Constitutional Rights Foundation
Options for Affecting Public Policy
Letter-writing, e-mail and telephone campaigns, petitions, marches, meetings, with lawmakers. Options for influencing elected representatives are the focus of resource that details how to craft each of these approaches to influencing...
Curated OER
Bias and Crime in Media
Critical thinking and social justice are central themes for this resource on bias and crime in media. The class views and discusses an incisive PSA that highlights assumptions based on race. Small groups read newspaper opinion pieces...
PBS
Decoding Media Bias
Alternative facts? After watching the We The Voters film, "MediOcracy," viewers compare how cable news outlets CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC report the same story about politics or public policy. After a whole-class discussion of their...
C-SPAN
The Role of the Executive Branch in Policy Making
Although the president of the United States does not have the power to pass laws, they can propose legislation, veto bills passed by Congress, and issue executive orders that bypass Congress. Six video clips show middle schoolers these...
Curated OER
Cold War Conflict in Vietnam: The Vietnam-Era Presidency
Comparing and evaluating various media types is a great way to build critical analysis skills. Learners read about the Vietnam era presidency, specifically the foreign policy established by Johnson and Nixon. Then they compare several...
Curated OER
Analyzing Public Policy Options
Students discuss what is meant by the term "public policy". In groups, they use the internet to research a specific public policy issue affecting Fairfax County, Virginia. They analyze and report their findings of the effectiveness of...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Public Service to a Better Image
Students, in a program entitled "Strategies for Success," examine ways to change public perception of their school. In this project-based lesson, they explore local social and environmental issues, develop a conflict resolution...
National History Day
Uncovering a World at War
Has media always had an influence on public policy? After researching and reading news articles written during World War I, learners understand the influence of communication and media. They discuss articles in small groups and as a...
Curated OER
Media And Foreign Policy
Students examine the impact and importance media has in shaping public views by examining poll surveys, comparing video clips and participating in a role-playing exercise.
Curated OER
Social Studies: War and the Media
Students examine the impact of the media on various wars, especially the Iraq and Vietnam wars. By examining cartoons and popular music as primary sources, they suggest motivations for the conflicts and propose reasons for public...
Curated OER
Learning about Interest Group Politics
Students identify and interpret major interest groups and think tanks of the government. Students evaluate, record, and discuss the viewpoints of guests on the News Hour. Students select several Web-based transcripts of interviews,...
Newseum
Weighing the Arguments
To understand how personal perspectives can affect policy and politics, scholars examine the woman suffrage media map and historical artifacts to analyze arguments for and against women's suffrage. Class members then take on the role of...
Curated OER
U.S. foreign policy in the early Republic
Students research various events during the War of 1812 and then create magazine articles with supporting illustrations, students are in control of their learning.
PBS
Master of the Airwaves: How FDR Used Radio to Ease the Public’s Fears
The political and economic climate during the 1930's was uncertain and tumultuous. But Americans' minds and hearts were eased with the reassuring words of their president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and addresses over the radio. High...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of Bill C-One: Canada's Parliamentary System
Studnets explore the procedure that makes bills into laws, through research and class discussion. They conduct public opinion and media research surveys and discuss the impact they have on deliberations conducted during the passage of a...
Federal Reserve Bank
The Story of the Federal Reserve: High School Lesson Plan
Is there a bank for the banks? Pupils analyze the complexities of the Federal Reserve system by breaking it down into easy-to-understand sections. Step-by-step investigation using flow charts and graphs of how the monetary system works...
Curated OER
News Coverage WWII
Students explore how Americans were affected by news coverage of World War II.
Curated OER
Can I Be Swayed?
High schoolers identify loaded words and examples of bias in print media. They describe how media can be used to manipulate public opinion. Students identify examples of interest groups that use media to sway public opinion in order to...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Elections and Public Policy
Students explore the methods employed by political parties to influence voters. By creating presentations, they illustrate how voters can critically interpret that information. Students compare and contrast the influence of various...
Federal Reserve Bank
Is the Fed Public or Private?
The Federal Reserve System as a decentralized central bank can be a difficult concept for learners to grasp. Help them get a firm handle on this concept using this resource, in which class members work as a group to identify the...
Curated OER
Conscience and Public Service
Students study conscientious observers (COs) in the Civilian Public Service (CPS) during World War II. They explore how the media sources influence public opinion and policy makers, and complete a writing assignment about the topic.
Curated OER
Developing An Action Plan
In this action plan worksheet, students complete a table after they create an action plan. The table lists activities, resources, and responsibilities necessary to complete the plan.
Curated OER
Using Current Events to Understand Elections
Eleventh graders explore the the major phases of the electoral process for president. In this US Government instructional activity, 11th graders compare and contrast the delegate system of nomination and the electoral college.
Curated OER
Government Policy and Its Impact on HIV/AIDS
High schoolers examine "President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief", identify important U.S. policy events related to AIDS/HIV from the last 25 years and hold a policy debate on the funding for AIDS/HIV programs.