Does the influence of interest groups harm a political system? Your class members will analyze the role of interest groups in American politics, as well as consider the effect of perspective, bias, loyalty, and the...

The right to vote and freedom of expression are democratic principles that fall under the study of political science. A handout describes writing assignments that are common in political science college classes and gives tips and...

Learners define term interest group, identify interest groups that people in the local community belong to, and contact an interest group and evaluate the impact of that group on the political process.

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...

Pupils identify and interpret major interest groups and think tanks of the government. Students evaluate, record, and discuss the viewpoints of guests on the News Hour. Pupils select several Web-based transcripts of interviews, review,...

What defines a woman as empowered, and how does this definition compare to the ideas and actions of a group of Muslim women in Syria? After watching a series of video clips from a documentary film about a school for girls in Damascus,...

Young scholars create an outline and short class presentation about an assigned interest group by conducting research using the Internet and interest group contacts. They evaluate the role of an assigned interest group in the South...

Twelfth graders name some of the parties in the political system of the United States. They identify the two main parties along with key information, issues, events, elections and/or people for each system. They then break into groups...

Much like the methods of group work, the writers of the Federalist Papers worked together to advocate for their viewpoints against the anti-federalists. The resource enables learners to break into small groups and conduct research before...

Fifth graders develop and conduct a survey regarding issues in a current political campaign. They distribute and collect the surveys, input the data using a spreadsheet program, and compare/contrast the recorded results.

Students review political cartoons and discuss what political impact they can have. They choose a current political cartoon and write an essay exploring its intent and impact.

High schoolers are introduced to the roles and influence of technology and the media on American representative democracy. They examine the effects of the Internet on citizens' role in government and the role and effects of media on the...

Not all party platforms stay democratic. A resource covers many political issues in Germany during the time of World War II, and teaches pupils about the Nazi party platform and what went wrong. Individuals participate in a warm-up...

With all the hubbub surrounding national elections, it's easy to forget the importance of local government. After learning about county governance and voter turnout for local elections, young citizens demonstrate how local...

Students establish how the first political parties were formed.  In this U.S. History lesson, students work in groups to share their personal viewpoint on various topics provided by the teacher, then they are assigned to bring a...

An interesting unit explains the American presidency from the campaign trail all the way to the role of the president. Historians participate in discussions, create posters, conduct Internet research, and more to gain an understanding of...

Students research Indonesian government and politics, then compare and contrast Indonesian demonstrations to recent upheavals in the Philippines and Ivory Coast. They formulate opinions about the relationship of a nation's stability...

Students 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...

Students think critically about political candidates. In this election lesson, students research candidates and use information sources to explore their stands on issues.

Students, working in small groups, research seven of the most famous monuments found in Washington, DC. They design brochures based on the information they gather from Internet and print resources. Upon completion, they share the...

The Olympic Games are indeed a significant and far-reaching cultural component in our international community today, but from where do they originate? Where do our traditions stem from, and how do we choose the sports that constitute...

What if you had no choice but to leave everything behind and seek asylum elsewhere? Do countries have an obligation to accept refugees? To gain an understanding of the complexity of the issues of refugee rights, class members first...

Students identify the names of major contemporary political parties. They explain why a person might choose to vote for one candidate for President of the United States over another candidate. They identify the two major political...

Students examine the practice of redistricting. In this American politics lesson, students read the provided articles "The Gerrymander," and "Reforming the Gerrymander." Students respond to the provided discussion questions.