Student Programming
General Programming Information
Onsite Student Programming
UPDATE: Effective September 13, 2022 - May 26, 2023, we ask that K-12 student groups of 10 or more (limit 50) submit a reservation request in advance to carter.education@nara.gov for a self-guided tour of the museum. Please include preferred date, time, number of students and chaperones, and grade level.
Admission for K-12 student groups is free, with one free adult chaperone per five students (e.g. 10 students = 2 free adults)**. Please see Plan Your Visit to read about other important information.
You can also experience our museum remotely through our Virtual Tour.
**All students traveling with a tour group enjoy free museum admission, but all adults must pay regular admission.
K-12 Student Programming (onsite or remote)
The following Student Programs are offered onsite or virtually Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from September 13, 2022 - May 25, 2023. During the summer months, arrangements can be made on a case-by-case basis.
Please submit reservation requests in advance to carter.education@nara.gov. You may also download available program slides with active hyperlinks to use with students at your own discretion.
The following student programs are currently available for reservation:
Civic Literacy: Article II & The Presidency
Grades K-2 & 3-5: In these programs, students will explore and actively discuss the President’s duties as outlined in Article II of the Constitution, and through the lens of primary sources of the Carter Library and National Archives. From analysis of these sources and the Constitution, students will learn and discuss the importance of knowing how our government works, and how they can help shape our nation.
Length: 30 minutes
Civic Literacy: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Grades 3-5: Students will be engaged with the Legislative branch and its role in the federal government through primary document analysis and discussion. This interactive program will also provide exposure to how the diverse interests of Americans shape our democracy through the legislative process as they navigate passage of a bill.
Length: 30-45 minutes
The Extraordinary Life of Jimmy Carter
Grades 2-12: Throughout his life, President Carter has found himself in extraordinary circumstances faced with extraordinary opportunities, many of which were brought about by the American Presidency. This classroom program will examine civic engagement and discuss the primary sources of the Carter Library and National Archives to address the question, “What is the secret to an extraordinary life?” This program is recommended for remoted audiences unable to visit museum exhibits onsite.
Length: 30-45 minutes.
The Extraordinary Life of Rosalynn Carter
Grades 8-12: From her rural beginnings in southwest Georgia to her emergence as our nation's champion of caregivers and mental health, Rosalynn Carter has led a most extraordinary life. This program will engage students in Mrs. Carter's early life, the U.S. Census, her time as First Lady of Georgia and then the nation, and highlight her work with the non-profit Carter Center.
Length: 30-45 minutes
Jimmy Carter for National History Day
Grades 6-12: Will your students be participating in National History Day? This workshop will provide an overview of this annual national contest, and primary sources and research tools available from the Carter Library and National Archives that connect the 39th President to the latest theme. Students will also learn insights and tips to producing an effective submission.
Length: 45 minutes
Going to the Sources: The Camp David Accords
Grades 6-12: Students will hone their research skills through analysis of pertinent primary sources to contextualize the issues that were at stake during the Camp David Accords, including the Middle East Peace Process, the Energy Crisis, and the Cold War. Participants will also make civics connections between this historic summit and the Constitution.
Length: 45 minutes
Women, For a Change: Gender Equality and the Carter Administration
Grades 8-12: This program will introduce students to the state of Women's Rights issues in the 1970s, the Equal Rights Amendment of 1972, and the Constitutional means the Carter administration embraced to address gender inequality. Students will be provided exposure to relevant primary sources of the National Archives and Carter Library and will have opportunities to discuss the amendment process and diversity in the federal government.
Length: 45 minutes
Presidential Power and Precedents: Jimmy Carter, Alaska, and the Antiquities Act
Grades 8-12: Between 1978 and 1980, President Carter used the Antiquities Act of 1906 as leverage to bring Congress to the table and pass the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), protecting over 150 million acres of public land and expediting implementation of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. Was he justified or did he exceed his Constitutional authority? Were there checks or balances to his actions by the other branches of government or state governments? Has the Antiquities Act strengthened or weakened our democracy? These and other questions will be discussed during this online workshop that will examine primary sources from the holdings of the Carter Library and National Archives Catalog.
Length: 45 minutes
Planning for the Future: President Carter and the Energy Crisis
Grades 8-12: Less than two weeks after assuming the Presidency in 1977, Jimmy Carter addressed the nation in a televised “fireside chat” to speak to Americans about the looming Energy Crisis. What events had brought our nation to these dire circumstances with such a far-reaching impact on the daily lives of Americans? What tools and resources does the Constitution provide the Executive branch to take on such a crisis? What roles do other branches of government play? Students will examine the 39th President’s response to this crisis through a constitutional lens and the primary sources of the Carter Library and National Archives.
Length: 45 minutes
Advanced Placement U.S. History Document-Based Question Analysis
Grades 8-12: Students will combine existing knowledge with group analysis of primary sources to identify and discuss historical evidence that answers a question related to the Carter administration. Topics are at the discretion of requesting teachers; examples may include but are not limited to The Camp David Accords, The Energy Crisis, The Hostage Crisis in Iran, The Cold War, or Powers of the Presidency (Article II of the Constitution).
Length: 45 minutes