Curated OER
Religion and Politics: The Battle Over the Judiciary
Learners analyze the relationship between religion an politics. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine the results of the 2004 presidential election and explore how the results impacted George W. Bush and his Supreme Court...
Curated OER
The Union is Perpetual: Lincoln is Elected
Middle schoolers view primary documents about the race for President in the time of Abraham Lincoln. For this election lesson, students prepare arguments for and against Lincoln using an analysis sheet. Middle schoolers create a poster...
Curated OER
Star Politics
Students discuss the advantages of a celebrity running for a public office. After reading an article, they examine the results of the California governor recall vote. In groups, they research the aspirations and career of a celebrity...
Curated OER
Debating Our Destiny
Students participate in debates related to the history of the United States. In groups, they research their opinion on the purpose of debates and how a debater's posture affect the outcome of the debates. They identify the political...
Curated OER
Where Will You Be November 2?
Students consider reasons why many Americans do not vote in national elections and explore the increase in new registered voters. They research a particular demographic and create an advertisement encouraging members of that group to vote.
Curated OER
Suffrage - When, Where, and Obstacles to Overcome
Tenth graders research the history of women's suffrage. They develop and form opinions on the right to vote. They discuss the many factors that influence voting and how other countries view women's suffrage.
Curated OER
Religion and the Environment
Students consider the role of environmentalists in the United States. In this political issues lesson, students compare and contrast the evangelical vote in the U.S. with the liberal vote as they read selected articles and watch Moyers...
Curated OER
Utah's Legislative Branch: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Seventh graders discover how a bill becomes a law in Utah. In groups, they decide on a law they would like to see enacted and discuss its chances of being passed by the legislative branch in Utah. They hold elections in which each...
Curated OER
Casting a Ballot for New Freedoms
Students use a New York Times article about the first free election in Indonesia in over four decades as a tool for learning about the government and politics, economy, religion, international relations, and people of Indonesia in the...
Curated OER
POLITICS AND RELIGION: Targeting Faith When It Counts
Learners research current articles about the influence of religion on the presidential election of 2004.
Curated OER
Citizenship City
Students design labels promoting civic responsibility to distribute to the community. In this civics lesson, students engage in a simulated reunion and discuss their future careers and research various community organizations and...
Curated OER
Where Do They Stand?
In this presidential election worksheet, students research the 2008 presidential candidates and create a booklet of candidate profiles that clearly differentiate each one. They also assume the identity of one of the candidates and hold a...
Curated OER
All Aboard The Campaign Train!
Learners explore campaign politics. In this political campaign lesson, students investigate multimedia sources in order to examine the structure of political parties and platforms from previous presidential elections. Learners then...
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Suffragettes
Students investigate peer pressure by discussing women's suffrage. In this Women's rights lesson, students explore the history of voting in the United States and when women were finally allowed to do so. Students create a poster in order...
Curated OER
Electing a president
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...
Curated OER
Taking Poll Information
Students investigate the election and poll surveys. In this statistics lesson, students take poll information and analyze the data. They graph their data and make predictions and conjectures.
Curated OER
Texas Kid Writes Book About Presidents
Arranged into small groups, learners read a paragraph of the news story "Texas Kid Writes Book About Presidents." As one reads, others mark the text (underlining important information and writing notes in the margin of the story). After...
Jane Addams Project
Woman Suffrage
Suffragettes, suffragists, and anti-suffragists. A two-day, richly detailed lesson plan has young historians investigate the twentieth-century suffrage movement. Groups examine primary and secondary source materials about Jane Addams and...
C-SPAN
Polling and Public Opinion
Polls are ubiquitous in American politics, but just how reliable and equal are they? A video-driven resource helps learners discuss the question by examining what pollsters and pundits say. Extension activities involve evaluating the...
Social Media Toolbox
Social Media Usage
Is there a difference in the way organizations present news via social media and in print? The third in a series of 16 lessons from The Social Media Toolbox explores news outlets and their delivery methods. Groups follow a story for a...
C-SPAN
Electoral College
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...
US House of Representatives
“The Fifteenth Amendment in Flesh and Blood,” The Symbolic Generation of Black Americans in Congress, 1870–1887
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...
Curated OER
Own the Vote
Young scholars use research skills to find current information about the Canadian Parliament and the key concepts about citizenship.
Curated OER
The Old Electoral College Try
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.