From the Reading Room to the Classroom

Civics Education with Congressional Records 

The future of the great experiment in government that is the United States of America relies on an informed and engaged electorate and inspired leadership from today's students. The Byrd Center is contributing to this future through the development of educational resources that enable students to understand the complexities of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and to inspire them to play their part in the "People's Branch." With the support of the National Archives and Records Administration's Center for Legislative Studies and a nationwide network of congressional repositories known as the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress, the Byrd Center is uniquely positioned to be a leader in the development and implementation of educational resources focusing on Congress, the Constitution, and civic engagement. In addition to creating lesson plans and classroom tools, the Byrd Center also offers training for these resources through its annual Teacher Institute which provides one-day workshops across the state of West Virginia. 

Below are a sampling of teaching resources that have been developed from the Byrd Center's collections or through collaborations with partner organizations and archival repositories.  

West Virginia /Appalachia Lesson Plans

Redeveloping Appalachia: Legislating the Future of West Virginia

Grade Level(s): Middle and High School
Subjects: West Virginia History, Economics, Geography

Synopsis: In 1965, Congress passed the Appalachian Regional Development Act, investing federal money into infrastructure, education, and healthcare projects across the Appalachian states, including West Virginia. In over fifty years, the Appalachian Regional Commission (formed by the act) has invested billions of dollars in this vision of economic redevelopment for the chronically-depressed Appalachian states, with mixed degrees of success and failure. In this lesson, students can learn about the creation of the ARC through a virtual exhibit and how it has impacted the state. An experiential learning task gives students the opportunity to decide for themselves how they, as legislators, would act to lift the economy of West Virginia through a policy such as the ARC.

The Floods of 1985: The Government Responds
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Grade Level(s): Middle and High School
Subjects: West Virginia History, U.S. Government

Synopsis: The storm of November 3-5, 1985, in the central Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia and Virginia was spurred by Hurricane Juan. Heavy rainfall in West Virginia and Virginia produced extraordinary flooding and triggered thousands of landslides. The record flooding killed 47 people in West Virginia, damaged 9,000 homes, and destroyed business and public lands. The estimated damage cost the federal government $285 million in public assistance, assistance to individuals and businesses, and flood damage claim payments.This lesson uses congressional and political documents to introduce students to the historic 1985 Election Day Floods in West Virginia and to lead them through the recovery process. 
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Congress / Federal Government Lesson Plans

Necessitous Men are Not Free Men: FDR, Congress, and Rights during the Great Depression

Grade Level(s): Middle and High School
Subjects: U.S. Government, U.S. History, Economics


Synopsis: How did the New Deal change the federal government’s role in American society? This lesson plan uses primary sources including speeches from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and artwork from the Great Depression Era to explore how the federal response to this economic crisis changed the perceptions of balance of power and the role of the federal government. These resources can also inspire conversation on the different ways New Deal Era programs impacted minority communities in the United States. The artwork featured in this lesson plan provides an excellent opportunity for teaching visual literacy. View a video demonstration of this lesson plan from our 2020 Teacher Institute >>

The Great Society Congress: Congress, the Great Society in the 1960s, and Today

Grade Level(s): High School
Subjects: U.S. Government, U.S. History, Economics, World History

Synopsis: Between January 1965 and December 1966, the 89th United States Congress enacted the most extensive legislative program since the New Deal. The Voting Rights Act, Immigration and Nationality Act, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and Social Security Act are but a few of the many significant laws passed during the 89th Congress. This lesson studies legislation passed in response to President Lyndon Baines Johnson's call for America to become a "Great Society." Students will detail the President's vision, summarize its historic context, and explain the ways in which Congress responded. The main source for their research will be the online exhibit entitled The Great Society Congress created by the Association of Centers for the Study of Congress.

Congress and International Affairs Lesson Plans

Grade Level(s): High School
Subjects: U.S. Government, Foreign Affairs, World History

Synopsis: What insights about the Senate’s role in American foreign policy can students gain from studying the Panama Canal Treaty debates of the late 1970s? This lesson plan explores the deliberation over the Panama Canal Treaties in the U.S. Senate under the leadership of Senator Robert C. Byrd. Documents and political cartoons explore the United States' involvement with the building and control over the Panama Canal throughout the twentieth century and how our decision to hand over control to the Panamanian government was viewed by the American public during the Cold War Era. Click here to view a video demonstration of this lesson plan from our 2020 Teacher Institute >>
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Grade Level(s): High School
Subjects​: U.S. Government, Foreign Affairs, World History

Synopsis: The Constitution is equally specific and ambiguous in its definition of war powers. While Congress is given the authority to declare war and oversee the creation and maintenance of the armed forces, the President is given power as the “Commander in Chief” of those same armed forces. This ambiguity has created a fluid interpretation of war powers throughout American history which continues to define the political arena around our present War on Terror. In this lesson plan, past resolutions of war, speeches from members of Congress, and political cartoons are used to explore how we decide to make war against other nations. Click here to view a video demonstration of this lesson plan from our 2020 Teacher Institute >>

Other Resources:

The National Archives and Records Administration's Center for Legislative Archives provides several dynamic teaching modules and lesson plans focusing on an array of topics from American history and delving into the U.S. Congress and Constitution.