Student Programming
General Programming Information
Onsite Museum Programming
UPDATE: Effective September 13, 2022 - May 26, 2023, onsite programming is availalbe for groups of up to 50 students Tuesday through Friday (guided programming Tues-Thur). Groups of 10 students or more may submit a reservation request no less than two weeks in advance to carter.education@nara.gov. In your request, please include:
- Preferred date(s) and time (anytime between 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.)
- Grade level and number of students
- Number of adults/chaperones
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 fee of $12/person.
K-12 Student Programming (onsite or remote)
The following Student Programs are a great complement to visiting our museum and 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 at least two weeks 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:
Civics for All of US Programming from the National Archives
Grades K-12: Civics for All of US is a new education initiative that promotes civic literacy and engagement through a variety of Student programs and webinars, and teacher workshops. Live, interactive distance learning programs are available for groups of 10 or more students free of charge. Programs take a hands-on approach to the founding documents of the United States, using the holdings of the National Archives to explore the big ideas of the Constitution and Bill of Rights and promoting the knowledge and skills students need for civic engagement in the 21st century. Teacher guides for each program provide additional pre- and post program activities for classroom use. Visit https://civics.archives.gov to view programming options and submit a request. Upon submitting a request for a remote program you may specify in the Comments field that you would like Carter Library education staff to be your designated presenter. If you would like to have a student program option presented onsite at the Carter Library, please reach out to library staff at carter.education@nara.gov.
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
GSEs: SSKCG1, SSKCG2, SS2H1, SS2CG1, SS2CG3, SS3CG1, SS4CG1, SS4CG3, SS5CG1
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
GSEs: SS3CG1, SS3CG2, SS4CG1, SS4CG2, SS4CG3, SS5H6, SS5CG1
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 remote audiences unable to visit our museum in-person.
Length: 30-45 minutes
GSEs: SS2H1, SS2G2, SS2CG3, SS3CG1, SS3CG2, SS4CG3, SS5H3, SS5H4, SS5H6, SS5H7, SS5CG1, SS8H7, SS8H8, SS8H11, SS8H12, S8CG2, SS8CG3, SSCG4, SSCG10, SSCG12, SSCG16,
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
GSEs: SS8H12, SS8CG2, SS8CG3, SS8E2, SSCG8, SSCG11, SSCG12, SSCG16
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
GSEs: N/A
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
GSEs: SS7CG1, SS8H12, SSCG1, SSCG3, SSCG4, SSCG5, SSCG8, SSCG10, SSCG11, SSCG12, SSINSS1
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
GSEs: SS8E2, SSCG5, SSCG6, SSCG7, SSCG8, SSCG10, SSCG13, SSCG16
Presidential Power and Precedents: Jimmy Carter, Alaska, and the Antiquities Act
Grades 9-12: 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
GSEs: SSCG3, SSCG4, SSCG5, SSCG7, SSCG8, SSCG10, SSCG11, SSCG13, SSCG16
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
GSEs: SS8H12, SSCG3, SSCG4, SSCG5, SSCG8, SSCG10, SSCG11, SSCG12, SSCG13, SSCG16
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
GSEs: SS8H8, SS8H12, SSCG3, SSCG4, SSCG5, SSCG7, SSCG8, SSCG10, SSCG11, SSCG12, SSCG13, SSCG16