Building Better Citizens: An Innovative Curriculum Contest

To help support teachers’ use of the citizenship test in their classroom, ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Institute is conducting a special lesson plan contest for elementary and secondary teachers.

Image: John Trumbull, The Declaration of Independence, 1786–1820 (Yale University Art Gallery)

About the Contest

Teachers have the opportunity to share a single class period lesson plan, creatively using questions from the citizenship test as an activity or assessment. This lesson can focus on specific questions on the exam, or using the exam more broadly as a tool to understand citizenship and naturalization. The lesson can be one that teachers have used year over year in their classroom, or one that they are creating specifically for this contest.

A jury of master teachers recruited by GLI will review each entry and determine the winners. Entries will be evaluated based on the clarity of the objective, rationale, and methodology, alignment to standards, creativity and engagement, and differentiation for diverse learners. Teachers’ work will be reviewed and judged at their respective grade levels (Grades K–8 and Grades 9–12). Winners will be notified in early September and announced on September 15, ahead of Constitution Day (also known as Citizenship Day), September 17.

Submit your entry by August 7

Submission Guidelines

Eligibility

Classroom teachers working at schools in the Gilder Lehrman Affiliate School Program are eligible and encouraged to participate. They are invited to submit an original lesson plan, written independently or for a current academic year class, that has been revised, expanded, and adapted to conform with the Building Better Citizens specifications.

Awards

Ten prize winners will receive cash awards. One first place winner will receive $5000, two second place winners will each receive $2500, and seven third place winners will each receive $1000.

Font and Page Style

Lesson plans should be four or fewer pages, excluding any supplementary materials such as worksheets, documents, or slides. Plans should be submitted in 12-point, Times New Roman font with one-inch margins at the top, bottom, and sides. The accepted document types are PDF, DOC, DOCX, RTF, and ODT.

Organization

Each lesson should be designed to fit within a class period. Top lesson plans have a clearly stated objective that is aligned with one or more of the 100 questions on the citizenship test, engage students in higher-order thinking, plan for diverse learners, clearly lay out a procedure, and assess student growth.

Evaluation

A panel of Gilder Lehrman master teachers will choose the winners. Lesson plans will be evaluated for their clarity, creativity, and the extent to which students have the opportunity to engage deeply with the content of the citizenship test.