Missouri teachers work together to create, share American Government lesson plans

“The philosophy of the schoolhouse in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next.” – Abraham Lincoln 

Teachers are responsible for nurturing the minds of the next generation and preparing them to enter adulthood as informed citizens. The Missouri Bar is invested in helping teachers with this task. Its Citizenship Education program is currently working with Missouri teachers to help develop lesson plans related to American Government. The lesson plans will consist of materials to be used in the classroom, ideas for classroom discussion, and student projects.  

Teachers often wear many different hats and may not always have the time to create robust and interactive lessons. These 50-minute lesson plans are adaptable and meant to stand alone to help teachers when they do not have the time to come up with ideas. They are also great for new teachers who are looking for help with lessons. 

Ten Missouri teachers are volunteering their precious free time this summer to create these lesson plans. They understand the struggles of finding credible materials. That is why these plans will go through multiple review processes to make sure that the information is both accurate and presented in the best way to help teachers.  

“Not every teacher can make it to our trainings, but almost every teacher has access to a computer and the internet,” said Dr. Tony Simones, citizenship education director at The Missouri Bar. “This project could have a tremendous impact on the way government is taught in Missouri.”  

The lesson plans are a part of upcoming changes to the Teacher Resource page on MissouriLawyersHelp.org to provide additional resources. The first round of lesson plans will be published beginning in mid-August and the webpage will be updated as more lesson plans are created. 

Visit the Teacher Resources page to stay up to date on helpful resources.