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Language: en

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Florida students in 
kindergarten to 12th grade

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study American civics and government 
in all public schools across the state. 

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This short video will talk a little about 
what students will be learning 

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and inform families on 
how we can all support 

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Florida's K through 12 civics and 
government education initiative.

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What are civics and 
government, exactly?

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Government may be defined 
as the laws, rules, 

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and principles by which a nation,

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state, or locality is governed.

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Civics may be defined as the study 
of the rights and duties of citizenship.

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What should someone know about their 
country to be an informed citizen?

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How could someone be prepared 
to be an engaged citizen?

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These are some of the questions 
addressed by the study of civics.

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Civics isn't just a curriculum in school.

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It's a lifelong process of developing people 
into responsible members of their communities. 

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This includes individuals being 
members of their families,

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their schools, their neighborhoods, 
their towns, their states, their nation,

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even the entire world.

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Florida's academic standards 

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detail what public school 
students are expected

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to learn in a variety of subjects, 
including social studies.

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The original Sunshine State 
Standards date to 1996 

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when they were first approved 
by the State Board of Education.

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The next generation Sunshine State 
Standards were approved in 2008.

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Civics and government is 
just one of several strands 

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or areas of social studies that are included 
in the current state academic standards.

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The other strands include 
American history, world history, geography,

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economics, humanities, psychology, 
sociology, and financial literacy.

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In 2021, the civics and government standards 
were revised and updated,

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and a brand new social study strand 
was added Holocaust education.

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In the school year beginning in 2023,

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the new Holocaust and revised civic standards were implemented.

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The specific standards and benchmarks for 
each grade level can be found@cpalms.org.

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Florida's revised standards for civics 
and government will assist students 

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in developing an understanding of their 
shared rights and responsibilities as citizens.

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In the broadest sense,

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Florida's students will develop an understanding 
of the history and content of America's founding documents,

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as well as learn about the influences 

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that guided America's founders in the
formation of the United States government.

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Students will recognize how the United States  government,

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founded on the fundamental principles of liberty and democracy, 

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has uniquely secured for modern Americans the blessings of Liberty 

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promised in the US Constitution.

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In order to fully appreciate this,

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Florida students are required by law to 
learn about other government ideologies,

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like communism and totalitarianism, 

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that have historically oppressed 
individual's freedoms.

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This will allow students to 
engage in a comparative analysis 

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of the advantages of the 
United States Constitutional Republic.

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From kindergarten to 12th grade,

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Florida students will learn about 
American civics and government 

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in a way that evolves and builds as 
students progress through their education. 

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For example, in early grades like 
kindergarten through second grade,

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students learn to describe and explain the 
characteristics of citizenship in their school community. 

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Then in grades three through five,

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students expand their idea of citizenship 
to explain the importance of voting,

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public service, and volunteerism 
to the state and the nation.

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In grades six through eight

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students will find themselves differentiating

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between the obligations and 
responsibilities of American citizenship,

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and when they reach high school,

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students will expand their 
conception of citizenship 

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to explain the importance of 
political and civic participation 

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to the success of their 
constitutional republic.

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Florida's Civics Literacy 
Excellence Initiative aims

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 to forge strong connections

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by integrating civics with 
other subject areas.

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When we look at the progression of 
skills from elementary to high school,

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we can see how the concepts deepen 
as students move into higher grade levels.

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For instance,

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when learning about citizenship in kindergarten 
through second grade English language arts,

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students may read a book about 
citizenship during circle time

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 and discuss ways to be a responsible citizen.

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And, when expanding their idea of 
citizenship in grades three through five math,

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students may solve real world math problems 
like voting or collecting donations and graphing data. 

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In middle school science,

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students may need to explain the role of 
citizens in addressing local environmental problems 

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using research to propose 
public policy solutions.

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And, in high school history,

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students approaching the 
legal age to vote 

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may research the background behind 
various constitutional amendments 

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that have expanded the right to vote 
throughout American history.

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reinforcing civics and other subject areas 
will foster strong connections for

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students that will extend beyond 
the classroom and into the community.

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The state of Florida considers that the 
right of parents and guardians

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to support the upbringing, 
education, and care of their children.

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As parents and guardians,

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feel empowered to support 
civics education at home,

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by discussing and reinforcing the 
concepts and skills learned in school.

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Please explore the additional family 
resources for civics and government 

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that offer families ideas to do together 

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and provide information for each 
standard at each grade level.

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Together we can ensure civics education extends 
beyond the classroom and into our daily lives.

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Talk with our young Americans about 
what values Americans share,

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how we can best become informed 
and engage citizens of this great nation,

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and how we can all play a role in maintaining our 
constitutional republic for generations to come. 

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Thank you for doing your part.