TeachersFirst's Elections Resources
Whether it is a presidential year or an off-year election cycle, there are many excellent election resources on the web to help your students understand and become involved in the electoral process. This collection highlights the TeachersFirst editors' favorite election resources for all levels.
If you wish to choose from a more extensive list election-related resources or to narrow your list for a specific topic and grade level, use the search tool at the left of this page.
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Constitution Explained: Who Chooses the President? - iCivics
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): constitution (93), elections (81), presidents (135)
In the Classroom
Organize a mock election in your classroom where students represent different states with their respective electoral votes. Have students work in groups to create a campaign ad for a fictional presidential candidate. After discussing how the Electoral College works, challenge students to propose their own constitutional amendment to change the presidential election process and have them write a persuasive essay explaining their idea and how it would improve the current system.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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C-Span Classroom - C-Span
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): branches of government (65), civil rights (201), constitution (93), declaration of independence (15), elections (81), electoral college (23), environment (245), journalism (72), nasa (30), STEM (284), supreme court (27), video (262)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to access many video resources and lessons to teach social studies topics. Include lessons and activities as part of interactive lessons created with Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. Include quizzes, videos, links to documents, and more to create flipped or blended learning lessons on Microsoft PowerPoint Online that differentiate student abilities and interests and a resource for students to complete lessons individually at their own pace. As a final learning activity and to enhance learning, ask students to share their understanding of the content by creating short video clips made with FlexClip, reviewed here. Modify templates provided by FlexClip to create a short but content-rich overview of the lesson that shares student understanding of the information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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History of Voting in America - Office of Secretary of State Washington
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): civil rights (201), constitution (93), elections (81), immigrants (34), womens suffrage (50)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this document for use with any lessons on voting and to provide context during American History units. The visuals included on the timeline are especially helpful for visual learners to give context and a deeper understanding of the progression from 1776. Engage students by introducing this information with a gamification app such as Blooket, reviewed here. Blooket works well with both in-person and remote learning and offers a variety of game options, including games for single players and groups. Additional Blooket options are offered as homework, meaning students participate at their leisure during the provided time frame. Enhance student learning by creating timelines that include information from this document and additional information from your lessons. Canva, reviewed here, offers many easy to use timeline templates that allow you to add links to outside sites, images, and more. Extend learning by asking students to interview local election officials or senior citizens to share their experience with voting rights and regulations. Ask students to create presentations sharing what they learned using Google Slides, reviewed here, or Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. Include links to audio recordings of interviews, add images, supporting videos, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Interdisciplinary Civics Education Lessons - United4SC
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): branches of government (65), civil rights (201), constitution (93), democracy (20), diseases (69), elections (81), environment (245), ethics (21), media literacy (107), pilgrims (12), psychology (67), racism (79), slavery (78), supreme court (27)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this excellent resource for use throughout the year to engage students as they learn about various social studies topics. Luckily, this site includes a link to each of the videos that are shared on edpuzzle, reviewed here. Use these links to create and share video lessons with your students, including notes, quizzes, and comments extending learning. Use the included lesson plans as a starting point for your lessons, then ask students to extend learning by sharing information through various choices. For example, offer students options for creating a podcast teaching about one of the topics using Buzzsprout, reviewed here. Buzzsprout includes options to personalize podcasts, such as the ability to add links to show notes and the option to schedule episodes for release at specific times and dates; in addition offer Genially, reviewed here, where students can choose to create interactive presentations, images, infographics, charts, and anything else you can think of.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Starting Point - Chris Evans, Mark Kassen, and Joe Kiani
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): branches of government (65), civil rights (201), elections (81), foreign policy (12), immigration (68), politics (116)
In the Classroom
Share information from this site with students to demonstrate how to share different viewpoints on current events. This site also provides an opportunity to model how to use facts and information to present ideas and persuade others to consider opposing viewpoints. As students use these videos to compare and contrast viewpoints, use a curation tool such as Padlet, reviewed here, to share information from both sides. Use the shelf feature in Padlet to create columns to add content based on each side's viewpoint or use the map feature to add content found from different locations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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US Presidential Elections and Activities - GrowingVoters. org
Grades
K to 12tag(s): elections (81), electoral college (23), journalism (72), politics (116)
In the Classroom
Be sure to see the many free lessons and activities shared on this site for use as a complete civics and election unit or as a supplement to your current curriculum. For polling activities, consider the use of online polling tools such as Dotstorming, reviewed here, or Poll Everywhere, reviewed here, as quick polling options. Select activities from the site to use with other learning tools such as videos, online articles, and documents to create a blended learning activity using ActivelyLearn, reviewed here. Have students create campaign posters and flyers using PhotoCollage, reviewed here, or Canva Edu, reviewed here, using the templates provided or created from scratch. Engage students in the electoral experience by providing options for them to promote a personal platform or a fictionalized candidate using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Adobe Express allows inclusion of student-created videos and artwork along with student persuasive writing examples.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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iCivics, Win the White House - iCivics
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): elections (81), presidents (135)
In the Classroom
Start out using this site with your projector or interactive whiteboard with the whole class. Walk through the beginning of the game and demonstrate the built-in help which is useful for students who might need additional guidance. Have individuals play or create small group teams of campaign staff to guide the candidates. Students or groups may play multiple times. After registering, the site will save games and students can send messages. Use the Achievements badges and points for student assessments. Have students research the debate topics and compare the different aspects of the game to real-life examples in the news. An easy to use Extension Pack for Teachers provides more activities and assessments.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Does Your Vote Count? The Electoral College Explained - Christina Greer
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): elections (81), electoral college (23)
In the Classroom
Share this video on an interactive whiteboard (or projector) as part of any election unit. Have students research the number of electoral votes available in your state. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare the democratic process in the United States to that of another country. Have students create maps using Zeemaps, reviewed here, to identify the number of electoral votes available in each state. Zeemaps allows students to create audio recordings AND choose various locations on a map, and additional information such as how the electoral votes were cast in previous elections. You could use edpuzzle, reviewed here, to share the video with students. Use edpuzzle to add comments, questions, and point out highlights within the videos. YouTube videos are viewable in Edpuzzle, even if your school blocks YouTube! Use Edpuzzle to add comments, questions, and point out highlights within the videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Electoral College - The Lou Frey Institute of Politics & Government
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): elections (81), electoral college (23)
In the Classroom
View this video together on an interactive whiteboard to illustrate the impact of the Electoral College voting on the election of the US President, both today and in the past. Alternatively, embed it in your class web page for the duration of your elections unit. Have students create their own "in plain English" video about a topic in government using Typito, reviewed here, and share them using a tool such as SchoolTube, reviewed here. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast differences between the popular vote and Electoral College votes. Add questions to this video for students to explore further using a tool such as edpuzzle, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Rock the Vote - Jeff Ayeroff
Grades
8 to 12In the Classroom
Include a link to Rock the Vote on your class web page for eligible students to access voter registration and other information. Include Rock the Vote as part of any election unit. Have students learn about the latest voting news, explore requirements for voter registration, and discover reasons why it is important to be part of the voting process. Have students create an annotated image including related links describing the voter registration process for your state using a tool such as Image Annotator, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Election Central - PBS Learning Media
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): debate (42), elections (81), electoral college (23), presidents (135), speech (68)
In the Classroom
Include The Election Collection as part of any election unit. Have students research candidate information and compare and contrast points of view. Use an online tool such as the Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, or the Interactive Three Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Pose a controversial question about an election issue and have students answer as one of the candidates. Use a tool such as Dotstorming, reviewed here, for that exercise. Or, challenge students to use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a candidate's journey through the election process. Or, using Fakebook, have two candidates debate an issue. Be sure to take advantage of the free lesson plans offered on this site correlated to National History Standards.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hip Hughes History - Keith Hughes
Grades
8 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): china (62), classroom management (123), constitution (93), elections (81), foreign policy (12), politics (116), presidents (135), russia (35)
In the Classroom
Show videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector to your class as an introduction to a new unit or class discussion. Flip your lesson and assign videos for students to view at home or in the computer lab and discuss questions at the next class meeting. Prep for this and engage students by asking questions during the video using Moocnote, reviewed here. Use the videos as a springboard for engaging writing prompts or to spark a discussion connected with a unit of study. Enhance learning by having students create a simple infographic with information learned from videos using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here. Be sure to check out some of the classroom management tips and advice for new teachers for some fresh ideas to use in your classroom!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PBS Newshour Classroom - PBS NewsHour Productions LLC
Grades
7 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): civil rights (201), elections (81), holocaust (42), memorial day (12), news (228), pearl harbor (14), poetry (194), veterans (29), video (262), women (144), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Watch the news together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Allow students to watch independently on laptops or at a learning station. Use any video or article as a current events writing prompt. Challenge students to create blog posts about them. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper and have students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Webnode, reviewed here. Don't forget the many free lesson plans (already aligned to Common Core standards). Click on the Lesson Plans link to explore the countless topics available (Poetry, Veterans, Elections, Ebola, Civil Rights, and more). For articles and videos about conflicts and tension, extend student learning by having your students engage in a debate using a tool such as Virtual Debate, reviewed here, which has online examples and resources for conducting virtual debates. Keep your class up-to-date on the news using this site. Provide this link on your class website for students (and families) to access both in and out of your classroom.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Center for Civic Education - Center for Civic Education
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): branches of government (65), civil rights (201), constitution (93), democracy (20), elections (81), electoral college (23), lincoln (65), martin luther king (45), presidents (135), sept11 (18), washington (28)
In the Classroom
Use lesson resources to supplement your current curriculum or commemorate events such as MLK Day, Presidents Day, or Constitution Day. Assign podcasts to groups of students to use, then report to the class. Rather than a traditional report, challenge cooperative learning groups to collaborate on a topic found on the site using Netboard, reviewed here to share ideas and information. Share a link to the podcasts via your web page or blog. Have students answer the daily question then respond with a short journal entry or with comments on your webpage.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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AllSides - John Gable
Grades
4 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): elections (81), evaluating sources (28), media literacy (107), politics (116)
In the Classroom
This is an excellent site to easily find topics presented from various points of view. Use articles with students to demonstrate point of view in writing, bias in media, or for students to use as points for debates. Use an online tool such as Interactive Three Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to create a visual comparison of different points of view.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Connect the Dots for Democracy - Witte Design, LLC
Grades
8 to 12What's missing? There is no audio recording of the script that could accompany the slides; you must print the script and read it while viewing the slides. And, despite its goal of "making it simple" for busy folks, you have to dig a little in the site to discover that the author is firmly in the "Progressive" political camp, and that the presentation on Health Care, for example, includes one section on "GOP Care" and repeatedly slams the Republican party's handling of the health care crisis. To its credit, the sources for the information presented on the graphics are cited. Be aware also that the graphics use language like "We're Getting Screwed!" which may be inappropriate for younger kids.
tag(s): branches of government (65), congress (39), elections (81), media literacy (107), politics (116)
In the Classroom
The infographic presentations would be great for discussions of election-year politics for Civics/Government classes or Current Events debate. They would be better if the accompanying scripts were available in an audio file. Exercise caution, however, because there is clearly a political agenda here. Ironic that a site that purports to cut through the rhetoric is loaded with its own. Use it, therefore, as yet another example of how a savvy media can "spin" the issues. Invite students to look for the bias inherent in some of the information presented. What questions should be asked about the data contained in the slideshow? How could you verify the information? How would you rebut it with your own infographic? Can you find a site that presents an opposing spin on the same topics?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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PolitiFact: Sorting out the truth in politics - St. Petersburg Times
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): advertising (26), elections (81), politics (116)
In the Classroom
This site is a great resource for students researching politicians and their viewpoints. If you're sponsoring a class debate, keep the site handy for each side to check the assertions of their opponents. When students have questions about the content of political advertising, for example, refer them here to find out more. As an assignment, consider having the class pick a political ad, and using the information on this site, write about how the creator of the ad selected the facts that would best portray the viewpoint of the candidate. They could share their critique on a class wiki or on a classroom bulletin board. Have groups create a "mythbuster" political poster on Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Vote Smart - Project Vote Smart
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Use this site as the basis of a homework or group assignment: students can write about the candidate they would support in an upcoming election referencing the information found on the site about each candidate's views on specific issues. Take it further and have them create a print ad for their candidate or an online "poster" using Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here. Alternatively, the site could be used on an interactive whiteboard as a springboard for a class-wide discussion.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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How the President Gets Elected - Factmonster
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): elections (81), electoral college (23), politics (116)
In the Classroom
Have your students follow this guide to create a fictitious candidate. Enhance learning by using a blog tool like Blogger, reviewed here, and challenging students to create a blog about their mock candidate. What issues are important to your students? Do any of the IRL (Internet lingo for "in real life") candidates share the same views as the students' mock candidate?Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Opensecrets.org - Open Secrets
Grades
9 to 12In the Classroom
Put this site on your TeachersFirst favorites list or teacher web page so students can use it for research on political candidates and issues. Civics teachers will find it useful in demonstrating the importance of lobbying and campaign finance in the political arena. Economics teachers can use these data to illustrate the connection between wealth and political power. Teachers doing lessons focused on the upcoming elections can track current Presidential candidates and their major contributors.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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