| 1 | Rules We Already Follow | Why do groups need rules? | Rule recognition and analysis | rule, fairness, consequence | Name three rules you follow every day. Who made them? | Find a rule in your home, school, and community that serves a similar purpose |
| 2 | The Island Challenge | How would you design rules for a new community from scratch? | Cooperative rule design | governance, cooperation, agreement | What was the hardest rule to agree on? Why? | Research how one real community formed its first laws |
| 3 | From Families to Nations | How does cooperation scale from small groups to large ones? | Scale analysis in civic systems | scale, institution, norms | What changes when a group grows from 5 to 500 people? | Compare rules in your household to rules in your school |
| 4 | The Social Contract | What is the deal between citizens and government? | Social contract analysis | social contract, rights, responsibilities, consent | In one sentence: what do citizens give government, and what does government give citizens? | Find a real example of a social contract being renegotiated |
| 5 | The Constitution | Why did the US need a founding document? | Constitutional analysis | constitution, amendment, Bill of Rights | Name two things the Bill of Rights protects | Research how a constitutional amendment was passed |
| 6 | Three Branches, One Government | Why is government power divided? | Separation of powers analysis | legislative, executive, judicial, separation of powers | What does each branch do? Which branch makes laws? | Find one example of each branch in action this week |
| 7 | How a Law Is Made | How does an idea become a law? | Legislative process mapping | bill, vote, veto, compromise | Describe the path of a bill from idea to signed law | Follow a real proposed law through its current stage in Congress |
| 8 | Checks and Balances | How do the branches keep each other in check? | Checks and balances analysis | check, balance, override, review | Give one example of one branch checking another | Find a recent news example of checks and balances in action |
| 9 | Elections and Voting | How does "power flows from the people" actually work? | Electoral system analysis | election, vote, representative, suffrage | How did the right to vote expand over US history? | Research one expansion of voting rights |
| 10 | Your Town, Your Rules | How are decisions made in your local community? | Local government analysis | mayor, city council, ordinance, public meeting | Name one local official and one decision they make | Attend or watch a local government meeting |
| 11 | Schools, Libraries, and Public Services | What services does your community provide, and how? | Public services analysis | public service, tax, commons, funding | Name three public services you use. Who provides them? | Research how your local library or school is funded |
| 12 | Seeing Government in Action | How do citizens interact with local government? | Civic participation skills | public comment, petition, representation | What are two ways a citizen can participate in local government? | Write a public comment letter on a local issue you care about |
| 13 | Diplomacy and Trade | Why do countries cooperate? | International relations analysis | diplomacy, treaty, trade, supply chain | Why would two countries cooperate even when they disagree? | Find one real trade agreement and describe what it covers |
| 14 | Solving Problems Across Borders | What problems require international cooperation? | Global commons analysis | international organization, global commons, coordination | Name one problem that no single country can solve alone | Research one international organization and what it does |
| 15 | Spotting Problems Worth Solving | How do citizens identify real community problems? | Civic observation | civic problem, observation, stakeholder | Describe one real problem in your community you have noticed | Interview someone affected by the problem you identified |
| 16 | Research and Plan Your Proposal | How do you build a proposal that could work? | Policy research and planning | evidence, proposal, solution, feasibility | What evidence supports your proposed solution? | Find an example of a similar problem that was solved in another community |
| 17 | Build Your Case | How do you communicate a civic proposal effectively? | Persuasive civic communication | argument, evidence, audience, call to action | Practice your opening statement out loud | Get feedback from someone outside your group |
| 18 | Citizen Showcase | What does it mean to be an active citizen? | Civic reflection and synthesis | citizen, participation, community, change | What is one thing you would do differently in your proposal if you started over? | Find out who in your real community you could present this to |
| Bonus 1 | Understanding Courts | How do courts decide what is fair? | Court system analysis | court, judge, plaintiff, defendant, verdict | What is the difference between a criminal and a civil court case? | Research one landmark Supreme Court case |
| Bonus 2 | The Mock Trial | How does a fair trial work? | Mock trial participation | trial, evidence, opening statement, verdict | After the trial: was the process fair? What would you change? | Research how jury selection works |