Resources

Outside-the-Box Learning Ideas to Incorporate Into A Course

• Place-based Learning: Evaluate the values of the Declaration of Independence through the study of diverse sites in the community where your college or university is situated. Benefits: Place-based learning fosters deeper connections to communities and concepts and deepens students’ sense of civic identity and engagement.

• Engage with Primary Sources: Develop assignments that require students to analyze primary documents from the Revolutionary era, fostering a deeper understanding of the nation's founding principles. Use an online tool (Perusall, see this guide to get started) to annotate and paraphrase primary sources, and translate how the ideals apply to the current political context. Benefits: fosters critical thinking, writing and interpretation skills. 

• Podcasting America's 250th Anniversary: Assign students to create an informative and engaging podcast episode exploring significant themes, events, and discussions related to the 250th incorporating historical context expert insights, diverse perspectives and integrating primary sources and scholarly secondary sources. See sample assignment here. Benefits: students develop research, critical thinking, communication, and technical production skills while contributing meaningfully to discussions about the 250th.  

• Facilitating a Deliberative Dialogue: Assign students to facilitate a structured deliberative dialogue session to explore, discuss, and critically reflect on significant themes related to America's 250th anniversary, promoting civic learning, respectful engagement, and inclusive discussion. See sample assignment here. Benefits: students develop essential skills in civic engagement through research, facilitating dialogue and deliberation, critical analysis, and reflective practice. 

Host a Classroom, Campus or Community Film Screening of The American Revolution (2025)

Directed by Ken Burns, this six-part, 12-hour documentary series offers an in-depth exploration of the Revolutionary War, highlighting both renowned and lesser-known figures who shaped the nation's founding.The full series will be available to stream beginning Sunday, November 16, 2025 at PBS.org and serves as a comprehensive resource for understanding America's journey to independence.

Funding Sources

State-Level Grants: Many states have established commissions and grant programs for the 250th anniversary. For example:​

• Virginia: The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) provides grants for content development, exhibit design, and other humanities-related programs.

• North Carolina: America 250 NC offers grants for public art, educational activities, community events, exhibits, scholarly research, and more.

• Ohio: American 250 Ohio offers grants specifically for locally designated “America 250-Ohio Communities.” These grants will assist with activities being planned at the county, city, village and township levels. 

Check to see if your state has established a commission. 

University-Specific Opportunities: Some universities are offering internal grants for course development related to the 250th anniversary. For instance, the University of Pennsylvania's Kislak Center provides course development grants for faculty to create courses engaging with themes like democracy, freedom, and citizenship. Check if your institution has any similar offerings. 

National-level: 

• National Park Service Semiquincentennial Grants

K-12 Resources 

• National Park Service: Teaching the 250th with Historic Places: A Field Guide to Lessons for America’s Semiquincentennial

• America’s Field Trip - a contest that invites students across the country in grades 3–12 to be part of America’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them. 

• MissionUS - Developed for use by middle school students in the classroom and beyond, Mission US is a deeply-researched, award-winning educational media project with proven positive impact on history learning. 

American at 250: A Singular Opportunity

by Karen Kedrowski, Iowa State University

On July 4, 2026, the United States will mark the 250th anniversary—the semiquincentennial—of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There is a national movement planning celebrations at the national, state and community levels. The federal government and several states have also established commissions to plan activities and commemorations. It also comes at a time when state legislators, educators, and civic education scholars are grappling with how to increase public knowledge of and support for American ideals of democracy and the Constitution. In addition, the United States is going through a period of rapid change in foreign relations, tariff and trade policy, executive authority, and civil liberties. With the growth of misinformation and threats to institutional norms, higher education needs to step up to provide students with the knowledge and skills to be effective citizens today and in the future.

For all these reasons, America 250 is a singular opportunity to focus on civic education and civic engagement on our college campuses. This short essay first describes the planning underway at one institution and then provides some tips for faculty, departments, and civic education and engagement centers to promote civic literacy and American democratic ideals. 

America 250 at Iowa State University. Iowa State University (ISU) is a public, land-grant university of approximately 30,000 students. ISU established the Cyclone Civics initiative in 2024 in response to a directive from the Iowa Board of Regents. The initiative has a broad mission to promote civics through instruction, programming, and outreach. The leadership decided to use America 250 as a theme for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

To date, Cyclone Civics has scheduled nine public lectures on the general theme of America 250, including speakers focusing on women in the American founding, the influence of indigenous Americans on the Founders, and how pirates saved democracy. The Theatre program has also dedicated its 2025-26 season to plays focusing on themes of citizenship, democracy, and freedom. The athletics department, the journalism program, and the library have also been invited to participate. 

Some Ideas to Commemorate.  While the idea of significant planning for America 250 can be daunting, especially when institutional resources are scarce and funding from partners such as state humanities councils has been cut, funding may be available from state commissions or private foundations (see resources below). There are also cost-effective ways to approach this celebration. Here are a few examples:  

• Use local talent. Faculty members in Political Science, History, Economics, Literature, Philosophy and other humanities and social science faculty may be willing to host public lectures or forums. Select a compelling and related issue or theme that will appeal to students, faculty, staff and community partners in your context.

• Piggy-back on events already on the calendar. Does your institution mark Constitution Day, the Martin Luther King holiday and/or commemorative months? Does your institution have any relevant endowed lecture series? Use these and similar opportunities to offer your own expertise or organize a synergetic event on issues relevant to American history, government, and democratic ideals. 

• Move Beyond Colonial and Revolutionary America. While many America 250 celebrations will  focus on the colonial and revolutionary periods, think outside the box for other significant events or periods that are ripe for conversation. 

• Find Partners. Don’t work alone. Look for collaborators, including, possibly, music and theatre programs, journalism and mass communication courses; athletics, student affairs, the League of Women Voters or other community organizations or local town government.  Local K-12 teachers, schools and districts may also be organizing educational activities, which can provide another venue for partnership. See K-12 resources below.

• Embed Special Activities in Relevant Courses (see resources below). Encourage faculty to use various supplements in their courses that relate to the America 250 theme. For example, consider film selections in popular culture or film critique courses, public speaking topics, video games in courses on game design. 

Use the 2026 Midterm Elections: The midterm elections are another opportunity to engage with America’s history of voting rights while also focusing on student voter mobilization. There are also opportunities to discuss the changing composition of the US Congress, state legislatures, and other elected bodies, reflecting the diversity of the American polity.