JMC ACE America 250 Colloquium

A JMC professor with glasses and a beard, dressed in a gray suit, stands at the front of a classroom holding a red marker while writing on a whiteboard. Several students are seated at desks, focused on their work or listening to his lecture.

How should the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution be understood in relation to one another? Michigan middle and high school teachers are invited to explore this question during a focused, one-day colloquium hosted by the James Madison College Academy for Civic Education, in partnership with the Jack Miller Center.

Held at James Madison College on Michigan State University’s campus, the colloquium will bring educators together for three sessions centered on foundational American texts and their use in the classroom. Two sessions, led by ACE faculty members Jordan Cash and Bri Wolf, will examine selected readings addressing the connection between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. A third session, led by a pedagogy expert from the Jack Miller Center, will focus on practical strategies for incorporating original sources into middle and high school courses.

Participants will deepen their knowledge of important documents in American history, develop methods for helping students read and discuss primary sources, and consider frameworks that can strengthen students’ understanding of American history and government.

Michigan middle and high school teachers are invited to attend. Teachers who participated in the JMC ACE 2026 cohort and other summer programming from Madison faculty are encouraged to participate; the focused format will complement and build upon their earlier experience.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Location: James Madison College, 842 Chestnut Road, East Lansing
Audience: Middle and high school teachers from across Michigan
Lunch: Provided
Participant stipend: $150 upon completion of the program
Registration: Register to attend online via Google Forms. Attendance will be capped at 20 participants.
Registration deposit: A $40 deposit is required to register. The deposit will be returned with the participant’s stipend upon completion of the program.
Optional dinner: Participants may also attend a provided dinner on Friday, Sept. 18.

Contact JM.ace@msu.edu with questions.

Presented by the James Madison College Academy for Civic Education, in partnership with the Jack Miller Center.

Date

September 19, 2026

Time

9:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Location

James Madison College, Case Hall, 842 Chestnut Road, East Lansing