Elections

In this brief activity, students take a quick quiz on voter access, then discuss the debate over this issue, including Hillary Clinton's recent proposal to make voter registration automatic.   

Students dip into the 2016 presidential race with a brief look at the two latest contenders to announce: Senators Marco Rubio and Bernie Sanders.

This lesson consists of two student readings followed by discussion questions. The first reading reviews the history of the Freedom Summer project, which took place 50 years ago. The second reading discusses some of the challenges to voting rights that we face today. 

Students learn about "demographics" and exit polls, examine exit polls from the 2012 election, and create their own school poll. 

Students discuss two related issues and their impact on voters: the election's focus on ""swing states"" and the winner-take-all Electoral College system. Students discuss these issues and then take part in a roleplay to deepen their understanding.

Students talk about the 2012 election and President Obama's statement in his acceptance speech that "democracy does not end with our vote." Students then consider the issues that are most important to them, research the issues, and figure out how to take action on them. 

Students discuss the most important issues for them in the presidential election and research these issues as homework. Then they stage a mock debate with teams playing the roles of the candidates, the moderators, fact-checkers, reporters and audience.   

Students discuss the history of voting rights and the current push to restrict voting, including the arguments for and against.

Get your students talking (or writing) about the presidential debate with these questions.

Students consider the debate over such issues as access to contraception, abortion, and equal pay in the 2012 presidential election and discuss their own perspectives on these issues.