Welcome to The Civics Institute

Improving Civic Education for Our Future

Curricula for teachers

This site provides 27 instructional units on state and local government for the high school level of instruction. The lesson plans were written by teachers and include links to resources on the web and downloadable files such as rubrics, handouts, and video clips.

Lesson plans for elementary level are available now!

Middle school will be published in June 2009.

Initiatives and programs

Thumbnail of the Michigan House Civics Commission web siteMichigan House Civics Commission (MHCC)

The MHCC helps teachers and students by providing opportunities to learn by doing. Drawing on issues that impact them, students develop bill ideas and submit testimony to Michigan legislators.
Visit the MHCC web site to learn more.

Thumbnail of the International Youth Initiate web siteInternational Youth Initiative (IYI)

The IYI aims to help young people learn about issues affecting youth around the world and take socially responsible action to improve the lives of their peers locally, nationally, and globally-in other words, to become global citizens.
Visit the IYI web site to learn more.