Teaching About the Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Using Convene the Council to Bring Foreign Policy to Life

Posted on February 28, 2022July 31, 2024 by Luke O'Connor

How do you teach students about what is happening in Ukraine?

If you are like many teachers, your students are asking for help in making sense of what is in the news. One of the best things we can do for our students is to meet this moment and offer some insight into processes, demystify complicated concepts, and cultivate their civic-mindedness. But how many of us are foreign policy experts? With the right resources, you don’t have to be!

iCivics just launched the perfect tool to help! Created in partnership with the Council on Foreign Relations, Convene the Council is a new game that engages players in the basics of foreign policymaking. Playing as President of the United States, students face global challenges, consult with the National Security Council, and make tough foreign policy decisions. The goals of the game, as well as the goals of U.S. foreign policy, are to skillfully balance the safety, prosperity, and values of the United States within its global context. As president, do you address a crisis with sanctions or diplomacy? Foreign aid or military engagement? These questions have very clear and present connections to the past, present and future.

And—unlike real life—results are immediate. Players see outcomes and impacts of their choices as they make them. The game allows students to evaluate the effectiveness of their decisions, adapt as needed, and learn from the process.

A great place to start is the Game Guide, which provides insights and tips for playing the game. It’s great for all educators, non-gamers and gamers alike. In addition to a walk-through of the game, the guide offers discussion questions and extension activities.

For a deeper and more comprehensive teaching tool, check out the game’s Extension Pack, which offers everything needed to build your perfect “game sandwich,” from introducing the topic to engaging with the game and reinforcing the learning after the game has ended. (And if you need differentiated lessons or multilingual/English language learner supports, there is a vocabulary worksheet and modifications for the game and lessons already prepared for you.)

A customizable slide deck introduces students to important foreign policy concepts, guides them to debrief their game experiences, and helps you assess what they’ve learned. The Extension Pack also comes with activities that are both printable and available in Kami so students can have guided practice through the activities and discussion.

The learning doesn’t have to stop after the game. Here are some ideas from the Extension Pack and beyond to engage students with what’s happening in the world around them today:

Have students research a modern foreign policy challenge or read a short article on what is happening in Ukraine, for instance. (Also a great way to practice those news literacy skills!)
Create a formative assessment in which students apply their game experience to explain some of the foreign policy choices of the current administration in the United States, given the recent actions of Russia. (Think podcast, comic strip, game mock-up!)
Ask students to replay the game and note which challenges they faced, then see if they can connect it to a similar situation in U.S. foreign policy history. (Spoiler alert: Each one has a real-world twin! But we will never tell. It’s Top Secret.)

But wait, there’s more! The NSC Department Guide is a great reference for players and, like the game, is available in Spanish. We also offer an NSC-focused timeline activity that helps students see real events in our nation’s history and which foreign policy tools were put to use.

To further deepen your students’ foreign policy knowledge, you can also check out materials such as World101 and Model Diplomacy from our partners at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Engaging students in games, activities, high-level assessment, and civil discussion not only connects to state standards, but also brings students to this powerful intersection of learning and application, showing them why school matters and how what is learned will be important as an adult.

Written by Carrie Ray-Hill and Amanda Setters

Carrie Ray-Hill is the Senior Director of Digital Learning and oversees the conceptualization and development of iCivics’ educational resources, with a particular concern for teacher usability. She is responsible for maintaining a consistent focus on iCivics’ educational mission. Prior to joining the iCivics team, Carrie taught middle and high school social studies and language arts in St. Louis and Washington, DC. In addition to seeking out the finest of cheeses, Carrie spends her spare time watching British panel shows, making cookies for the office, and killing zombies.

Amanda Setters is a Curriculum Associate at iCivics. She is responsible for creating and revising curricular materials for teachers and students. Prior to joining the iCivics team, Amanda taught middle and high school social studies in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to reading and spending time with her family, Amanda enjoys learning from her favorite historians.

iCivics and the Council on Foreign Relations Release New Game to Teach Students Fundamentals of Foreign Policy

Posted on February 27, 2022August 11, 2024 by icivics

What should the United States do if a disease in a foreign city threatens an outbreak here and around the world? Should the United States support democracies elsewhere? If an ally or partner is threatened, what is the proper U.S. response? Convene the Council, a new game from iCivics and the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), encourages students to grapple with critical questions, using digital gameplay to teach important foreign policy and global civics lessons in an engaging way.

In Convene the Council, students play the role of president of the United States, navigating a range of U.S. foreign policy issues from the White House Situation Room. The game poses fictional foreign policy scenarios that resemble those in the real world and challenges students to use critical thinking skills to determine how the United States should respond based on recommendations from the president’s closest advisors. Players must navigate the difficult balance between foreign and domestic needs and determine the course of action they believe best supports U.S. interests and values, all while considering how their policy decision might play out internationally and how the U.S. public might respond.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made it all too evident that policymakers in the United States must work collaboratively with leaders across the world to meet challenges that know no borders. Now, more than ever, the youth in this country must possess a foundational understanding of the world and how it works,” said CFR President Richard Haass.

The partnership between iCivics and CFR brings together the country’s leading provider of civic education content and the country’s leading organization on foreign policy. iCivics’ games and resources have been played more than 150 million times over the past decade. The addition of Convene the Council is an acknowledgement that civic education in the twenty-first century requires a global perspective.

Convene the Council adds a new dimension to CFR’s mission to build global literacy—the knowledge, skills, and perspective required to successfully navigate today’s connected world. Born out of concern that students demonstrate gaps in global literacy, CFR is creating learning resources that explain international relations and foreign policy to high school and college students who have little or no background in these topics. For example, award-winning digital tools such as Model Diplomacy and World101 allow students to experience firsthand how government and political systems work at home and abroad. This empowers them to understand real-world issues that transcend national borders. With Convene the Council, CFR now provides learning resources for students as young as twelve.

“This game puts students at the center of global civics issues, and helps them to grasp the interrelatedness of domestic and foreign policy,” said iCivics Executive Director Louise Dubé. “It represents an important collaboration between leaders in civics and foreign affairs, merging iCivics’ expertise in making civic education engaging and relevant through game design and effective pedagogy with CFR’s expertise in foreign policy. Together, we have translated the most critical aspects of foreign policy into a fun and educational game.”

The game is free and is also offered in Spanish.

To learn more about Convene the Council, visit: icivics.org/convenethecouncil or contact jacob@oneallen.com.

About iCivics
iCivics is the nation’s largest provider of civic education curriculum, with its resources used by more than 145,000 educators and nine million students each year nationwide. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor founded iCivics in 2009 to transform the field through innovative, free educational video games and lessons that teach students to be knowledgeable, curious, and engaged in civic life.

About CFR
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

Preparing for AP Tests with iCivics

Posted on February 16, 2022July 30, 2024 by Luke O'Connor

As a former Advanced Placement History teacher, I can confidently say that one of the most essential skills for our students is comprehensive source analysis. The College Board AP History (U.S., World, European) exams in May require students to analyze sources for both the multiple choice and writing portions of the exam. In addition to being able to summarize a document, students in AP courses need to “HIPP” the document to analyze things like historical context, intended audience, point of view, and purpose. And iCivics is here to help make sure all students have the preparation to meet that rigorous demand!

Check out the highlighted resources below:

DBQuests

A great tool for the younger grades as well as the start of the AP year is the iCivics collection of DBQuests. DBQuests are already prepared with a big question and walk students through source analysis and summary skills. By starting with a review of the author and audience, the students practice those analysis skills in a structured way. If a student makes a mistake, the DBQuest redirects them to try again until they get it right. That in-the-moment formative feedback is a fantastic tool to support student mastery.

After analyzing the source, the DBQuest has students pull evidence from the document to answer comprehension questions using a drag-and-drop tool. After students select textual evidence to answer the questions, that evidence is presented and students use the textual evidence to summarize the main ideas. By scaffolding students through the analysis and summary of these primary and secondary source excerpts, teachers can foster development of this important skill using a ready-made and high-quality resource!

DBQuests are assigned using an iCivics teacher account and are Google Classroom and Clever compatible. The teacher materials also have printed copies of the documents, as well as enrichment and scaffolding activities, so teachers can differentiate to meet the needs of every student in their classroom. Using this ready-made resource will help free up your plan time, empower and engage your students, and can allow you to work in the role of facilitator. Coach and circulate the class to review student progress and provide formative feedback as students are engaged in the work.

Exploring Primary Sources

Another great resource to use when preparing for AP tests is iCivics’ Exploring Primary Sources mini-site. You’ll find even more tools and activities to help students practice working with sources, as well as some professional development for yourself.

In addition to our DBQuests, teachers can discover partner resources like Eagle Eye Citizen, KidCitizen, and Journalism in Action (and more!). Eagle Eye Citizen gets students practicing sequencing, contextualization, and close reading, while KidCitizen’s videos engage students with primary source photographs and develop their critical literacy skills. Journalism in Action is an interactive learning tool that helps middle and high school students examine the role of a free press in different moments in history using historical primary sources. We all share the support of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program.

Be sure to use these iCivics resources to help you reduce your planning and delivery work, so you can spend your classroom time facilitating high-quality source work and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee!

Written by Amanda Setters

Amanda Setters is a Curriculum Associate at iCivics. She is responsible for creating and revising curricular materials for teachers and students. Prior to joining the iCivics team, Amanda taught middle and high school social studies in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to reading and spending time with her family, Amanda enjoys learning from her favorite historians.

14 Reasons Why Teaching Civics is Important Right Now

Posted on February 14, 2022August 11, 2024 by icivics

Teaching civics prepares students to be informed and engaged members of society. Students who experience high-quality civic education are more likely to complete college and develop employable skills (including communications and public speaking skills), vote and discuss policy issues at home, and volunteer and work on community issues.

However, prioritizing civics in the classroom can be difficult. According to research from The Brookings Institution, schools have reallocated instructional time from social studies toward key tested subjects, often prioritizing reading and math. This has become even more pronounced as class time has been disrupted by the ongoing pandemic. Teachers spend what time they do have in the classroom trying to catch students up and prepare them to meet grade-level requirements by the end of the year.

But teaching civics remains at least as important as ever, in preparing students to take their place in shaping our government and society now and long into the future.

Why make teaching civics a priority? We posed this question to iCivics Educator Network teachers and our staff members, and they responded with the following:

As we approach 250 years of America’s independence, there is no better time to teach civics. Instilling the principles and virtues of our democratic society will prepare future generations to lead us through the rest of the 21st century. -Michael Reyes, Youth Fellowship Community Lead, iCivics
The reason for teaching civics has always been about helping to inspire the next generation to be active and productive citizens. -Janet Wills, iCivics Educator Network Teacher
Teaching civics helps students connect past and present in order to be informed voters. It helps students make meaning of current events and reassures them that nationally and internationally, there is precedent for solving modern issues. Civics also helps students engage in critical thinking and writing, which engages those 21st century skills that will be essential in their future. In examining civics, we cultivate empathy. -Amanda Setters, Curriculum Associate, iCivics
Civics is the language of the citizenry. It’s how we communicate and plan and execute the change we desire. When people aren’t prepared to find this voice, ask these questions, and learn their role in the community and the democracy, they miss out on a major opportunity to be part of something meaningful—and they resign that power, those decisions, to someone else. The returns on civic education, or lack of it, are cumulative and transformative. -Christian Swagger, Educator Network Teacher
Civics is a shared reality. Regardless of where people fall on the current divide du jour, we are all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Civic skills have to endure, and they have to be taught. -Carrie Ray-Hill, Senior Director of Digital Learning, iCivics
No matter what plans students have for life after high school—whatever their career plans, however they may continue their education—all students will be members of communities where they will need agency to raise their voices and make an impact. Civics teaches skills, knowledge, and disposition that will be needed by all. -Shannon Salter, iCivics Educator Network Teacher
Civic education is important because it is the passport to the future. The future belongs to those who prepare and educate themselves today. -Angela Clay, Educating for American Democracy Curriculum Associate, iCivics
Understanding civics empowers change. The founders intentionally created a system that could endure by allowing citizens to make changes that could benefit society as a whole. -Beth Doman Doughty, iCivics Educator Network Teacher
In a digital age, it is easy to have knowledge of all of the wrong things. Teaching civics allows students to learn valuable skills that are conducive to critical thinking. It helps students understand how important decisions have molded the country and continue to set precedents as time goes on. I think the statement of “history repeats itself,” applies beautifully here in a sense that knowledge allows for personal action to prevent further repetition. -Niko Garcia, Curriculum Intern, iCivics
I like to think of teaching civics as giving students the opportunity to practice civic skills they are going to need when it becomes their turn to play in the real game. -Tia Costello, iCivics Educator Network Teacher
At its root, civics is about how we all live together, as different as we all are from each other. To do civics well, everybody needs practice, just as we all do in learning to read, write, do math, and cook a decent meal. -David Buchanan, Director of Massachusetts Programs, iCivics
Everyone needs civics. It is the fabric of civilization. Contributing to the advancement of one’s community and society and understanding how to navigate through the perils and roadblocks is of the utmost importance if we want to continue to govern ourselves in a productive manner. -Kymberli April, iCivics Educator Network Teacher
A government “of the people” can only exist if the people understand how their government works, and are willing to participate in it. Teaching civics is the pathway for meeting both of those goals. -Lora DeSalvo, Curriculum Associate, iCivics
Civic education has massive cross-partisan appeal as a solution to what ails our democracy. The public overwhelmingly agrees that our country needs K-12 civic education! -Abbie Kaplan, Federal Policy Associate, iCivics

On the iCivics blog, multiple perspectives contribute to the public conversation about civic education in the United States. Each contributor represents their own opinion. We welcome this diversity of perspectives. Responses in this blog post have been edited for brevity and clarity.

iCivics partners with Teacher Created Materials on new book, Teaching Civics Today

Posted on February 4, 2022July 30, 2024 by Luke O'Connor

Developed in partnership with Teacher Created Materials, Teaching Civics Today: The iCivics Approach to Classroom Innovation and Student Engagement is a professional resource that shows teachers how to bring civics into their social studies classrooms in an engaging, meaningful way.

“We don’t teach civics like we used to, and thank goodness for that! Our students now benefit from a renaissance in civics instruction – an innovative revitalization of the frameworks, methods, and materials we use to prepare students for their critical role in our constitutional democracy,” said Emma Humphries, Chief Education Officer of iCivics. “All of this and more is succinctly captured in Teaching Civics Today.”

This book, written by John Larmer, explores key civics topics and provides teaching strategies that build content knowledge, develop 21st century skills, and engage students in practice and action. The book:

Explains why civic education is important
Supports teachers by outlining best practices for civics instruction
Helps teachers integrate literacy and civics
Includes useful implementation tools such as project and lesson examples

Whether used with the exciting iCivics Readers or by itself, this resource is the perfect tool to help teachers develop tomorrow’s leaders today by guiding students to understand the value of civic engagement.