 We asked our 2023 Civics for All of Us Teacher Institute cohort. What was it like seeing the original Constitution in the rotunda of the National Archives? And why is it important to teach the Constitution? Seeing the Constitution was just amazing. It absolutely gives me goosebumps. My seventh graders feel like, why do I need to know this? When is this ever going to apply to me? And that's something I have to show them. It does. Even though you're 12 or 13 years old, I'm teaching about a document that not only set up the way things are done now, but will affect you forever. It gives students a sense of grounding in where they are and who they are and people that came before them. And it lets them know that there's a system to everything and things are put together with purpose. I think it's important to teach the Constitution because in order to change what people may not agree with or what some people may view as broken, you have to understand what's their first. You have to understand what you're working with. It was a moving moment to just be able to kind of have that intimate setting with those documents, be able to really just look at them and take it in and understand what we are in the presence of. It's important to teach the Constitution and other Civics elements to my students, frankly, because their vote is going to count just as much as mine someday. They can use that knowledge to advocate in the Civic and other activities and by knowing that rights, they will know what to stand and they can make changes. Together we can make changes in our community. It's important for my kids to think about themselves as a citizen. You know, we often, we kind of dismiss children. They're too young. They don't really understand. But if you give them the opportunity, they will surprise you every time. I think it's important for my eighth graders in particular to really engage with that document to see what it means and to take it a step further for Civics and government. It's like, okay, now that we know what this document is supposed to do, if it is or is not doing that, what then do we do? Just thinking about things like their size and the scale and the grandiose nature of those and what that represents and how those are upheld as part of the underpinning of the society. But then again, just also thinking about who wasn't there, who was left out and how does the language allow us to negotiate a more perfect union and things like that is really remarkable. You guys should come to the National Archives and check it out. Join the National Archives for free Civics for all of us student distance learning programs on the Constitution. Visit civics.archives.gov to learn more.