Who would win an election between Napoleon and Julius Caesar? Group your class up to analyze and discuss which of their given choices would make the best presidential candidate, given specific criteria. The potential candidate list...

Hilary Clinton may have been the first woman to run for president on a major party ticket, but she was only one example of an historic candidacy. Class members use video clips curated from C-SPAN to examine historical firsts in...

Whether or not it's a presidential election year, this debate activity will spark research on current political issues. Split your government scholars into 4 groups and assign each a political party. One person will be the "candidate"...

As part of their study of the US Presidential election process, class members research a presidential candidate's position on a specific topic or topics. Formatting their research as a pro/con question ("Should the Death Penalty Be...

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...

After reading candidate biographies, class members select one candidate to research. They craft a report on the candidate's book, their position on issues, and the image the candidate wants to project.

Who were the candidates in the 2008 US Presidential election and where did they stand on important issues? Use a resource that offers an opportunity to go back in time and examine candidates and issues involved in that election year.

Using the announcements of presidential candidacies, pupils consider how contenders make their initial arguments to the public. A worksheet helps structure collaborative work to analyze 10 video clips. Writing prompts allow for extension...

Political ads flood the airwaves each election cycle. An activity including more than a dozen political ads from iconic presidential campaigns helps learners unpack how the sausage gets made during election "silly season." Using the...

Beware political rhetoric! Connotation is everything! Groups select a presidential candidate and investigate how the candidate's position has changed on a specific issue. After analyzing the situation, the group determines whether they...

There are specific constitutional requirements that candidates must meet to become president of the United States. In addition, there are societal opinions that affect a candidate's electability. Class members examine historical...

Climate change. Assault weapons ban. Death penalty. And the list goes on. So many issues are part of a US presidential election that it can be hard to determine a candidate's position on a particular topic and whether their position has...

Can anyone grow up to be president of the United States? As part of their study of the 2020 election, groups research the constitutional requirements to become president. The class then brainstorms a list of qualifications beyond those...

After researching the presidential election process, class members develop questions and interview voters about their choice of candidate and the issues that concern them.

Young historians investigate how sexism impacted the 2020 United States presidential election. They examine media coverage of the six women candidates, engage in a four-corners debate reacting to statements about gender and the...

A formidable opponent can shake up the election of an incumbent president. Class members explore the results of the elections of 1912, 1968, 1976, 1980 and 1992 using video clips. A chart helps pupils organize their thoughts and...

"Who takes over if a president dies, resigns, is impeached, or is otherwise removed from office?" That is the question class members research. After listing the 18 successors in order, individuals respond in writing to a series of...

As part of a study of the issues raised in the 2020 presidential election campaign, class members investigate and then create a pro-con comparison chart that reveals each candidate's position on a variety of issues.

Feeling ambitious about getting your scholars examining the election process? While this presidential election simulation will take preparation, the ensuing enthusiasm will be worth it! Using one or more large classes, 12th graders are...

After watching clips of presidential candidates during debates and speeches, and researching the candidate's position on important issues, young researchers conduct a role-play debate in which they act as one of the candidates.

It's that time of year, and the year. Once again the race is on for the White House. It's important that young voters, and would-be voters, understand the process for becoming the United States President. Class members research the...

Every president of the United States must be a natural-born citizen, but the definition of natural-born is not as straightforward as it seems. Secondary scholars examine two points of view surrounding the constitutional requirement...

Whether it's an election year or not, a unit on voting patterns and political campaigns will awaken the civic pride in your high school citizens. Divided into six parts, the curriculum covers various facets of an election, including...

Follow the money trail! As part of their study of the 2020 Presidential campaign, class members to research how much money candidates have raise and spent, as well as the sources of the funds. They then graph their findings to compare...