Civics 101

The Inaugural Virginia Declaration of Learning Program

By Leah Baer. Photos by John Dixon

As the semiquincentennial approaches (250th anniversary of signing the Declaration of Independence in 2026), momentum to strengthen civic education across the nation has spurred the creation of professional development programs aimed at helping educators integrate civics into their classrooms. In 2021, the American Civil War Museum partnered with the Chrysler Museum of Art, Diplomatic Reception Room, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Virginia Department of Education, and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture to launch the inaugural yearlong Virginia Declaration of Learning program. The Virginia Declaration of Learning is a product of the Declaration of Learning initiative launched on January 30, 2013, by the Department of State and Diplomatic Reception Rooms in conjunction with eleven other government agencies and organizations. The goal of the initiative is to collaborate with state and local institutions to facilitate professional development programs that utilize their respective collections to help educators create object-based lesson plans. Each partner institution selects objects that evoke stories of civic engagement and inspire students to recognize the importance of playing an active role in their communities.

The program is open to 4th-12th grade teachers of art, social studies, language arts, gifted and talented, special education, and ESL/ELL as well as librarians and media specialists. There are also no parameters on school type. The application process for the program gauged each educator’s interest in civic engagement and object-based learning. The ACWM and its partner organizations invited 30 educators to participate out of a pool of 116 applicants. The VDOL partners divided the participants into six regional teams and assigned each one a mentor who participated in the Arkansas Declaration of Learning program.

After a year of planning, the Summit (or workshop portion of the program) commenced virtually on July 19th and concluded on July 23rd. The objects selected by the American Civil War museum were the Van Lew Plate and Saucer, the Battle Flag of the 49th North Carolina Infantry, a “Measuring Rod” Textbook Evaluation Pamphlet, the Chesterfield County Poll Book, and the Great Seal of the Confederacy. Throughout the week each museum partner shared their respective objects and led sessions that delved into new pedagogical techniques. After surveying the objects, educators selected one from each institution to create a unit plan, daily lesson plan, and a civic engagement plan. The Chesterfield County Poll Book proved to be one of the most popular ACWM objects among the cohort. William Shuman, a social studies educator at Cosby High School in Chesterfield County, used the poll book to guide a discussion about the history of voting limitations and the impetus for an inspiring student-led civic engagement project. Students in one of Shuman’s classes mobilized to increase voter turnout in Chesterfield County. The students divided themselves into teams and designated tasks such as creating a social media plan and conducting outreach to help people living in senior living communities vote.

Ana Edwards welcomes the VDOL participants and gives a brief history of the Tredegar Ironworks. Ana also lead tours of Brown's Island.

Robert Hancock, ACWM Senior Curator, talks about the significance of selected artifacts to the topic of civic engagement.

VDOL participants examine a group of carte-de-viste images from the Motley Collection.

The regional teams met throughout the week and frequently during the academic school year to work on and review their plans. Despite only meeting virtually, the educators forged strong bonds that were unequivocal when they gathered at Mount Vernon on February 3 for a weekend of site visits. After spending a day at Mount Vernon that included exploring the grounds and presentations, the group traveled to Richmond to visit the ACWM and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. Their visit at the ACWM entailed a self-guided tour of “A People’s Contest,” a brief walk to Brown’s Island to see the recently unveiled Emancipation and Freedom monument, and a preview of some of the artifacts that will be included in the 2022-2023 VDOL program.

The VDOL program brings the collection of the American Civil War Museum into classrooms throughout the state. The students that are touched through this program will not only develop critical-thinking skills through object-based learning but also be inspired to become more civically engaged in their communities. END (Top-bottom) Van Lew Plate and Saucer, Great Seal of the Confederacy, Chesterfield County, VA Poll Book. Photos: ACWM Collection Ana Edwards welcomes the VDOL participants and gives a brief history of the Tredegar Ironworks. Ana also lead tours of Brown's Island.

Van Lew plate and saucer

Great Seal of the Confederacy

Chesterfield County, VA poll book