Curated OER
Presidential Election Year: Major Issues
Whether or not it's a presidential election year, this debate activity will spark research on current political issues. Split your government scholars into 4 groups and assign each a political party. One person will be the "candidate"...
Curated OER
The Presidential Campaign Game
Upper graders play a game as a way to facilitate understanding of US Presidential Campaign issues and strategies. After being divided into small groups, a candidate will be chosen to run for office. Each group creates propaganda to get...
C-SPAN
How will COVID-19 Impact Campaign Strategies in 2020?
While COVID-19 has changed almost everything about daily life, it's also had a tremendous impact on the 2020 presidential contest. Using video clips featuring political advisors from both sides of the aisle, learners brainstorm what they...
Carolina K-12
The Electoral College
Is the Electoral College the best method of electing the president of the United States? Your young historians will write a persuasive essay discussing the historical perspective of the college, pros and cons, and a final argument for or...
Curated OER
Redistricting: How Our Representatives Select Voters
Young scholars examine the practice of redistricting. In this American politics lesson, students read the provided articles "The Gerrymander," and "Reforming the Gerrymander." Young scholars respond to the provided discussion questions.
Curated OER
The Solid South Switcharoo
Students examine primary sources. In this lesson plan on political parties, students view historic documents, speeches, and photos to trace the rise and fall of particular political parties. Students will be looking at the success of...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Between the Lines, National Debt
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about national debt and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
The First North Americans
High schoolers identify and interpret the different North American Indian groups, by region, and the type and impact of their interaction with Europeans.
Then they complete an overview of one main Native American group during the age of...
Curated OER
Political Cartoons Illustrating Progressivism and the Election of 1912
Learners study a current political cartoon to introduce the ideas of symbolism, humor, exaggeration, and caricature in editorial cartoons. They study cartoons from the past to gain an understanding of the culture of 1912.
Curated OER
The Mass Media and Politics
What effect do the prevalence of televisions in homes have on the American political stage? Challenge your students to consider this idea with these ten questions, both true/false and multiple choice. You could use this activity as a...
Curated OER
The Election of 1844
Briefly detailing the goals and issues within the Polk election and presidency, this presentation can help your students to bridge their knowledge of American politics and issues prior to the Civil War. It includes photographs of Polk,...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Celebrating the 19th Amendment
Eighty-eight years after women earned the right to vote, a women ran for president. Young analysts consider the role women play in politics, how they are portrayed, the standards they are held to, and if they are still treated unfairly...
Indiana Department of Education
Voting: It's Not a Spectator Sport!
Why is it important to vote? Who is eligible to vote? Why is it that some eligible voters do not vote? Class members conduct interviews with adults and other school mates before researching the eligibility requirements for their state,...
Curated OER
How Did the Progressive Party affect American Society
Ninth graders explore the political views of the Progressive Party. In this U.S. History lesson, 9th graders read the "LaFollette Platform," then share their thoughts of the reading in a class discussion. To conclude the lesson, students...
Curated OER
Major Events Leading to the American Revolution
Students explore the causes of the American Revolution. In this taxation without representation lesson, students analyze political cartoons in order to gain an understanding of the efforts of the colonists to resolve conflict with...
Curated OER
The American Revolution and Its Heroes
Students, through a variety of activities, discover historical aspects of the American Revolution. They make maps and create timelines to track significant events. They create a book about the American Revolution and re-enact Paul...
Curated OER
Spanish Politics
Students identify Spanish and other leaders, political parties, and ideas on a political continuum as a class. They verbally answer questions demonstrating comprehension of the text. Students summarize in writing in Spanish the main...
Curated OER
The Minor Parties
Help to increase the knowledge of your future (or current) voters with this quiz about minor parties. By matching various minor parties, both historical and contemporary, students can become better-informed about the entirety of American...
Curated OER
Early Presidents
Students are introduced to the lives and contributions of the first seven presidents of the United States. They, in groups, conduct further research on one of these president and his political platform and design a presentation for the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Charisma vs. Experience
Which is more important for a president: experience or charisma? Scholars consider this as they analyze 2 political cartoons in this analysis handout. Background information gives context through a quote from The Telegraph, and 3 talking...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Bipartisan Filibusters
There is no doubt many changes or lack of changes are due to bipartisanism in the capital. Learners analyze a political cartoon that describes the issues surrounding changes to the current health care system, and consider whether...
Curated OER
Was the Stamp Act Fair?
Elementary and middle schoolers examine and evaluate different perspectives concerning events leading to the American Revolution. In this case, they hone in on the Stamp Act. They research controversial bills, laws, or events of the time...
Curated OER
Editorial Cartoon Lesson Plan
Students consider the role of editorial cartoons on American politics. In this editorial cartoons lesson, students discover the history of the cartoons in America, analyze some cartoons, and then draw their own cartoons that make social...
Curated OER
The Nominating Process
Ten questions engage students in thinking about what they have read. They are quizzed on basic concepts related to the nomination process and primary elections.