Election 2012 Classroom Content

PBS Learning Media has made a wealth of Election 2012 resources available for classroom use. These tools will help students better understand the political process, the importance of issues to various groups, and the myriad factors impacting the Presidential election. You can sign up for PBS Learning Media for free to access these resources, highlighted in PBS Learning Media’s newsletter.

The General Election
Grades 6-12 | Video
Help your class understand the American election process by exploring campaign strategies, the Electoral College, and the importance of swing states.
2012 Political Map Center
Grades 6-13+ | Interactive
Analyze historical data and have your class attempt to predict the 2012 election outcome. Recognize how factors such as unemployment, median income, and ethnicity impact election outcomes.
Dollars & Votes: 2012 Election
Grades 6-12 | Video + Lesson Plans
What's behind the proliferation of political ads? Introduce your students to the 2010 Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and the history of campaign financing reform.
How Does Government Affect Me?
Grades 3-8 | Interactive + Support Materials
Use a virtual town tour to demonstrate how government decisions directly impact your students' community. Provide a basic understanding of the branches of government and the balance of power.

This list is not exhaustive and you can easily navigate the site’s search engine to find more resources to share with your students. There are also Professional Development tools such as Talking About Contemporary Issues in the Classroom, a video for teachers to help understand how students develop critical thinking skills through group discussions as you observe a middle school student group engaged in discussing issues involved in an election.

Looking for more? Check out Rosemary’s blog Presidential Debates.
What other tools are you using to teach students about the election?