C-SPAN
Presidential Birth Requirement
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 and...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: The Veepstakes!
Take a step back in time with this political cartoon analysis worksheet, which features editorial cartoons from the 2008 presidential campaign. Background information allows pupils to "read between the lines" in their analysis, and three...
Curated OER
Election Issues '08
Students research the presidential candidates of 2008. In this election instructional activity, students research both candidates and identify where they stand on major issues. Students choose a presidential candidate.
Curated OER
Welcome to the Blogosphere
Create a blog spot for your classroom and promote online discussions. There are several blogging websites listed here, and you can create one specific to each class or one collective site. Teach your learners how to post on the blog, and...
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Democracy in Action?
Students compare and contrast democratic election processes. In this 200 presidential election lesson plan, students visit websites that allow them to compare federal American elections to British elections. Students hold their own...
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Public vs. Private
Learners watch two commericals from previous presidential elections on the topic of healthcare. After reading an article, they identify the position of the various candidates for the 2008 election. In groups, they brainstorm their own...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Campaign Echoes
In this current events learning exercise, students analyze a political cartoon about the 2008 Presidential campaign and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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The Election of 2008: Primaries and Caucuses
Students examine the American presidential election process. In this presidential election lesson, students discover details regarding the campaigns of McCain and Obama in the 2008 election. Students create timelines that feature the...
C-SPAN
Debates
How do the presidential debates of 2016 compare to the debates from the 1980's? What about the 1960's? Evaluate a chosen candidate or issue from the 20th and 21st centuries with a lesson plan focused on political debates. Middle and high...
Curated OER
A Race to Watch: Campaign 2008, The Role of Technology and the Internet
Young scholars listen to a statement about the role the Internet plays in the political process and respond by placing a card under the appropriate agree/disagree sign at the front of the room. Students brainstorm reasons to select their...
Mikva Challenge
Deconstructing Campaign Messages and Perceptions
Target audience, covert message, explicit and implicit appeals. As part of an investigation of rhetorical devices used in campaign ads, class members examine and deconstruct the appeals in logos from the 2008 election. They then use the...
PBS
The Big Picture-Economic Security in the Country and your Community
High schoolers explore economic security at the local and national level during the time period preceding the 2008 presidential election. They fill out surveys on their thoughts and concerns regarding the US economy, and watch a video...
Classroom Law Project
What are some of today’s voting issues? Voting in Oregon, youth vote, and technology
The youth vote. Rock the Vote. Vote-By-Mail. Electronic voting. Class members investigate issues facing today's voters, and the ways they have adapted over the years to optimize voter turnout.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Comparing Democracies
Could a president just ignore election results? For this analysis handout, scholars consider this question as they read background information on the 2008 elections in Zimbabwe. Two political cartoons poke fun at President Robert Mugabe,...
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The Times, Are They A-Changing?
Learners read and discuss article, "We Agreed to Agree, and Forgot to Notice," participate in anonymous mock presidential primary ballot, and share reactions to Iowa caucus results. Students then collect statements made by candidates on...
Curated OER
Finding Political Answers
Students discuss the 2006 midterm elections. They read an article about exit polls. They create a scavenger hunt using articles of the New York Times. They write a paper about the importance of midterm elections.
National Constitution Center
Address America: Your Six-Word Stump Speech
Stump speeches are the focus of this exercise that combines politics and language arts. After learning about this type of speech, the class listens to Obama's 2008 presidential campaign stump speech and answers a series of questions that...
Curated OER
Presidents and the Constitution: George W. Bush and the Case of Bush v. Gore (2000)
Young scholars examine the impact of court decisions. In this Supreme Court lesson plan, students read the Bush v. Gore case study regarding the presidential election of 2000. Young scholars take notes on the case and respond to...
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Campaign Trail Reports
In this Presidential Election 2008 worksheet, students research the listed candidates and respond to 4 questions about the candidates. Students present their findings to their classmates.
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Charisma vs. Experience
Which is more important for a president: experience or charisma? Scholars consider this as they analyze 2 political cartoons in this analysis handout. Background information gives context through a quote from The Telegraph, and 3 talking...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Tooning into the Candidates - Fred Thompson
In this current events activity, students analyze a political cartoon about about 2008 presidential candidate Fred Thompson. Students then respond to 2 short answer questions.
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Where Do They Stand?
In this presidential election worksheet, students research the 2008 presidential candidates and create a booklet of candidate profiles that clearly differentiate each one. They also assume the identity of one of the candidates and hold a...
Curated OER
Voting in Violence
Students create K/W/L (Know/Want to Know/Learned) charts to study the political violence following Kenya's 2008 presidential elections. They draw connections between this and other events currently taking place around the world.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Comparing Democracies
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about elections in Zimbabwe and respond to 3 talking point questions.