+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In Praise of Political Parties

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Minor Parties

For Students 10th - 12th
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...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Political Parties, Platforms, and Planks

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine the origins and functions of political parties.  In this American Government lesson, 9th graders create a party platform to address political issues that are likely to arise during a national election.  Students...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Reform Movements of the 1800s

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders consider the impact of reform movements of the 19th century. In this Progressive Reform lesson, 11th graders examine documents and images associated with women's suffrage, prohibition, and labor reform. Students respond...
+
PPT
Curated OER

1912: The Election that Changed the Century

For Teachers 9th - 11th
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...
+
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Healthcare Reform Lesson Plans

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Healthcare reform is a subject that students can debate, research, and analyze.
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Teaming Up on Health Care

For Students 9th - 12th
Use this political cartoon handout to help pupils understand the role the Blue Dog Coalition plays with regard to Health Care Reform. Football is used metaphorically to represent a player (Blue Dogs) tackling someone on his team (Obama)....
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landmark Supreme Court Cases and the Constitution: National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie (1977)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the impact of court decisions. In this Supreme Court lesson, students read the National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie (1977) case study regarding First Amendment Rights. Learners take notes on the case...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Campaign Finance Reform

For Teachers All
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...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Populism and the People’s Party

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the history of the Populist Party as it relates to its reforms and economic plight. In this Populism and the People's Party lesson, students explore why farmers experienced financial difficulty at the end of the century....
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Expansion and Reform: Applying the Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students conduct inquiries and research-acquiring, organizing, analyzing, interpreting, evaluating, and communicating facts, themes, and general principles operating in American history. They use the Declaration of Independence to...
+
PPT
Curated OER

Gilded Age Politics

For Teachers 8th - 11th
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...
+
Lesson Plan
NPR

Progressive Era Lesson Plan

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
The women working for equal rights in the early 20th century weren't a part of one large group; rather, they were members of dozens of small groups focused on social reform. Explore the ways groups in the Progressive Era like National...
+
PPT
Curated OER

Manifest Destiny

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Complete with maps, photographs, and historical documents, this presentation would be a great resource throughout a unit about mid-19th century America. Manifest Destiny, Texas Independence, the Oregon Trail, and the Mexican War are all...
+
Worksheet
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Elections, Money, and the First Amendment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
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...
+
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Blockbusting: Social and Economic Change through Real Estate

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Redlining," "Blockbusting," and "White Flight" may not be terms familiar to young historians. Here's a lesson that introduces middle schoolers to these terms and the actions associated with them. Class members examine a series of...
+
Lesson Plan
City University of New York

Urban Politics: Machines and Reformers

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
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.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Online Lesson Political Parties, Platforms, and Planks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Amnesty: More Than a Word

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explain how the use of certain emotive terms affects voter's perceptions. Students assess how word choice by political parties can changes our thinking on a subject. After viewing ads by the two political parties, young...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What if the Senate were Reformed on the Triple E Model

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars investigate what the Canadian Senate does and what reform would do to the power relationship between the Prime Minister and the Senate.
+
Interactive
Curated OER

Populism

For Students 9th - 12th
In this online interactive American history worksheet, students answer 10 multiple choice questions regarding the Populist party reform movement. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Major Events Leading to the American Revolution

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students explore the causes of the American Revolution. In this taxation without representation lesson, students analyze political cartoons in order to gain an understanding of the efforts of the colonists to resolve conflict with...
+
PPT
Curated OER

Populism & the Election of 1896

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Populism and the rise and fall of the Populist Party are the topics of this presentation, which details the Presidential Election of 1896 and the role of silver. Detailing main points with clever political cartoons and informative maps,...
+
Lesson Plan
Frontline

Obama's Deal

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Government classes benefit from examining how a bill passes through Congress, while they focus on the compromises made by Obama's administration regarding health care reform. This includes an online video and a couple of handouts. The...