In this lesson, students will: 1. Interpret and analyze presidential campaign commercials. 2. Evaluate bias in presidential campaign commercials and differentiate between fact and opinion. 3. Identify visual and language propaganda techniques utilized in presidential campaign commercials. 4. Evaluate factors that lead to effective campaign commercials. 5. Work effectively within small groups and individually in analyzing these commercials. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the political process at the local, state, and national levels of government by analyzing campaigns for elective office, with emphasis on the role of the media.

In this lesson, students consider if the negative trend in political advertising has an effect on democracy. A set of discussion questions is provided. In an associated activity, students evaluate ads for federal, state, and local candidates. Then they will collaborate in small groups to write a 30-second script for a political candidate and perform it before the class.

In this lesson, students analyze a primary source document from the 1824 election. In an extension activity, students will compose letters asking the congressional representatives their opinions on the effectiveness and necessity of the present Electoral College system.

Students will consider the essential question of why voting is an important responsibility for citizens. Students will view film clips, examine primary and secondary sources, and participate in both research and discussion.

In this 3-4 day lesson plan from PBS News Hour, students will consider the essential question of why voting is an important responsibility for citizens. Students will view film clips, examine primary and secondary sources, and participate in both research and discussion.

This is an interactive atlas of US Presidential Elections, broken down to county level. All elections from 1789-present are included. It also covers some recent Congressional Districts. For close elections some interesting "What If?" data is included.

This resource looks at the history of voting methods in the United States, which are as varied as the individual states and their local election districts. It explores how ballots and voting systems have evolved over the years as a response to political, social, and technological change, transforming the ways in which Americans vote.

In this lesson, students examine the question: How can states preserve judicial independence and still make judges accountable to voters?. A set of discussion questions is provided. In an associated activity, students role play voters deciding whether to retain judges.

In this activity, students read and discuss race and representation in United States government. Students work in small groups to analyze the 'minority-majority' voting districts that were created in North Carolina and Georgia.

In this lesson, students will understand the process by which candidates for U.S. president are nominated by the Democratic and Republican parties. They will identify and understand differences between primaries and caucuses and key terms and issues related to the primary season.

In this lesson, students consider the question: Why Don't People Vote?. A set of discussion questions is provided. In an associated activity, students rank methods of voter registration that have been proposed to increase the turnout in American elections.