Upcoming Scholar Exchanges

Live Interactive Classes on the Constitution

Part lecture and part lively conversation, Scholar Exchanges give students the opportunity to learn about constitutional issues, while interacting with a constitutional expert, historian, or federal judge. Sessions are free and open to the public so that students, teachers, and parents can join in a constitutional discussion with our scholars, including President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen and Chief Learning Officer Kerry Sautner. Each session begins with a current constitutional event that engages students of all ages in a relevant discussion. The scholars also answer student questions.

Free, open-source, 30 minute sessions take place on Monday and Wednesday, with sessions for middle school level at 12 p.m. ET and high school and college level at 2 p.m. ET. Additional sessions on Fridays at 1 p.m. ET are open to learners of all ages. Register through Zoom, or stream sessions live to our YouTube channel.

*Educators are encouraged to have their student’s sign-up directly, share their logins with their students or screen share through your own classroom platform!

You can also watch video recordings of all past sessions.
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Upcoming Sessions

AP Founding Documents Review

AP Founding Documents Review

Week of April 26

In this fast-paced and fun session, students will review America’s founding documents from a typical course of study for an AP Government class. This class helps students understand these essential documents better—including their fundamental ideas and the major principles underlying the U.S. Constitution. Primary sources include the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of the Confederation, the Constitution (including the Bill of Rights), The Federalist Papers (#51, #70, #78), Brutus #1, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from the Birmingham City Jail.

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Fourth Amendment privacy in a digital age, policing in America, search and seizure

Fourth Amendment privacy in a digital age, policing in America, search and seizure

Week of May 3

In this session, students will examine the historical context and the drafting of the Fourth Amendment. Students will explore what the Fourth Amendment says and means. This lesson will allow students to examine the Fourth Amendment text, history, and interpretation, describe key terms and ideas (like searches, seizures, and privacy), and define some of the key debates about where the Fourth Amendment is headed in an age of new technology.

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The Fourth Amendment and Policing in America Featuring Charles Ramsey

The Fourth Amendment and Policing in America Featuring Charles Ramsey

May 7

In this Friday session, Charles Ramsey, former commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, joins National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen for a discussion on what the Fourth Amendment says and means. This lesson will allow students to examine the Fourth Amendment text, describe key terms and ideas (like searches, seizures, and privacy), and explore some of the key debates about the Fourth Amendment. Ramsey will also discuss his career in law enforcement, as well as answer questions from participants.

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Download 2020-2021 class schedule as a PDF >>

More for May 2021

Second Amendment
Week of May 10
In this session, students will engage in a conversation on the Second Amendment, and its protection of the right to keep and bear arms. This exchange introduces students to different viewpoints and debates surrounding the Second Amendment by using the National Constitution Center’s Interactive Constitution. Students will analyze the Second Amendment’s text and history, how the Second Amendment shaped its core protections, and how the Supreme Court has interpreted it over time. Through these discussions, students will build understanding of the resources and methods used by Supreme Court justices and constitutional scholars when analyzing and forming opinions this provision. Students will identify key points of agreement and disagreement from essays by constitutional scholars Nelson Lund and Adam Winkler in the Constitution Center’s Interactive Constitution. Students will be able to trace the historic development of the Second Amendment with help from the Common Interpretation and Matters of Debate essays, and use evidence from the readings to explore modern interpretation of the Second Amendment.

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Supreme Court in Review: Article III – From Judicial Selection to Current Cases
Week of May 17
In this session, students explore Article III of the U.S. Constitution, which defines the powers of the judicial branch and the Supreme Court. This class covers the nomination and confirmation process of Supreme Court justices and how judicial power (and the Supreme Court’s role) is defined in Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist 78 and cases such as Marbury v. Madison (1803). This session will go right to present day and review the current term to date!

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Supreme Court in Review: Article III Featuring Robert P. George
May 21
In this Fun Friday Session, Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, joins National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen for a discussion on Article III of the U.S. Constitution. The session will explore the nomination and confirmation process of Supreme Court justices and how judicial power (and the Supreme Court’s role) is defined. Plus, we will take a look at some current cases before the Court. George will also discuss his career as a legal scholar and political philosopher, as well as answer questions from participants.

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Constitutional Battles of the Branches
Week of May 24
In this session, students focus on separation of powers and how the Constitution set up a system of checks and balances between the different branches of government. Our Constitution set up this system to ensure that no one branch of government would become too powerful, but where did this idea come from and how has this been tested over time in America? From Andrew Jackson and the battle over the country’s national bank to modern conversations around COVID-19, students will engage in a lively and fast-paced conversation.

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Teacher Advisory Council

The National Constitution Center is calling on you! We are looking for members of the classroom education field to join our Teacher Advisory Council. The council is open to educators who teach fifth grade to college level students from all types of school environments and locations. Members are asked to:

  • Participate in monthly online meetings and virtual student programs, such as Scholar Exchanges.
  • Advise the Center’s education team on new and additional resources that will best support teachers and students nationwide.
  • Advocate on behalf of the Center through social media posts, regional professional networks, and professional development workshops.

Members of the advisory council will have a voice in shaping our free online classes, and will receive a yearly stipend for their valuable time and professional advice. They can also join in our professional development opportunities that include prominent scholars and judges—including our Bill of Rights Virtual Summer Teacher Workshop, which will be available exclusively to Teacher Advisory Council members.

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