Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson and Growth of Party Politics

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this Curriculum Unit, students will consider "The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson and the Growth of Party Politics" in 4 Lessons. The unit also includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
Activity
Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University: Votes

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Pennsylvania State University is a well-developed simulation of a political campaign, containing political information and definitions.
Website
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Election Central: Campaign Manager: 60 Second Presidents

For Students 9th - 10th
In this activity, students watch videos to determine the best characteristics of a president in order to develop a campaign around these traits. Students watch videos of specific presidents and then create campaign posters which reflect...
Activity
Other

Square Pegs and Round Holes: Applying Campaign Finance Law to Internet

For Students 9th - 10th
Extensive discussion of campaign finance laws as they relate to the internet. Focus on the election of 2000.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Personality or Politics Activity | 60 Second Presidents

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students learn the important role that both personality and political platform have in shaping presidential elections by watching videos in groups comparing presidents who won on personality and those who won on...
Website
CBS

Cbs news.com: Campaign 04

For Students 9th - 10th
This CBS News site still covers the presidential election of 2004, covering the major parties and their candidates, the issues of the campaign, photos, audio/video content, information on the primaries and caucuses, and the like.
Unit Plan
Other

Tami: Times Are a Changin' Development of the Two Party System in Texas

For Students 6th - 8th
A collection of historical videos of political campaigns in Texas, which students analyze after an exploration of what qualities an effective political leader should have. They explore and discuss what Democrats and Republicans say in...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Teachers: Covering the Campaign Trail: Progress or Chaos? (Lesson Plan)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Examine the methods used today for covering political campaigns. Includes comparing and contrasting the technologies used today with those of the past and evaluating the effectiveness of current methods of coverage.
Website
Other

American Political Buttons: Election of 1944

For Students 9th - 10th
In addition to finding an array of political buttons from the presidential campaign of 1944, there is a succint overview of the candidates and the tone of the campaign.
Website
Other

Real Clear Politics: Polls: Election 2016 Presidential Polls

For Students 9th - 10th
Website with news and information on the polls of the 2016 presidential campaign.
Unit Plan
The Dirksen Congressional Center

Congress for Kids: Election: The Campaign

For Students 3rd - 5th
The race for the White House cannot take place without an official campaign. See how the Presidential campaign process works in the United States.
Activity
Other

Campaign Finance: Constitutional and Legal Issues of Soft Money

For Students 9th - 10th
This 2001 report outlines issues related to soft money in American politics. Emphasis on definitions, sources of soft money and related congressional activity.
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Our Place in the Politics of the Country

For Students 9th - 10th
Although the 15th amendment gave the freedom to vote to African Americans, little was done to enforce it. 90% of African-Americans living in the South were not able to vote, and in the North where voting was easier, the African American...
Lesson Plan
Museum of the Moving Image

Museum of the Moving Image: Admaker, Obama vs. Mc Cain: "Fundamentals" (2008)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan to accompany two interactive activities. In the first activity, students must convert a political ad for Barack Obama into one that promotes John McCain. The second activity has them create their own campaign ad. The ads...
Interactive
New York Times

New York Times: Campaign 2004: The Presidential Debates

For Students 9th - 10th
Interactive web page that contains an a slideshows of the 2004 presidential debates with analysis, video of the debates, and transcripts.
Activity
CNN

Cnn: All Politics: Candidates

For Students 9th - 10th
Although the advertisement reads that the "free" two and a half minutes given to each candidate in the 1996 Presidential election will be soundbite free, in actuality the two and a half minute speeches are lengthy sound bites.
Website
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: Campaign Diaries

For Students 9th - 10th
NPR's site has a series called Campaign Diaries, which has accounts from passionate volunteers, from professional campaign workers, typical voters and election bystanders, people who organize campaign events and drive voters to the polls.
Website
Other

History News Network: Why Is News So Negative These Days?

For Students 9th - 10th
This is actually the third installment in a five-part series of articles that looks at the question - "Where Have All the Voters Gone?." This particular article takes a look at the negativity in the news, but you may want to take a look...
Article
University of Maryland

Department of Sociology: Polls Take Commanding Lead in Politics, Business

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Article presents a useful discussion on the basics of public opinion polling, problems with the polling process, sources of public opinion data and tips for consumers.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: So You Want to Be President?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This project-based learning project extends classroom learning with a variety of multimedia tools to conduct an engaging election campaign for the Presidency. Students form political parties, write a platform, and conduct a campaign for...
Website
Other

John Kasich

For Students 9th - 10th
The official website for the John Kasich for president campaign 2016 offers news and issues about what this candidate stands for.
Website
University of Virginia

Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: Andrew Jackson: Campaigns and Electiions

For Students 9th - 10th
Scroll through this article to the Campaign and Election of 1832. Find out who ran against Andrew Jackson and what political parties were involved.
Website
Other

Center for Responsive Politics: Open Secrets

For Students 9th - 10th
Opensecrets.org is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy.
Website
Other

The Political Graveyard: Election of 1892

For Students 9th - 10th
This page from The Political Graveyard just lists the electoral votes each candidate received in the 1892 election. Links to brief biographical listings about each candidate and elector.