New curriculum now available free to high schools across the U.S.
Every generation experiences civic division, but today’s young people—particularly members of Gen Z—often learn about polarization through headlines, clips and social media fragments rather than structured civic education. The result is a pressing need for classroom resources that teach students how to engage thoughtfully and constructively in democracy. Recent results from the NAEP Civics Assessment underline this need and reinforce the importance of preparing students to participate confidently in civic life.
To address this gap, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has launched a new, no-cost civics curriculum for high schools, with adaptable materials for middle school classrooms. The curriculum is designed to develop the next generation of civic-minded leaders by helping students think critically through an anti-bias lens. It asks students not only to learn civic facts, but also to examine and challenge the biases that drive inequality and division.
The curriculum was developed in collaboration with Bites Media, an interactive multimedia news platform. Bites Media contributes curated, current-event articles that connect classroom lessons directly to real-world issues. These news pieces present multiple perspectives on contemporary topics, modeled to help students practice critical reading and evaluate how bias, discrimination and prejudice shape public debates.
“ADL has a long history of engaging educators and students in challenging bias in ourselves, in others and in society,” said George Selim, ADL’s Senior Vice President of Programs. “With this new civics curriculum, we’re cultivating leaders who will participate actively in their communities and champion social justice. Our partnership with Bites Media brings journalistic context that highlights the relevance of these lessons for students’ everyday lives.”
Designed with flexibility in mind, the curriculum centers on six core themes that teachers can cover in sequence or use as stand-alone lessons: A Civic Mindset, Power and Privilege, Identity and Membership, Social Justice and Civil Rights, Strengthening Democracy, and Media Literacy. These themes guide students to reflect on civic responsibilities and to analyze how social, political and economic forces shape participation and representation.
Initial multimedia lessons were scheduled for release at the end of August 2020, with a complete set of lesson plans planned for publication in late September of that year. The curriculum uses current events to make civic learning immediate and meaningful, prompting students to consider how long-standing civic issues continue to influence modern debates and policy.
ADL Education’s anti-bias framework encourages students to reflect on current events through a lens that exposes assumptions and helps them recognize the real-world consequences of systemic bias. Bites Media’s classroom-ready articles provide balanced reporting that links news to civic and citizenship questions, giving teachers a scaffold for discussions and activities that foster critical thinking, media literacy and empathy.
Teachers who have piloted the materials report strong student engagement and improved classroom dynamics. “The topics are interesting and the students become easily invested,” said Kimberly Huffman, a government and political science educator in Wayne County Schools, Smithville, Ohio. “These lessons help build stronger relationships in the classroom and support social-emotional learning.”
Nick Farrell, CEO of Bites Media, notes that the partnership fills a vital gap: “There are many digital resources for educators and parents, but few bridge the gap between teaching current events and cultivating empathy. Bites Media strengthens ADL’s robust civics curriculum with news articles that help students see how prejudice and bias shape contemporary issues.”
For more information on how to sign up for the free curriculum, visit adl-civics.bitesmedia.org or contact your school’s curriculum coordinator to learn about implementation options and professional learning supports available to educators.
About ADL
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is a leading organization dedicated to combating hate and securing justice for all. Founded in 1913 in response to rising anti-Semitism and bigotry, ADL’s mission is to protect the Jewish people while advancing fair treatment and justice for everyone. Today, ADL remains a global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and addressing online hate. The organization responds to incidents of anti-Semitism and works broadly to prevent bias, discrimination and hate from harming individuals and communities.
About Bites Media
Founded in 2017 to address the spread of misinformation, Bites Media’s mission is to make trusted, reliable news more accessible to students and educators. With editorial guidelines focused on equitable reporting and accessible presentation, Bites Media supplies grades 6–12 classrooms with balanced, engaging news content. The platform aims to strengthen civic literacy by connecting current events to civic life, helping young people become informed consumers of news and thoughtful participants in democracy.
This article was originally published by The Learning Counsel, a research institute and news media hub focused on the transition to digital curriculum and the evolving landscape of education technology.