Curated OER
Every Vote Counts
Students participate in an activity designed to increase student awareness and participation in the voting process.
Curated OER
Voter Turnout
Explore politics by analyzing the voting process. Pupils discuss the purpose of casting votes in an election, then examine graphs based on the data from a previously held election's turnout. The instructional activity concludes as they...
Curated OER
Let the Campaign Begin
Students examine the many steps involved in the electoral process. They examine past president's campaigns and write an announcement speech for the candidate of their choice.
Carolina K-12
Exploring the Electoral College
Does your vote really count? This activity helps young voters learn about the electoral college through a TED talk, a helpful handout, discussion prompts, and then a role-playing activity that has participants simulating an election on a...
Curated OER
To Vote or Not to Vote? that is the Question!
Students examine voting rights provided by the United States Constitution. For this voting lesson, students focus on 3 amendments that extended voting rights to all citizens. Students discuss the importance of expressing opinions through...
Curated OER
Voting Adventure
Students discover the requirements they need to be able to vote in a democracy. Using that information, they discuss the importance of voting in an election. They use the Internet to analyze voter participation numbers in their county....
Ashbrook Center at Ashland University
Ratification of the Constitution
How difficult was it to get everyone to agree on the contents of the Constitution? Historians analyze the task of the Founding Fathers in creating the United States Constitution. They research a directory of video clips, primary sources,...
Curated OER
Preserving and Promoting Democracy
Eleventh graders create surveys to determine whether or not young people have or plan to vote. Using their findings, 11th graders make advertisements aimed at encouraging youth to vote.
Curated OER
"The Election"
High schoolers participate in an election for the purpose of comprehending the political process and the responsibilities that come with citizenship in a free society. They elect officials with no identity and are surprised with the...
Curated OER
Borrowing Narrative Skills from Mr. Fletcher: Using a "Prompts in Reverse" Technique to Inspire Your Writers
Help your class find their writing voices with this lesson which uses the work of Ralph Fletcher to guide a "Prompt in Reverse" activity. Using the chapter "First Pen" from Fletcher's Marshfield Dreams, learners decipher what they...
C-SPAN
Student Symposium and Resulting Action
Your class may not be able to vote yet, but that doesn't mean they can't feel like they're part of the presidential election! The resource creates a symposium where pupils debate about a selected topic in current events during an...
Curated OER
Motor Voter Registration Trends
High schoolers read an article about new voter registration trends throughout the country. In groups, they identify new patterns when it comes to registering to vote and develop their own solutions to get more people registered. They...
Curated OER
Fighting Political Apathy Among Youth
Students research and describe youth participation in political elections. They survey random adults about their voting behavior and chart the results in a graph. They compile their results to predict future voter participation.
Curated OER
Evaluation of Election Process
Students examine the procedures to elect the President of the United States. In groups, they create their own political cartoon presenting a consensus of their point of views on the process. They identify the strengths and weaknesses...
iCivics
Step One: We've Got Issues
What is the most pressing issue in your community? The resource helps you and your middle schoolers begin the process of doing something about it! Learners compare and contrast two pressing issues in their local counties by reading two...
Curated OER
Choose or Lose: The Electoral Process
Students examine the local and national election process. In groups, they brainstorm a list of the issues important to them and compare them to an overall list of issues present in the election. They analyze graphs and complete...
BBC
Crime
Crime and punishment! Learners discuss the law, civics, and crime in the UK. They brainstorm lists of crimes and possible punishments, complete activities on a website, role-play a Juvenile Court scenario, and try to think of ways they...
Curated OER
Women's Suffrage
Students are introduced to the women's suffrage movement. Using primary source documents, they work together in groups to read and analyze them. They identify their motivations for starting the movement and write a paragraph about the...
NPR
Same-Sex Marriage
The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...
Curated OER
Oklahoma Stone Soup
Class members complete activities related to the story "Oklahoma Stone Soup." First, pupils read, discuss, and answer questions about the story. Next, to incorporate math into the lesson, learners make stone soup using a variety of...
Curated OER
Democracy is Cool
Students discuss the components of a representative democracy. In groups, they create a t-shirt that shows the components and why it is "cool" to live in a democracy. As a class, they examine the concept of the common good and how...
Curated OER
Influencing the Agenda: The Impact of Interest Groups on Policy Making
Students examine the role of interest groups and how they affect voters. In groups, they research how the groups have affected policy making in the county. They examine a specific issue and discover whether or not a vote was changed...
PBS
Analyzing the Candidates in the 2008 Presidential Election
High schoolers research the 2008 presidential candidates and the required process for becoming an American presidential candidate. The class discusses both the process and the candidates, and some of the reasons someone might want to run...
Curated OER
Targeting Faith When It Counts
Students explore the relationship between politics and religion. In this religion and ethics lesson plan, students examine hyperlinks created by their instructor from the suggested sites list. Students research the websites for...