Curated OER
Crystal Blue Persuasion
Students examine historic posters, jewelry, quilts and buttons that were created to protest or call attention to a political issue. After evaluating how these items were used to communicate a political message, students create an item...
Curated OER
Puerto Rico: The 51st State?
Students explore Puerto Rico. In this Puerto Rico current events lesson, students conduct a Webquest to answer questions about Puerto Rico's culture. Students discuss whether Puerto Rico is a country or a state, and defend...
Curated OER
World History/Current Events
Students write a poem discussing the courage, dignity, and hope of the Afghan Students. The poem consists of at least 12 lines. The poem should be illustrated on poster board using images from the magazines.
Curated OER
A Life in Politics
Students answer a quiz about congressional leaders. They research former majority leaders and create charts about them. They write letters to the current majority leader about a current issue.
Curated OER
Playing it Safe
Students explore the importance of an election and act as political advisers for an upcoming election. Students create platforms for various candidates, by writing a letter to their candidate with suggestions for winning the election.
Curated OER
Protests, Revolutions, and Democratic Change
High schoolers examine uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. In this global issues lesson, students view video clips, conduct group research, and present their findings in group presentations about the unrest in Algeria,...
Curated OER
The assassination of the Archduke: Exploring Perspectives
Use political cartoons for a multiple-perspectives strategy, as pupils learn about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. After an anticipatory discussion, they are split into 2 groups. The class reads a primary source account...
Orlando Shakes
Arms and the Man: Study Guide
Few aspects of life make better fodder for a comedic play than politics. A study guide introduces George Bernard's Shaw comedy Arms and the Man. Along with summaries of each scene and brief biographies of the main characters, two lesson...
K20 LEARN
Ancient Philosophy: Greeks or Romans?
While often not recognized, the ideas of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers still echo today. Using a series of videos and graphic organizers, individuals explore how ancient Greeks and Romans have influenced current Western political...
National Woman's History Museum
Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin
Political activist, suffragette, pacifist, and the first woman elected to Congress, Jeannette Rankin has been largely ignored in history and history textbooks. Young historians set out to rectify that situation by examining primary...
Newseum
Civil Rights: Identifying Community Issues
As part of the social, economic, and legal/political civil rights study, class members brainstorm a list of current civil rights issues that affect their community. Individuals or pairs select one issue to research further. The class...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Beyond Birmingham, Summer 1963
The assassination of Medgar Evers. The integration of the University of Alabama. The March on Washington. The "I Have a Dream" speech. Created by the Alabama History Education Initiative, this resource examines how the events...
City University of New York
Electoral College
A presidential election is a lot like the 2004 World Series, and it's also a lot like choosing an orange in a paper bag. Apply the process of the electoral college to these two analogies with a set of lessons about government...
Beverly Hills High School
Mapping Napoleon's Empire at Its Height (1812)
The complicated political history of Europe becomes apparent as young historians create a map of the borders of France when Napoleon's Empire was a its height in 1812.
iCivics
Mini-Lesson: Gerrymandering
Who determines the structure of voting districts? The concept of gerrymandering brings to light the ongoing issue of how those running for office gain votes. Hands-on activities enable scholars to analyze the re-drawing of voting...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Presidential Electability
There are specific constitutional requirements that candidates must meet to become president of the United States. In addition, there are societal opinions that affect a candidate's electability. Class members examine historical...
Curated OER
Lose a Vote, Gain a Vote
Students explore the issues behind close Senatorial races. They investigate the qualities of political leaders, the 2002 senatorial elections and the differences and similarities between the Republican and Democratic parties.
Curated OER
Redistricting: How Our Representatives Select Voters
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.
Curated OER
What is Your Issue?
Students discuss and debate critical political and social issues facing the United States today.
Curated OER
Leader of the Pack
Students take a closer look the 2008 London mayoral race. In this current events lesson, students research the listed Web sites that include information about the candidates for mayor and their attributes. Students also gather...
Curated OER
A Crossroads in Israel
Students explore Middle Eastern relations. In this current events lesson plan, students research the listed Web sites that include information about the history of the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Students...
Curated OER
From the Classroom to the Ballot Box
Students examine British voting rights. In this current events lesson plan, students listen to a lecture about the proposal to drop the British voting age to 16. Students create and distribute surveys about the proposal and debate voting...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Mosque Debate
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about the New York City Mosque Debate and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
Analyzing Election Cartoons
Students are introduced to the history of political cartoons and examine both historical and modern examples. They analyze a cartoon that expresses an opinion about a current event different than their own and develop an original cartoon...