Staples Foundation For Learning
The President’s Desk
What stories can a desk paperweight and picture frame possibly tell us about the president of the United States? Pupils are transported to the desk of President John F. Kennedy through an engaging interactive site. The guide offers...
National Constitution Center
Address America: Your Six-Word Stump Speech
Stump speeches are the focus of this exercise that combines politics and language arts. After learning about this type of speech, the class listens to Obama's 2008 presidential campaign stump speech and answers a series of questions that...
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The Organization of Political Parties
Challenge the future world leaders in your class with this worksheet, which tests their knowledge on the organization of modern political parties. Students can access their prior knowledge of current elections, or notes from your...
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Fighting The Horse Race: Creating Ads Which Explore 2008 Presidential Candidates & Issues
What is advertising? What role does it plan in an election? Middle and high schoolers discuss advertising and its purpose by sifting through different magazines and discussing the products they find. Then they relate advertisements to...
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The Senate
Reinforce your future politicians' growing knowledge about Congress and the Senate with this quiz, which could also be used as a review activity. Questions address the requirements of becoming a senator, as well as the details of Senate...
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Young Voters Make A Difference
Students research recent statistics on voting by those 18 to 24. They survey senior students to determine their intent to vote in the next election. Students display the data in charts and graphs. They write the results and share it with...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: All Eyes on the Iowa Caucus
Explore the primary elections through political cartoons. Three talking points guide deeper thinking as pupils analyze a cartoon, which depicts the 2008 campaigning in Iowa. Analysts identify caricatures, research why winning Iowa is...
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Political Polls
High schoolers explore politcical polling by conducting a poll of student body elections. They prepare a survey, distribute forms, and tabulate data.
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Sam Houston for President...Again
Fourth graders discover the political career of Sam Houston. In this Texas history lesson, 4th graders research primary resources and create a modern-day version of Sam Houston's political campaign of the 1840s.
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Citizenship Worksheet 4 - Selecting Leaders
In this United States citizenship worksheet, students learn the process for how leaders are elected in the United States. Students are challenged with discussion and research questions and exercises that support the information they...
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The Voting Game
Students examine and discuss the Canadian electoral process. They conduct a simulation of the electoral process, with students running as candidates, holding a convention, campaigning, and voting for Prime Minister of the Day.
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Political Movement: Political Parties
Students explore politics by researching Australian government law. In this political parties lesson, students define the different active parties in Australia and their roles within the country. Students complete a word bank activity...
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Electing a President
Students brainstorm and list qualities that they would look for in a president; students rank qualities in order of importance.
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Creating a Pamphlet/Brochure for a Party or Candidate
Students explore political persuasive writing. In this government and persuasive writing lesson, students work in groups to write text and create graphics for a brochure describing and promoting a predetermined political candidate.
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Government and Parliament
Twelfth graders discover how the government works in the United Kingdom and the functions of the Parliament. They hold a mock election and campaign.
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Democratic Village Elections in China: Comparing Governments of China and the United States
Students explore democratic practices in China. In this global studies lesson, students compare and contrast democratic values of the Chinese government with the American government. Students read provided articles and conduct their...
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Comparing Canadian and U.S. Political Systems and Political Campaigns
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this political systems instructional activity, students conduct research to compare and contrast the forms of government in the ...
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Select a Candidate and Get the Word Out
Twelfth graders explore the roles of political parties in presidential elections. They discuss the qualities needed by a presidential candidate and brainstorm ideas for their candidate to emphasize during a campaign.
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They Have Issues
Learners examine the different campaign styles and political platforms of the nine candidates vying for the Democratic Party nomination for the 2004 presidential election. They graph and compare candidate platforms and write an essay...
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Navigating the Road to the White House
Students explore U.S. politics by researching the Presidential requirements. In this electoral process activity, students identify the main requirements to become a Presidential candidate and the two main political parties. Students...
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Defining Issues
Students work on a 'campaign committee' to define civic issues that are important to them and their community. They write letters to city officials with proposals for how to address these issues.
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The Eye of the Beholder: A Media Literacy Activity
Students explore the impact the news media have on shaping perceptions and opinions in general and in their coverage of the presidential campaign.
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A New Candidate for Animal Farm
Students create an advertising campaign in which a candidate from Animal Farm will run for an upcoming election. For this follow-up activity to George Orwell's Animal Farm lesson, students explore propaganda, rhetoric, and satire as they...
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Hollywood Candidate
Students consider how a political candidate creates a campaign image. They, in groups, create short biographical films promoting various candidates currently running for office in the United States.