2016 Presidential Election

December 20, 2016

What is the Electoral College, and why does it decide who is president? Students learn about and discuss the pros and cons of the Electoral College system and current campaigns to reform or circumvent it.   

December 19, 2016

Students learn about and discuss the president's power to name leaders within the executive branch of government and consider two of president-elect Trump's most controversial appointments: Jeff Sessions for Attorney General and Steve Bannon for chief strategist and senior counselor.   

November 18, 2016

In this activity students think about ways to be kind, and create a wall or bulletin board of art and writing to remind each other of the power of kindness and how everyday actions can make a difference in the world.   

October 30, 2016

Students consider the history of "dog-whistle" politics and whether the current campaign season marks a break from the past practice by making racial references overt.   

October 24, 2016

This activity has students step into the shoes of voters whose views they may not agree with - and roleplay a dialogue.

October 21, 2016

Students consider how the Republican and Democratic Parties have evolved over time — and whether a new 'realignment' is happening today.  

August 16, 2016

Splits and controversies made for extra drama at this summer's Democratic and Republican national conventions. In this activity, students learn about and discuss what conventions are for and how they work, and what happened at the conventions this summer.   

July 4, 2016

Hillary Clinton stands on the brink of becoming the country's first female president. In the lesson, students learn about women who have run for president in the past and consider the significance of having a woman as president of the United States.  

June 5, 2016

In this brief Teachable Instant classroom activity, students find out about the Libertarian Party candidates on the 2016 presidential ballot, and discuss where libertarians stand on the issues.