Guest blog by: Travis Towne, Educator, and Sarah Lane, Sphere Education Initiatives
This year offers the unique opportunity to connect the 250th anniversary of America’s founding with the idea of justice that is woven into the founding principles and grievances in the Declaration of Independence. No matter the country in which you teach, students worldwide can engage meaningfully with the broad principles and themes present in this document.
In October 2026, Write the World will proudly offer a justice-themed writing competition sponsored by the Supreme Court Historical Society that further invites teen writers to engage with this theme. To help them prepare, Sphere Education and Write the World offer the curricular ideas below, designed to engage students in civic writing.
Before asking students to discuss the meaning of justice in this context, first prepare them for the kind of thinking that this topic demands. Conversations about justice are complex and touch on history, identity, power, and fairness. Many students have already interacted with the judicial system and/or have lived experiences that inform their interpretations of justice. If your aim is to support students’ moving toward thoughtful analysis and strong written expression, consider first investing time in civil discourse.
To develop meaningful civil discourse practices in your classroom, first build classroom habits and an environment that supports the expression of multiple perspectives. The following are a few recommendations for developing this culture:
Once students have practiced civil discourse, you can begin to explore how the concept of justice shaped the American founding.
When I (Travis) introduce the topic of justice in my Civic Literacy classroom, I try to move students beyond the idea that justice is simply a philosophical concept. For the American colonists, justice had very real consequences for their lives, livelihoods, and communities.
The Declaration accuses the British government of “depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury” and even transporting colonists overseas to face trial in England. For the colonists, these actions were not simply procedural disagreements. They represented a serious threat to fairness and to the rule of law itself.
When students begin to see justice through this lens, the issue becomes much more concrete. Colonists were not only concerned about abstract rights. They feared that unfair courts could cost them their farms, businesses, or the ability to provide for their families. In other words, justice was tied directly to economic security and opportunity.
In my classroom, one of the most effective ways to explore this topic is through a hands-on simulation called “Colonial Courtroom Chaos! No Jury, No Justice: The Economic Fallout of Unfair Trials.” During the activity, students step into the role of colonists navigating a legal system where justice may depend more on authority than on fairness. They analyze historical cases such as the trial of William Penn, the John Peter Zenger case, and the Boston Massacre trial while considering why colonists believed jury trials were essential to protecting both liberty and economic stability.
I’ve found that experiential activities change the way students approach the topic. Instead of memorizing grievances from the Declaration, they begin asking deeper questions: Who should decide what is fair? To what extent should those in power control the courts? How do legal protections affect people’s ability to work, own property, and build stable communities?
These conversations also create a natural bridge to the Constitution and governing principles in general. When students learn that four of the first ten amendments focus on legal protections, including due process, fair trials, and limits on punishment, they begin to see the Bill of Rights not as a random list of freedoms but as a direct response to the colonists’ experiences with injustice.
For me as a teacher, that moment of realization is the goal. Students start to see justice not as a distant historical concept but as a principle that continues to shape how societies function today.
Looking for additional resources for teaching the 250th and justice? Check out Sphere’s The Grievances and the Declaration of Independence explainer document, the Constitution and Law collection, and the overall America at 250 collection.
Stimulating Civic Writing at Write the World
Once students have developed their content knowledge through the activities outlined above, invite them to share their own thoughts, inquiries, and ideas about justice in the modern world—and in their lives.
As mentioned, Write the World’s October writing competition, free and available to teenagers aged 13-19 around the world, will invite submissions across creative genres—poetry, songs, plays, short stories—that explore and illuminate the theme of justice.
You might scaffold their participation using this classroom activity blog about teaching the rule of law in social studies and English language arts courses, or this “rule of law” lesson plan. Want to be first to know when the October competitions—and new curricular resources—go live? Sign up for a free educator account, and/or our monthly educator newsletter here.
Guest Author Bios:
Sarah Lane is an Educator Engagement Specialist for Sphere Education Initiatives, focusing on Sphere on the Road efforts and Sphere Alumni engagement. She has K-12 experiences across three states that include being a National Board Certified teacher, instructional coach and facilitator, and curriculum writer.
Dr. Travis Towne is the Social Studies Department Chair at the Lenoir County Early College High School. His work as an educator and curriculum writer focused on civic literacy, economics, and personal finance concepts. He enjoys developing interactive lessons that help students explore how constitutional principles connect to real-world questions about civic literacy and economic opportunities all within the framework of a civil discourse framework.