Curated OER
Presidential Election 2008:Making Decisions about Political Candidates
Students think critically about political candidates. In this election lesson, students research candidates and use information sources to explore their stands on issues.
Curated OER
The Election of Barack Obama 44th President of the United States
Students consider the historic implications of Barack Obama's election. In this election of 2008 instructional activity, students research Obama's accomplishments and determine how his election signifies the success of the American Civil...
Curated OER
Presidential Election One Year Away
Learners identify political parties, then read a news article about the 2008 election. In this current events lesson (written prior to the 2008 election), the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then...
C-SPAN
Electoral College Pros/Cons and Alternatives
If every vote counts, why do we need the electoral college? Middle and high schoolers study the Constitutional precedent of the electoral college, as well as its place in historical and modern elections, with an engaging social studies...
Curated OER
A Race to Watch: Campaign 2008, The Role of Technology and the Internet
Students listen to a statement about the role the Internet plays in the political process and respond by placing a card under the appropriate agree/disagree sign at the front of the room. Students brainstorm reasons to select their...
Curated OER
Fighting The Horse Race: Creating Ads Which Explore 2008 Presidential Candidates & Issues
What is advertising? What role does it plan in an election? Middle and high schoolers discuss advertising and its purpose by sifting through different magazines and discussing the products they find. Then they relate advertisements to...
PBS
Analyzing the Candidates in the 2008 Presidential Election
High schoolers research the 2008 presidential candidates and the required process for becoming an American presidential candidate. The class discusses both the process and the candidates, and some of the reasons someone might want to run...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights in the News: Election Issues 2008
Students consider First Amendment rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, students complete an activity guide regarding constitutional rights issues raised in the 2008 presidential election. Students respond to discussion questions...
Curated OER
Using Current Events to Understand Elections
Eleventh graders explore the the major phases of the electoral process for president. For this US Government lesson, 11th graders compare and contrast the delegate system of nomination and the electoral college.
Curated OER
Democracy in Action?
Learners compare and contrast democratic election processes. In this 200 presidential election lesson, students visit websites that allow them to compare federal American elections to British elections. Learners hold their own classroom...
Curated OER
Presidential Debate Primer
Students examine the function of presidential debates. In this civics lesson, students view segments of presidential and vice presidential debates. Students analyze the answers given in the debates and identify the platforms of the...
Curated OER
Voting Ballot
In this voting process worksheet, students use the ballots to vote in a mock election or classroom election. Students may write the candidate names or initiatives in the blanks.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: All Eyes on the Iowa Caucus
Explore the primary elections through political cartoons. Three talking points guide deeper thinking as pupils analyze a cartoon, which depicts the 2008 campaigning in Iowa. Analysts identify caricatures, research why winning Iowa is...
Curated OER
Navigating the Road to the White House
Students explore U.S. politics by researching the Presidential requirements. In this electoral process lesson, students identify the main requirements to become a Presidential candidate and the two main political parties. Students...
NPR
Same-Sex Marriage
The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...
Curated OER
The Lesson: Kenya
Pupils consider how recent historical events have impacted Kenya. In this global studies lesson, students visit selected websites to discover information about President Mwai Kibaki, Kenya's statistics, and Swahili. Pupils share their...
Curated OER
Candidate Obama Support and President Obama's Agenda
Students research categories within President Obama's agenda and create a PowerPoint presentation. In this President Obama agenda lesson, students research a category within President Obama's agenda and present their topic in a...
PBS
Pbs Online News Hour: Presidential Election Coverage: Vote 2008: Lesson Plans
PBS Online NewsHour provides lesson plans to help students become informed about the 2008 presidential election.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: The Impact of Political Debates in the Television Age
This technology-based lesson encourages active engagement in the state elections process as part of a unit to prepare for debates to be held in the Fall of 2010. The lesson may also be adapted for use as a stand alone lesson. Student...
Other
Current Electoral Vote Predictor
This website is dedicated to tracking the electoral vote by examining the state-by-state polls. The data appears as a map, spreadsheets and table. As new state polls are released, the maps, spreadsheets, and tables will be updated.
PBS
Pbs Online News Hour: Obama's Transition to Power
PBS provides in-depth news coverage of Obama's presidential transition including analysis, interviews, background reports, a list of key positions (named as they are filled), and related links. Continuously updated.