Running an election campaign takes money. Class groups must effectively budget money in order to design and purchase sufficient advertising aimed at procuring classmates' votes. After completing an online tutorial, they also write and...

What role did women play in pop art during the 1950s and 1960s? The class researches the role of women in mid-century America and how those roles were portrayed through the pop art of the time. They use an excellent set of...

This practical activity helps young citizens learn about pre-registration to vote in elections, discuss the merits and flaws of the pre-registration process, and register themselves. The concluding activity has young voters creating...

Here you'll find a nice guided notes activity on Otto von Bismarck, which details Bismarck's plan to unify Germany, as well as asks learners to analyze his motivations and overall impact.

As part of a study of slavery in the United States, class members analyze documents related to the sale of slaves. They consider not only the text of the bills of sale but also what the appearance of the broadsides suggest.

Students explore advertising as a way to change their world. They use the Internet to research an energy, an environmental, and a cultural issue and create three 'world changing' pieces of advertising/artwork to express their ideas.

Students examine the history and purposes of debate, and analyze the different debate formats. They rate the candidates' presentations in the debates, and apply debate strategies to their own debates.

Students use primary resources (gazettes, broadsides, advertisements) to consider life at the turn of the 18th century in Deerfield, Massachusetts. They infer observations about life in the nascent United States.

Students analyze a collection of advertisements or photographs in a text or magazine and identify the stereotypes used or possible biases of the editors. They discuss how these stereotypes are formed, and the ways in which they impact...

Students explore an African American's presidential campaign. In teams, students create a campaign for their presidential candidate. They create political ads and plan campaign strategies. Students are simulate jobs such as a campaign...

Students examine the roll of polling in elections and assess information provided by polls. They define the term survey. Pupils conduct a poll, individually each student answers the questions, as a group, tally the results. Students...

Middle schoolers discuss the U.S. economy, society, and politics in the years following World War II. They explore the boom in advertising during this period by reviewing print advertisements from the late 1940s and early 1950s. ...

Learners examine and explore various aspects of change at the turn of the century including economic, political, civil and others. Students then locate and analyze various primary sources to write an essay that demonstrates their...

Students create an advertising campaign in which a candidate from Animal Farm will run for an upcoming election. In this follow-up activity to George Orwell's Animal Farm lesson, students explore propaganda, rhetoric, and satire as they...

The first lesson of a five-lesson unit designed for eighth graders has class members reading and watching a video of Edgar Allen Poe's narrative poem, "The Raven." They then craft their narrative poem, illustrate it, and share their work...

Students analyze images using several perspectives or entry points. They create images and develop accompanying texts that support a specific purpose or function. Students assess the effectiveness of collected images and those of their...

Tenth graders examine Hitler's occupation of Europe and the Allies' efforts to fight it.  In this World War II lesson, 10th graders examine how World War II changed American society, especially for women.  Students analyze a...

Students explore the different persuasive techniques used in commercial and print advertisements. Students then analyze a variety of print ads and discuss the effects of a country's political, economic, and social climates on its...

Seventh graders explore early Chinese civilization. As pupils study Chinese history, they examine its scientific accomplishments. In partners, 7th graders create an advertisement presentation for an advancement of ancient China.

Students examine economic, social, and cultural aspects of the 1920s. They provide a brief political history of the 1920s, focusing on the death of Warren Harding (Was he poisoned by his wife?) and develop skills in analyzing...

Fifth graders examine the impact of World War II on South Carolina. In this American history lesson, 5th graders analyze primary documents that include political cartoons and advertisements that were published in South Carolina during...

Students research the components of W. Atlee Burpee's mail-order business. For this Pennsylvanian history lesson, students analyze three business components for Burpee's mail-order business. Students create a plan implementing the...

Ninth graders examine the use of corporal punishment in Canada. In groups, they make their own advertisement trying to persuade others to support or disagree with the practice. They also write a persuasive essay and draw an image...

Students explore the American Civil War. For this Civil War lesson, students examine a slave auction advertisement and an Abraham Lincoln quote. Students also read Pink and Say, create a foldable regarding naval warfare, and design a...