The events of January 6, 2021, may generate feelings of fear or anger in students. Teachers can create a space, whether in the physical classroom or on a remote learning platform, for students to express discomfort and feelings of anger or distress that may emerge from discussing these events. The Social Studies and Civics Department of the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) has compiled a resource guide to support teachers in holding conversations with their students following the insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6. Included are teacher-facing resources, student-facing resources with focus questions and questions for discussion, and links to relevant lessons from the NYCDOE Passport to Social Studies and Civics for All curricula. Social studies teachers are encouraged to use primary-source analysis strategies with images and text from Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021, to guide students in beginning and leading classroom conversations. The guide was compiled as events unfolded and will be updated to include additional resources.
TheWhite House Historical Association is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a student art competition on the theme The White House: An American Story. The association is seeking submissions from students across the nation that depict and reflect the White House, its collection, and its diverse history.
KidCitizen introduces a new way for K–5 students to engage with US history. In KidCitizen’s interactive episodes, children explore civics and government concepts by investigating primary source photographs from the Library of Congress and connect what they find with their daily lives.
Teachers nationwide are considering how to support students who may be traumatized by images of violence at the United States Capitol on January 6. Some school districts are offering counseling services for students, giving them opportunities to share.