A dark blue silhouette of Jefferson's profile over which a quill pen angles down from left to right and the words Declaration Book Club are written.

Tips for Hosting Declaration Book Club

Teacher Resources

  • Yes! Declaration Book Club is designed to be adaptable to various age groups.

    If you are working in a classroom setting, you can likely winnow the materials and discussions to three, 50-minute lessons. For students younger than high school, you can also break the materials into smaller chunks.

    Questions? Email education@monticello.org.

The first page of Thomas Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration of Independence.

Teacher Book Club Meetings

Rediscover, discuss, and celebrate the Declaration of Independence with fellow teachers! Join us as we meet to read and discuss the Declaration and related resources. Sign up today for one, or all three, of our sessions.

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General Tips for Hosting

  • We’ve designed Declaration Book Club to be flexible. It works for both big (we suggest 25 or fewer) and small groups, and you can set your own pace. You could even do it on your own, but it deepens the experience to discuss the materials with others, using the discussion questions we’ve provided. (Feel free to add your own!)

    As with any book group, you’ll get the most out of each session if everyone comes prepared, having read (and watched) that session’s materials. It’s not a huge burden – an hour or two should give each reader time to review and think. (Remember: you set the pace!)

    Each session in the kit should spark 60-90 minutes or more of conversation—with added time for snacks and socializing.

  • The guiding questions in the kit are designed to make it easy for anyone to step into the role of facilitator, or to share that role among members of your group. You might ask a few members to come prepared with thoughts on an individual reading in each kit. Giving participants optional “roles” (like discussion leader or note-taker) can also encourage more voices to join in.

  • Meeting once a month, like many book clubs, works well. Oftener is fine, too. Any longer than a month between meetings, you may lose momentum.

    For a classroom or conference, running three sessions over consecutive days, or even a marathon Declaration afternoon, also works well.

Bonus Tip

Our food and drink collection celebrates Thomas Jefferson’s passion for food and the art of living. Consider adding some Monticello Shop beverages and snacks for your gathering:

Bookclub Snacks