Mikva Challenge
Political Forum Viewing Guide
Is there a way to determine a winner of a political debate? Use a helpful rubric to evaluate the issues, specificity, evidence, reasoning, and delivery of candidates in a debate. After assessing each person's performance, high schoolers...
The New York Times
A Guide to Political Donations
Voters determine the outcome of elections, but campaign donors can influence the attitudes of those voters. Explore nine examples of donors and the amounts of money they want to contribute, and the legal ways the groups can or cannot...
Curated OER
Political Campaign Ads
During a political campaign, you can hardly turn around without encountering an endorsement or attack on a candidate. High schoolers examine the ways that negative advertisement, positive advertisements, and everything in between can...
Curated OER
Development of American Political Parties: The Two-Party System
Was American politics always bound to the two-party system? Learn how the two-party system developed, why third parties tend not to do so well, and all the various political parties that have emerged throughout US history. Each party is...
Curated OER
The Presidential Campaign Game
Students play a game. In this election lesson, students play the Presidential Campaign Game. Students learn about the politics and process of electing a president.
Curated OER
Women in Texas Politics: Winning the Vote, Three Pioneers, and Serving the People
Fourth graders study women's involvement in Texas politics. In this US history instructional activity, 4th graders discuss woman suffrage, examine three Texas female pioneer legislators by reading biographies, and explore women's issues...
Curated OER
Nov. 17, 1973 | Nixon Declares 'I Am Not a Crook'
Connect events of the past to events of today. Budding historians read an eight paragraph passage describing the Watergate scandal. They then connect the Nixon scandal to sex scandals of recent times. There are six critical thinking...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom
Political cartoons have been used to decades. What do they symbolize? Why use a political cartoon instead of an editorial piece? Look at the two political cartoons illustrated here and analyze them as a class or in pairs. Consider...
Curated OER
Early Presidents
Students are introduced to the lives and contributions of the first seven presidents of the United States. They, in groups, conduct further research on one of these president and his political platform and design a presentation for the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Politics of Change
Empty rhetoric in Washington timelessly inspires political cartoons. Examine this concept through an analysis handout, which features a cartoon by Pat Oliphant (archived work is linked for possible extension activities). Although this...
Curated OER
Travel Diary
Darwin kept a travel diary as he voyaged to South America, noting the politics, geography, cultures, animals, and interesting facts he encountered. Your class will do the same. Each student chooses a country to research and keep a five...
Curated OER
Case Study of a Campaign
Students read a case study of one campaign to discover how political campaigns addresses the needs of the voters. In groups, they answer questions related to the case and discuss how the commercials affect society as a whole. They use...
Curated OER
Presidential Sweepstakes
Fifth graders visit the National Gallery of Art and are introduced to portraiture as well as politics and presidents. They use these themes to form political parties and carry out their own "election".
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Presidential Candidates
Build critical analysis skills with this cartoon for the classroom. Upper graders answer three critical thinking questions to help them analyze a political cartoon, which depicts how Presidential Candidates are judged and chosen. Put...
Curated OER
The Presidential Campaign Game
Upper graders play a game as a way to facilitate understanding of US Presidential Campaign issues and strategies. After being divided into small groups, a candidate will be chosen to run for office. Each group creates propaganda to get...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: The Bush and Clinton Years
Examine how the Bush and Clinton years are an example of political dynasties. This cartoon provides a way to explore the concept and activate critical thinking skills in order to better grasp U.S. Politics. A fun and educational way to...
Curated OER
Cartoons in the Classroom: Stagflation
What is stagflation? Have your social studies class examine this political cartoon to define stagflation and understand recession as its defined in a political context. This worksheet would be a great warm up activity, perfect for extra...
Curated OER
Cartoons in the Classroom: Economic Blame Game
Two political cartoons grace this critical analysis instructional activity. Several very good discussion questions and points to consider, could make this an interesting start to any US Government class. Prepare upper graders for...
Curated OER
The Nominating Process
Ten questions engage students in thinking about what they have read. They are quizzed on basic concepts related to the nomination process and primary elections.
Student Handouts
Writing Exercises: The Presidency of Bill Clinton
How much do your pupils know about the Clinton administration? For this resource, class members respond to five questions about the Clinton presidency. They may need to research online or in their textbooks to find the information...
Curated OER
The Politics of Student Loans
Give your upper classmen something to think about. They'll read a New York Times article on the politics of student loans. The six comprehension questions will have them thinking about the impact legislation has on how much they'll pay...
Curated OER
Politics and Religion in 17th Century Dutch Art
Seventh graders examine different pieces of Dutch Art. They identify its social and political meanings by using cultural and historical information. They examine maps of the time period as well.
Curated OER
Artists Teach Us to See the World through Visual Symbols
Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...
Curated OER
American Focus on World Constitutions
Upper graders read several passages to gain an understanding of the nations that have adopted a constitution similar to the United States Constitution. This is a scripted lesson that is intended to build content-specific vocabulary and...