Middle School Distance Learning Programs
Visit the National Archives without leaving your classroom! Our free, interactive programs feature primary sources from our holdings. Each program aligns with National Social Studies Standards and Common Core State Standards. We also provide teacher guides with pre- and post-program lessons.
Scheduling Details
- Available Tuesdays-Thursdays
- Must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance
- For groups of 10 or more students
- Multiple sites can connect at the same time
We can deliver up to three programs per school per day. For schools with over three classes, we recommend connecting two to three classes at the same time or scheduling programs over multiple days.
Technology Requirements
You can connect your class via traditional videoconferencing equipment or online via a computer with a webcam, microphone, and speakers. These programs can also accommodate students connecting from home.
Email distancelearning@nara.gov with questions or to request your program today!
General Education
The Founding Documents: Building a More Perfect Union
Students will analyze opening passages of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. They will create a graphic organizer to help them distinguish the founding documents by their purpose. Next, students will match document excerpts to each excerpt’s origin – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights. The program will conclude with a discussion about the legacy of these founding documents.
- For grades 6-12
- 45 minutes
Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote
Using the founding documents of the United States and records of the National Archives, students will determine how and why women fought for the right to vote. Students will explore the challenges suffragists faced and discover why the fight for women’s voting rights persisted even after the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
- For grades 6-8
- 45 minutes
The Declaration of Independence
Certain Unalienable Rights
Students will explore the Declaration of Independence as an artifact, a primary source, and a persuasive text. Students explore the document's important sections, and evaluate the persuasive elements of the Declaration.
- For grades 6-8
- 45 minutes
This program is offered as a part of Civics for All of US, an education initiative from the National Archives that promotes civic literacy and engagement.
The United States Constitution
Voting Rights, the Constitution, & Representative Government
Using the Constitution, constitutional amendments, and legislation, students will explore the progression of voting rights in the United States and its impact on representative government. Additional primary source documents from the National Archives, including photographs and political cartoons, will enhance student understanding of the ways in which contemporary events and public civic engagement influence their lives today.
- For grades 6-8
- 40 minutes
This program is offered as a part of Civics for All of US, an education initiative from the National Archives that promotes civic literacy and engagement.
The Constitution at Work: Middle School Edition
Students will analyze primary sources to examine the powers of the Federal Government and discover how the Constitution created a stronger central government compared to the Articles of Confederation. They will also discover how the Constitution checks and balances power between the three branches of government and between the Federal Government and state governments.
- For grades 6-8
- 45 minutes
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights in Real Life
Photograph of Leaders at the Head of the Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C., 8/28/1963
Students will focus on the rights and limitations within the Bill of Rights. They will identify Bill of Rights issues using historical scenarios from the holdings of the National Archives and learn why it is important for citizens to know their rights.
- For grades 6-8
- 45 minutes
This program is offered as a part of Civics for All of US, an education initiative from the National Archives that promotes civic literacy and engagement.