Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight uses statistical analysis — hard numbers — to tell compelling stories about elections, politics, sports, science, economics and lifestyle.
Engage your students in reading with , the digital reading platform where scaffolding, peer learning, and assessment come together inside a text, exactly when students need help and motivation.
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of campaign finance by examining election costs, expenditures, and the complex relationships between candidates and political-action committees. By investigating the compelling question “Does money matter in political campaigns?” students dissect contemporary political campaigns in order to assess whether or not campaign-finance reform should take place. In investigating contemporary …
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of the Electoral College. By investigating the compelling question “Do we need the Electoral College?” students evaluate process the United States uses to select the president. The formative performance tasks help students build knowledge and practice skills through the course of the inquiry and support students as they …
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of policy voting, i.e. aligning their own beliefs with policies of political parties and candidates. By investigating the compelling question students will research where the stand on their own beliefs, compare those beliefs to available political party platforms, then finally against candidates representing those parties (or running as independents). In investigating current issues, political party positions, and candidate positions, students will …
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of political issues and political parties. By exploring the compelling question about how well political parties represent individuals, students consider their own political ideology as a lens for learning about the extent to which political parties address international and domestic issues. In investigating political issues and political party …
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of whether polling can be trusted. By investigating the compelling question “Can Polls Be Trusted?” students evaluate what polls are, how they are used, and how we are growing more confused by them. The formative performance tasks build on knowledge and skills through the course of the inquiry …
This inquiry leads students through an investigation of youth voting practices. By investigating the compelling question of whether or not they will vote, students consider the ways in which the voting habits of youth (citizens who are 18–29 years old) provide a unique opportunity to reflect on their own voting preferences. In investigating the issues …
More American voters stayed home in 2016 than voted either for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Roger Brooks says engagement and education programs that galvanize these no-shows could change our country for the better.
Should your state modify its voter registration laws and methods for submitting a ballot?
Elections in Action is a curriculum that engages students in learning about campaigns and elections by having them explore their own ideologies, learn about the candidates and get involved in elect…
Your students may be too young to register to vote, but it’s never too early to learn about what it takes to get to the ballot! This activity is a great way to kick off the election season, and promote voter registration in the larger community. Students will learn about how registration and voting works in their state, and create a flyer to share with someone in their life. National Voter Registration Day is in late September each year, and has a mission of registering voters across the country.
This comprehensive training manual, just updated for 2018, provides a step-by-step guide to help you develop winning high school voter registration programs and encourage young people to register and vote.
The guide comes complete with field-tested tips and a range of planning, training, and outreach tools to help you succeed. Download the entire PDF, or click on the customizable appendices (uploaded as a Word File) below. LWVEF, PDF Version. 2018.
The Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Learning Center is designed to promote excellence in the development and distribution of civic education content, and to enhance the awareness of the importance of civics education by creating programs, curriculum, and a wide variety of resources for both educators and students.
There is no mention of an “affirmative right to vote” in the U.S. Constitution; however, countless lives have been lost in the pursuit of obtaining the franchise. While many believe the country is stronger when everyone exercises the franchise, there are some that seem determined to limit it. It has been five years since the …
NPR's Scott Simon speaks to trivia expert AJ Jacobs about political conventions gone sour and unpopular candidates over the decades in U.S. politics.
Note: This is an Op-ed piece, not an editorial. The author is considered an expert. Op-Ed Contribution: An article by a person not on the staff of The Times, reflecting opinions about a topic on which the author is an expert or has provocative and well-reasoned ideas. These articles, most of which are solicited by the editors, are not intended to reflect the positions of the editorial board. Indeed, the Op-Ed page is seen as a forum to air diverse and challenging viewpoints.
The key difference is among regional cultures tracing back to the nation’s colonization.
To help educators prepare for the final month before the midterm elections, we have collected ideas submitted by teachers and added some of our own to create this list.
Why is voting an important responsibility for citizens? Less than 60 percent of eligible voters voted in the 2012 general election. Yet, for other Americans, voting is a very meaningful, almost sacred duty. In this lesson, students will view three short films that explore the importance of voting.
Help students understand the importance of local elections and ballot measures with this lesson plan, which includes guidelines for examining a local voter’s guide.
