Check out our 250th collection which integrates the study of civics across disciplines to help students identify, analyze, and evaluate the underpinnings of the founding principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence through the framework of civil discourse.
Our Principles of Civil Discourse Primer covers skills and best practices for establishing discussion norms and brave learning environments.
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The second opening lesson in our Democracy and Literature unit explores how reading shaped the writers of the Declaration of Independence. Students examine how attention influences expression while learning to empathize with and critically analyze varying perspectives.
The first opening lesson in our Democracy Through Literature unit uses visual literacy and close reading to help students understand how authors from different eras wrote about and responded to their specific time and place.
This mini‐lesson is designed to help your students recognize and better understand negativity bias. This cognitive shortcut can motivate us to take action to address negative situations and avoid future problems; however, it can also lead to a pessimistic outlook and contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety.
This mini‐lesson is designed to help your students recognize and better understand the availability heuristic. This cognitive shortcut can help with quick decision‐making based on readily available information in our memory, but it can also lead to biased judgments that may overestimate or underestimate the frequency or probability of events.
This mini‐lesson is designed to help your students recognize and better understand dichotomous thinking. This cognitive shortcut can help with quick decision‐making by simplifying complicated issues into manageable categories; however, this bias can also lead to oversimplifications that can reinforce biases and even lead to extreme views.
Through this lesson, students examine how capitalism, religious tolerance, and openness to innovation created a society that pioneered modern finance, produced masterworks of art, and established values of individual liberty that persist in the Netherlands today.
This lesson examines how political fragmentation and competition among Italian city‐states during the Renaissance created an environment where innovation, art, and new ideas could flourish.
Through this lesson, students explore the remarkable achievements of China’s Song Dynasty (960‑1279 CE), a period of unprecedented technological innovation, urbanization, and economic prosperity that nearly sparked an industrial revolution centuries before Europe.
Sphere Education Initiatives’ 250th collection integrates the study of civics across disciplines to help students identify, analyze, and evaluate the underpinnings of the founding principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence through the framework of civil discourse.
Learn how civil discourse can help you foster strong discussions and connections for your students. Explore our lessons, conversation frameworks, teacher tools, and explainers adaptable for all disciplines and grade levels to get started.
This collection explores historical figures and cities who epitomize human progress and innovation worldwide. Students will examine influential individuals and places in science, art, and social reform, appreciating their transformative impact on shaping our world.
This collection aims to cultivate critical thinking skills in students as they explore microeconomics and macroeconomics, examining the role of government in the economy through lessons that encourage analysis, evaluation, and understanding of economic principles and government interventions.
Politics and society are interconnected and shape our daily lives. Values and principles should steer decisions on healthcare, education, immigration, and national security. Fostering civil discourse amidst disagreement is important for constructive governance and social harmony.
This equips teachers with engaging lesson plans to promote respectful and inclusive discussions around literature, enabling students to develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and effective communication while exploring diverse perspectives and themes in literary works.
Examine the Constitution’s principles and interpretation. How to balance personal freedoms with government intervention in areas such as health or national security? Consider the implications of constitutional amendments or law changes on rights and governance.
This collection is curated with lessons and resources that support the unique nature of civil discourse discussions in the science classroom. Lessons help students explore the intersection of the sciences, economics, public policy, and human progress.
How should we grapple with the legacies of complex historical figures? Join Sphere Education Initiatives and Civic Spirit for this unique virtual professional learning opportunity.
| January 24, 2026 • 8 AM — 3:30 PM MST |
Join educators from around the Southwest as we celebrate America at 250 by exploring the Founding principles as articulated in the Declaration of Independence. Discover how timeless ideas of liberty and civil discourse can inspire the next generation to carry our democracy forward.
