Constitutional Rights Foundation
Elections, Money, and the First Amendment
Those who spend the most, win. Academics read informational text, participate in group discussion, and defend campaign reforms to understand the correlation between money, the First Amendment, and election results. The resource explains...
City University of New York
Urban Politics: Machines and Reformers
What were political machines and whom did they serve? As part of a study of US immigration patterns and how these patterns influenced politics, groups investigate how Tammany Hall and other political machines gained support from voters.
Curated OER
Gilded Age Politics
Whisk your students through the politics of the Gilded Age with this presentation, which features the contexts and characteristics of the 1880-1888 Presidential Elections. Clever political cartoons and clear, concise bullet points about...
Curated OER
Election 2005: Campaign Issues
Students take a closer look at the election of 2005. In this British politics lesson, students listen to a lecture about the 2005 campaign and active citizenship. Students then create collages and news boards about the election. Older...
Curated OER
In Praise of Political Parties
Students research a political party and prepare a report about its history, philosophy, and the party's position regarding two major political issues. They complete a variety of additional creative activities regarding their party, as well.
Curated OER
Campaign Finance Reform and Public Opinion
Students discuss the issue of finance reform in political campaigns. Using the internet, they identify the positives and negatives of finance reform and research the problems associated with campaign fund-raising. They share their...
Curated OER
The Ad Campaign
Students explore how political candidates use mass media to deliver their messages to voters. Focusing on specific issues in the upcoming election, students create television commercials representing different parties' views.
Curated OER
Civil Service Reform: Senate Debates
Students examine the 1883 Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. They discuss the spoils system, answer discussion questions, read and analyze speeches, complete a worksheet summarizing their findings, and report their findings to the class.
Curated OER
Persuasion and Political Debate by PBS
Students examine rhetorical strategies. In this political debate lesson, students research issues of presidential campaigns and deliver persuasive speeches about the issues they research. Students then participate in debates based on the...
Curated OER
Online Lesson Political Parties, Platforms, and Planks
Students explore historical political parties and their platforms. After studying the origins and functions of political parties, students create their own platform to address current issues. In groups, students design an ad campaign...
Curated OER
The Mass Media and Politics
What effect do the prevalence of televisions in homes have on the American political stage? Challenge your students to consider this idea with these ten questions, both true/false and multiple choice. You could use this activity as a...
Curated OER
Reading Comprehension Volume 5, Number 11 : Campaign Finance Reform
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read a text about campaign finance reform. Students fill in the missing words with choices from a word bank.
Curated OER
Civil Service Reform: Campaign Contributions
Students investigate the campaign contribution scandal in Illinois during the 1990s. They listen to a teacher-led discussion, answer discussion questions, compare/contrast two reform acts, and write their own civil service law.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Campaign Finance Reform
Students develop arguments for and against campaign finance reform, examine federal and state laws that attempt to limit contributions to political candidates, evaluate various plans for campaign finance reform and formulate their own...
Curated OER
Political Science: Political Analysis Through Satire
Students identify, analyze and explain examples of politcal satire. They discuss the role of political satire in the democratic process and create and present examples of political satire.
Curated OER
Education Reform
Students identify problems and potential improvements for U.S. public school education. They research and debate the pros and cons of the "No Child Left Behind Act".
City University of New York
Urban Politics: Machines and Reformers
Take a trip to the turn of the twentieth century with a resource about industrialism in America. With primary source documents and focus questions, learners think about the ways that government groups and organizations paved the way for...
Curated OER
Ad Nauseam
Learners explore the role of special-interest groups in American campaigns. They create their own political advertisements.
Curated OER
1912: The Election that Changed the Century
The presidential election of 1912 was a turning point in American politics. Whoever won would reshape the political spectrum. Learn about the key issues, each party's politics, and the four men who wanted to become president: William...
ProCon
Obamacare
Former President Barack Obama reformed the United States' health care system with Obamacare, but is the new legislation good for America? Scholars read a historical timeline about the passage of health care reform laws and compare United...
Curated OER
Sculpting a Message: From the Counter-Reformation to the Present Day
Students discuss persuasive messages in art. In this art history lesson, students research 17th- century European sculptures to find the messages given. They create their own sculptures and write press releases to explain their art.
Curated OER
Civil Service Reform: Campaign Contributions
Eleventh graders discuss the 19th-century spoils system. They discuss the 1990s licenses for bribes campaign contribution scandal that occurred under George Ryan's (Illinois's then-Secretary of State) tenure. .
Curated OER
The Minor Parties
Help to increase the knowledge of your future (or current) voters with this quiz about minor parties. By matching various minor parties, both historical and contemporary, students can become better-informed about the entirety of American...
Curated OER
A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words
Seventh graders create a multimedia, image only ad campaign on a contemporary controversial issue. They base their public service announcement, Powerpoint presentation, Web page, or video on methods used by Martin Luther during the...