Civic Responsibility for the Digital Age

Voices & Choices introduces students to the foundations, issues and responsibilities of democracy and citizenship in a series of units:

• Democracy in Ancient Greece (6th grade)
• Constitution Today (7th grade)
• Civil Rights (8th grade)

Throughout the four to six week units, critical-thinking, collaboration and other essential skills are developed through debates, independent research, role plays, writing and oral presentations. When Voices & Choices students participate in a citywide Civil Rights Summit or Constitution Today Town Meeting, they showcase the results of their learning—and the lessons of civic responsibility—in a public forum.

Interactive Teaching and Learning

Technology-based resources enhance instruction in multiple ways, starting when teachers log on to each unit’s website to access lesson plans, classroom visuals and their classroom blog, a dedicated area for collecting, evaluating and publishing student work. In every lesson, students are kept engaged by amusing animated videos and curriculum-based multimedia activities and tutorials.

Lesson plans, available in both digital and print formats, include differentiated instruction. Digital materials are Moodle compliant, easily integrated into a school’s Learning Management System.

Professional Development

A comprehensive professional development program offers teachers the support they need to successfully implement the curriculum, which is aligned with the NYS Learning Standards for Social Studies and ISTE NETS for students.