Programs will bring Constitution-focused lessons, training and events to thousands of Tennessee students and educators
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Smokies.LIVE Next Gen Center) — Thousands of Tennessee students and educators will have opportunities to explore the U.S. Constitution this fall through expanded programming from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Institute of American Civics.
The institute, housed within UT’s Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, is offering classroom resources, school programs, teacher training and public events designed to encourage deeper understanding of the Constitution and American self-government.
The programming extends beyond Sept. 17, the date the Constitution was signed in 1787 and traditionally recognized as Constitution Day.
UT faculty members, civic leaders and other participants will work with K-12 classrooms across Tennessee as part of the effort.
The programs are designed to help students move beyond simply learning the words of the Constitution and explore the ideas, institutions and responsibilities connected to self-government.
“Understanding the Constitution requires more than knowing what it says,” said Joshua Dunn, executive director of the Institute of American Civics. “It means wrestling with the ideas behind it, understanding the institutions it created and considering what self-government asks of each generation.”
Dunn said the institute hopes the programs will give students, teachers and Tennesseans opportunities to engage with the principles that have shaped the nation.
The expanded programming comes as schools across Tennessee mark Constitution Day and look for ways to connect lessons in civics and American government with students’ understanding of the country’s founding documents.
For Tennessee students, the programs offer an opportunity to examine the Constitution not simply as a historical document, but as a framework for understanding American government and civic life.
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