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Lesson Plan
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US Institute of Peace

Perspectives on Peace

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Is peace simply the absence of war, or is there more to the story? Young social scientists define peace in the second installment of a 15-part series. Groups work together to explore cultural concepts of peace and the peacemaking process...
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Making First Vote Your Vote: Designing a Schoolwide Election

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Encourage pupils to design an election plan for the entire school. They participate in a Board of Elections, create polling rules, discuss election controversies, write questions about the issues, run the election through an online...
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Unit Plan
Carolina K-12

Active Citizenship in After School

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Active citizenship is the bedrock of any great democracy. Continue the trend by teaching the next generation about voting rights and the functions of elections in society. The variety of activities in the resource includes a human...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Judicial Branch of California

Where We Fit In: The Judicial Branch

For Teachers 5th - 6th
An interesting resource addresses the role of youth in civic participation and community events. It also explains the role of the justice system in creating boundaries and how citizens play a part in the judicial process.  Pupils listen...
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Lesson Plan
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Judicial Branch of California

Defining Civic Duty and Participation

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
A lesson, geared toward older elementary scholars, combines art with social studies to explain the purpose of civic duty and how to encourage others in the community to participate. Academics create advertising campaigns to promote civic...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Judicial Branch of California

Public Service Announcement: Civic Responsibility

For Teachers 5th
Get your message across. Scholars use their prior knowledge and artistic skills to create public service announcements. The project is designed to explain the importance of civic harmony and the responsibility of all citizens to...
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Lesson Plan
Judicial Branch of California

Faces of Citizenship: Jury Duty

For Teachers 8th Standards
An interesting middle school lesson focuses on the rights and responsibilities of citizens. Academics choose a civic project to complete, such as an oral history or photo essay. They then conduct interviews with members of the community...
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Activity
Teaching Tolerance

Voting in Your Town

For Teachers 6th - 12th
A socially important resource focuses on voter turnout and roadblocks to voting. Scholars review resources on voting stats, watch a documentary, and participate in group discussion regarding voting in their local communities. Academics...
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Lesson Plan
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Constitutional Rights Foundation

270 Votes to Win: The Electoral College in the United States

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What exactly is the Electoral College and how does it work? The lesson is part of a larger series on government that explains what the Electoral College is and how it helps determine an election winner. Academics participate in...
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Lesson Plan
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Constitutional Rights Foundation

Slavery and the Electoral College

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How did slavery mold the creation of the US Constitution? The final lesson in the series focuses on how slavery impacted the creation of the Electoral College. Academics learn how the Electoral College was created because Southern states...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Purged From the Voter Rolls: Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Once a registered voter isn't always a registered voter. Academics explore the topic of voter registration and hindrances to remaining registered. The resource focuses on data analysis, federal voter registration law, and Supreme Court...
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Why Don’t More People in the U.S. Vote?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
To vote or not to vote, that is the question. Secondary scholars explore voter turnout in the United States. The resource uses informational text, group discussion, and  a worksheet to help academics understand hindrances to voting and...
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Winner-Take-All: The Two-Party System

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Two's company, three's a crowd. High school historians learn about the Electoral College, a two-party, winner-take-all voting system in the United States. The lesson explains the pros and cons of the two-party system, roadblocks for...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Suppressing the Vote

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Voting rights have expanded over time, but some voters are still being suppressed. A thought-provoking resource explores the history of voter suppression in the US and efforts to remove roadblocks to voting. Young historians learn about...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Troubled Elections of 1796 and 1800

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Congress does more than create new laws. Political scientists delve into the elections of 1796 and 1800 to understand how political parties, the Electoral College, and personal agendas affected the election process. The resource also...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

What Are Ways for Youth to Engage in Politics?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Help young people become excited to participate in politics. High school historians participate in an engaging lesson focused on ways for youth to become involved in government. Scholars review articles, videos, and essential vocabulary...
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Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

Why Local Elections Matter

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Uncle Sam wants everyone to vote in local elections! Geared toward middle and high school scholars, the resource explores voter turnout and the importance of local elections. Academics participate in group discussion, complete...
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Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

The Truth About Voting

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
True or False: Only Presidential elections matter. Academics delve into common voting myths to understand what is true and why the election process is critical to democracy. The activity uses group discussion, activities, and handouts to...
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Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

The True History of Voting Rights

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Explore what voting rights really are in an intriguing lesson plan that explores the history of American voting. The resource examines the timeline of voting rights in the United States with group discussions, hands-on-activities, and...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Election of 1800

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The 2020 election is not the only unpredictable one in history. The Election of 1800 highlighted an unforeseen event in a presidential election. The activity reviews documents from the elections and what happened when the electoral...
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Young People Shake Up Elections (History Proves It) Educator Guide

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Vote, it's your civic duty! The resource provides several videos about voting in the United States. Scholars watch a series of topics ranging from youth participation to civic action. The educator's guide provides teachers with...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Analyzing a Letter About American Indian Voting Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An informative activity focuses on the law preventing Native Americans from voting until 1947. Scholars read documents from the Office of Indian Affairs, complete an online worksheet, and participate in group discussion. Academics learn...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

For Teachers 9th - 12th
1964: A victory for the civil rights movement! Scholars read a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and discuss what affirmative actions means to them. The resource is a jigsaw activity, with each group focusing on one section of the...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Where Did Thomas Jefferson Stand on the Issue of Slavery?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Thomas Jefferson was a complicated man with a complex legacy. Middle schoolers examine a series of primary source documents to gather evidence for an essay in which they answer where Jefferson stood on the issue of slavery.