The Our American Voice Civics Curriculum (OAV) is a one-of-a-kind civic learning program for middle school students (Grades 5-8). OAV has been implemented throughout the state of Illinois reaching more than 175 teachers and over 7,000 students in 150 schools

This new edition of the OAV curriculum contains lessons that have been updated to include Family Life is Civic Life components.

OAV CORE PRINCIPLES

In OAV, students learn four core principles:

• Citizenship is a way of life, not a singular event
• With our rights and freedoms come responsibilities
• The success of the individual and the community are interdependent
• The informed participation of the people shapes and sustains our democracy

They also learn the fundamentals of democracy and develop critical thinking and analysis skills.

OAV TOPICS

These four principles are addressed in lessons on 10 topics:

Citizenship is a way of life, not a singular event

• Citizenship and the Common Good
• Rules, Laws and Responsibilities
• I’m More Than You See

With our rights and freedoms come responsibilities

• Power to the People
• A Living Document

The success of the individual and the community are interdependent

• News, Perspective, Bias
• Everyone’s Voices
• Making It Better

The informed participation of the people shapes and sustains our democracy

• Federal, State and Local Government
• Impacts of Congress

OAV LESSONS

There are three different levels of lessons (Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced) for each topic which enables aligning content focus and depth to student knowledge

• The BEGINNING level presents concepts at an introductory level appropriate for students with little to no experience in civic instruction or involvement.
• The INTERMEDIATE level builds on basic content knowledge enabling students to develop a deeper understanding of government and civic participation.
• The ADVANCED level allows students to apply their understanding of government and civic participation to enhance their civic knowledge, skills and dispositions.

All of the lessons feature Library of Congress primary sources. Each lesson contains digitized Student Learning Activities structured to Spark Inquiry, Deepen Inquiry, Connect and Act and Teacher Instructions on how to implement the digitized learning activities. There is a summative assessment for each Core Principle . These assessments can be used individually after the lessons for a Core Principle are delivered or together after the Civics Curriculum is completed.

There is a FAMILY LIFE IS CIVIC LIFE component for each of the 10 topics in the OAV curriculum.