Here’s a quiz: Can you name all three branches of government? Of course you can, because you are a member of NCSL (or interested enough to check out our site). But 1 in 3 Americans can’t name all three—and 1 in 6 can’t name any. It’s not for lack of trying by states. Every capitol offers opportunities for civic learning, from tour information to activities, videos, history displays and scavenger hunts, and plenty of online resources. But there’s more work to be done. And that’s the focus of national Civic Learning Week, starting today. Led by iCivics, it’s a week of activities in schools, online and in communities to get people jazzed about the powers and responsibilities of citizenship. Like this kid, Kephas Garcia, from Monte Vista Elementary School in Las Cruces, N.M. Garcia took his fifth grade civics education to heart.
To demonstrate the crucial role that state legislatures and the people in them play in teaching civics, this week’s Map Monday is a guide to every state’s resources. And here’s more about Civic Learning Week.