Elections

What are the obstacles to a smooth and fair election in November 2020, and how might they be overcome? Students read about, discuss, and research the question.

Students reflect on the issues they care about in the 2020 presidential election, research those issues, and discuss what it's like to talk with those who disagree with us. 

Will voter suppression skew the results of the 2020 election? Students examine current efforts to suppress voting in the context of U.S. history and learn about efforts to defend voting rights.

Students learn about and discuss key issues in Bloomberg’s candidacy, including his policing, climate change, education, and housing policies as mayor of New York City.

Students examine some key foreign policy issues in the 2020 Democratic primary, and compare the stances of two contenders, Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders.

Should two small, disproportionately white and rural states be the first two primary states? Students explore the debate, and the pros and cons of the Iowa caucus process.

Do big donors have too much influence in elections? Does the surge of small donors in the 2020 presidential election change the equation? Students explore the changing role of money in politics.

How many candidates is too many? Does our current primary system make for a stronger or weaker democracy? Students explore the question, and consider the pros and cons of an alternative system, ranked choice voting. 

Does the U.S. political system live up to the principle of one person, one vote? In this lesson, students explore arguments about whether the Electoral College and the U.S. Senate might hinder the quest for fair, democratic representation. 

This lesson invites students to examine reasons why Americans may not vote, both in the past and in the present. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the struggle for voting rights and will explore why the ability to vote means so much to many Americans.