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Website
Other

National Urban League Home Page

For Students 9th - 10th
The homepage of the National Urban League, whose mission "is to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power and civil rights."
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Unit Plan
C-SPAN

C Span Classroom: Teaching About Campaign Finance

For Students 9th - 10th
Learning module teaches students how political candidates fund their campaigns. Through wathcing videos and reading related articles on money in politics, students will form their own opinion and participate in classroom deliberations on...
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Public Opinion: Voice of the People

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Examine public opinion and the various means in which to collect it as well as how the government uses the opinions collected. This resource offers video, readings, web resources, and activities.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Democracy in Amer: Interest Groups: Organizing to Influence

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This unit probes into the role political interest groups plays in both complicating and influencing public policy making in America. Offers video, readings, web resources, and activities.
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Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Public Opinion and American Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Illustrate the significance of public opinion during political events by utilizing these reading resources.
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Website
University of Groningen

American History: Outlines: Citizens' Groups and Lobbies

For Students 9th - 10th
Overview of the role of political action committees (PAC), interest groups, and lobbies in the forming of public agenda and political processes.
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Unit Plan
Tom Richey

Tom Richey: Ap u.s. Government and Politics: Campaigns and Elections

For Students 10th - 12th
Tom Richey's course module offers AP U.S. Government curriculum unit materias, lecture notes, video and PowerPoint presentation on Campaigns and Elections from which students learn about political beliefs and behaviors as well as...
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PPT
Tom Richey

Tom Richey: Power Point: Linkage Institutions: u.s. Government

For Students 9th - 10th
Tom Richey presents information on the political process and elections in the U.S. with specifics about how special interest groups and the media influence the political process.
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Website
Other

League of Women Voters

For Students 9th - 10th
Official homepage of the League of Women Voters.
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Website
Other

Aclu: American Civil Liberties Union

For Students 9th - 10th
Official home of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Learn about American news, what's going on with the Supreme Court and new legislation, and more at this online interest group.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Interest Group Recap

For Students 9th - 10th
There are special interest groups for many purposes, and you likely belong to one without even knowing it. Find out which groups might be of interest to you.
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Website
CNN

Cnn: Rising Minorities Find Political Clout Elusive

For Students 9th - 10th
Will increasing minority populations in the United States translate into a greater amount of political power? This article examines that question.
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Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

Econ Ed Link: Professinoal Sports: If You Build It, Will They Come?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Special interest groups are able to have a substantial impact on the political system. Such groups can provide valuable services to individuals and to elected officials. They also can generate substantial benefits to a small minority.
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Will You Join a Special Interest Group?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners will create a brochure aimed at recruiting members of a special interest group. After selecting a group to research from a list that is attached, students will use the Internet to research the group, identify the primary...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Interest Groups

For Teachers 9th - 10th
students will learn how people form interest groups, and how they influence the government. This lesson uses the battle over school lunch ingredients to illustrate how interest groups and lobbying affect public policy.
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Website
Other

Center for Responsive Politics: Open Secrets

For Students 9th - 10th
Opensecrets.org is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy.