Whitehall Fourth Graders Put Civics Into Practice

Fourth graders in Mrs. Quinton’s class at Whitehall recently got a firsthand look at how an idea moves through the lawmaking process, and then had the chance to put that lesson to work themselves. ​ After learning about the responsibilities of the three branches of government, the students developed their own proposals for lunch and recess at school. They had to explain their thinking, listen to feedback, and consider how a change might affect other students rather than just focusing on what they personally liked.

The project turned out to be about much more than memorizing the branches of government. The students  practiced how to speak up for an idea, listen when someone sees things differently, and think about the community around them before making a final decision. Mrs. Quinton’s fourth graders turned civics into something they could actually take part in, connecting a big, abstract concept directly to their own school experience.