March 11-15 is Civic Learning Week which seeks to highlight the importance of civic education. Social studies teachers in Tulsa Public Schools bring our curriculum to life by creating hands-on civic learning experiences for their students.
Students from North Star Academy applied their civil discourse skills during a field trip to a courtroom at the Page Belcher Federal Building in downtown Tulsa. The Federal Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions program offers high school students a valuable opportunity to immerse themselves in a real federal courtroom setting and explore historic cases involving young people.
Students delved into the landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), which upheld the first amendment rights of students in public schools. During the program, students engaged in a mock court hearing, taking on roles as jurors or attorneys to argue both sides of a fictional scenario inspired by a real case. The event was coordinated by North Star Academy social studies teacher, Taujania Gant-Monroe, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Duncombe and U.S. Magistrate Judge Jodi Jayne from the Northern District of Oklahoma, who presided over the mock hearing.
Central 8th grade students in Ashton Blake’s U.S. History class participated in a mock presidential primary election. Students learned about the voting process and voter registration. They signed in and received their ballot to cast their vote.
Rogers students in Nicholas Murphy’s U.S. Government class collaborated with librarian Stephanie Brucks to engage students in a media literacy lesson. Students learned about media bias and the importance of viewing multiple perspectives when consuming news.
Lindbergh students in Pamela Owens' 1st grade class engaged in a virtual museum tour of the Boston Tea Party museum. During the tour, they discovered how the event exemplifies civic engagement and showcases how individuals can influence change in government practices they perceive as unfair or unjust.
In Amanda Wann's 3rd grade class at Grissom Elementary, students have been studying Oklahoma's crucial role in the migration of monarch butterflies, an endangered species. They are actively rejuvenating our school's monarch waystation and pollinator garden by incorporating native Oklahoma plants.
This April, students will witness the hatching of monarch butterflies and release them into their garden. They are currently preparing the garden, planting, and closely monitoring the growth of the monarchs. To engage in civic action, students will be tasked with designing conservation awareness PSAs, which will later be brought to life by a local artist.