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 lesson explains the pros and cons of the two-party system, roadblocks for...

The two major parties polarize many in America today, but it doesn't have to be that way in the classroom! Teach learners about political party platforms and modern campaigns with a mock political convention. After watching a PowerPoint...

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...

Ninth graders examine the origins and functions of political parties.  For this American Government lesson, 9th graders create a party platform to address political issues that are likely to arise during a national election. ...

Use this 5-day lesson to clarify the platforms of the two major parties, comparing and contrasting against students' beliefs. Begin by looking at unlabeled summaries of both party platforms, having learners identify most with one. Groups...

Students explore, analyze and study how political party platforms have changed over time. They create a party platform time line by researching Republican and Democratic Party stances on various issues during the last few decades.

This handout provides suggestion8s for exploring the elections process including making a party platform poster, writing a speech in the style of a famous politician, having a debate, planning a convention, and more! While some of the...

Learners explore political persuasive writing. In this government and persuasive writing lesson plan, students work in groups to write text and create graphics for a  brochure describing and promoting a predetermined political...

Students conduct political campaigns. In this campaign investigation lesson, students research political parties and political offices. Students choose an office to run for and create election videos that incorporate propaganda techniques.

Learners explore historical political parties and their platforms. After studying the origins and functions of political parties, students create their own platform to address current issues. In groups, learners design an ad campaign...

Here is an excellent resource in which class members host a mock election for a candidate and policy that will be implemented into your very own classroom. Progressing from primaries, through the campaign trail, and finally to the mock...

Students compare/contrast the Republican and Democratic platforms using Venn diagrams, then read and discuss, "The Conventions Are Over. The Party's Just Starting." students then participate in a mock press conference and write editorial...

In this United States government worksheet, students learn how a president is elected in the United States. They then answer the 11 definition questions and complete an activity in which they create a platform for a presidential...

In this political party manifesto worksheet, learners work collaboratively to respond to 5 short answer questions regarding party platforms and then write their own manifesto speech.

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"...

Ninth graders explore the political views of the Progressive Party. In this U.S. History activity, 9th graders read the "LaFollette Platform," then share their thoughts of the reading in a class discussion. To conclude the activity,...

Students list current federal parliamentary parties, consider the role of political parties, practice party based representation, state the relationship between parties, elections and Australian policy, and define specific parliamentary...

High schoolers are split into six small groups which focus on one of six websites, that tell the story of the emergence of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties at the end of the 18th century. They compile a chronological list...

Learners take part in a group assignment in which each group creates their own party, develops a party platform based on several meaningful issues with which our country is currently faced, and sell their party's message to the rest of...

Examine American political culture with your scholars using this self-assessment lesson. Individuals rate a list of 14 values from highest to lowest, including ideas such as financial security, right to private property, justice,...

Students evaluate the impact of the Republican party in creating a Southern philosophy of secession. They analyze causation concerning the Southern philosophy of secession.

Eighth graders participate in a simulated presidential campaign by conducting research on the Internet. They define a party platform, run a campaign and write and deliver speeches in teams. Students can then act as the electoral college...

Students create a multimedia presentation to compare the platforms of political candidates using information gathered from their research.

Students explore campaign politics. For this political campaign lesson, students investigate multimedia sources in order to examine the structure of political parties and platforms from previous presidential elections. Students then...