Students will learn about the learn about the Double V campaign, which advocated for dual victories: over fascism abroad, and racial injustice in the United States.
Andrew McGill
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: The Birth of the U.S. Political Convention in 1831
Students will learn why the populist and conspiracy-obsessed Anti-Masonic Party held America’s first political party convention, a democratizing innovation that changed forever the way Americans choose their presidents.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: 1964 Republican Convention – Chaos and Conservatism
Students will learn how Senator Barry Goldwater’s nomination in 1964 led to a disastrous Republican convention and a Democratic landslide in November, but not without giving birth to the conservative movement that has come to dominate today’s Republican Party.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: 1924 Democratic Convention – Tension Over Immigration
Students will learn how the 1924 Democratic National Convention became a raucous battleground over the influence of the Ku Klux Klan.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: Lessons From the 1976 Republican Convention
Students will learn about the 1976 Republican convention, one of the last political conventions where the party’s nominee for president was not determined well in advance. President Gerald Ford held the lead with the most delegates, but California’s governor, Ronald Reagan, was close behind, and the remaining uncommitted delegates held the power. The convention revealed an ideological divide in the party: Some Republicans viewed Ford as too liberal and saw Reagan as a conservative alternative. The convention showcased a kind of bare-knuckle politics and drama that hasn’t been seen since.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: Civics Skills: Annotating the Articles of Confederation
After the United States gained independence from King George III and British rule, it was necessary to create a new government. How would laws, treaties and taxation be decided? Who would rule? Who would hold power? The founders drafted America’s first governing document, the Articles of Confederation, but the document’s deficiencies soon became apparent.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: Civics Skills: Sleuthing Socials (Fact-Checking Social Media)
The convenience and speed of social media has led to an increase in news consumption on platforms like Facebook, TikTok and X. This comes with increasing concerns about the accuracy of claims made on social media and how they influence public opinion. A Penn State study showed that the youngest generation has switched most of their attention to digital platforms that are more visually based, with 15 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds using TikTok for news. Students will learn about effective research habits that can assist in fact-checking posts on social media to ensure information is accurate prior to sharing or allowing that information to inform opinions.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: Civics Skills: Annotating the Declaration
Students will learn how to approach a complex topic – in this case, the history of redlining– by sharpening skills in annotation and analysis. The student in this short video breaks down the process step by step, offering tips on how to navigate tricky topics with confidence.
Posted inCivics and Government
Lesson Plan: Civics Skills: Introducing Oral Histories
Hearing from student activists like Mary Beth Tinker and Cameron Samuels helps us understand what civics in action can look like. Through the power of oral history, students will learn about how those in their community have advocated for change. In this lesson, students will brainstorm, craft questions and conduct their own oral history interviews to learn more about an aspect of U.S. History or government. Students will conclude by reflecting on the importance of oral history as a tool for historians.
