The Racial Justice and Black Lives Matter Learning Pathway features four digital choice boards: Black Lives Historical Explorations; Black History Month; History of the Black Press; and Exploring Black History with ChatGPT. There are also links to Black History topics throughout our Building Democracy for All eBook.

In this Influential Women Learning Pathway, you will find four digital choice boards: Women's History Month; Influential Women in History; U.S. Women and the Wars; and Women Discoverers in STEM. There are also links to learning activities in the Building Democracy for All eBook that focus directly on women's roles and experiences in government and society.

In this Student Rights in School and Society Learning Pathway, you will find a Student Legal Rights Digital Choice Board and links to learning activities throughout the Building Democracy for All eBook focusing on students' rights and responsibilities in the American political and educational systems.

The Elections 2024, 2022, & 2020 Learning Pathway consists of sections on voting rights, voter suppression, and the history of elections in the U.S., resources and materials for the 2024 Presidential election, and historical information on the 2022 mid-terms and the 2020 Presidential election.

The Critical Media Literacy Learning Pathway features background on "What is Media Literacy?" and key concepts of critical media literacy as well as learning activities throughout the Building Democracy for All eBook that promote media literacy learning for students.

Topic 1 explores the philosophical and historical origins of the United States system of democratic government, beginning with Ancient Athens and the Roman Republic and including how Enlightenment thinkers, North American colonial governments, and First People tribes influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the structure of U.S. government.  

Topic 2 examines the development of the United States government during the time period of the American Revolution. It focuses on the founding documents of our democracy—the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights—as well as the contentious political debates that surrounded, and continue to surround, the meaning of those texts, demonstrated by current struggles of people of color, women, and LGBTQIA individuals for equal rights as well as efforts by people and courts to balance states rights and federal power in the pursuit of social and economic justice.

Topic 3 examines the central institutions or branches of the United States government along with their roles and functions in our political system.

Topic 4 explores the rights and responsibilities of citizens and noncitizens in U.S. democracy. It consists of 13 modules ranging from how to become a citizen to the different ways that each of us can actively participate in political and civic life through voting, public service, political protest, and membership in public and private interest groups.

Public service includes careers in government and diplomacy, education and training (including K-12 teaching), public safety, non-profit organizations, and environment and conservation. The following modules include a short history of public education and the question "Is teaching a career for you?" There are investigations of divisive concepts laws, teachers' first amendment rights, and for whom are and could public schools be named.

Topic 5 explores the evolving nature of the United States Constitution through amendments, landmark Supreme Court decisions, social and political movements, and dramatic historical events. Chapters address the history and the present-day realities of core constitutional issues around the struggles of women, people of color, and individuals with disabilities to gain civil rights and civil liberties in our nation's democratic system.

Topic 6 explores the roles of state and local government in Massachusetts and throughout the United States.

There is one federal government, 50 state governments, and 574 Native American tribal governments in the United States. The activities in this section explore how state, federal government, and tribal governments function under the concept of federalism. The history of Sequoyah, the Native American state that almost existed in 1905 is discussed. Part-time versus full-time state legislatures are examined as contrasting models for governmental decision-making. There is a teacher-designed learning plan about Native American school mascots and logos and a media literacy activity about government power during the Pandemic.

A Constitution establishes a framework of democratic governance. The activities in this section examine the constitutional powers of state and national government in the U.S. as well as the restrictions that exist on those powers. There is the history of efforts to abolish slavery in Massachusetts, including court cases involving Mum Bett, the first enslaved African to be freed under the Massachusetts Constitution. The question of whether governments should pay reparations for slavery is discussed.

The Massachusetts state constitution, that served as a model for the federal constitution, is still the oldest functioning constitution in effect in the world today. The activities in this section examine efforts to incorporate gender-inclusive language in state constitutions and laws, and consider whether Massachusetts - the first state to legalize marriage for same-sex couples - should constitutionally mandate an LGBTQIA-inclusive curriculum in its K-12 schools.

In the United States, there is one federal government, 50 state governments, 89,004 local governments, 573 American Indian tribal governments, and five territorial governments. These governments directly affect the lives of people who live in the areas governed by the laws passed. This chapter contrasts the responsibilities of government at the federal, state, and local levels.

Topic 7 explores the role of the Press, News, and Media Literacy in 21st century America's digital society. The News is everything of importance that happens when we are not physically present to see it for ourselves. Since we were not there, we rely on the Press to report it to us.