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iCivics

Mini-Lesson: Gerrymandering

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Who determines the structure of voting districts? The concept of gerrymandering brings to light the ongoing issue of how those running for office gain votes. Hands-on activities enable scholars to analyze the re-drawing of voting...
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Candidate Book Report

For Teachers 9th - 12th
After reading candidate biographies, class members select one candidate to research. They craft a report on the candidate's book, their position on issues, and the image the candidate wants to project.
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Presidential Succession

For Teachers 9th - 12th
"Who takes over if a president dies, resigns, is impeached, or is otherwise removed from office?" That is the question class members research. After listing the 18 successors in order, individuals respond in writing to a series of...
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Do the Campaign Math

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Follow the money trail! As part of their study of the 2020 Presidential campaign, class members to research how much money candidates have raise and spent, as well as the sources of the funds. They then graph their findings to compare...
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Candidate Flip-Flop or Evolution?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Beware political rhetoric! Connotation is everything! Groups select a presidential candidate and investigate how the candidate's position has changed on a specific issue. After analyzing the situation, the group determines whether they...
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Presidential Electability

For Teachers 9th - 12th
There are specific constitutional requirements that candidates must meet to become president of the United States. In addition, there are societal opinions that affect a candidate's electability. Class members examine historical...
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Meta-Study: Political Brains

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Are there differences in the brains of liberals and conservatives? That is the question young political scientists are challenged to answer. Class members examine studies, consider how the results are presented, and how the studies were...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Electoral College

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Most people are surprised to learn that American democracy is not as direct as they thought. Using a package of guiding questions, charts and curated videos, learners unpack the unique American institution of the Electoral College. The...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Big Data and Politics

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Movie selection means more than entertainment. Learners consider what information Netflix gathers to understand the concept of "big data." Resource includes clips of experts talking about corporations that harvest the details of our...
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US House of Representatives

“The Fifteenth Amendment in Flesh and Blood,” The Symbolic Generation of Black Americans in Congress, 1870–1887

For Teachers 7th - 12th
The reading of a contextual essay launches a study of Black Americans who served in Congress from 1870 through 1887. Young historians identify the African Americans who served during this period, investigate the ways they won national...
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Curated OER

Writing a Political Leader

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students peer edit a letter.  In this editing lesson, students peer edit a letter written to a political figure by another student. Students discuss edits and revisions needed for improvement. This is a continuation lesson that is part...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Launching Your Ship with Citizenship Lesson 4: Hoisting the Flag

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the U.S. electoral process and brainstorm solutions to increase voter turnout in their community. In this democratic citizenship lesson, students identify keywords in speech and video related to freedom of speech and...
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Curated OER

Presidential Eligibility

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students examine what requirements determine who can and can't run for president.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Old Electoral College Try

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine defining issues in the race for the White House and evaluate important issues in several of the swing states. They create and administer a poll in their community and make predictions by analyzing the data.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Candidate Issue Positions

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners examine the positions of candidates on various issues. Using visual displays, they describe the platforms and positions of candidates on specific issues. Students include opposing views in their displays from other candidates.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Political Commercials: Leading or Misleading Voters

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students watch election commercials for a homework assignment. They analyze the commercials and create a commercial for a fictitious candidate using the techniques they observed.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Jackson Inauguration: King Mob or Champion of Democracy?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine and describe Andrew Jackson's 1828 inauguration, identify ways Jackson's election signaled important changes in American political landscape, discuss how Jackson embodied political culture of his era, and compare...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A New Candidate for Animal Farm

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students create an advertising campaign in which a candidate from Animal Farm will run for an upcoming election. In this follow-up activity to George Orwell's Animal Farm lesson, students explore propaganda, rhetoric, and satire as they...
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Lesson Plan
PBS

The Big Picture-Economic Security in the Country and your Community

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore economic security at the local and national level during the time period preceding the 2008 presidential election. They fill out surveys on their thoughts and concerns regarding the US economy, and watch a video...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Face the Nation! A Panel Discussion

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders simulate an election-year debate between opposing political parties. In this persuasive-speech lesson plan, 6th graders will work in teams to prepare for and participate in a debate between opposing parties. The lesson plan...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electing a president

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Young scholars create a list of characteristics of a president and reach consensus about the most important qualities.  For this electing a President lesson, students work in groups to choose the most important traits of a president and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Government is News: Studying the Constitution

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore the United States Constitution. In this social studies instructional activity, learners discover how a bill is made into law, study the election process, and identify specific elements of the Bill of Rights.
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Facing History and Ourselves

Confirmation and Other Biases

For Teachers 9th - 12th
As the investigation into the reporting of the events in Ferguson, Missouri, continues, class members consider how bias influences perception, how the tendency is to collect evidence that supports preconceived notions. The big idea...
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Lesson Plan
Street Law

The Challenge of Selecting an Ideal Supreme Court Nominee

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
Nearly every president has had the opportunity to name a nominee to the United States Supreme Court. But what makes someone an ideal candidate to become a Supreme Court justice? High schoolers test their prior knowledge about the Supreme...

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