The Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) and the Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC) at Florida State University are launching the FIREWORKS250 initiative to enhance civics education and literacy instruction with the support of a $2.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
This innovative program, named Fostering Independence, Reflection, and Engagement through Wide-Reaching Outreach, Revolutionary Knowledge, and Student-Led Scholarship for America’s 250th Anniversary, aims to provide free, high-quality professional learning for teachers, increasing their historical content knowledge while also enhancing their teaching strategies.
“Along with commemorating the United States’ Semiquincentennial, our goal is to increase fifth-grade teachers’ knowledge about the country’s founding and the founding documents, while also equipping teachers with the skills to improve both civics and literacy instruction,” said Sharon Koon, Senior Research Associate at FCRR. “Teaching American History and civics to fifth graders using reading strategies significantly enhances both literacy and historical understanding, making it an optimal approach for young learners. Evidence-based literacy strategies, such as explicit vocabulary instruction and comprehension techniques, help students navigate complex historical texts like primary sources or narratives about democratic principles, which in turn fosters critical thinking and civics knowledge.”
During each of the three years, the grant will support 180 fifth-grade public school teachers in paid professional learning activities. The FIREWORKS250 initiative aligns with the Department of Education’s goals to promote innovative, evidence-based strategies for American history and civics instruction.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between FCRR and IGC, leveraging their expertise in the science of reading and civics education. The program will utilize primary source documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as existing resources from the National Constitution Center and other scholars to create engaging and impactful lessons for students.
All of the lessons will be aligned to Florida’s required civics and government grade 5 standards, including lessons that focus on the idea of “unalienable rights” and how and why the U.S. government was created by the U.S. Constitution.
Key components of the FIREWORKS250 initiative include:
- Professional Development Seminars: Teachers will participate in seminar-based sessions, known as “FIREWORKS250 Chats,” delivered via an online platform. These sessions will focus on integrating evidence-based reading strategies with civics and historical knowledge.
- Revolutionary Writers Essay Contest: Students will engage in an essay competition, supported by motivating podcasts with AI-generated historical figures like Paul Revere, to foster civics and literacy skills. Winners will be announced at the state level, with prizes awarded to the top essays.
- Annual Teacher Symposium: An immersive three-day symposium will be held annually at Florida State University, providing teachers with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of America’s founding principles and develop skills in leading seminar-style discussions.
Teachers are invited to register now for FIREWORKS250 to join the initiative beginning in January 2026, with registration closing Dec. 15, 2025. The first 180 teachers will be eligible to receive a professional learning stipend up to $1,500. Teachers not registering, or not in the first 180 registrants, will still be able to freely access the FIREWORKS250 content in January 2026. For more information about the FIREWORKS250 initiative, please visit the FCRR website.