned, the Invitational is non-competitive and allows students the opportunity to participate without being ranked against other groups/classes
• The Invitational follows the same format and will run concurrently with the state competition

Invitational participants are not eligible to advance to the National Finals

Ohio Question & Inquiry Design Model (IDM)

In an ongoing effort to better connect We the People to Ohio students, OCLRE writes questions based on the Ohio Constitution. This effort is to bridge the Ohio state standards to learn the Ohio Constitution to the We the People Program. This question is released along with the release of the state hearing questions each fall. The class that scores the highest on the Ohio question at the state competition and invitational receives the Ohio Constitution Scholar Award.

The 2022-2023 Ohio Question is rooted in Unit 4: How Have the Values and Principles Embodied in the Constitution Shaped American Institutions and Practices. In conjunction with the release of the Ohio Constitution question, OCLRE provides a lesson plan to help educators teach the new question and concepts. Regardless of whether you participate in the We the People program, this lesson will help as you teach the Ohio Constitution. The lesson plan for the 2022-2023 Ohio Constitution Question can be found here. For past years’ lesson plans, please visit the C3 Resources tab on our Teacher Resources page.”

The lesson is set up as an inquiry-based lesson, using an IDM, or Inquiry Design Model, template.  Your students will be looking at an overarching, compelling question with supporting questions to help them garner information to help them answer the compelling question.  A variety of primary and secondary sources are provided as a starting point to give them information to answer the questions.  Formative tasks are built in to check their understanding along the way.  

 Testimonials

“We the People immerses the student in the content and develops critical thinking skills.” ~ Allison Papish, Strongsville High School

“This is a great experience and easy to incorporate into the curriculum.  It allows the students to show off their brains!  Parents who see the program are consistently impressed with the event and the support within the community grows.” ~ Andrea Oyer, Archbold High School

“This program allows students to get out of their comfort zone and really put forth the effort to make themselves look and sound presentable and knowledgeable about the U.S. Constitution.” Courtney Reiner, Ayersville High School

“It’s a great authentic assessment and your students will really grow through the process.” ~ Matthew Wunderle, Ravenna High School

Seeing is believing! Teachers are invited to learn more about We the People by observing the state showcase. Contact Ryan Suskey at rsuskey@oclre.org or (614) 485-3506 for more information

Middle School - We the People Showcase

2024 State Showcase

The 2024 Middle School We the People Showcase will take place on Friday, May 10, 2024 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. More information is forthcoming.

Interested teachers may contact Ryan Suskey at rsuskey@oclre.org or (614) 485-3506 for more information.

2024 Hearing Questions

At the 2024 Middle School State Showcase, students will be asked questions from the Teacher's Edition of the textbook. Rather than preparing all three questions for each unit, panels should come prepared to discuss the two* questions selected for this year in the document linked below.

2024 Middle School Showcase Questions

*Based on registration numbers and capacity, OCLRE will determine whether the schedule will permit students to present both questions, or whether only one will be used for the judges.

Cost

Members: $35 (per class)

Non-Members: $80 (per class)

(OCLRE membership is $30 per academic year)        

Testimonials

“You will see your students grow both academically and personally.  My students gained a sense of school pride and comradery completing this program.”
~ Jessica Parker, Trotwood-Madison Middle School

“It’s very worthwhile and meaningful.  The program has substance and relevance.  It teaches concepts that are vital for a thriving republic.”
~ Chris Gutermuth, Sycamore Junior High School

“The conversations you will have and the topics that come up as a result are the fundamentals for teaching and what this country is all about: Knowing about our history, country, and laws are key to a civic citizenry.”
~ Phil Hammer, Sycamore Junior High School

Seeing is believing! Teachers are invited to learn more about We the People by observing the state showcase. Contact Ryan Suskey at rsuskey@oclre.org or (614) 485-3506 for more information.

Professional Development

Constitution Camp 2023

Immerse yourself in insightful sessions led by specialists delving into crucial themes surrounding the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Understanding the Appellate Process, all with a distinct Ohio perspective. The expert-led discussions are intertwined with effective teaching strategies tailored to bring these topics alive in your classrooms. The sessions will specifically focus on the We the People and Moot Court programs and their intersections with the Constitution.

Get ready to expand your knowledge, refine your teaching strategies, and connect with fellow educators during this dynamic Constitution Camp experience. We look forward to welcoming you in-person as we embark on this enriching journey together.

When: November 28th & 29th, 2023

Where: The Ohio State Bar Association, 1700 Lake Shore Dr, Columbus, OH 43204

Click HERE to Register

Workshop Agenda

Tuesday, November 28 - Substantive Due Process and Unenumerated Rights

Wednesday, November 29 - Voting Rights in the Modern Era

Constitution Camp Cost

For any inquiries or clarifications, please contact Ryan Suskey (rsuskey@oclre.org) or call (614) 485-3506.

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Summer Institute: Civics That Empowers All Students (CEAS)

About CEAS

This project is funded by a Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant from the USDOE with the following goals: 

• To increase undeserved grades 4-8 students' attainment of state civics standards, related literacy standards, and social and emotional learning competencies, 
• to create inclusive and identity-safe learning environments for underserved students in grades 4-8, 
• to support high-quality development for diverse teachers, and 
• to study the effectiveness of the updated and enhanced We the People blended-learning professional development program at improving teacher and student outcomes. 

Benefits

• Free professional development! A total of 52 hours of professional development in a learning community with mentors and other teachers from Ohio and neighboring states, including a 36-hour in-person summer institute and 16 hours of online academic-year follow up.
  • OCLRE is currently planning the 2023 CEAS Summer Institute as a joint venture between Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia. 
• Engaging pedagogy and academic content, centered on the highly effective We the People curriculum
• A network of support and resources for engaging diverse student populations in the history, principles, and current application of the U.S. Constitution
• Scholar guest speakers
• Access to a library of professional development videos with noted scholars and practitioners cued to the curriculum
• Free set of We the People textbooks and teacher's guide
• A stipend for completing program requirements

Program Requirements

For Ohio's participation in this grant, this program is for teachers in grades 7 or 8 who work with 30% or more underserved students, including:

• Students living in poverty (Title I Schools)
• Students of color
• Students with disabilities
• English learners
• Migrant students
• Students in foster care
• Students performing below grade level
• Other

*The Federal definition of high-need students includes qualifiers such as: students in poverty counted in the most recent census date; students eligible for free or reduced-price school lunch; students in families receiving assistance under the State program funded under part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act; students eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program

Commitments

• Participate in 52 hours of professional development
  • 36-hour summer institute; 16 hours of in-service professional development
• A total of 40 hours of classroom instruction using the We the People curriculum
• Involve students in the simulated congressional hearing instructional activity
• Participate in a teacher pre- and post-test
• Administer student pre- and post-tests

This project began in the summer of 2023 and will continue through the 2023-2024 school year. Resources and assistance will be provided throughout project duration, but continued participation is required.

Questions? Please contact Ryan Suskey (rsuskey@oclre.org) or call (614) 485-3506.