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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

How Do I Pre-Register and Vote in North Carolina?

For Teachers 5th Standards
Did you know that in some states your pupils can pre-register to vote? Teach the advantages to pre-registering and engage the classroom in an intriguing discussion about youth voting trends. Class members participates in a live polling...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

Municipal Government: High School

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Municipal government takes on many roles, not just the ones we are used to hearing about such as Parks and Recreation. Scholars delve into the topic to get a grasp on how the government system functions. They participate in readings,...
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Activity
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Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Developing Your Voice and Your Right to Free Speech

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Three activities focus on the First Amendment, especially the freedom of speech. Scholars craft a letter to the President of the United States and express their views about a topic important to them. Another activity has participants...
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Lesson Plan
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Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

George Washington: General, President, Slave Owner

For Teachers 8th
Times change; behaviors that were once considered acceptable can be seen in a very different light. Middle schoolers revisit the legacy of George Washington in a three-day lesson plan that uses primary sources to reveal Washington as a...
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Lesson Plan
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Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

The Battle of Trenton

For Teachers 8th
The Continental Army's victory at the Battle of Trenton marked a turning point in the American Revolution. Young historians examine maps, read primary source materials, and create a timeline of events to understand why the victory was so...
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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 activity 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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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

Critiquing Hate Crimes Legislation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The high school lesson explores what hate crimes are and how the government has responded to those crimes. Academics read legislation, analyze political cartoons, and complete hands-on-activities to understand what motivates individuals...
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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
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Facing History and Ourselves

Reflection and Action for Civic Participation

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Slacktivist or activist? Bystander or upstander? Positive social change requires involvement and commitment. After reading a series of articles about young people who chose to get involved, scholars examine a framework that helps peers...
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Lesson Plan
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Beyond a Two-Party System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young political scientists go beyond the two-party system and research third-party candidates running in the 2020 US Presidential election. Groups present background information about the candidate, the party's platform points, and a...
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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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Worksheet
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Putin's Illiberal Democracy

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Is Russia really a democracy? High school scholars explore Russian democracy under the leadership of President Putin. The resource provides opportunity for group discussion, writing, and research to understand Russia's political history,...
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Worksheet
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Elections, Money, and the First Amendment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Those who spend the most, win.  Academics read informational text, participate in group discussion, and defend campaign reforms to understand the correlation between money, the First Amendment, and election results. The resource explains...
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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 instructional activity explains the pros and cons of the two-party system,...
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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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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

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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eBook
Rice University

American Government 2e

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
An informative resource provides a textbook on American government that covers topics such as the definition of government and how democracy works. Each section provides brief questions at the end to assess scholars' understanding. 
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

Debates

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
How do the presidential debates of 2016 compare to the debates from the 1980's? What about the 1960's? Evaluate a chosen candidate or issue from the 20th and 21st centuries with a lesson plan focused on political debates. Middle and high...
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Organizer
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Mikva Challenge

Political Forum Viewing Guide

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Is there a way to determine a winner of a political debate? Use a helpful rubric to evaluate the issues, specificity, evidence, reasoning, and delivery of candidates in a debate. After assessing each person's performance, high schoolers...
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Interactive
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The New York Times

A Guide to Political Donations

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Voters determine the outcome of elections, but campaign donors can influence the attitudes of those voters. Explore nine examples of donors and the amounts of money they want to contribute, and the legal ways the groups can or cannot...
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Lesson Plan
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School Improvement in Maryland

Political Systems: Advantages and Disadvantages

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Every political system has advantages and disadvantages. To gain an understanding of these differences, groups investigate the political system of another country—oligarchy, monarchy, dictatorship, parliamentary—and prepare a...
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Lesson Plan
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School Improvement in Maryland

Dividing the Powers of Government

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Who does what? To develop an understanding of the balance of power between the US federal and state governments, class members research responsibilities in terms of legal systems, security issues, economic activities, lawmaking, and...