Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) discussed the differences between a Delegate to the House of Representative and members of the House of Representatives from states.
Bell Ringer: Significance of Presidents’ Day
Author and Presidential Historian Lindsay Chervinsky discussed the significance of Presidents’ Day, how Americans have remembered and memorialized departed presidents, and how Americans’ views of presidents have changed over time.
Bell Ringer: Origin and Impact of Title IX Legislation
President Nixon signed Title IX into law in June 1972, prohibiting sex discrimination in any education program receiving federal money—most notably sports. These clips provide background information on the legislation, discuss the role of former U.S. Commerce Secretary Barbara Franklin, and the impact that President Nixon’s administration had on equity for women.
Bell Ringer: Voter Turnout
Voter turnout, or the choice by voters whether or not to participate in a given election, is impacted by a variety of factors. These factors include voter demographics (personal characteristics), political efficacy (the sense that one’s vote is important and impactful), structural barriers (such as voter registration laws and voting procedures), and type of election (midterm versus presidential).
Lesson Plan: Book That Shaped America – “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”
Born into slavery in Maryland, Frederick Douglass went on to become a writer, orator, statesman and key leader in the abolitionist movement. After his escape to freedom as an adult, Douglass in 1845 wrote the first of his three autobiographies, titled “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.” The book was a bestseller, and greatly influential in promoting the cause of abolition. In this lesson, students begin by responding to reflective questions that ask them to share their knowledge of the abolitionist movement. From there, they will review the status of the United States in 1845. Next, students will learn more about the subsequent publishing of Douglass’ book, the immediate and lasting impact on the country, and details about his life. Finally, students will respond to a prompt that asks them to explain if and how “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” shaped America.
Lesson Plan: Does the Constitution Need a 28th Amendment to Fix Deficiencies in the Government?
This deliberation presents video clips, articles, and numerous education activities to guide students through a review of the debate over whether the Constitution needs a 28th Amendment to address the government’s deficiencies, using several specific examples as case studies. After a careful review of multiple perspectives, students will be able to consider whether a 28th Amendment to the Constitution is necessary or unnecessary.
The Great Debate on the Constitution
This resource pairs the text of the U.S. Constitution with the Federalist Papers.
Lesson Plan: Analyzing the 2024 Presidential Debates
This lesson has students view and analyze clips from each of the 2024 presidential debates. Students will view video clips of specific questions discussed during the debate and evaluate the effectiveness of each candidate’s response. This lesson will be updated to include clips from each of the presidential and vice-presidential debates as they air on C-SPAN.
Lesson Plan: Recognizing Propaganda in Political Speeches & Advertisements
In this lesson, students will learn about different types of propaganda by examining examples presented in the media. Students will then apply that knowledge to past and current presidential campaign speeches and advertisements. The lesson is divided into three sections. Section one introduces students to ten types of propaganda; section two asks students to watch C-SPAN video clips of past speeches and identify the types of propaganda utilized, and section three has students apply their new knowledge to the current election cycle using candidates’ speeches on C-SPAN. The lesson offers flexibility so any section can be revised to meet specific classroom needs and address teacher concerns.
Bell Ringer: Why Do We Vote on the First Tuesday in November?
A look at state and federal elections and the historical reasons for why we vote on the first Tuesday in November.