Helping Students Respond to the Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol

 When we passed along some suggestions from the iCivics website to assist you in helping students understand the electoral process on January 6^th, we didn’t imagine that such a routine ceremonial event would become the site of a violent insurrection in our nation’s capitol. 

To assist teachers in responding to students’ questions and concerns, we would like to pass on information and suggestions from another website that may be helpful. The website is “Facing History and Ourselves."

From Facing History and Ourselves:

Our new Teaching Idea is designed to help you guide an initial classroom reflection on the insurrection at the United States Capitol. Students need opportunities to separate facts from misinformation, to explore and express their emotions, and to ask big questions about the significance of what took place today.

We know, too, that addressing this crisis is not the work of one lesson plan or one class period. The fragility of American democracy so apparent today is rooted in fractures and systemic injustices that existed long before this election. In the coming weeks, we will share additional resources to help you explore historical echoes, questions of justice and accountability, and the possibility of democratic renewal as we all recommit to the critical work of civic education.