Center for Civic Education
Ronald Reagan and Executive Power
Article II of the United States Constitution grants Presidents executive powers in areas of international conflict, domestic and foreign policy. Using examples drawn from Ronald Reagan's presidency, class members are asked to consider...
Carolina K-12
How Do I Pre-Register and Vote in North Carolina?
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...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
The Iran Nuclear Deal and Its Critics
What was the purpose of the Iranian Nuclear Deal? An insightful resource explains nuclear tensions in the Middle East and Iranian weapon development that contributed to the Nuclear Deal in 2013. Academics learn the agreement limited...
Curated OER
Welcome to the Blogosphere
Create a blog spot for your classroom and promote online discussions. There are several blogging websites listed here, and you can create one specific to each class or one collective site. Teach your learners how to post on the blog, and...
Curated OER
Covering the Campaign Trail: Technological Progress or Temporary Chaos?
Students study the changes in reporting and journalism techniques that have evolved due to advances in technology by reading an online transcript. They debate whether the technological advances are positive or negative in the reporting...
Curated OER
Presidential Elections
In this online/interactive vocabulary in conversation worksheet, students fill in the blanks to complete sentences using the words in the word bank. Students fill in 10 blanks.
Curated OER
Church and State Separation: The Challenge and the Debate
Students describe the basic elements of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment as it relates to the separation of church and state and freedom of religion.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
What Should the US Do About North Korea's Nuclear Weapons?
North Korea, a shadowy nation distrustful of America, is working on a nuclear weapons program. What should the United States do? The question has plagued American presidents for years, but now young scholars get to make their...
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...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 2: The United States, France, and the Problem of Neutrality, 1796–1801
While the French Revolution could be considered inspired by the American Revolution, it created thorny problems for the new United States. Should the United States get involved and be drawn into a European drama? Was the US strong...
Curated OER
Life Choices
By examining two differing perspectives on the topic of abortion, upper graders will be able to build an opinion of their own. A teacher-led lecture outlines key points in the debate for or against abortion including, the role of...
Curated OER
Ideas for Classroom Election Activities
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...
Curated OER
The Economics of Voting
Students examine the voting behavior of people during a presidential election to determine costs and the benefits of voting and how this behavior is influenced by incentives.
Curated OER
Election Unscramble
In this language arts and government worksheet, students analyze 10 scrambled words that pertain to elections. Students unscramble each word and may complete 3 extra credit activities with these words.
Facing History and Ourselves
The Audacity of a Vote: Susan B. Anthony’s Arrest
Susan B. Anthony's speech "Is It a Crime for Women to Vote?" takes center stage in a instructional activity that asks class members to consider how they might respond to what they consider an unjust law. Groups work through the speech...
PBS
What Are the Primaries and Caucuses?
What are the essential differences between primaries and caucuses? As part of a study of the process by which Americans select their candidates for US president, class members examine the nominating process, the changes that have...
C-SPAN
How A Bill Becomes A Law
Seven steps are required for a bill to become a United States law. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) is used as a model for the process of how a bill becomes a law. Class members work independently through a...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Refugees from the Caribbean: Cuban and Haitian “Boat People”
Should refugees fleeing poverty be allowed the same entrance into the United States as those fleeing persecution? High schoolers read about US foreign policy in the late 20th century regarding refugees from Cuba and Haiti, and engage in...
Curated OER
Electoral College
Eleventh graders discover how the Electoral College works. In this presidential elections lesson, 11th graders compare and contrast the Electoral College and popular vote as they participate in a classroom simulation. Students also...
Curated OER
Where Do They Stand?
In this presidential election worksheet, students research the 2008 presidential candidates and create a booklet of candidate profiles that clearly differentiate each one. They also assume the identity of one of the candidates and hold a...
Curated OER
Face the Nation! A Panel Discussion
Sixth graders simulate an election-year debate between opposing political parties. In this persuasive-speech lesson plan, 6th graders will work in teams to prepare for and participate in a debate between opposing parties. The lesson plan...
Curated OER
America's Energy Future
Students write a proposal to save energy resources. In this energy lesson, students research nuclear energy, coal power, petroleum, natural gas, hydroelectric power, and renewable energy. Students then debate energy issues and share...
Curated OER
Balancing Budgets: From Reagan to Today
Students discover details about the federal budget. In this contemporary government lesson, students research the efforts to maintain a balanced federal budget in the United States since the 1980's. Students then participate in a debate...
Curated OER
Whitewashing History
Students revisit issues of civil rights in the U.S. They use the recent national discussion of retiring Senator Strom Thurmond's 1948 Dixiecrat Presidential campaign as a starting point.