ProCon
Cuba Embargo
President John F. Kennedy bought 1,200 Cuban cigars the night before he enacted the Cuban trade embargo in 1962. Should the United States maintain the embargo? Using the website, pupils explore the topic to prepare for a class debate or...
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Election-Year Issues: Where Do the Political Candidates Stand?
Students create a multimedia presentation to compare the platforms of political candidates using information gathered from their research.
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"Last Man Standing" Lesson Plan: What Do People Want from Politicians?:
Pupils evaluate various methods of sampling opinions, consider the role of polling in elections, and consider the role of media reporting in the outcome of elections. They gain skills they can use to analyze and evaluate media information.
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The President: Politician in Chieft
Students explore the role of the U.S. President and the media coverage in presidential elections. They discuss what it means to be informed, the issues they consider most important, and reflect on what they learned from their interviews....
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Citizen Participation
Students compare and contrast political parties and interest groups. They examine the role citizens play in how to improve the community. They develop a survey to determine the needs and services opportunities in their community.
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"Bill's Run" Lesson Plan: What Do People Want from Politicians?:
High schoolers evaluate various methods of sampling opinions, consider the role of polling in elections, and consider the role of media reporting in the outcome of elections. They also gain skills they can use to analyze and evaluate...
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A Story of Democracy
Students focus on the recent Mexican elections to evaluate how different journalistic accounts can present different aspects of the same event.
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Reflecting on the Far Right
Learners examine the London assembly election of 2008. In this political parties instructional activity, students research the platform of the British National Party. Learners visit suggested websites to determine the party's core beliefs.
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Strengthening Democracy in Africa
Students analyze democratic advances in Africa. In this global issues lesson, students research Internet, video, and print sources regarding current political developments in Africa. Students create e-collages or digital videos that...
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The Union is Perpetual: Lincoln is Elected
Young scholars take a closer look at the election of Abraham Lincoln. In this historical analysis lesson, students analyze letters, political cartoons, and campaign materials from Lincoln's campaign. Analysis worksheets are included.
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Politics: From Royalty to Democracy
Learners explore forms of government in the Middle East. In this government systems lesson plan, students watch videos, listen to lectures, and explore websites regarding the forms of government in the Middle East
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Political Parties Then & Now
Students research information about candidates both past and present. They role play a party member, the public or the press to present information.
PBS
Be the Press: Local Interviews, National News
High school learners research an issue that is important to them and apply the research to write a newspaper article. After thoroughly researching their topic, young scholars strengthen research, analyzation, and writing skills, by...
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Citizenship Worksheet 4 - Selecting Leaders
In this United States citizenship learning exercise, 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...
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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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Justices for All
Students examine role of Supreme Court justices in the American political process, research the qualities of the current Supreme Court justices, and write opinion papers evaluating the current justices and recommending future nominations.
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Words from the Wise
Students explore how famous people, through newspaper Op-Ed articles, often inform the public about issues of national importance. They write Op-Eds in the voice of famous people on current news topics.
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Using Current Events to Understand Elections
Eleventh graders explore the the major phases of the electoral process for president. In this US Government lesson, 11th graders compare and contrast the delegate system of nomination and the electoral college.
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The Candidate: Issues and Strategies
Pupils discuss the candidates image and how an image impacts the voters. In this candidates image lesson plan, students read and discuss different factors that make up the candidates image.
Caucus 101
Caucus History and Iowa’s “First in the Nation” Status
What is a caucus? Why is Iowa's first? Why did Iowa shift to the caucus format? After researching these basic questions, class members debate the question of whether or not Iowa should maintain its "first in the nation" status for caucuses.
C-SPAN
Campaign Endorsement Project
So many politicians, so many endorsements! Learn to differentiate between facts as well as the process of endorsements with an informative resource. Class members watch current endorsement videos, research candidates from three different...
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Campaign 2004: Classroom Electorate
High schoolers role play as political analysts first forecasting the electoral college vote in a presidential election and then, following the results of the actual count. They study the role of swing states, and why political...
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Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy
Students discuss the election of 1960. They examine the political styles of important leaders, the issue of money, and the issue of fair play in American politics. Students explore the lives of Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.
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Candidate Debate; Making Informed Voting Decisions
Students study the concept of what it means to be an informed voter who makes conscientious voting decisions based on significant information. In this making informed voting decisions lesson plan, students are introduces to a unit on...