Free Civics Literacy Curriculum for 8th Grade Classrooms
These nine lesson plans walk students through the structure of the Constitution, the three branches of government, the Electoral College, and the responsibilities of citizenship - all using the actual pocket Constitution as their textbook.
Haven't requested your free classroom sets yet? Order your 250th Anniversary pocket Constitutions here. And don't forget -- every student who completes these lessons is ready to enter our national "What America 250 Means to Me" Essay Contest, open to all 8th graders through October 1, 2026. Learn more about the Essay Contest.
Every 8th grader deserves to understand the document that shapes their rights, their government, and their future. The 917 Society's Civics Literacy Guide gives teachers a ready-to-use, standard-aligned curriculum built entirely around our 250th Anniversary Edition pocket Constitution - the same free resource our volunteers hand-deliver to classrooms across all 50 states.
Civics Literacy Curriculum
Civics Literacy Study Guide for Lessons
This resource provides lessons for learning the Constitution. These were developed by
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Allen W. Kessinger
Master Sergeant, USA (Ret)
US History, 8B
Student Advocate
Falcon Archery & Football
Stewarts Creek Middle School​
Students use the 917 Society Pocket Constitution for the Textbook
Click on the DOCX Logo to download the Study Guide to your download folder.
Note: You will need PowerPoint or Google Docs Slides to run these lessons. Whenever you click on the PowerPoint logo for a lesson, it will be downloaded on to your device; you will then go to your download folder to open the lesson.
Free Lesson Plans - The Three Branches of Government & Electoral College
Lesson 4.1: Navigating the Constitution
Lesson 4.4: Powers and Responsibilities of the Legislative Branch
Lesson 4.7: Overview of the Federal Judiciary
Lesson 4.2: Principles of American Government In Action
Lesson 4.5: Overview of the Executive Branch
Lesson 4.8: Political Parties and Voting
Lesson 4.3: Overview of the Legislative Branch
Lesson 4.6: Powers and Responsibilities of the Executive Branch
Lesson 4.9: The Electoral College
Bring this Curriculum to Your Classroom
Ready to bring these lessons to your classroom?
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Order your free pocket Constitutions - hand-delivered by a 917 Society volunteer, at no cost to your school
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Download the lesson plans above to start teaching this week
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Enter your students in our 2026 Essay Contest -- "What America Means to Me"
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Mark your calendar for Constitution Day, September 17, 2026 - the perfect capstone for this unit.