Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

Where do you fit? Take this 11 question quiz to find how your views fit on the political spectrum. When finished, use options to view your beliefs against others of similar age, gender, and religion.

tag(s): elections (80), polls and surveys (46), quiz (66)

Many students (and adults) don't fully understand the role of the Electoral College in presidential elections. Does Your Vote Count? is a YouTube video providing a clear explanation of the Electoral College and how it works as part of the election process. If your district blocks YouTube, then it may not be viewable.

tag(s): elections (80), electoral college (22)

Make the presidential election process personal. Run for U.S. president by playing this free interactive online game which is best played on a computer using most current browsers. In this lively, colorful simulation, students will experience being part of a campaign, including creating a candidate avatar, selecting either Democratic or Republican issues, participating in debates and developing a media campaign. Choose your level to start: elementary, middle, or high school and complete the easy-to-follow tasks which do involve some reading, especially the debates section. The "Campaign Manager" will lead you through the process ending with your final probability of winning. Loading the game may take a few moments. Sound begins immediately, but may be toggled off. Online assistance is available by clicking the Help button (a ?) in the top right corner at each step of the game. Also, the Back button in the top left corner allows easy do-overs of sections. Students may play without registering, but will access more content, compete with others and earn badges after logging in. You can have separate accounts for students and teachers, but must have email addresses. An automatic username is generated when registering. The easy to use Extension Pack for Teachers provides more activities and assessments. Registered teachers can message students and create classes to give students a virtual class code to join without needing an email. If students register, they can check their My iCivics accounts to see points and message members of their groups which can be controlled by the teacher.

tag(s): elections (80), presidents (121)

Electing a President in Plain English is a video describing, in simple terms, how the US electoral process works during a presidential election. The video focuses on the influence of population on the overall voting process and provides a quick overview of the general vote and the electoral college. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.

tag(s): elections (80), electoral college (22)

Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization dedicated to getting young people out to vote. Their home page includes information for voters across the country about voter registration, where to vote, and election information. Other links direct you to contact information for local and national elected officials. Are you registered to vote? It's easy to find out through Rock the Vote, enter your address and date of birth and find out your registration status.

tag(s): elections (80), politics (112)

Stay up to date with current elections and learn about the electoral process with this all-inclusive site from PBS Learning. View a short video to explore the constitution and how the government gets its power from its citizens. Launch the Electoral Decoder to explore 58 past presidential elections. Another feature is Let's Talk About KQED Youth Media Challenge, where middle and high school students share their ideas on issues that matter to them. Be sure to scroll down the page to explore other election categories like Voting Rights, The Party System, a Current Issues and Debate toolkit, and more.

tag(s): debate (37), elections (80), electoral college (22), presidents (121), speech (66)

Two friends with opposing political views created I Side With as a resource for engaging in political discussion and learning about different points of view. Take the online quiz to learn which candidate aligns with your beliefs the most. Explore the many polls on the site to view results from across the country. Break down information from the polls into additional information such as by state, city, party affiliation, ethnicity, and income.

tag(s): elections (80), politics (112), polls and surveys (46)

Learn all about U.S. political campaigns and party conventions. Five main sections explain it all: History, Campaign Finance, Nominations, Policy, and Media. Within each section are videos and articles about the current state of affairs as well as past practices. Each section offers lesson plans suitable for high school use. The sections also offer short review quizzes that provide instant feedback. Scroll through each section in order or choose from portions with links at the top of the section. Though the videos say "this user is blocked," there are transcripts and articles to read, and you can still take the quizzes.

tag(s): elections (80), electoral college (22)

Politicians are legendary for their ability to "spin" or manipulate the facts in their own favor. This site seeks to cut through the jargon and the partisan spin to evaluate statements made by politicians, using their "Truth-o-Meter." Although the interface is light-hearted (using a scale that runs from True, Barely True, False, and "Pants on Fire"), the facts are well researched and presented.

tag(s): advertising (24), elections (80), politics (112)