Course Logistics

Learn how to guide students through every stage of a high-quality, student-led civics project. In this course, you'll explore strategies for helping students identify and investigate civic issues, build consensus, analyze credible sources, and understand root causes. You'll also develop instructional approaches that strengthen civic skills through purposeful learning activities while ensuring English learners and students with disabilities are fully supported throughout the project. Dates: Wednesday, October 21 to Tuesday, November 17, 2026 Course Format: Asynchronous Duration: 15 hours; 10 hours asynchronous Professional Development Points (PDPs): 20 Fee: $450 for all educators outside of Massachusetts (no charge for Massachusetts public school educators)

Course Overview

7 Chapters · 47 Lessons

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Introduction

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      Pre-Course Survey

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      Conducting Research in the Student-Led Civics Project

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      The Research Stage in Action (20 minutes)

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      Research Fundamentals: Including All Voices and Finding Credible Information (45 minutes)

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      Including All Voices

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      Using Credible Resources

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      Deepening Research: Making Online Research More Accessible (40 minutes)

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      Sources Other Than Text

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      Organizing Research

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      Deepening Research: Collecting Your Own Data (30 minutes)

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      Data Collection: Interviews and Consulting with Experts (45 minutes)

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      Interview Resources

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      Resource: Email Template

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      Resource: Interview Template

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      Data Collection: Effective Surveys (30 minutes)

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      Closing

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      Resource 1: Mary Foyle

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      Resource 2: Jessica Lander

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      Resource 3: Frequency Observation Form

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      Resource 4: Conducting an Effective Survey

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      Resource 5: Nico Transcript

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      Engaging with Primary Sources for Civic Learning

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      Primary Sources and Why They Matter in Civics (40 minutes)

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      Identifying the Civic Learning Opportunities in a Source (25 minutes)

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      Designing Access To and Engagement With Primary Sources (80 minutes)

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      Helping Students Become Critical Consumers of Primary Sources (25 minutes)

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      Thoughtful Production of Primary Sources for Civic Engagement (25 minutes)

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      Putting It All Together (25 minutes)

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      Additional Resources

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      Closing

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      Resource 1: Gallery Walk

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      Resource 2: Public Service Announcement

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      Resource 3: PSA Video Transcript

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      Developing Media Literacy and News Literacy

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      What is Media Literacy? (30 minutes)

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      What Is News Literacy? (20 minutes)

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      Key Principles of Media Literacy (50 minutes)

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      Key Principles of News Literacy (50 minutes)

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      AI and Media Literacy

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      Working with Librarians to Teach News Literacy

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      Explore Thoughtful Media Production (50 minutes)

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      Additional Resources

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      Closing

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      Resource 1: Media Literacy Bulletin 2

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      Post-Course Survey

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      Culminating Task: Developing Research and Media Literacy Skills in the Student-Led Civics Project

About Primary Source

Primary Source educates global citizens by working with teachers to foster students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions for thoughtful and engaged citizenship. With our guidance and resources, teachers cultivate students’ civic-mindedness, cultural awareness, and global competence, preparing them for our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. We collaborate with teachers, schools, and educational organizations to offer professional development programs and resources that help make global, civics, and cultural education an integral part of every student’s classroom experience. Our engaging face-to-face and online programs, curriculum resources, and international study tours enhance global understanding, civic engagement, and cultural understanding, and help thousands of teachers every year bring the wider world to their students. To learn more, visit our homepage at primarysource.org!