American Civics Center




Program for US Middle School Students & Teachers (2021)

Sample Program: American Capital Exploration

Middle school students explore the capital city’s monuments, visit DC’s museums and engage in small group activities (led by our instructors) designed to build their historical frame of reference and civics skills. Participants journey to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. Programs are 5 days and 4 nights in duration.

  • American Civics Center - High School students at Vietnam Wall

    Day One: Saturday

    Arrival and Orientation

    • Registration – Check into your hotel.
    • Smithsonian American History Museum
    • Dinner
    • DC Orientation – Overview and goals.

  • Middle School students learn in the class and in Washington, DCDay Two: Sunday

    The Nation’s Capital & Foundations of Democracy

    • Breakfast & Daily Briefing – Prepare for the day’s activities
    • George Washington’s Mount Vernon Visit
    • Monument Study Visit – Onsite interpretation at the Jefferson
    • Memorial, Washington Monument and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
    • Lunch – Old Post Office Pavilion
    • Smithsonian American Indian Museum
    • Smithsonian Air & Space Museum
    • Pizza Dinner
    • Nighttime Monument Study Visit – Onsite at the Lincoln, Vietnam Veterans, Korean War and World War II Memorials

  • Middle School students learn near the White HouseDay Three: Monday

    Branches of Government

    • Breakfast and Daily Briefing
    • Legislative and Judicial Branches Visit – Explore the historical roles of Congress And Supreme Court on Capitol Hill
    • Lunch – Union Station
    • Ford’s Theatre Visit
    • Executive Branch Study Visit –Learn about historical role of the Presidency at the White House

  • Middle School students learn in Colonial WilliamsburgDay Four: Tuesday

    Journey Back in Time

    • Discover Jamestown & Colonial Williamsburg

  • Middle School students learn in Jamestown colonyDay Five: Wednesday

    Remembrance

    • Arlington National Cemetery Visit
    • U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
    • Late lunch followed by afternoon/or evening departure
Schedule subject to change. Download a printer-friendly program schedule »


Program Dates and Costs

We can provide you a price for any start date you desire for your group. If you wish to keep your program as affordable as possible for your students, you may want to consider visiting Washington DC between November and February. In addition, no matter what time of the year you choose to visit, we recommend you start your visit on a Saturday to keep your travel costs down . Click the Request A Planning Kit button and we'll provide you a specific price for the date you wish to attend our program.

In Their Own Words

  • We had the opportunity to explore the Library of Congress. Gary, a staff instructor showed us around where he was once employed. He took us to places that even our teachers, who consider Washington their second home, had never experienced. He explained the amazing architecture and the symbolism everywhere we looked.
    High School program participant
  • It has been fascinating to learn about our roommate’s culture, hobbies and everyday life – they are from Puerto Rico. We are pleased to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with two sweet, unique girls.
    High School program participant
  • Program has been everything we expected and much more.
    High School program participant
  • We had the opportunity to spend some time with our Senator. It was an incredible experience to converse about some very important issues that he is currently dealing with. He seemed very interested in our opinion. We were very honored to be able to experience everything that we did this week, and we will never forget meeting him. This opportunity has made our trip even more worthwhile and memorable.
    High School program participant
  • We were fortunate enough to meet with our congressman. We talked with him and his chief of staff, learned about the issues and committees that they were focusing on, and heard stories from his experience as a freshman congressman at the Inauguration.
    High School program participant
  • Throughout our trip to Washington, D.C., we have met a lot of important and powerful people.
    High School program participant
  • What good shall I do this day?
    Benjamin Franklin
  • We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.
    John F. Kennedy
  • I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.
    Thomas Jefferson
  • The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government.
    Thomas Jefferson
  • Stand with anybody that stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.
    Abraham Lincoln
  • Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.
    Thomas Jefferson
  • The Capitol Hill office visits allowed my students to exercise their participatory skills.
    Eric, California Teacher
  • We were pleased with the diversity of viewpoints our students were exposed to.  They got into some great discussions.
    Viviana, California Teacher
  • Our instructor Reggie was amazing.  The kids enjoyed his background knowledge base...The students came away with a deeper understanding of government and are already using it in the classroom.
    Sara, Texas Teacher

Plan Your Trip

Get started with your free planning kit for any of our programs. For your convenience, we'll send you an email with full pricing details and materials to help you compare providers as you make inquiries. We encourage you to compare the quality and cost of our program to others.

Request A Planning Kit

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American Civics Center   |   Email: outreach@americancivicscenter.com
8405 Richmond Highway, Suite I, Alexandria, Virginia 22309   |   Phone: 888-360-8817   |   Fax: 888-897-8723