We the People
We the People
About We the People
We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution is an instructional program for High School and Middle School students which teaches the history and principles of the American constitutional democracy while enhancing students' understanding of government. Students discover the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights at the same time. The program is based on materials developed by the Center for Civic Education and is nationally acclaimed by educators. We the People is aligned to the Ohio Learning Standards for Social Studies and English Language Arts.
Program Event/Student Assessment
We the People has a built-in authentic performance assessment: simulated congressional hearings. Students act as expert witnesses and "testify" to their constitutional knowledge during these simulated congressional hearings. A volunteer judging panel– comprised of constitutional scholars, attorneys, and policymakers– evaluate students' responses.
Textbooks
We the People textbooks are available for the elementary, middle, and high school levels to aid in the teaching of the curriculum. Visit store.civiced.org for the full selection of books available, including ordering entire class sets of textbooks.
The We the People textbook is also available in multiple digital formats, including an enhanced e-book. Visit shop.civiced.org/pages/ebooks to learn more. For additional information regarding print or e-books, contact the Center for Civic Education at (818) 591-9321
High School
- Schools can choose to attend the State Competition or Showcase which take place simultaneously in late January or early February in Columbus, OH.
- We the People is typically done as part of a class and is most closely aligned with the high school government curriculum.
- Classes are divided into groups of 3-6 students who focus on a specific unit of study. There are six total units of study included in the program.
Middle School
- Schools can choose to attend the State Showcase which takes place in early-mid May.
- We the People is typically done as part of a class and is most closely aligned with the 8th grade US History curriculum.
- Classes are divided into groups of 3-6 students who focus on a specific unit of study. There are six total units of study included in the program.
For more information and details about We the People program, please contact Danny Rains at drains@oclre.org or call (614) 485-3514
Costs
| Membership (Optional): | $30 annually |
| Constitution Camp (Optional PD): | $50 - 1 Day |
| High School Registration: |
$55 per team for members $80 per team for non-members |
| Middle School Registration: |
$35 per team for members $80 per team for non-members |
High School We the People State Competition & Showcase
The Ohio Statehouse, host of the 2025 High School We the People State Competition
Competition Forms/Cost
- Team Registration Form: Click HERE
- Deadline: December 20, 2024
- Team Roster Form: Click HERE
- Deadline: December 20, 2024
- Behavior Standards Form: Click HERE
- Deadline: December 20, 2024
| Member Rate (per class): | Non-Member Rate (per class): |
| $55.00 | $80.00 |
2025 Hearing Questions
Ohio Question & Inquiry Design Model (IDM)
In an ongoing effort to better connect We the People to Ohio students through the Ohio state standards, OCLRE writes a question based on the Ohio Constitution. This question is released along with the state hearing questions each fall. The class that scores the highest on the Ohio question at the state competition and invitational will receive the Ohio Constitution Scholar Award.
The 2025 Ohio Question will be rooted in Unit 5, looking at the rights protected by the Bill of Rights. This year’s question revisits a past question considering the right to an education and how it is articulated (or not) in both the United States Constitution and the Ohio Constitution. To aid in preparing students for this question, OCLRE has created a lesson plan that covers the essential information and primary sources exploring the topic.
The lesson is set up as an inquiry-based lesson using an Inquiry Design Model (IDM) template. Students will look at an overarching, compelling question with supporting questions to help them garner information to help them answer the compelling question. A variety of primary and secondary sources are provided as a starting point. Formative tasks are built in to check their understanding along the way.
State Competition:
- Only classes rostered in the competition are eligible to be the state champion
- The state champion has the opportunity to represent Ohio at the National Finals
- In order to be eligible for the competition, schools/teams must meet rules set forth by the Center for Civic Education, including registering an entire rostered class that has studied all six units of the curriculum
State Showcase:
- Open to any group of students, including groups that have not studied all six units, are not a complete rostered class, or otherwise need accommodation
- While scores are earned, the Invitational is non-competitive and allows students the opportunity to participate without being ranked against other groups/classes
- The Invitational follows the same format and will run concurrently with the state competition
Invitational participants are not eligible to advance to the National Finals.
Seeing is believing! Teachers are invited to learn more about We the People by observing the state showcase. Contact Danny Rains at drains@oclre.org or call (614) 485-3514 for more information
Middle School We the People Showcase
Capital University Law School, host of the 2025 Middle School We the People State Showcase
2025 Hearing Questions
Registration Cost
| Member Rate (per class): | Non-Member Rate (per class): |
| $35.00 | $80.00 |
Seeing is believing! Teachers are invited to learn more about We the People by observing the state showcase. Contact Danny Rains at drains@oclre.org or call (614) 485-3514 for more information.
FAQ
So what is We the People?
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is a critically acclaimed academic program, administered nationally by the Center for Civic Education and in Ohio by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE). It consists of a curriculum to teach the history, philosophies, evolution, and application of the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other founding documents. The program also embeds an authentic assessment, simulated Congressional hearings, to help the students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the content.
Below is a quick guide explaining how to get started with the We the People program in your classroom
What is a simulated Congressional hearing?
The simulated congressional hearing is the authentic assessment that is built into the program. Students are divided into groups which correspond with the units of the textbooks. Each group prepares answers to questions based on the themes of their unit. The groups will answer the question in a four-minute oral presentation. After, students will participate in six minutes of follow-up questions from the judging panel.
Watch as P.J. Babb, a teacher at West Carrollton High School, explains the simulated Congressional hearing and how to prepare for it.
How can I learn more about what it is like to teach We the People?
You should attend our Constitution Camp in the fall. This professional development workshop will give teachers information about content, teaching strategies, and classroom applications for both our Moot Court and We the People programs. If you are unable to attend Constitution Camp, contact the program coordinator to discuss other options. Additionally, you can use the lessons/resources already available on our website.
Do you offer a more in-depth training to get started in the program?
We offer the We the People Institute each summer that provides engaging pedagogy and academic content centered on the highly effective We the People curriculum. We will announce the location and dates of the training each year on the Professional Development page. We are also happy to schedule individual assistance for you.
Do I need the textbooks to participate?
No, the textbook is not required because all research can be done using outside resources. The Center for Civic Education (CCE) provides many helpful free resources on their website. Their supplemental resources page includes access to a free, open course of We The People, a free online course series about the modern American political system called Strengthening Democracy, and many free lesson plans.
However, all the questions students are asked in the simulated Congressional hearings are rooted in the We the People textbook. Using the textbook will make it easier to guide the students in their research. Contact the Center for Civic Education to learn more about ordering e-books or printed books. They also have a Resource Center for the Middle School and High School textbooks that includes primary sources, videos, unit overviews, videos from National Finals, relevant court cases, and more, separated by unit & by lesson to follow the textbook
I don’t want to compete, but I want to give my students the opportunity to participate. What are my options?
You have two options:
1) If you decide not to compete, you can still participate in the non-competitive showcase. This runs concurrent to the state competition and allows schools to participate without being compared to other classes. At the middle school level, the state showcase does not rank students first, second, third, etc., but instead all participants are awarded participatory awards.
2) If you can’t come to the state competition/showcase, you can still do the program in your classroom. Need help setting that up? Contact Ryan Suskey at rsuskey@oclre.org or call (614) 485-3506 for assistance.
What if I can’t teach all the units? Can I still participate?
Absolutely. Participating in the state showcase gives teachers the flexibility to teach the units they can get to without overwhelming the students. If you are using the hearing in your classroom, you have the flexibility to adjust to fit your students’ needs.
Are there restrictions on my students or the classes that participate?
If you are participating in the High School State Competition, an entire rostered class needs to participate. If you are participating in the state invitational or showcase, there isn’t a restriction on the make-up of your participating students. It can be an after-school group, pull-out group, partial class, etc.
