Getting to Democracy

A thought-provoking activity doesn't prompt learners to analyze a political cartoon, but rather the importance of political cartoonists in general. They work together and discuss the role cartoonists play in the democratic system. Use...

How do you explain democracy to a middle school classroom? A social studies resource breaks elections and the democratic process down for your class. Discussion questions, worksheets, activities that build critical thinking skills, and a...

The Election of 1912: an election with four competitive opponents. Pupils get to know the candidates with informative reading passages that provide context to the election. Then, the class engages in a debate and answers questions as one...

Imagine a meeting between President Bush and Putin. Get your class thinking about global awareness, democracy, and totalitarian modes of government. They examine how two leaders approach major governmental issues and run their countries...

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.

What would our country look like if only the educated could vote? Modern democracy is not an intellectual democracy, but a democracy by birthright — much to the chagrin of Socrates. An informative video briefly discusses the...

Ambitiously spanning American history from 1865 to 1941, this video discusses and clarifies topics such as women's suffrage, the sinking of the Maine, and the development of America as a world empire. Maps and photographs will engage...

Eric Liu's formula "power plus character equals citizenship" and his three strategies to making change happen model for high schoolers how to develop citizen power, how to get involved and participate to make democracy work. Class...

You won't just get a lesson when you click on this resource. As you click on the related resources located to the left of the screen, you'll find, a professional development video, teacher/student notes, lesson plan, and related reading...

Do teenagers have any "voice" in politics? Your class can research and discuss current issues. Afterward, individuals can decide how they feel about an issue and make a case either for or against it. They can then attempt to persuade the...