Lesson Plans
Standards-aligned civic education resources designed for Hawaiʻi teachers. Each unit includes lesson plans, student materials, and assessment tools.
The PACE Commission is committed to fostering active, informed citizenship across our islands. We have created this suite of educational resources to help students understand their power and responsibility within our democracy. These PACE-generated lesson plans go beyond the textbook, inviting students to explore real-world civic issues and engage with their communities in meaningful ways.
Elementary (K-5)
Project-based learning experiences that build civic knowledge and skills
Creating a Classroom Constitution
Students learn about rules, fairness, and democracy by creating their own classroom constitution. This hands-on project introduces young learners to civic concepts through familiar classroom experiences.
Community Treasure Map
Students explore their local community by creating treasure maps that highlight important places, people, and services. This project connects geography skills with civic awareness.
Community Leaders Showcase
Students research and create exhibits about community leaders and helpers. This project develops research skills while teaching students about civic roles and responsibilities.
Rights and Responsibilities
Students become “super citizens” as they learn about civic virtues, rights, and responsibilities through engaging activities. This unit makes citizenship concepts accessible and fun.
Ancient Hawaiian Rules: Protecting Land and People
Students explore ancient Hawaiian governance systems and environmental stewardship practices. This culturally-grounded unit connects Hawaiian values with modern civic concepts.
Our Rights, Our Future
Students examine the Bill of Rights and explore how constitutional protections apply to their daily lives. This unit connects historical documents with contemporary civic issues.
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
In-depth analysis and critical thinking about civic issues and engagement
Connecting the Past and Present
Students explore ancient civilizations (Mesopotamia, Egypt, China) and connect historical governance systems with modern community problem-solving through a civic awareness campaign project.
High School (Grades 9-12)
Advanced inquiry into societal structure, rights, and civic unity
Intro to Civic Engagement
Students explore what it means to be an actively engaged citizen by reading about youth activists in Hawaiʻi and beyond, discussing civic responsibility, and creating a presentation that brings civic action to life.
Harrison Bergeron: Can a Perfect Society Exist?
Through Kurt Vonnegut’s dystopian short story, students explore themes of equality, government responsibility, and societal structure. They design their own “perfect society” and participate in a Socratic seminar.
The Hill We Climb: Creating Hope Among Division
Students analyze Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem to understand how communities heal after division. The unit includes poetry analysis, group discussions, and a literary analysis essay exploring themes of hope and unity.
About These Resources
These K-12 civics education resources are the result of a collaborative partnership between the Hawaii Commission to Promote and Advance Civic Education (PACE Commission) and the American Judicature Society (AJS).
Each lesson was developed by Hawaii-based public and private school teachers who bring deep knowledge of our local context and student needs. The lessons are designed to support quality civic education while honoring Hawaii’s unique constitutional heritage and diverse learning communities.
These free educational resources are available to all educators across Hawaii—public, private, and charter schools alike.
We are grateful to the teachers who contributed their expertise and time to creating these materials, and to the American Judicature Society for their partnership in advancing civic learning throughout our state.